Dell - DisplayPort

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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 that will be the standard for all new desktop and laptop PCs. Its introduction has not only ushered in a new era of visual performance and usability. It has also laid the groundwork for critical developments to come. We invite you to explore the story behind DisplayPort — another product of Dell’s time-tested approach to innovation relying on customer feedback, pioneering product development and industry leadership.

As customers began the mass transition to flat-panel LCD displays, we kept in close contact, soliciting regular and direct product feedback. They told us 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.

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% of PCs and monitors.
Too many connectors! Customers said they wanted an easier, more direct connection from their PC to displays, projectors or HDTVs.
Too many cables! They also wanted an easy, single-cable connection from their displays to peripherals, such as built-in speakers, cameras and microphones.

Dell went to work on a solution. It was clear that the traditional VGA and DVI display interfaces could not meet these customer needs. It was also clear that VGA, DVI, and 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 cutting-edge. It is not only a unified replacement for the VGA, DVI, and LVDS standards, but offers some exciting new advantages:

Fewer display inputs for more compact, sleeker display designs
Twice the scalable performance of 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 EMI and the number of wires required within a display cable
Simple adapter capability, offering support for HDMI and DVI via a DisplayPort cable

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, it has launched on desktop and laptop PCs industry wide. 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.