DVI-to-HDMI adapters keep legacy displays connected, but limits remain

The Digital Visual Interface, or DVI, first appeared in products such as Apple's Cinema Display in 1999 and stayed an industry standard for several years before HDMI and DisplayPort became dominant. Its large connector, with screws flanking a three-row grid of pins, is now rare on consumer devices. Still, DVI cables remain in use in older PC setups, office projectors that mix legacy and modern equipment, and some retail kiosk displays that support DVI without an adapter, according to Engadget.

For users trying to connect an older device to a modern display, a DVI-to-HDMI adapter is usually enough. DVI-D and DVI-I both work with HDMI because the standards share a digital video protocol; the adapter only reroutes pins and does not need a conversion chip or external power. Dual Link versions support higher resolutions than Single Link versions. DVI-A is the exception: it is analog and requires active conversion, though it was rarely used compared with DVI-D and DVI-I.

Engadget notes that HDMI and DisplayPort are the modern display standards of choice for most setups because they offer superior bandwidth and multi-channel audio support. If a device has either port, the report advises plugging directly into it rather than using an adapter. HDMI 2.2, the latest specification, is described as bringing future-proof support for resolutions up to 16K, high dynamic range, and enhanced audio and video synchronization. DisplayPort 2.1b supports daisy chaining for connecting monitors in sequence, and for multi-monitor setups the standard is far ahead of DVI.

DVI's drawbacks are significant. It does not support audio, so users need a separate audio solution. At a standard 60Hz refresh rate, a Dual Link DVI port has a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,600, while a single-link port maxes out at 1,920 x 1,200. Higher resolutions can be pushed technically, but only by dropping to a cinematic refresh rate that Engadget says would not make for a great experience.

That makes DVI a poor fit for today's high-resolution, high-refresh-rate monitors, according to the report. The connector itself is also unwieldy. While fans of older technology may enjoy tightening its screws, most people do not want to deal with a stiff cable that hampers cable management. If DVI is the only option, however, a simple HDMI adapter should do the trick, Engadget says.