Intel, AMD, system builders to drop VGA by 2015

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Intel has announced plans to cease support for the widely used VGA and LVDS display connectors in its processors and chipsets by 2015. Additionally, Chipzilla has teamed up with other industry titans, including AMD, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, and LG to phase out the dated interfaces in favor of newer, more capable connection types, such as DisplayPort and HDMI.

In fact, AMD's plans are even hastier. The company intends to begin phasing out native VGA and LVDS output from most products by 2013, with expansion to all AMD products by 2015. It was noted that this also means DVI-I will be dropped in the same period.

In its press release today, Intel said HDMI is increasingly used in PCs for easy connection to consumer electronic devices and TVs, while DisplayPort is expected to become the single PC digital display output for embedded flat panels, monitors and projectors.

Both allow for slimmer laptops and support higher resolutions and more colors than the 20-year-old VGA connector. On top of the better visuals, Intel says DisplayPort and HDMI consume less power, so they're also better for battery life on mobile systems.

"Display standards are rapidly evolving, with new features such as multi-display support, stereoscopic 3-D, higher resolutions and increased color depth quickly moving from early adopter and niche usage to mainstream application," said AMD. "VGA, DVI and LVDS have not kept pace."

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https://www.techspot.com/news/41487-intel-amd-system-builders-to-drop-vga-by-2015.html

 

[TomSEA]

About time. Surprised they're waiting until 2013-15 to do this. Now watch the landfills fill up with these obsolete cables. I know I must have 20 or so myself packed away in a box somewhere.

 

[gwailo247]

And considering its almost a matter of routine to include a DVI to VGA adapter with every video card, everyone should have one or two of these laying around to take care of any legacy monitor needs.

 

[Guest]

Only bad thing about this is how much hdmi cables are.

 

[KG363]

I thought DVI was newer, but I guess not.

I don't like HDMI. And I think most cables will be fiber optic soon enough like lightpeak.

I hope by 2015 we have monitors with cheap fiberoptic cables

 

[TomSEA]

"Only bad thing about this is how much hdmi cables are."

They're really not that expensive if you shop around. Stay away from the very expensive Monster brand-name cables which are 100% brand marketing and nothing to do with the quality of the cable.

If you look at TechSpot's pricewatch column (tab is at the top of the page), you'll see almost daily deals for good HDMI cables.

 

[Guest]

I thought VESA had mandated Displayport be the new connection standard by now. That was like 2006, IIRC. Why is HDMI used so much if VESA backed Displayport?

VGA, yeah, I guess it's time to go, although we must give big props to the old connection, it's held on for a LONG time and is still just fine to use. Barely noticeable difference between it and any other connection right now (except for the super high resolutions, that is).

 

[TeamworkGuy2]

No more VGA or DVI, sniff, I like tightening the little screw things on them.
Well, I guess innovation is good, especially since VGA has resolution limits which could become an issue in the future.

 

[leondobr]

So everyone gets to go out and buy all new KVM switches, eh? That'll make a lot of people happy.

 

[yRaz]

there's just something about plugging in a giant cable into the back of your videocard that makes me smile. I love DVI... I have mixed feelings on HDMI. I see almost everything going from 16:10 to 16:9, and I hate 1080p....1200p FTW. I've seen tons of them break, I've never had DVI cable die on me, but it has to go at somepoint, i guess.

 

[Cota]

Coming to think, i use my DVI monitor instead of plugin my PC to my TV, even whit the cable hanging around. Btw if i see floppy connectors on motherboards after VGA dies ill go crazy.

 

[Johny47]

I wouldn't really mind if it stayed, I really don't think there's anything wrong with VGA. I used this for years without any problems so whatever, except fo floppy discs(VERY rubbish storage now =/) if you can use an old monitor with a newer motherboard then you should have the option.

 

[ECHTECH]

As long as they provide converters from the new interface to VGA, this shouldn't be a problem, but when you deal in the used and refurbished market, older technology stays around for a while. I still sell CRT monitors to customers who don't care about LCD or don't want to spend the money. Also, LCD still uses VGA or has HDMI or DVI connects. Not everyone will rush out to adopt this new technology with open arms. Obviously, as the new comes in, out goes the old, but there is a point in time when a user is able to do what they need with what they have and could care less about the next latest and greatest.

 

[compu4]

Why are they abandoning DVI? DVI carries the same video signal, in the same manner, that an HDMI cable does, but it does not carry audio. Considering the fact that most monitors don't have built-in speakers, or poor built-in speakers, I can't see why transitioning to HDMI is necessary.

 

[fossiltech]

It won't be just the VGA cables in the trash, how about new VGA only flat screen monitors the are still being sold.

 

[mailpup]

I don't know. Legacy products can hang around for a long time after they are no longer mainstream.

 

[Relic]

It makes sense to finally move on beyond analog and the VGA standard, but I'm a little confused about DVI. They mention DVI-I which is both digital & analog, but then they mention DVI as a whole. DVI-D which is digital only is pretty much HDMI just no audio so am I missing something here or do they plan to phase out all three DVI's (D, A & I)?

yRaz said:
I see almost everything going from 16:10 to 16:9, and I hate 1080p....1200p FTW.

Same, I enjoy 16:9 for tv & movies but when it comes to PC and gaming I rather have the extra vertical space.

 

[PC nerd]

Thank god. They were always a real bugger to screw in.

 

[PC nerd]

Guest said:
Only bad thing about this is how much hdmi cables are.

Dude. They are like 80p on Amazon.

 

[SilverCider]

Why doesn't industry move audio visual transmission to ethernet? surely that would make a lot of people happy?

Agreed, a good labelling system may be required though!

 

[akannitaoheed]

I tink VGA has spent too much of over-time in the market. Ought to have been upgraded with newer features or totally phased out for newer technologies.

 

[fpsgamerJR62]

Unlike most other PC technologies, VGA and DVI connections have never given me any trouble from the time of CRT monitors up the present wide-screen LCD panels. If the industry needs to settle on an updated connectivity standard, I would rather they just skip HDMI and standardize on DisplayPort. Isn't that what they already agreed on a few years ago ?

 

[MrAnderson]

VGA and DVI support or at least currently can output higher resolution than HDMI. Displayport I'm assuming is the one that out does the two, but I have yet purchased anything that outputs with that connector. Also, what will I do! I have two 24" monitors that take DVI and HDMI... I hope they will have displayport to HDMI... Also do we really need to worry on the discrete side of things since this is really a motherboard thing which is welcomed. Now get the monitor and projector manufacturers to get on board quick.

 

[Tedster]

he point is spending extra money on high end digital cables is a complete waste. The signal is transmitted in 0s and 1s. It would take a truly LONG cable to notice any loss of digital signal which would start to appear as "snow" on hte picture. Most modern display systems would try to fill in the gap. So spending extra for gold plated digital cables is nonsense. In the past, for analog cables this held true somewhat for poorly shielded cables that were subject to distortion, but for digital, it does not.

 

[Route44]

Only bad thing about this is how much hdmi cables are.

One word: Monoprice.com