Is there any quality difference between HDMI and VGA at the same resolution?

[Sagar_20]

I had bought a hp HDMI to VGA converter to connect my computer to a VGA monitor. However I could use a standard VGA to VGA cable as well for this purpose. But I did this only after going through some tech videos that say video quality through VGA cable decreases with the length of cable and not so good, While digital signal ensures maximum quality. Now I want to ask you whether using an expensive adapter over the VGA to VGA cable really make a difference? If yes, then will I ever see that...

 

[goerk27]

It does not matter. If you are going to use VGA then all the adapter does is convert it from analog to digital. However if the quality is crap (VGA) then it wont get better just by using an adapter. Heck, it could even be that the adapter even makes it worse. So if you are stuck with VGA then stay with VGA.
If you will notice that depends on the monitor. If the monitor is crap then you may not notice the difference otherwise you may see a difference.

 

[photonboy]

Yep.
Both solutions are identical, though chances are less likely that an HDMI adapter will be as good as the one on the video card.

All data is processed digitally. If your card has a VGA (or the same thing with DVI-I + the adapter) it simply means the DVI, digital output was tapped off of then fed into a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) which is the EXACT same thing the HDMI to VGA adapter would do.

Cable length doesn't matter as it's the same regardless (maybe saving a few inches with HDMI being outside PC) but the cost makes HDMI pointless, and frankly I've got a THIRTEEN FOOT VGA cable that has a nice picture.

It's not that easy to tell the difference in quality between VGA and Digital in my experience. Now keep in mind that a CRT (tube) monitor displays VGA directly but a flatscreen converts VGA back to digital first so the quality of the converter may factor in there (but your only choice in that case is a different monitor with a digital input, and NOT where you get VGA from).

 

[SkyNetRising]

VGA is analog signal. You may notice shimmering of colors and color bleeding to neighboring pixels (on LCD screen).
Digital signal does not have that.

 

[nukemaster]

With a good cable and monitor the difference is very minimal. Text can be just slightly less sharp(it would be hard to see the difference on a video or game). I have seem some poor implementation of VGA that look worse, but some HDMI implementations are messed up too(non correctable overscan).