When assembling a PC yourself, you often come across a huge number of slots, connectors, wires, etc. Each of them has its own name, format and size. Everything is quite difficult to remember. Most of us are only familiar with audio connectors and USB. But DisplayPort - not everyone knows what it is and what it is used for. We will talk about this later.
Cable
DisplayPort is a standard cable. Serves as a signal interface for digital monitors. It first became known in 2006, when it was officially certified by the Video Electronics Certification Association. Already in 2007, the world saw revision 1.1, in 2010 version 1.2 became known, after 4 years, 1.3 was adopted, and the last one appeared in 2016. This connector is considered the most suitable for use and relatively modern interface.
Now it is used to connect audio and video equipment, although it is more known as a tool for connecting a monitor to a PC or home theater. He became so hyped that he received a special logo and acquired a trademark.
Creature
Despite the fact that the DisplayPort connector itself became known in 2006, the devices began to support it only in 2008. That's when PCs come out, on the motherboards of which a slot for connecting this interface appears. Until 2011, manufacturers introduced a mini version of DisplayPort. Often it can be found on devices from Apple Macintosh. But the "apple" monitors got a full-fledged modification.
MacBooks in all their variety were supplied not only with DisplayPort, but also with a special adapter for it, which turned the outputs into DVI or VGA. Later, systems with HDMI and MiniDisplayPort began to appear. The last option is now transformed into Thunderbolt, which has backward compatibility, but in general has received improved features and provides more features to the user.
Variations
Version 1.0 was introduced in 2006. She had test characteristics, so she did not stand out for anything special. The data was transmitted at a speed of 8.64 Gbit / s. The length was 2 meters.
Updating the connector has made DisplayPort connectivity better with fiber optic technology. Now, over long distances, the speed was stable, and transmission took place without signal loss. The interface supported 40 bit HDCP.
The third update has doubled the data transfer rate. Information moved at 17.28 Gbit / s. It became possible to adjust the resolution, color depth and frequency of the video signal. New color spaces were added, but backward compatibility with previous standards was preserved.
The developers introduced the DisplayPort interface, which could be connected to portable devices. This version had Self-Refresh modes. It became possible to turn off the video card if the picture on the monitor remains static, saving it in the buffer. As the developers said, the technology allowed to save battery power and device life.
In addition to revisions, there were also modifications. For example, DisplayPort ++ is dual for advanced use. It has parallel HDMI / DVI output. To synchronize, you need to buy a passive cable.
DisplayPort Alternate Mode is another modification that uses USB Type-C to transmit video data. At the same time, the data transfer rate is practically no different from a direct connection. Thanks to this option, it is realistic to install a display with a resolution of 4K.
Options
When everyone found out about DisplayPort what it was and what it was for, they began to take an interest in the parameters. So it became known that the interface works with one of the content protection technologies version 1.3 HDCP. Throughput has doubled relative to the Digital Visual Interface. Power did not require high voltages and extraneous interference. If we consider the mini version of DisplayPort, we can see that its dimensions are 10 times smaller than that of the DVI standard.
A new interface has gotten tons of additional features. Now, in addition to graphic content, it transmits audio signals. There is information about the maximum length of such a cable - about 1.5 meters. Later, it was decided to replace HDCP technology with DisplayPort Content Protection, which received 128-bit encryption of a different size.
Over time, the transmission of information became faster and increased to 21.6 Gb / s, while the cable length could be 3 meters. Independent streams worked correctly, and the auxiliary channel became several times faster and increased the speed from 1 to 720 Mbps.
The interface made it possible for the user to use two displays at once, which would work with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels, or four displays with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels. The frequency in both cases would not rise above 60 Hz. For owners of one screen, the capabilities have become more comfortable. There was an option to use a resolution of 3840x2400 pixels, but with 60 Hz, or if you wanted to achieve a higher frame rate, a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels was set.
Comparison
When it becomes clear to everyone that this is DisplayPort, for which it is used, another question arises, what is its difference with HDMI. The question is common and controversial to some extent. Choosing which is better is also difficult, since there are really few differences.
Interestingly, HDMI itself has become very popular and popular. It can be found in a TV, set-top box, player, audio or video receiver, consoles, camcorders, etc. Recently, even smartphones with this interface have become famous. Not an exception to this list are computers and laptops. Almost every multifunctional device has acquired this connector without fail.
With this diversity, everyone began to forget about our hero DisplayPort. That, of course, many people know, but they also noticed that not all PCs acquired this interface. However, both standards work with both video content and audio, sending a signal to the screen from one device. To understand this issue, you need to consider both options carefully.
Dimensions
So, the first discrepancy lies in size. This of course is unlikely to help determine which is better: DisplayPort or HDMI, but for someone it can be a key indicator. The hero of the review has 20 contacts and is presented in two sizes: main and reduced. As mentioned earlier, the latter option is designed for tablets. By the way, DisplayPort is often associated with Thunderbolt, which, although it is not officially a continuation and development of this interface, clearly has similarities with it. It supports mini interface features and uses PCI Express technology.
HDMI has 19 pins and is available in three sizes: standard, mini and macro. Each got its own letter: A, C, and D. There is also connector E, but it is rarely found since it was designed for cars. The technology by which this interface operates represents the friction of contacts between each other. If you firmly insert the cable into the connector, then it holds on to the socket. For better reliability, the manufacturer has installed a pair of mechanisms that block the pulling of the wire, if you just pull it.
Cables
The cable for each connector is worth considering, because here the situation is ambiguous. Many questions arise to HDMI. There are four cables for this interface, which were developed back in 2010. They are not labeled properly, so determining their capabilities is extremely difficult. As a result, due to the fact that the wire does not have an exact destination, its use is not regulated, and therefore problems, glitches, etc. are possible.
But DisplayPort has only one cable, it is easy to identify. It differs in universal parameters and capabilities. Provides all the necessary system requirements. You can use the DisplayPort adapter to join the screen with VGA. There are also options for connecting DVI and HDMI.
Best
As mentioned earlier, determining which is better is difficult. But it should be noted that HDMI was immediately designed for a consumer audience. Supported connecting a TV, projector, player, etc. DisplayPort was not designed to replace HDMI. DP is needed as a final product for relaying to a PC. He became a kind of addition to HDMI.
Now the problem is different. The fact is that manufacturers who work on all-in-one devices, etc., decide that HDMI replaces everything you need on the interface panel. In fact, placing an additional DisplayPort will not be superfluous. It expands the user experience and makes work easier, especially for the business.
If there are any connection problems, there is always an HDMI adapter - DisplayPort. This information is especially relevant for laptop owners. Since there is not much space, meeting DP is almost impossible. But connecting multiple monitors is sometimes necessary for work. It makes sense to look at laptops that already have both interfaces.