What does it mean?? DP adaptor Active-Passive? D++ Stop the Madness

[Rich Richardson]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-mini-displayport-to-vga-adapter-white/5813139.p?id=1219159701631&skuId=5813139
On this DP adaptor I see this.. D++ (small end symbol)
Can someone better explain what it means in regard to my dual AMD Sapphire 280x 3GB Video card. I have x2 cards (x-fire/SLI/joined at hip) whatever wording you wish to use.
The connection combination I use is this..Top card used only.
DVI-D
DVI-I
DP (DVI adpt to DP)
The D++ is somewhat elusive or speculative with the variances of 'He said this, she said that and the I have no idea'.
What Does the D++ mean symbol on the small end of the cable mean?
Additionally Can someone help with a blurb of the differences in DVI-D and DVI-I? One is black, the other white. Is there a difference?

 

[alexoiu]

http://www.extron.com/company/article.aspx?id=displayportad
DVI-D - only digital out
DVI-I - both digital and analog out (you can use with it an adapter DVI-I to VGA, while with DVI-D you'd need a converter for analog to digital)

 

[rhysiam]

It is a bit of a confusing mess unfortunately.

The article linked above explains it well: A D++ port essentially means a Displayport that can output a HDMI/DVI signal, which means you can use cheap/passive/dumb adapters which just route the correct pins. There's no active "conversion" necessary because the port itself is sending a DVI/HDMI signal, so adapters can be simple(=cheap).

Your 280X card supports up to 6 monitors with a large caveat... every monitor after the second (so your third, forth, monitors, etc) must be connected either:
1) From DP on your card to a DP monitor OR
2) From DP on your card to any monitor via an **active** adapter (so NOT a D++ adapter)

Essentially for AMD Cards, the DP ports are D++ as they can send DVI/HDMI signals, BUT these signals require extra smarts and the card only has the necessary hardware for a total of TWO of those types of connections. If you've got passive adapters or HDMI/DVI ports in use already, they run out of that hardware and have no more capacity to connect to HDMI/DVI monitors.

TL : DR, that adapter will work IF you have two monitors or less.
That adapter will work IF you have more than two monitors BUT all monitors from the 3rd onwards are native DP or using active adapters.
That adapter will NOT work if you already have two DVI/HDMI/VGA monitors connected to the card either natively or on passive DP adapters.