All you need to know (and more) about DVI can be found on Wikipedia (just like everything else :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface the four pins either side of the blade are the analogue signal. Some of the other pins contain analogue signals as part of the VGA/DVI spec. It's though these pins that monitors detect whether a cable is connected to a card and vice versa. MSI/GW Adapter is purely DVI-A or Analogue only. This is fine, this is all it needs to be. The eVga has all the pin on the DVI side, but the digital connections won't be attached to anything on the analogue side, i guess it's just a standard part they have chosen to use when manufacturing the adapter. Hope this makes sense. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of DHSinclair Sent: 03 January 2009 16:53 To: Hardware Group Subject: [H] DVI-VGA adapters Have noticed that most new video cards now come only with DVI connectors. If lucky, there will be an adapter in the box to convert the DVI connector back to the older VGA 15-pin DSub connector. This is fine. And, yes, I do understand that video cards may now come with HDMI connections also. So, I now have these 3 DVI-VGA adapters. One from an old Gainward card of ~2000, one from an eVga FX5500 of 2004, and now one from a new MSI R4670 of 2008. I am confused about these adapters. 2 (the GW and the MSI) are the same. The eVga adapter is different. It is the number of pins on the DVI side ... !!! (MSI adapter) L->R What I call the DVI locator; 2 top, wide blade middle, 2 bottom. 3 top, 3 middle, 2 bottom, 1 missing from this block of 9. 3 top missing, 3 middle missing, 3 bottom missing. 2 top, 2 middle missing, 2 bottom. (GW adapter) L->R What I call the DVI locator; 2 top, wide blade middle, 2 bottom. block of 9 pins; 3 top, 3 middle, 2 bottom w/1missing pin (lower right) blank space in middle (perhaps 6 pins worth) block of 9 pins; 1 missing and 2 pins top, 3 pins missing middle, 1 missing and 2 pins bottom. (The eVga adapter) L->R What I call the DVI locator; 2 top, wide blade middle, 2 bottom. full array of 24 pins; 8 top, 8 middle, and 8 bottom. I really wish to hope all 3 adapters are compatible? I searched the web but have not found much info about these adapters except some odd warnings of incompatibilities. I'll accept that conversion of the DVI connector to the 15-pin DSub VGA connector may affect video quality. Any information, links, opinions are welcome. I have not ever used a DVI based video cable yet. I have never even seen one! Thank you, Duncan
