HDMI or DVI?

[Jupiter]

Hey there just asking about connections.

I heard that the only difference between the two is that hdmi will carry sound too.

What are the real differences in picture quality, or is it true that there really is no difference between a monitor with a HDMI output and a monitor with DVI output?

Also, why does the hmdi output carry sound, surely if you have seperate speakers that feature would be useless anyway..?

thanks

 

[crackerbear]

There's no difference between HDMI and DVI in video quality as they're both digital signals.

Some monitors have speakers so the HDMI audio can be used. It's mainly used for HDTV's though which, as far as I've ever seen, always have built-in speakers. Some monitors without speakers have an audio out so you can connect to standalone speakers if you wish.

 

[cmndr_andi]

There's no difference between HDMI and DVI in video quality as they're both digital signals.

Some monitors have speakers so the HDMI audio can be used. It's mainly used for HDTV's though which, as far as I've ever seen, always have built-in speakers. Some monitors without speakers have an audio out so you can connect to standalone speakers if you wish.

+1 - same digital video signal is transmitted - same image quality

However, due to the way they work - it is often easier to use a DVI connection with a monitor as you don't usually get any issues with overscan, which you often do with HDMI.

As for sound, the main reason for the cable existing is to transmit HD video + uncompressed digital surround sound out of a box (Blu-ray player, sky box, PC etc.) into a TV or AV reciever using just one cable.

 

[kedge]

it is often easier to use a DVI connection with a monitor as you don't usually get any issues with overscan, which you often do with HDMI.

I had issues with overscan on ati graphics through hdmi, it was sorted later with updated drivers but someone pointed out to me to use the "JUST SCAN" option in your monitors control panel, well, that's if the monitor supports it, my hdtv does so i just use that setting now and no need to fiddle around with ati control panel.


HDMI is too blurry for my liking, i much prefer dvi for reading and pc gaming is ok on hdmi if a tad too dark though, color is richer on hdmi, but i guess it depends on the over all quality of the monitor?.

 

[kedge]

Hey there just asking about connections.

I heard that the only difference between the two is that hdmi will carry sound too.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first and only industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI combines video and multi-channel audio into a single cable.

I just googled that info.

I like the ease-of-use of hdmi, but i only use it on a console. HDMI 1.3 picture quality looked poor on my hdtv from a Radeon 5970.

 

[setter]

Both my monitor and gpu's can utilise HDMI, bit pointless though as the monitor has no speakers and im using a dedicated soundcard for my speakers/headphones. So i just stick with DVI.

 

[martynpd]

i think the only difference between the 2 is HDMI carrys sound and picture but is limited in res

where DVI can display much higher res but no sound

 

[hdpcgamer]

"Standard DVI doesn't carry sound but what ATI have done is co-opt a few unused pins on the connector to output sound. Normally these pins aren't used and so standard DVI-HDMI adapters don't have them connected which is why you need ATI's own "special" ones which connect these extra pins to the relevant HDMI pins.

The latest ATI Catalyst drivers can detect the presence of these adapters and will warn you about HDMI not carrying sound if you plug in an HDMI device via a standard adapter."

I have one of these DVI-HDMI adapters that came with my ATI 4850 graphics card and can confirm that it does indeed carry both sound and picture.

I think ATI/AMD ship these DVI-HDMI with all their graphics cards.