Stupid question about DVI connection..

[Alfa]

Hi,

 

As the title suggests, I am not very good with hardware matters :D .

 

I recently bought a new LCD monitor, which has both a VGA and a DVI socket and came with both a VGA and DVI cable. The LCD installation guide shows both(?) being connected to the videocard - as in: "connect VGA to VGA and then DVI to DVI"......not: "connect VGA to VGA or DVI to DVI"

 

My videocard has two DVI sockets and no VGA one, but came with a DVI -> VGA adapter.

 

Now I see no reason to connect the analog(VGA) socket of the LCD to the videocard, since the fully digital DVI to DVI connection is superior.

 

So my question is whether the VGA step in the installation guide is just a very poor way of illustrating an either/or option, or whether there is a reason for both cables to be connected to the videocard?.....e.g. there is a button on the front of the monitor entitled "source" which switches between DVI and "D-sub" input signal.

[thereminqblank]

So my question is whether the VGA step in the installation guide is just a case of a very poor way of illustrating an either/or option, or whether there is a reason for both cables to be connected to the videocard?.

 

 

I think this might be the case. I see no reason why the monitor should need a VGA AND DVI cable plugged into the video card. It's one or the other!

 

Give it a shot - the worst thing that could happen is that your PC explodes!

 

:P

[Kuky]

Definitely poor way of illustrating :D

 

You need to connect only 1 DVI cable... actually you will need two IF you use something like Apple 30" LCD which has a massive resolution that can't be supported by 1 DVI port (requires 2) DVI has a resolution limit of about 1600x1200 and if you want to run anything higher than that you will need 2 DVI links.

[Alfa]

I think this might be the case. I see no reason why the monitor should need a VGA AND DVI cable plugged into the video card. It's one or the other!

 

Yeah that was my thought as well :)

 

Give it a shot - the worst thing that could happen is that your PC explodes!

 

:P

 

Thats bad enough :D

[3Sqn_Fudd]

you've got it resolved but here's a great resource on DVI...

 

http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

 

Alpha... try to get a well shielded DVI cable if you can...

 

Cheers

[Alfa]

Definitely poor way of illustrating :D

 

You need to connect only 1 DVI cable...

 

Yes but but the illustration shows a DVI and a VGA cable being connected at the same time - not two DVI cables :) .

 

...actually you will need two IF you use something like Apple 30" LCD which has a massive resolution that can't be supported by 1 DVI port (requires 2) DVI has a resolution limit of about 1600x1200 and if you want to run anything higher than that you will need 2 DVI links.

 

Thanks I didn't know that :) . But the monitor in question is a 20.1" with a max res of 1600 x 1200, so a single DVI connection should be sufficient then :) .

[Pilotasso]

You can make any combo from DVI to VGA conections, usualy the GFX and monitor each have at least one adapter from VGA to DVI or vice versa, you cant get stuck Im sure.

[Alfa]

you've got it resolved but here's a great resource on DVI...

 

http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

 

Alpha... try to get a well shielded DVI cable if you can...

 

Cheers

 

Thanks Fudd :) .

 

I did read up on DVI and my videocard, monitor and the included connection cable are DVI-I , so it should be a straight forward case of just connecting the DVI cable......but that illustration confused me :)

[Alfa]

You can make any combo from DVI to VGA conections, usualy the GFX and monitor each have at least one adapter from VGA to DVI or vice versa, you cant get stuck Im sure.

 

Yes if using the VGA adapter for one of the DVI ports on the videocard, I should be able to connect that to the VGA socket of the monitor, but my question was whether it would serve any purpose at all - so far I only connected the DVI to DVI and it works fine :) .

[thereminqblank]

- so far I only connected the DVI to DVI and it works fine :) .

 

So....no explosion then?

 

Bonus! :P

[Alfa]

So....no explosion then?

 

Hehe - no but the question is whether it would if I connected the VGA cable as well :D .