VGA connector
Encyclopedia
A Video Graphics Array
(VGA) connector is a three-row 15-pin DE-15
connector. The 15-pin VGA connector is found on many video cards, computer monitors, and some high definition television sets. On laptop computers or other small devices, a mini-VGA
port is sometimes used in place of the full-sized VGA connector.
DE-15 is also conventionally called RGB connector, D-sub
15, mini sub D15, mini D15, DB-15, HDB-15, HD-15 or HD15 (High Density, to distinguish it from the older and less flexible DE-9 connector used on older VGA cards, which has the same shell size but only two rows of pins).
VGA connectors and cables carry analog
component
RGBHV (red, green, blue, horizontal sync, vertical sync) video signals, and VESA
Display Data Channel
(VESA DDC) data. In the original version of DE-15 pinout, one pin was keyed and 4 pins carried Monitor ID bits which were rarely used; VESA DDC redefined some of these pins and replaced the key pin with +5 V DC power supply.
which occurs when impedance mismatches cause signals to be reflected (note that ghosting with long cables may not be the fault of the cable but may instead be caused by equipment with incorrect termination or by use of passive splitters), and other signal degradation effects; shorter VGA cables are less likely to introduce significant degradation. Some higher-end monitors and video cards featured 5 separate BNC connector
s for RGBHV signal, allowing highest quality connection using five 75 ohm coaxial cable
s.
to VGA and DVI
to VGA adapters, and VGA to SCART
converters.
HDMI/DVI to VGA adapters do not carry the audio channel. Separate audio cables are used.
HDMI to VGA adaptors generally won't be useful as most displays can't read analog over the HDMI port. The display's EDID can still be read.
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480 resolution...
(VGA) connector is a three-row 15-pin DE-15
D-subminiature
The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems....
connector. The 15-pin VGA connector is found on many video cards, computer monitors, and some high definition television sets. On laptop computers or other small devices, a mini-VGA
Mini-VGA
Mini-VGA connectors are used on some laptops and other systems in place of the standard VGA connector, although most laptops use a standard VGA connector. Apple and HP have separate implementations using the same name...
port is sometimes used in place of the full-sized VGA connector.
DE-15 is also conventionally called RGB connector, D-sub
D-subminiature
The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems....
15, mini sub D15, mini D15, DB-15, HDB-15, HD-15 or HD15 (High Density, to distinguish it from the older and less flexible DE-9 connector used on older VGA cards, which has the same shell size but only two rows of pins).
VGA connectors and cables carry analog
Analog television
Analog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
component
Component video
Component video is a video signal that has been split into two or more component channels. In popular use, it refers to a type of component analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals...
RGBHV (red, green, blue, horizontal sync, vertical sync) video signals, and VESA
VESA
VESA is an international standards body for computer graphics founded in 1989 by NEC Home Electronics and eight other video display adapter manufacturers.VESA's initial goal was to produce a standard for 800×600 SVGA resolution video displays...
Display Data Channel
Display Data Channel
The Display Data Channel or DDC is a collection of digital communication protocols between a computer display and a graphics adapter that enables the display to communicate its supported display modes to the adapter and to enable the computer host to adjust monitor parameters, such as brightness...
(VESA DDC) data. In the original version of DE-15 pinout, one pin was keyed and 4 pins carried Monitor ID bits which were rarely used; VESA DDC redefined some of these pins and replaced the key pin with +5 V DC power supply.
Cable quality
The same VGA cable can be used with a variety of supported VGA resolutions, ranging from 640×400px @70 Hz (24 MHz of signal bandwidth) to 1280×1024px @85 Hz (160 MHz) and up to 2048×1536px @85 Hz (388 MHz). There are no standards defining the quality required for each resolution, but higher-quality cables typically contain coaxial wiring and insulation which make them thicker. A quality cable should not suffer from signal crosstalk which occurs when the signals in one wire induce unwanted currents in adjacent wires, ghostingGhosting (television)
In television, a ghost is a replica of the transmitted image, offset in position, that is super-imposed on top of the main image on an analogue broadcast.-Common causes:Common causes of ghosts are:...
which occurs when impedance mismatches cause signals to be reflected (note that ghosting with long cables may not be the fault of the cable but may instead be caused by equipment with incorrect termination or by use of passive splitters), and other signal degradation effects; shorter VGA cables are less likely to introduce significant degradation. Some higher-end monitors and video cards featured 5 separate BNC connector
BNC connector
The BNC connector ' is a common type of RF connector used for coaxial cable. It is used with radio, television, and other radio-frequency electronic equipment, test instruments, video signals, and was once a popular computer network connector. BNC connectors are made to match the characteristic...
s for RGBHV signal, allowing highest quality connection using five 75 ohm coaxial cable
Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable, or coax, has an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis...
s.
Adapters
There are HDMIHDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
to VGA and DVI
Digital Visual Interface
The Digital Visual Interface is a video interface standard covering the transmission of video between a source device and a display device. The DVI standard has achieved widespread acceptance in the PC industry, both in desktop PCs and monitors...
to VGA adapters, and VGA to SCART
SCART
SCART is a French-originated standard and associated 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual equipment together...
converters.
HDMI/DVI to VGA adapters do not carry the audio channel. Separate audio cables are used.
HDMI to VGA adaptors generally won't be useful as most displays can't read analog over the HDMI port. The display's EDID can still be read.
See also
- Display Data ChannelDisplay Data ChannelThe Display Data Channel or DDC is a collection of digital communication protocols between a computer display and a graphics adapter that enables the display to communicate its supported display modes to the adapter and to enable the computer host to adjust monitor parameters, such as brightness...
(DDC) - Extended display identification dataExtended display identification dataExtended display identification data is a data structure provided by a digital display to describe its capabilities to a video source . It is what enables a modern personal computer to know what kinds of monitors are connected to it. EDID is defined by a standard published by the Video...
(EDID) - HDMIHDMIHDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
- Video Electronics Standards AssociationVESAVESA is an international standards body for computer graphics founded in 1989 by NEC Home Electronics and eight other video display adapter manufacturers.VESA's initial goal was to produce a standard for 800×600 SVGA resolution video displays...
(VESA) - Super Video Graphics ArraySuper Video Graphics ArraySuper Video Graphics Array or Ultra Video Graphics Array, almost always abbreviated to Super VGA, Ultra VGA or just SVGA or UVGA is a broad term that covers a wide range of computer display standards....
(SVGA) - Component videoComponent videoComponent video is a video signal that has been split into two or more component channels. In popular use, it refers to a type of component analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals...
- List of video connectors