What is DisplayPort?
Designed to be digital from it’s conception, DisplayPort provides faster refresh rates, deeper colors and crystal-clear sound. It’s a technology designed to give the best result from today’s high-performance devices and be future-ready. And, it offers the unique ability to connect to previous connections such as DVI, VGA and HDMI with the use of simple adaptors. DisplayPort is the ultimate digital display connection.
How Is DisplayPort Better?
It’s simple, sleek and easy-to-use.
- DisplayPort replaces DVI, LVDS and VGA standards in PC's and laptops.
- DisplayPort provides WQXGA 10 bit performance. This means billions of colors, faster refresh rates and true-speed digital performance. It is the only high performance digital connection that delivers this much performance standard in every certified DP cable. With DisplayPort, customers won't have to buy more expensive cables to get the highest performance.
- DisplayPort easily connects to older technologies with simple adaptors, so customers don’t have to replace ALL of their technology at once.
How is DisplayPort Different From HDMI?
HDMI uses a pixel based data stream through a digital connector designed for consumer electronics. It replaces the S-video and analog component connections for televisions. HDMI is an external display connection using a CRT-like approach with separate RGB channel and pixel clock channel.
DisplayPort is a cutting edge audio/visual data transport protocol that operates both as an external connector and an internal connector in PC's and electronic devices. Designed initially to replace DVI and VGA in the PC marketplace,DisplayPort uses a packetized data protocol often used in high-speed data communications. This provides a faster data rate over the same number of wires giving users the highest display resolution, the deepest color depths and the fastest refresh rates. The unique packetized data structure allows it to carry both display visuals and up to eight audio channels. DisplayPort is designed to handle multiple digital display visual streams and other types of data in the future.
DisplayPort is the first and only digital connection designed to leverage newer semiconductor process technologies allowing the technology to be integrated into chipsets, providing a high performance digital connection that is affordable and making smaller devices possible. DisplayPort is a true digital display interface that can be easily adopted to all usages. Designed to deliver a new level of performance, this affordable technology can bring high-end digital display functionality to all kinds of PC and consumer electronics applications.
See how DisplayPort compares to other display connections.
Why DisplayPort?
Simple. Older technologies like DVI cannot keep up with the demands of high-performance digital devices. Where older technologies like DVI delivered millions of colors, DisplayPort delivers billions, plus digital audio and a powered connection.
What Products Contain DisplayPort?
Right now, PC’s, Laptop Computers, Monitors and component parts such as adaptors and graphic cards are currently available. The DisplayPort technology will eventually be found on all kinds of electronics including consumer electronics like Flat Panel TV’s, Projectors, Blu-ray players, Camcorders, Digital Cameras and more. You can find a current list of products on our Industry Web Site Here.
What Makes a Computer With DisplayPort Better?
DisplayPort replaces both the external DVI and VGA connection and the internal ‘LVDS’ connection in a notebook PC (the connection between the processor board and the display). In addition to the higher display performance, it also eliminates additional interface circuits since DisplayPort is now integrated into most new PC graphics and system chips. This unique feature means DisplayPort uses less power, creates less heat and gives off less EMI with other wireless devices on the system. The DisplayPort protocol produces less EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) than previous technologies, and requires less bulky and heavy metal shielding. It also produces less RFI (Radio Frequency Interference), allowing wireless functions in the system or nearby to work better and more reliably at longer ranges and higher data transfer rates. DisplayPort simplifies the design of the computer by using less wires, requiring only one slim cable externally and because it is so efficient, it provides longer battery life.
What this means to consumers is that they can get faster refresh rates, deeper colors and the brilliance of true 1080p high definition. It also creates slimmer, sleeker and more powerful devices. DisplayPort provides a digital display experience powerful enough for the hardcore gamer, yet affordable enough that anyone can enjoy it.
How Do I Know If A Product Contains DisplayPort?
First, look for the logo on the product packaging.
If the DisplayPort logo is not visible on the product packaging or in the manual, look on the product itself. If DisplayPort is present, you should see this logo:
What if a customer wants to use a DisplayPort product with another product that only has DVI, VGA or HDMI?
DisplayPort has the unique ability to work with older technologies such as DVI, VGA and HDMI. To do so, a customer will need to use a simple adaptor. You can find a list of currently available adaptors here.
Make sure your customer knows that by connecting to devices with earlier technologies like DVI, VGA or HDMI, they will not get the same high-performance as they would from a direct DisplayPort connection. The performance of the devices is limited by the older connectivity standards.
You can learn more on the Consumer FAQ and at the Industry FAQ.
