The older VGA connector appears more as a D square with 15 pins, while DVI uses a flatter rectangular shape and has 24 pins. Also, DVI incorporates a small area to the left of the main connector that provides analog compatibility. HDMI was developed by a consortium of major electronics manufacturers in the early 2000s to standardize audio-video connections among high-definition televisions and other devices.
VGA is a totally analog signal, meaning video made up of one signal with modulation. DVI emerged as one of the main digital video carriers in the computer industry back in the 1990s. By digital, we mean multiple signals carried concurrently. This is the main difference between the two, affecting their offered features. HDMI signals are digital.
DVI cables can technically carry higher resolutions than VGA, going up to 1920 by 1080 on a single link, or twice that on a double. VGA has a nominal limitation of 640 by 480, although this indicates a misnomer. Current VGA cables are actually XVGA and can reach 1600 by 1200 and more.
Most people can’t tell the difference between the two standards when viewing video on like resolutions. However, DVI does support uncompressed video while VGA requires conversion along the way. Also, VGA supports refresh rates of up to 75Hz, while DVI can only go to 60Hz.
In the age of CRT monitors using tube technology, DVI held very little advantage over VGA. With LCD screens this has changed, as they benefit from DVI’s fixed 60Hz refresh rate and can display the added detail gained by eliminating compression.
Price also presents a big difference between the two, as DVI cables still cost twice their VGA counterparts. Since the quality gap, while measurable, isn’t night and day for most people, you may want to consider VGA as a budget solution.
VGA and DVI is capable only of transmitting video, so audio must be sent on a separate cable. HDMI can handle video and eight channels of audio, as well as control signals that allow devices to communicate with each other.
HDMI was developed by a consortium of major electronics manufacturers in the early 2000s to standardize audio-video connections among high-definition televisions and other devices.
]]>
- PS/2 Port: This is the old standard port for connecting your keyboard and mouse to your computer. Originally you would have one purple and one green port. One was for keyboard one was for mouse. With the standardization of USB ports, PS/2 ports have slowly been phased out over the years.
- Coaxial S/PDIF Out port: S/PDIF is a digital audio interconnect used in consumer audio equipment over relatively short distances. The signal is transmitted over either a coaxial cable with RCA connectors or a fibre optic cable with TOSLINK connectors. S/PDIF interconnects components in home theatres and other digital high fidelity systems. S/PDIF is based on the professional AES3 interconnect standard.[1] S/PDIF can carry two channels of PCM audio or a multi-channel compressed surround sound format such as Dolby Digital or DTS.
- LAN 2 RJ45 port: The RJ45 port or Ethernet port is used to connect your computer to a modem or router. It is essential a communication port to the internet or a network.
- USB 2.0 ports: USB ports are used to connect everyday devices to your computer. For example you can connect a printer, mouse, keyboard, cell phone, camera, any many other devices.
- LAN 1 RJ45 port: The RJ45 port or Ethernet port is used to connect your computer to a modem or router. It is essential a communication port to the internet or a network. Multiple ports allow connections to multiple networks.
- Center/Subwoofer port (orange): Port used to connect a sub woofer.
- Rear Speaker Out port (black): Port used to connect a rear speaker.
- Line In port (light blue): Port used to connect line in audio.
- Line Out port (lime): Port used to connect line out audio.
- Microphone port (pink): Port used to connect a microphone.
- Side Speaker Out port (gray)
- USB 2.0 ports: USB ports are used to connect everyday devices to your computer. For example you can connect a printer, mouse, keyboard, cell phone, camera, any many other devices.
- External SATA port: SATA ports used to only exist inside a computer to connect internal optical drives and hard disc drives to the motherboard. External optical drives and hard disc drives used to be connected by USB. However, the growing speed of SATA and larger hard disc drives made it necessary to transfer data faster using SATA.
- IEEE 1394a port: The IEEE 1394 interface, developed in late 1980s and early 1990s by Apple as FireWire, is a serial bus interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer. The 1394 interface is comparable with USB and often those two technologies are considered together, though USB had won the popularity contest.
- USB 2.0 ports: USB ports are used to connect everyday devices to your computer. For example you can connect a printer, mouse, keyboard, cell phone, camera, any many other devices.
- Optical SP/DIF Out port: S/PDIF is a digital audio interconnect used in consumer audio equipment over relatively short distances. The signal is transmitted over either a coaxial cable with RCA connectors or a fibre optic cable with TOSLINK connectors. S/PDIF interconnects components in home theatres and other digital high fidelity systems. S/PDIF is based on the professional AES3 interconnect standard.[1] S/PDIF can carry two channels of PCM audio or a multi-channel compressed surround sound format such as Dolby Digital or DTS.
- USB 2.0 ports: MORE USB PORTS!
Your modem is what will connect you to the internet. If you have DSL your connection will be through a phone line. If you have Cable your connection will be through a cable line. The modem then connects to either single computer or in most circumstances a router. The routers sole purpose is to route the signal to multiple machines; this can be accomplished using Ethernet cables or be done wirelessly.
This is the back of a typical router. This is where all the confusion typically takes plan. The power is self explanatory, its where you plug in your AC adapter to give power to your router. The WAN port is where you plug in the Ethernet cable that will connect to your modem. The modem then connects to the internet via phone lines or cable lines. The LAN ports connect to you computers, game systems and many other devices using Ethernet cables.
If plugging everything in correctly doesn’t work refer to these articles below, choose your router manufacturer:
]]>