Features

• HDMI and DVI cables replace older analog standards, such as coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video and VGA. Video remains in a digital format when passed through HDMI and DVI, resulting in a clearer, sharper picture compared to analog cables. HDMI also supports up to eight channels of uncompressed digital audio.
  
  

Connectors

• HDMI cables use a 19-pin connector that resembles a thin, rounded trapezoid. DVI cables are shaped like a rounded rectangle and feature18 pins grouped into two sets of nine. A single, flat blade runs horizontally along the left side of the DVI connector. DVI cables include two screws to secure the cables to video sources and displays.
  
  

Performance

• HDMI and DVI cables support a range of video resolutions, including 720p and 1080p--the resolutions supported by most high-definition televisions. HDMI passes digital audio in several formats, including Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby TrueHD. HDMI version 1.3 features data transfer rates up to 10.2 gigabits per second and a maximum resolution of 1440p.
  
  

History

• The Digital Display Working Group introduced DVI in 1999 to standardize digital interfaces for high-definition televisions. A group of electronics manufacturers, including Hitachi, Philips and Sony, developed the HDMI format in 2002. Since then, HDMI has become the standard for high-definition televisions, while most LCD monitors use either DVI or HDMI to connect to a computer.