Noticeable difference between VGA and HDMI?

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ohiou_grad_06

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Dec 19, 2006
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Ok guys, question. Got myself a new 9600gt, which I'm quite pleased with. However, bad part is, it has dvi outputs, while my new lcd has a vga input, but also an hdmi input, which could be a good thing. I'm using the vga connection with an adapter off my video card at this point, however, would it be worth it do you think to spend 15-20 bucks to get a dvi-->hdmi connector cable and use the hdmi input on my monitor? Would I see that much of a quality difference or should I just stick with what I've got?
 
Ok, sound good then, thanks. Didn't know if there would be any kind of difference on colors or quality with DVI->HDMI being a digital to digital connection instead of it having to convert to an analogue signal.
 
You would see a difference in quality. The images would be sharper with a digital cable. My buddy has a 26" monitor that unfortunitly does not support HDCP and he runs Vista 64bit. It will not allow him to use an HDMI cable to he has to use a VGA cable. It gets choppy in some games and can't keep up at times. We hooked it to my XP machine and runs fine with a DVI-HDMI cable and look WAY better.
 
^ I have heard that a few times. Maybe it matters more for the larger monitors? My 19" doesn't have any issues using a VGA converter but I am curious if the image would be any better as well.

I am running the same as the OP, I am using the VGA converter too...I have been tempted to pick up a DVI cable just to see what happens but have been too lazy and forgetful to get one when I am out.
 
My folks got a cheap 22'' Philips with only vga connectors and it was a pain to calibrate, and still I'm not really happy with the picture. It's a little fuzzy...

and yes, it matters more for larger monitors, something to with the analog signal that needs to carry more information and it gets messed up in the cable somewhat.. or something
 


So you hooked it up to a /different computer/ and decided the cable made a difference in image quality?

I've never heard anything CONCRETE that says you need more than VGA (except when you get into high resolutions that VGA won't even display) for image quality. After looking at forums a bunch it seems (like high wattage PSUs...) like everyone thinks you need more because everyone else says you need more. I'll get around at some point to getting an HDMI cable to hook up to the 26" TV I use for a monitor (currently VGA) to try it myself since no one seems to have actual information or reason other than OMG ITZ DIGITAL.
 


If I take my 22" lcd and use the vga input instead of the DVI cable, I can tell the difference no question.
 
In my experiences vga on any monitor i've used either look a bit washed out in the black levels, or tends to be a bit heavy in any one color. One monitor i have shows a heavy saturation in blue, which has been impossible to fix to date. My main monitor will show a slightly reddish tint, and my dad's monitor likes a little extra yellow. All those issues i couldn't completely remedy with monitor colour settings.

So yes, you'll most likely notice an increase in picture quality with either dvi or hdmi.
 


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812226013

How much now? They make cable-less connectors for less.


I haven't noticed a difference between VGA and HDMI as far as picture quality goes. Between all the different ways you can adjust the output in software and the picture on the screens you can usually correct all but the cheapest bargain bin setups.


Maybe now that 120hz displays are coming back in style... VGA will probably still be able to handle 2560 x 1600 at 60hz though.
 
I cannot tell any difference at all on my 50" plasma. Honestly, this is with an XBOX 360, but the theory is the same. I think the only people who can tell the difference do so because they know there is a difference, if you know what I mean.
 
I'd like to mention that most recent LCDs have "native" digital interface and the VGA connector goes through some kind of analog-to-digital converter. So technically, the result of the VGA connection could vary from model to model.

At work, I used 2 identical HP monitors in dual-screen setup one with DVI, the other VGA (with DVI to VGA dongle until I could find a 2nd DVI cable). The difference was not night and day, but it was noticeable. The DVI connection made the image much sharper. For gaming I might not have noticed, but since it was to work with lots of text to read it did prefer DVI by a far margin.
 
Whatever, I work with both, and the difference is quality, those cheap people not buying quality VGA cables, probably think nothing of spending much more on an HDMI cable and wonder why it doesn't have the same artifacts.

The people who think DVI/HDMI are simply better, are the same people who thought first gen LCDs were better than a Trinitron CRT because it was 'digital'. :pfff:

Unless YOU SEE problems with your picture, don't waste your money if you already have VGA. $20 is $20, I'd rather spend it on beer than buy a cable to please someone else.
 
I bought 5 hdmi cables for 25bucks off of amazon and they work great. I bet if you looked around you could find a dvi-hdmi cable much less than $20. One good thing about the digital cables is that a cheap cable makes very little difference (if any) from an expensive cable.
 
the DVI input on my old monitor stopped working so i had to resort to vga. and i can tell u there was a difference. text was noticably less sharp and colors weren't as nice. it bothered me enough to go out and buy a new monitor.
 
let me put it this way;

stay with VGA and be happy, cause if you move to HDMI/DVI you wont go back.... the difference is comparable to going from DVD to BLU-RAY
 
Hi. I've just being playing around with my geforce g210 into my philips 221e and it seems that quality is better through the dvi to vga cable than it is through the hdmi cable? Mainly text is clearer but I think the colours might be slightly better as well. Can anyone explain this to me?
 
it might mess with your resolution depending on if you have to adjust your comp or tv. i did it and adjusted the resolution and now it looks great. but i did it with a 720 tv and i adjusted the resolution and it messed with the refresh rate. i would do it and if you dont like it, return it.
 
At work, I used 2 identical HP monitors in dual-screen setup one with DVI, the other VGA (with DVI to VGA dongle until I could find a 2nd DVI cable). The difference was not night and day, but it was noticeable. The DVI connection made the image much sharper. For gaming I might not have noticed, but since it was to work with lots of text to read it did prefer DVI by a far margin.[/quotemsg]


I own Philips Full-HD (1080p) in LED technology and I changed today my VGA cable with a DVI-> HDMI cable and I have to say that I also noticed some differences :

* with HDMI dark tones are less fuzzy (Good!)
* with HDMI images are more sherpen (Good and Bad) , for movies it gives a little more quality, but for computer icons and texts it result in a too shiney borders. This defects almost disappear setting a lower contrast on the panel.
* with HDMI colors looks less vivid (Good and Bad) ... they result more "natural" if you watch a movie, a little less appealing for computer graphic. Anyway its still (I guess) something I can customize (again) with a specific monitor-colors setup.


 
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