[dreamer]

I can't seem to find a DVI-I extension cable locally, so before I order one online I'd like to see if anyone knows if it will be worth it.


I have an analog LCD monitor (Envision 17", which I think is great and only $500) that has a captive HD15 analog cable on it of only 4 foot. I need to get another 6 foot extension to reach the HTPC.


Is there a benefit, such as less susceptibility to RFI, to using a DVI-I to DVI-I extension and then plugging the HD15 adapter on the end of that ?


This would be as opposed to the more readily available solution of the adapter directly on the VE and a vanilla high quality VGA extension cable.


PS. [RANT] When I couldn't find a DVI-I extension at a local store, I got a Belkin "Gold Series" 6' VGA extension, supposedly good to 1600x1200. What a piece of junk !! My monitor flickered and jumped at all resolutions, even down to 800x600. Using other 6' cables and running the monitor through a manual VGA switchbox, it is perfect. So I know it is the Belkin cable and another maker's VGA extension will be fine. This piece of garbage was $26 at CompUSA ! Stay away from Belkin Gold Series.

 

[TMEngineering]

Dreamer-

No, the DVI-I to VGA adapter that comes with the Radeon is a mechanical adapter only. The big pins on the end of the board's DVI-I connector are the analog VGA signals -- already made analog by the onboard DACs. This adapter just converts those pins to a compatible DB-15.


A regular DVI (digital only) connector won't have those big pins.


You're best off using a good quality, shielded standard VGA extension cable.


I bought a 20' DB-15 to BNC VGA extension cable from BetterCables and have no complaints. Individual shielding is always better and they save you the hassle of termination yourself.


-Tom

 

[Phil Olson]

Tom,


Is the DVI port on the 8500 only analog as well? If so, that's a bummer! I have been fighting this noise issue on the board and I had a hope that if the DVI was digital, I could remote the dongle to get it away from the rest of the board.


Oh well,

Phil

 

[janovetz]

He didn't say it was analog only. Rather, DVI-I means DVI Integrated. It's a connector standard that has both the digital signal and the analog version integrated. If you look at the plug, you'll see the obvious separation. A DVI-I to VGA connector just pulls off the analog pieces and sends them through the VGA connector. A _true_ DVI-D (digital only) adapter would be larger and require power to do the D/A conversion.


Jake

 

[dreamer]

I understand the difference between DVI-D and DVI-I.


My question was whether extending the DVI-I (which has both analog and digital signals on separate sets of pins) away from the card and then placing the adapter out on the end of that DVI-I to DVI-I extension cable would be any better than just plugging the adapter directly into the card and then extending the VGA cable from the monitor.


Or are we actually better getting a well-shielded VGA cable as close to the card as possible ?

 

[TMEngineering]

Again, the DVI/VGA adapter is a form factor thing only, so extending the lines before it, as opposed to after it, really won't do anything for you, in my opinion.


In fact, a standard good quality VGA extension cable is probably more available and cost effective than extending the DVI side.


If you ran the DVI (digital) signal out (limited length) and placed an active DVI to RGB converter (DAC circuits) out near the monitor, that would be different. And more costly.


What's the nature of your RFI? It seems unlikely that you'd have enough floating around to bother your VGA monitor (usually it's the other way around). Perhaps the cause of what you see is something else.


Regardless, good low capacitance, shielded cable is always best to use for the analog signal.


Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[janovetz]

Sorry dreamer, my reply was to Phil. Not your post...


I've seen some strange things with the VE, so I can't be sure which would be better. For example, when I put an SVideo cable and load on the card, the main head looks like crap with ghosting and all sorts of things. I can't understand that. Quite honestly, I consider this a 'returnable' offense. If I used the SVideo thingy at all, I'd take the card back.


Jake

 

[TMEngineering]

Jake,


I've quantified my findings on what happens when you plug in s-video here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...threadid=90169


I called ATI today -- but, of course, they haven't heard of this before. I asked for a response on if they can replicate this problem on their cards.


-Tom

 

[janovetz]

Tom,


You know, I read parts of that thread, but it never really applied to me until last night when I hooked up the S-Video to check into some ghosting problems I have been having with a Cinema 13HD. I didn't even connect the two until you pointed this out.


For me, it is FAR more than just a little brightness or blue shift. It's horrible. Letters are fat and ghosted about 20-40 pixels to the right. I don't just mean minor ghosting. I can take a picture and post it if you'd like. It's really bad.


Jake