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VGA to DVI adapter

post #1 of 5
8/13/12 at 2:35pm
Thread Starter 
This simple question has required about 8 hours of research on the internet and 4 failed attempts with different pieces of hardware, haha.
I am trying to adapt a VGA output on an old laptop to a DVI input on an almost as old tv. However, almost every adapter out there assumes that you want to go the other way around. (adapting a DVI video card to an old VGA CRT monitor) Will it work the other way?
I've learned that a DVI-D adapter will only work on a digital signal, so I need a DVI-I...but the product names always state "DVI to VGA", not the other way around as I'd like it. Does the signal traffic flow both ways if I just plug it in?
Will single link DVI vs. dual link DVI make a difference? Any other hidden considerations?
Thanks in advance!
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post #2 of 5
8/13/12 at 2:42pm
No, not with a simple cable... The DVI-I (or DVI-A, I think those get used the same way...) connector actually had both digital (the real DVI) and analog (VGA) signals on one connector. DVI-D was digital only and didn't have the VGA signals.

The breakout cables you see were just to pull the standard VGA signals out of that DVI connector and turn it back into a standard VGA connector.

In your case, the DVI input is going to be expecting a digital signal, not VGA. You may have better luck getting a VGA-to-component converter if your display supports it. Many older video cards (don't know about the laptop) would actually output component over their VGA output as an option (called "HDTV output" or something like that) - you just needed a simple breakout cable to get it.

Jeff
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post #3 of 5
8/13/12 at 3:04pm
VGA to DVI transcoder
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post #4 of 5
8/14/12 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 
Got it...either a $130 DVI encoder, or a $1.30 component adapter. I'm going to go with the $1.30, because all my mother wants to do is watch her downloaded episode of "Downton Abbey" on her 1995 TV instead of her 1994 laptop. Also, I don't think she even knows what "HD" stands for.
Thanks for the help guys.
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post #5 of 5
8/14/12 at 12:53pm
Sounds like a plan.

FWIW a $1.30 VGA to component cable will only work if your laptop is capable already of putting out component video on the VGA connector. If not, you still need a converter.
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