TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

I was thinking about this the other day, how even though in marketing VGA, XGA SXGA, UXGA, WXGA, WSXGA, WUXGA all seem to be labeled "VGA" ports and cables, dispite their significantly different display capabilities. I have done some searching, but still don't know how to tell specifically what kind of ports and cables I have. I would have guessed that the max resolution I can display would be some kind of indication, although my display adapter can display beyond my monitor's capabilities. Is there any easy way to physically distinguish the cables from one another?

I worked as a monitor tech for 12 years and for these connector types, it's the cards frequency ranges and not the connector, that determines the output... I think that these connectors are physically the same, minus or plus some pins

Oh, okay thank you. The sites I was reading were worded in a way that deceived me.

The various letter combinations, WUXGA and the like, are actually expressing the monitors native or maximum resolution. For instance, SXGA is 1280 X 1024. The "W" in front of the letter sequence indicates wide screen.
VGA is actually a resolution size also, 640 X 480, but it's so small it's not used any more in computer monitors. That's the same resolution as standard (NTSC) American television.

However, VGA is also used when referring to the basic monitor cable. It's normally 15 pins, blue, and has a trapezoid shape with 2 thumb screws to hold it in place. It's also correctly called a "D-Sub" connector.. VGA/ D-Sub is the ANALOG connection from computer to monitor.

Now, I don't know if I'd go along with "deceptive", but the practice of giving a set of code letters to every possible monitor resolution standard, can seem a bit frivolous at times.

Thanks cap, but I already knew everything you were talking about. I know all about what the acronyms mean. All I wanted to clarify was if cables had radically changed and if I needed to ensure I had the right cables. Without seeing the websites I looked at, I don't think you can fairly tell me you disagree that they were worded deceivingly. I am not attempting to start an argument, I just respectfully disagree.

I often wonder why I bother to respond to questions. All the monitor letterings with respest to resolution to can be connected with a VGA cable. (analog) Most monitors have not gone to all digital connections as of yet. So, please don't post back and tell me you already knew it all, respectfully of course. If you have a site that's really "messing with your mind", to use an archaic 70's term, by all means, post the link. Again,respectfully of course.

And if you'll forgive my self indulgence, my interpretation of this question doesn't give the impression that you know all about the subject. Perhaps it's just the wording.

..." it's the cards frequency ranges and not the connector, that determines the output... I think that these connectors are physically the same, minus or plus some pins"...

"All the monitor letterings with respect to resolution to can be connected with a VGA cable"...

Yes, captaincranky aren't we saying the same thing here?

Yes as I said earlier, I don't know why I bother to answer posts sometimes.
I had thought the anecdotal association between VGA resolution and VGA cable might be interesting, but apparently not.
In the future if I see you've already answered a post I'll avoid doing so.

This is what I wanted to avoid...I would have posted the link but it really wasn't pertinent to the question being answered. Perhaps my question didn't give you the right impression, but as someone else dealing with technology I'm sure you can appreciate the desire for answers that are right to the point. Also I would ask if you are going to attempt to quote me, please do do accurately.

That's your quote, It's the same one I quoted yesterday. It is verbatim, and therefore accurate.

This quote is verbatim, and therefore accurate as well.

You don't have to worry, I will not attempt to answer any of your questions or concerns in the future.
TMagic doesn't have to worry about me enjoining a thread in which he is envolved, lest I be lectured for paraphrasing something which has already been settled.

Now my question is; if you knew that this was going to happen, and also knew that "this was going to happen", why couldn't you simply keep you mouth shut and think poorly of me in private? You're not that diplomatic of a person? Who knows, who cares.

Actually, if you think about it, posting the link would have been the best approach. Even if you saw through the site's "fog" so to speak, there are beginners around here who might not have been so lucky.

This is a visual look at VGA (Video Graphics Array) resolutions. The VGA standard was created by IBM ... My Samsung SyncMaster 245BW can display most of these resolutions, including the highest running through a DVI cable, from my computer to the LCD monitor. There were many types of video cables at one time in history. MAC 15-pin, RGB Sync, Sun, Radius, composite video are a few

Attached Images

VGA Modes.jpg (18.1 KB, 4 views)

Now that this issue has been talked to death I cannot resist:

The Male VGA have a Male connector and the Female VGA have, you guessed it, a Female connector.

This is great news, the very next time I'm shopping for monitor cables in some Chinese landfill I'll know exactly what to look for