DVI to VGA Cable

DVI to VGA cable, or VGA to DVI cable can hook up a DVI-A or DVI-I output of video card to VGA input of CRT monitor directly. When it comes to DVI to VGA cables, if you are considering purchasing one for yourself, you need to be aware of a few things as follows in the first place.

VGA represents Video Graphics Array, which was the major dominated technology used to hook up Mac PCs to displays back in the late 1990s. Unlike LCD monitors involving with digital signals, CRT monitors use electron beam to draw the display. Actually VGA are still one of major connections nowadays, especially to standard CRT monitors.

DVI refers to Digital Video Interface. DVI offers three types of cables, DVI-D, DVI-A and DVI-I. As we know that DVI-D is true digital signal and it can not hook up directly a DVI-D to a VGA. So when we talk about DVI to VGA cable, usually DVI cables means DVI-I or DVI-A because both of them uses analog signals. The difference between DVI-I and DVI-A is that DVI-I uses both digital and analog signals and DVI-A uses analog signals only. Since DVI-D is incompatible to VGA and they can not connect directly, if you need to connect DVI-D to VGA or VGA to DVI-D, in this case you have to use a DVI to VGA converter or adapter to transform digital signals to analog signals first, vice verse.

Although VGA is phasing out the market as newer technologies like DVI and HDMI become more and more popular today, due to its own advantages, VGA still holds the ground of its market share and provide multiple choices for consumers to choose from. That is also the exact reason why you need the help of a DVI to VGA cable now.

We just mentioned that both DVI-I and DVI-A send analog signals, so you might come to realize that DVI to VGA cables are unable to convert DVI-D digital signal to analog. A lot of people would be confused about the relations between the DVI to VGA cables, adapters or converters. Actually this cable is not digital-to-analog type like the functions provided by DVI to VGA adapter or DVI to VGA converter. The fact is that these cables just transmit the analog signals from DVI-I or DVI-A to VGA port and they don’t change the property of the signals themselves. Compared to DVI to VGA adapter or DVI to VGA converter, one of advantages of DVI to VGA cables is that it can get rid of the annoying noise coming from the adapters or converters.

A DVI to VGA cable has a DVI on one end and VGA on the other. The same is true to VGA to DVI cable. As a matter of fact, you know we are talking the same thing here. When doing the shopping, you need to be concerned about three main things. The first one is the ports. Please make sure which type of cables you are in need, DVI male to VGA female cable, DVI-A Male to VGA Male Cable or others. The second is the lengths. Normally this cable comes with 6 feet long and but you can choose a shorter or longer cord according to your requirements. The third one is the most important thing – quality. It would be a good idea to purchase those trustworthy brands such as StarTech and Newer Technology. In addition, be a savvy buyer and make the purchase especially when they are offering VGA to DVI cable with special discounts. It will definitely save you a lot of money this way.