DisplayPort — The Next-Generation Display Interface
In 2003, Dell launched and pioneered an industry-wide initiative to develop the next-generation digital display interface. The mission? To find a universal replacement for the cumbersome multitude of incompatible video interface standards. The result of that effort was DisplayPort™, a cutting-edge, industry-endorsed technology desktop and laptop PC. The introduction of DisplayPort has not only ushered in a new era of visual performance and usability. It has also laid the groundwork for critical developments to come.
As customers began the mass transition to flat-panel LCD displays, they told Dell they loved the sleek design, small footprint and picture quality of the newest flat panels. But, they also had concerns. For instance, customers wanted digital connectivity, not analog, to meet the demands of changing multimedia technology. And they wanted less complexity — fewer cables and connectors.
Among the complaints raised by customers regarding flat-panel LCD displays were:
It was clear that the traditional VGA and Digital Visual Interface (DVI) display interfaces could not meet these customer needs. It was also clear that VGA, DVI, and Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) — the internal laptop PC display interface — had reached their technical and performance limits. The industry needed a next-generation digital display interface that could replace all three.
Dell took the lead, initiating and driving an industry effort to define a new digital display standard that would address these challenges. The result? The DisplayPort digital display interface, endorsed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The technology is not only a unified replacement for the VGA, DVI and LVDS standards, but offers some new advantages, such as:
Dell’s leadership in the DisplayPort initiative rippled out into the industry. Though it led the charge, Dell worked closely with key industry partners in defining the new digital display interface and presenting it to VESA for standardization. In 2006, DisplayPort was adopted as an industry standard by VESA members, comprising virtually all major PC systems, graphics hardware and LCD manufacturers worldwide. As the new standard, DisplayPort has launched on desktop and laptop PCs throughout the industry. By collaborating, Dell helped ensure an open, extensible standard that would meet customer needs today, but also provide a solid platform for future industry innovation.
As customers began the mass transition to flat-panel LCD displays, they told Dell they loved the sleek design, small footprint and picture quality of the newest flat panels. But, they also had concerns. For instance, customers wanted digital connectivity, not analog, to meet the demands of changing multimedia technology. And they wanted less complexity — fewer cables and connectors.
Among the complaints raised by customers regarding flat-panel LCD displays were: - Digital displays everywhere — Since the early 80s, the vast majority of flat-panel monitors relied on an analog VGA connection to the PC. But customers said they wanted the picture quality, power savings, ease of use, high-definition capability and sleek design of an all-digital display — all without the premium price tag. Digital connectivity was only available on 25 percent of PCs and monitors.
- Too many connectors — Customers said they wanted an easier, more direct connection from their PC to displays, projectors or high-definition televisions (HDTVs).
- Too many cables — Customers also wanted an easy, single-cable connection from their displays to peripherals, such as built-in speakers, cameras and microphones.
Dell took the lead, initiating and driving an industry effort to define a new digital display standard that would address these challenges. The result? The DisplayPort digital display interface, endorsed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The technology is not only a unified replacement for the VGA, DVI and LVDS standards, but offers some new advantages, such as:
- Fewer display inputs for more compact and sleek display designs
- Twice the scalable performance for DVI for higher resolutions and color depths
- Two-way capability for simpler, single-cable connectivity to multiple peripherals
- Micro-packet architecture for capabilities such as network routing and, in the future, daisy-chaining of displays.
- Scalable display lanes for improved interoperability, reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) and the number of wires required within a display cable
- Simple adapter capability, offering support for high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) and DVI via a DisplayPort cable
