Most people deem cables as a pile of junk that undermines the aesthetics of their interior. But in reality, cables have much more to do than supplying electrical connection to an appliance. Cables are vital for getting a better output, especially for visual devices like TV and monitors. A good connector like a picoblade connector also plays a role in enhancing the functionality of cables.
While talking about cables for transmitting video, the main two choices are HDMI cables and DVI cables. HDMI and DVI use the same scheme for encoding, and that is why the image quality is more or less similar. Both use connectors for transmitting video from the source to the display device. If you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the difference between HDMI and DVI cables, this blog will help you out.
Difference Between HDMI and DVI
HDMI is the High Definition Media Interface that can transmit both audio and video signals. DVI is Digital Visual Interface that transmits the video signal but does not transmit audio. In addition to the audio video support, HDMI and DVI cables also have some other differences. DVI cables are unsupportive to HDCP encryption by default, that is why they are unlikely to play full HD content.
Some of the other differences between HDMI and DVI cables based on different aspects are given below:
Configuration
First and the foremost noticeable difference between HDMI and DVI cable is the arrangement of their ports. Their ports look a lot different from each other with DVI having a bigger connection and HDMI with a smaller one.
DVI cables have a lot of variations, but the most commonly used configuration is the 24-pin port. It has multiple iterations, so you have to check your device to ensure that you have chosen the right one. On the other hand, modern versions of HDMI have a pin-less port that is a push-and-play like a USB device.
Types
DVI cables have three main types, DVI-A, DVI-D, DVI-I. The DVI-A only supports analog video signals, DVI-D supports digital video signals, and DVI-I supports both digital and analog signals. HDMI cables are divided into different versions, and the recent ones are HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1. The HDMI 2.0 is divided into further two types HDMI 2.0a and HDMI 2.0b.
The HDMI 2.0a supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) with static metadata signal. HDMI 2.0b supports HDR video with static metadata and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). The HDMI 2.1 supports dynamic HDR and high-resolution videos up to 10k.
Compatibility
You would not want to buy an expensive cable and later find out that it is not compatible with your device. So, checking the compatibility of cable is very important before choosing it. If you compare the compatibility of HDMI and DVI cables, you will find HDMI as the more common connection source. The HDMI cable connects with the majority of modern laptops, PCs, and monitors. On the contrary, modern equipment is less likely to have ports to connect DVI cables.
In case, your source has HDMI input, and your display screen supports DVI, you can use HDMI to DVI adaptors. If you want to hear sound from a DVI cable, you can connect an additional audio cable.
Connectors
DVI:
There are mainly three types of DVI connectors given below:
- DVI-A:
The DVI-A connector only comes in single link consisting of 17 pins.
- DVI-D:
The total number of pins on a single-link DVI-D connector is 24. A dual-link DVI-D connector has an additional grounding slot along with 24 pins making the total number of pins 25.
- DVI-I:
The number of pins on a single-link DVI-I connector is 23 while on a dual-link, there are 29 pins.
HDMI:
HDMI connectors are divided into five types:
- Type A:
It contains 19 pins with the male plug of outside dimensions 13.9*4.45mm, and the female plug inside dimensions are 14*4.55mm
- Type B:
It has a total of 29 pins with dimensions of 21.2*4.45mm.
- Type C:
It is defined for the 1.3 version of HDMI cables. They are smaller in size than type A and contain 19 pins. Its dimensions are 10.42*2.42mm.
- Type D:
It is defined for HDMI version 1.4 and has a tiny size. It contains 19 pins and has dimensions of 5.83*2.20mm.
- Type E:
It is also the HDMI version 1.4 connector type. It contains a relay connector, locking tab and a shell. Type E connectors are mainly used for automotive applications.
Quality
Image quality is another vital parameter that differentiates HDMI and DVI cables. A single link DVI transmits video signals of maximum resolution 1920*1200 at 60 Hz. The maximum resolutionsupported by double-link HDMI cable is 2560*1600 at 60 Hz. The HDMI 2.0 version supports the 4k resolution at 60 Hz whereas the older versions were limited to 24 Hz.
The latest versions of HDMI like Ultra-high-speed HDMI can support up to 10K resolution at 120 Hz. HDMI also supports HDR that makes it a popular choice over DVI.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is a parameter for gauging the smoothness of the visual on the screen. It is the capability of a screen to support the number of frames per second. Initially, the refresh rate of the DVI cable was better than HDMI, but now the latter has caught up. Both HDMI and DVI cables can output 144 Hz at 1080P. HDMI can be considered ahead of DVI because it supports advanced technology.
Cost
Cost is a key thing to consider while comparing HDMI and DVI cables. There is not a lot of price difference between the two cables taking into account their functionalities. You can even find both HDMI and DVI cables under five dollars on different e-commerce stores.
Conclusion:
If you talk about video processing, HDMI and DVI are more or less similar. But the audio transmission of HDMI along with convenient connectivity makes it the better choice. All the parameters mentioned above will help you make an informed decision while choosing between HDMI and DVI.