How widespread is DVI?
Monday, 31 January, 2005
I work for a company that produces high-quality home entertainment monitors. We get some say in which models to import, so I was wondering how important it is to have a DVI port on the monitor. In particular, we'll be getting out of plasma screen this year and concentrating on large format (40 to 50") LCD screens.
Hiroshi Yamamoto, Ryde, NSW
 That might be a question better asked of other home entertainment gear manufacturers but here's what I think...
At the moment, there's bugg...... not very much gear at all that uses DVI (digital video interface for those who don't know what this is). Pretty much every PC graphics card above $200 now includes DVI but in the consumer electronics space, it's hard enough being able to find monitors/TV's/displays that support component-video let alone DVI.
Too many tellies in Australia (and I mean those under $3000) only support composite or S-video. Occasionally, a few support VGA but it will take more manufacturers to churn out DVD players and the like with DVI for consumers to get interested in it in the near term.
This could change when BluRay and HD-DVD arrive but again, consumers could well suffer technology overload before long anyway.
Do any readers have comments on DVI? Are you using it, and how and why?
Darren Yates
 Reader solutions
EmanPosted: 07/02/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? I heard from one of my workmates that DVI is not the technology that will take Digital Video to the next level. For some reason, he said that it has a few limitations that have already been solved in other standards. Considering he is a product engineer for a TV factory, I'm sure he may be quite right. Gary DeehanPosted: 07/02/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? I think the manufactures are sitting on the sideline except Samsung,who seem to cause many others to play catchup,because the next Digital Interface will carry sound as well. StevenPosted: 03/02/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? I am using DVI output from my Momitsu DVD player to my Sony HS10 projector. Using this DVD player I can 'upscale' the DVD picture to near High Definition quality. It offers a far superior picture compared to component (no digital to analogue conversion) and I really wish there were a lot more DVD players that supported DVI. andrew peter collinsPosted: 01/02/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? i have to agree with Darren on this one. i'm running a multi-zoner DVD player and am using the component out to a "rented" rear projection monitor. while i can still see "the lines" it's not like the picture is unwatchable. every time i see or hear of a new type of technology, i use google to learn about it before commenting on it myself and Darren is right. as much as i love my chosen field of income, there are too many releases and i find that i just cannot keep up. does anyone remember when CDs and now DVDs were the ultimate digital solution to anologue? now Toshiba are releasing HD DVDs and players! like multiple soundtracks on DVDs ie: DTS, SDDS and of course Dolby Digital, will Toshiba record a Lousy Version as well as a High Definition video output on it's new DVDs so that all us poor bastards with standard players can still buy a disc knowing it will play? why do i feel like we are gonna have a slightly different but just as annoying region problem that we had just a few years back? knowing my luck, just when i think i have the balance right, some company will release the first 3D digital set and i will be left crying into my glass of Wolf Blass. cheers Andy :) SAMPosted: 31/01/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? I have got 3 pc's each have a decent graphics card which was purchased within the last year (probably not decent anymore though, a year is a while really). Each have a DVI output. I also have a couple of DVD players with DVI outputs. Plus a digital set top box with inbuilt HDD with DVI output. There is easily 6 devices with DVI outputs, but I am having a hard time finding one TV/Moniter display with an DVI input which is reasonably priced and readably available. Larry JentzPosted: 31/01/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? I have DVI on my Soltek Nvidia FX5600 and on my Mitsubishi LCD DV172 17" monitor and cant use it. When connected i get display errors on start up or resolution changes going into or out of games. Error is " out of range " and have to reset the settings to get it back to normal. Mitsubishi blame Nvidia and Nvidia blame the monitor so gave up complaining and used standard analog connection. As to television i would think it a good extra to have if required so you can connect computer as well to it. Other wise probably not required in most homes. MichaelPosted: 31/01/2005 re: How widespread is DVI? In the PC world DVI is quite widespread. Most LCD monitors have it and a limited number of CRT's have it. I'm trying to find a reputable 21" CRT with DVI (if anyone knows of one post it here).
Move to the home market and it's a different story. Most DVD players do not have it (especially those tin can POS $70 models). Mine does, however it is a $3500 DVD player (Toshiba SD9500). For TV sets you will get it on the more premium LCD's and Plasma's. Some lower end LCD's have it but the quality (or lack of) of the set does not do it any justice. Move onto projectors and just about all have it. My ideal setup would be to couple my DVD player with an Infocus Screenplay 7205 and a 100" screen. |