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Topic on Glossary talk:Graphics card

This page shows the changes between two versions of a post by Mirh in the topic "Cables, interfaces, and you" on Glossary talk:Graphics card. You can see other versions of this post at its history page.
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* Despite [[Wikipedia:VGA connector|DE-15]] being technically compatible with SCART, component, composite and whatnot, passive adapters (but even a lot of "normal" active ones, which are just meant to go from a modern digital connection to PC VGA) won't work with most older TVs due to just-too-different [[Wikipedia:Component video sync|video sync signals]], [https://old.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/wiki/connectors-and-interfaces#wiki_interfaces scan rate] or color space.  
 
* Despite [[Wikipedia:VGA connector|DE-15]] being technically compatible with SCART, component, composite and whatnot, passive adapters (but even a lot of "normal" active ones, which are just meant to go from a modern digital connection to PC VGA) won't work with most older TVs due to just-too-different [[Wikipedia:Component video sync|video sync signals]], [https://old.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/wiki/connectors-and-interfaces#wiki_interfaces scan rate] or color space.  
 
:* RGB-to-CRT hacks, [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Display_FAQ custom cabling], having a [[Wikipedia:Multisync monitor|multisync magic box]] or an old [[Wikipedia:Video-in video-out|VIVO]] card are all possible solutions. Or you could just buy a direct converter between the two desired standards.  
 
:* RGB-to-CRT hacks, [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Display_FAQ custom cabling], having a [[Wikipedia:Multisync monitor|multisync magic box]] or an old [[Wikipedia:Video-in video-out|VIVO]] card are all possible solutions. Or you could just buy a direct converter between the two desired standards.  
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* Not only monitors may support different "overt features" depending on the protocol ''and'' port they are hooked with, this can even affect [https://www.prad.de/testberichte/test-monitor-samsung-2494hm/7/ input lag]
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* Not only may monitors support different "overt features" depending on the protocol ''and'' port they are hooked with, this can even affect [https://www.prad.de/testberichte/test-monitor-samsung-2494hm/7/ input lag]
 
* The final capabilities and bandwidth of a video connection is determined by the greatest common divisor between the GPU-transmitter, cables (and/or possible adapters), and display-receiver:
 
* The final capabilities and bandwidth of a video connection is determined by the greatest common divisor between the GPU-transmitter, cables (and/or possible adapters), and display-receiver:
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:*VGA has the RAMDAC frequency to set bounds, while DVI and HDMI terms are set by the TMDS clock. These can often lead to lower supported resolutions than the official maximum of the protocols, especially on laptops (I have yet to hear about similar unexpected shortcomings in DP though)
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:*Data rate bounds are set by the RAMDAC frequency for VGA, while DVI and HDMI terms are set by the TMDS clock. These can often lead to lower supported resolutions than the official maximum of the protocols, especially on laptops (I have yet to hear about similar unexpected shortcomings in DP though)
 
::* these [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU limitations], which can be even more paradoxical with adapters in-between, can be sometimes worked around (even with respect to the official specification), particularly on linux.  
 
::* these [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU limitations], which can be even more paradoxical with adapters in-between, can be sometimes worked around (even with respect to the official specification), particularly on linux.  
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::* display controllers are also programmable ([https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/nvidia-releases-firmware-update-tool-to-support-displayport-1-3-and-1-4-displays.html as] [https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/graphics/HDR_Intel_Graphics_TechWhitePaper.pdf seen] [https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/06/17/how-ps3-outputs-3d-video/ many] [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/whats-up-with-ps4s-surprise-firmware-update-is-4k-around-the-corner/ times]) and features are [http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_HDMI almost] never theoretically unachievable. Still, OEMs on the cheap might even end up [https://linustechtips.com/topic/1306077-hdmi-21-on-3000-series-laptops/?do=findComment&comment=14485966 downgrading] what you'd expect from a product.
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::* display controllers are also programmable ([https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/nvidia-releases-firmware-update-tool-to-support-displayport-1-3-and-1-4-displays.html as] [https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/graphics/HDR_Intel_Graphics_TechWhitePaper.pdf seen] [https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/06/17/how-ps3-outputs-3d-video/ many] [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/whats-up-with-ps4s-surprise-firmware-update-is-4k-around-the-corner/ times]) and "features themselves" are [http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_HDMI almost] never ''theoretically'' unachievable. Still, OEMs on the cheap might even end up [https://linustechtips.com/topic/1306077-hdmi-21-on-3000-series-laptops/?do=findComment&comment=14485966 downgrading] what you'd expect from a product.
 
:* Cables [[Wikipedia:DisplayPort#Cables|don't]] [[Wikipedia:HDMI#Cables|have]] "versions" (well, except HDMI w/ ethernet which is separate by design I guess). You only have a minimum guaranteed bandwidth certification, which the actual cord could also easily exceed in practice.  
 
:* Cables [[Wikipedia:DisplayPort#Cables|don't]] [[Wikipedia:HDMI#Cables|have]] "versions" (well, except HDMI w/ ethernet which is separate by design I guess). You only have a minimum guaranteed bandwidth certification, which the actual cord could also easily exceed in practice.  
 
:* Of course there are [https://www.hdblog.it/2015/01/24/HDMI-20-differenze-tra-full-e-draft/ all] [https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-is/000126493/setting-up-the-p2415q-p2715q-monitors-with-hdmi-2-0-that-support-4k-x-2k-60hz similar] [https://old.reddit.com/r/bravia/comments/jdejop/why_the_xh90_x900h_cant_do_4k120hz_in_dolby/ kinds] of problems on the screen's end too.
 
:* Of course there are [https://www.hdblog.it/2015/01/24/HDMI-20-differenze-tra-full-e-draft/ all] [https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-is/000126493/setting-up-the-p2415q-p2715q-monitors-with-hdmi-2-0-that-support-4k-x-2k-60hz similar] [https://old.reddit.com/r/bravia/comments/jdejop/why_the_xh90_x900h_cant_do_4k120hz_in_dolby/ kinds] of problems on the screen's end too.
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::* not last, since HDMI for some whimsical reason [https://www.avsforum.com/threads/2019-c9%E2%80%93e9-owners-thread-no-price-talk.3057634/page-432#post-58759564 cannot have] the YCbCr 4:2:2 bit depth measured (the thing actually always being [https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=332180&page=8#pid2760493 carried] on a 12-bit signal), some displays will report "8 bit" as a placeholder value
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::* not last, since HDMI for some whimsical reason [https://www.avsforum.com/threads/2019-c9%E2%80%93e9-owners-thread-no-price-talk.3057634/page-432#post-58759564 cannot have] the YCbCr 4:2:2 bit depth measured (the thing actually always being [https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=332180&page=8#pid2760493 carried] on a 12-bit signal), some displays can use "8 bit" as a placeholder value
 
::* tinkering around bandwidth limitation of the interface is even more of a [https://old.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/k40p42/oled_as_an_ultrawide_display_for_nvidia_users/ nightmare] when the usual [[Glossary:Scaling#GPU/Display scaling|caveats]] meet [[Glossary:High dynamic range (HDR)|HDR]]
 
::* tinkering around bandwidth limitation of the interface is even more of a [https://old.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/k40p42/oled_as_an_ultrawide_display_for_nvidia_users/ nightmare] when the usual [[Glossary:Scaling#GPU/Display scaling|caveats]] meet [[Glossary:High dynamic range (HDR)|HDR]]
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::* many TVs may outright refuse even when [https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/supported-resolutions forced] any non-standard (as in, anything that isn't commonly found in "home theatre" settings) resolution
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::* many TVs may outright refuse, even when [https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/supported-resolutions forced], any non-standard (as in anything that isn't commonly found in "home theatre" settings) resolution
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::* this is at least still better than [[PC gaming on a TV and couch#Chroma Subsampling over HDMI and HDTVs|the past]], when they didn't support non-subsampled 4:4:4 colours either