Understanding the Better AV Input between HDMI and DVI

While your prime concern may be buying a nice cabinet, for your home or office, to hide all those wires neatly, you cannot simply attach and tuck them away. Knowing the basics about these cables is important as they impact the quality of the audio and video you see.

Almost all monitors come with a cable in the packaging box and most often you do not wonder if it is the perfect fit for your screen. From now on take the time to consider whether this may be the ideal fitting before attaching it to your device without a second thought.

A cable wire easily affects the quality of your signal, your device’s compatibility with the system it’s connected to and the contrast ratios. Between the two options to choose from—HDMI and DVI— look at their differences to find the ideal choice for you.

Difference in Layout

HDMI and DVI ports look quite different from each other so getting confused between the two is unlikely. While HDMIs are smaller, and similar to a USB, DVIs are significantly bigger in size.

However, DVIs come in their own variations so its important you have the right one for your monitor. The three types of cables are DVI-I that is analogue and digital, DVI-A that is purely analogue, and DVI-D that is digital and the most popular in the market. While DVI is video-only, HDMI can support up to 32 audio channels. This means that if you have a DVI cable you will need to get an HDMI cable instead to support the audio output.

Both HDMIs and DVIs are offered in single and dual-link formats. These variations are offer support for different resolutions. For instance, from HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 2.1, the second variant is able to support a resolution of up to 10K. It also works well for frame rates ranging up to 120Hz and dynamic HDR.

Difference in Compatibility

Compatibility is an important part of finding the right cable, as even a top-notch monitor is all but useless without the right ports for quality output. While HDMI is the most popular connection, it is important to note what ports your current system has.

DVI is a rarer variant as HDMI cables are most commonly used for monitors, gaming consoles, laptops and others. Further, newer laptops may have a USB-C port.

In case your laptop has an HDMI port but your monitor has a DVI port, you can always choose to purchase an adaptor to convert one into the other. These are quite inexpensive and available at most electronic retailers.

Difference in Quality and Refresh Rates

With the growing preference for 4K resolutions, it has become easier to distinguish between HDMIs and DVIs.

Apart from resolutions, the refresh rate of a monitor is often considered while making a purchase. The higher the rate, the better your viewing experience, thanks to smoother picture transitions that are easier on the eyes. This rate depicts the amount of frames that can change per second. So, 144Hz offers 144 frames per second.

Both DVI and now HDMI are capable of an output of 144hz at 1080p. However, DVI requires a DVI-D dual-link cable for ultra high refresh rates.

Despite older HDMI versions being limited to supporting 24Hz (frames per second), the HDMI 2.0 now corresponds up to 60Hz. Further, it supports HDR, a common offering by top services that provides sharp and detailed qualities. While DVI does not support HDCP copy protection, HDMI does. With this system, BlueRay videos do not play on unauthorised devices.

Difference in Price

Most of the time superior versions of electronics are priced at a very high rate. While this makes sense for cables like those on analogues, whose poorer variants result in inferior quality, it makes no sense for the digital formats. This is because there is no difference in the quality of the cables that are used to transmit the signal for digital formats.

To conclude, you need not shell out extra money thinking that the more expensive the cable, the better your final result.

The Better Option

While HDMI and DVI cables are similar, it is important to look at your requirements as per your hardware and make your choice.

However, if you wish to enjoy much higher refresh rates and have an option between DVI and HDMI, it would be advised to choose the latter.

While you use the above information to ensure your purchase is a bang for the buck, remember to shop from a recognised dealer that offers great customer service at affordable pricing too. One such platform is Gecko Products.

Here, you can find everything from smart TVs to mounts and HDMI cables, and more. Shop with a few clicks and choose between getting delivery or picking up your order yourself, as per your convenience. Use the clearance sale to enjoy exciting discounts and the most competitive price tags too.

About the Author: Steven Lam is the founder of top-online-shopping platform Gecko Products that sells top TV cabinet Australia, TV stand with mount, laptop and projector mounts and more!