interfacesDVI

interfacesDVI, often referred to simply as DVI interfaces, is a family of video display interfaces standardized by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG). It was developed to transmit uncompressed digital video from a host device to a display while also supporting analog signals in certain variants to maintain compatibility with older displays.

Variants and connectors: DVI defines three main connector types—DVI-A (analog only), DVI-D (digital only), and DVI-I (integrated analog and digital). DVI-D and DVI-I come in single-link and dual-link configurations. Single-link DVI-D provides sufficient bandwidth for standard digital video up to about 1920×1200 at 60 Hz, while dual-link adds more TMDS data channels to support higher resolutions, commonly up to 2560×1600 at 60 Hz. DVI-A carries the analog signal that can be routed to VGA displays, and DVI-I can carry both analog and digital signals in a single connector, allowing passive adapters to connect to both VGA and digital displays.

Compatibility and usage: DVI uses TMDS digital transmission for video, with DVI-I and DVI-A enabling backward compatibility through adapters. DVI-D signals can be connected to HDMI inputs through passive adapters in most cases, but such adapters do not carry audio. DVI has largely been superseded in consumer devices by HDMI and DisplayPort, yet it remains in use on many older graphics cards and displays, particularly in professional or iterative upgrade environments where digital video quality is valued.

History and impact: Introduced around 1999–2000 by the DDWG, DVI aimed to replace VGA with a scalable digital interface while preserving some level of legacy compatibility. Its phased replacement by HDMI and DisplayPort reflects evolving needs for higher bandwidth and feature sets in modern displays.