Use HDMI or DVI to connect monitor to computer.

Hello all,


I have a quick question. My new graphics card has a HDMI port and I was wondering if there is any advantage of using that port to connect my graphics card to my monitor over the normal DVI port? Is it worth buying the cable that I would need to do this>

many thanks,

The only difference is HDMI carries audio and video and DVI carries Video only.

If your monitor has speakers that are built in then use hdmi,if you just want video and have something else for audio,then use dvi. Both have the same picture quality,just that hdmi carries both video and audio which is what i prefer to use on my tv.

Depending on your monitor, you may get MUCH BETTER LOOKING video on a Windows desktop that runs with DVI than with HDMI.

For example, my Eizo HD2441W has a native resolution of 1920x1200 but only runs that way (with 60hz refresh) when connected via DVI (to my ATI HD5770 video card's DVI output).

In contrast, when connected via HDMI (to the same HD5770's HDMI output) it runs at 1920x1080 (with 50hz refresh). Also, this 1920x1080 is not using the full 100% width of the screen for the 1920 dimension, but appears to be "indented about 1/2 inch" on left and right to present its 1920 dimension. And to keep the aspect ratio 16:9 (i.e. 1920x1080) the 1080 vertical height is also slightly reduced to correspond to the slight reduction in horizontal width.

There is no comparison between the overall look (color, crispness, sharpness, brightness, etc.) between the 1920x1200 60hz DVI result and the 1920x1080 50hz HDMI result. But anything and everything will work and display properly on the monitor, no matter whether DVI or HDMI is used. Videos, Windows Media Center HDTV, BluRay movie playing, etc., it all works identically whether DVI or HDMI. Both modes are HDCP-compliant. It just looks MUCH BETTER via DVI no matter what's on the screen (could be the 60hz for DVI vs. 50hz for HDMI, which might be a function of the HD5770 card or ATI drivers).

In contrast, when I use the monitor as a pure HDMI display device (e.g. connected via HDMI to a BluRay player) also for a 1920x1080p display, now the 100% 1920 width of the screen's horizontal real estate is used for display purposes. And consequently, the 1080 vertical height also is its maximum size (though obviously less than the 1200 vertical screen size in DVI native) to preserve the 16:9 aspect ration fo 1920x1080.

That's why I believe the somewhat smaller "shrunken" 1920x1080 when the monitor is used via HDMI as a Windows desktop vs. when the monitor is used via HDMI to a native source component like a BluRayplayer, must be something about how the HD5770 and/or drivers talks to the HD2441W via HDMI instead of just using it like a 1920x1080 TV.


Bottom line: I use DVI for the monitor 99.9999% of the time, because it's simply the best looking. On occasion when I need to get multi-channel digital audio to my sound system and thus require the use of the HDMI digital audio output from PC to my AVR/speakers and then HDMI back from AVR to the HD2441W for video, I will change that output from DVI to HDMI. It works fine, but it doesn't look as good as DVI.

So if I don't need multi-channel digital sound but am perfectly happy to use my 2.1 external speakers, I will absolutely configure for DVI. And I have both choices.


That's my opinion.

Thank you guys, really helped me make my decision.

dsperber said:

Depending on your monitor, you may get MUCH BETTER LOOKING video on a Windows desktop that runs with DVI than with HDMI.

For example, my Eizo HD2441W has a native resolution of 1920x1200 but only runs that way (with 60hz refresh) when connected via DVI (to my ATI HD5770 video card's DVI output).

Click to expand...

Its not like that. Its because you don't know how to set your video card to use the HDMI connection. You need to reset the overdrive (probably to zero) and you will get the same quality from HDMI as from your DVI.

EIZO should be better at explaining this. Also they should make sure that their EDID info allows PC connection through the HDMI port. Really just about sloppy programming/lack of imagination that their HDMI EDID info defaults as a movie screen without a clear option for setting it as a PC monitor.

Yeah I don't know what's the point of an HDMI connection in a monitor which does not have built in speakers or does not have 3D, or a res higher than 2560×1600... Both the video signal is the same...

maiaibing said:

Its not like that. Its because you don't know how to set your video card to use the HDMI connection. You need to reset the overdrive (probably to zero) and you will get the same quality from HDMI as from your DVI.

Click to expand...

I don't know what you're referring to.

I do not use "overdrive" at all in CCC. Never heard of it, never looked at it, never changed it.

This is "standard" ATI driver support for the HD5770, which has (a) one pure DVI output, and (b) one either/or DVI/HDI output.

If you know something specific I should do "to set my video card to use the HDMI connection", please state it here... explicitly. I'd be very appreciative to know if there's something I should know about how best to use "HDMI video" that I don't, since this is the first time I've tried to take advantage of "HDMI audio" and it seems to have a requirement that you also be using "HDMI video" in order to get HDMI audio.

EIZO should be better at explaining this.

Click to expand...

What are you saying... in their manual??

The HD2441W has FOUR separate inputs, DVI, VGA, and two HDMI inputs. I've used HDMI input before, fed directly from an external source device (DVHS VCR with DHMI output) and it worked perfectly. 1920x1080 fully displayed on the 1920x1200 screen (i.e. with black bars on top and bottom) using 100% of the left-right horizontal size of the screen.

It's only with the use of the same monitor as an HDMI windows desktop component via that HDMI output on the HD5770 that the 1920x1080 is "slightly reduced" horizontally but with the same black bars (now slightly bigger) on top and bottom (i.e. "postage stamped"). I don't know why that would be, but that's how it ends up.

Also, CCC shows it as 1920x1080 50hz when the HDMI connection is active, rather than the 1920x1200 60hz it indicates when the DVI connection is active. The Eizo actually has a "slight zoom" available for this HDMI mode, which I've activated, because the true original size of that 1920x1080 HMDI output via Windows desktop was even smaller. Now, with the "slight zoom", at least the left and right edges of the 1920x1080 desktop is only about 3/4" in from the left and right edges of the screen. Before the "slight zoom" it was probably 1 1/2" in at each side.

I am going to do some more playing around here, because perhaps relaying the HDMI output of the HD5770 to my AVR (to handle the HDMI audio carried on the same HDMI cable) and then a second HDMI cable to carry video back from AVR to the Eizo is what's causing this. Perhaps a direct single HDMI connection from HD5770 to the Eizo would work differently, and actually utilize the complete width of the screen for its 1920x1080. If so, that would be very interesting to learn. I will try that.

If a "direct HDMI connection" from HD5770 to the Eizo displays correctly (i.e. at 100% horizontal size for 1920x1080) then I also have an "HDMI port multiplier" (actually an HDMI 4x2 matrix switch from Monoprice) which would allow me to multiply the single HDMI output of the HD5770 into two, which presumably would both be carrying the identical HDMI audio and video. I could send one HDMI output of the switch directly to the Eizo, and the second HDMI output of the switch to the AVR (for audio handling).

I will have to experiment with all of this.

Also they should make sure that their EDID info allows PC connection through the HDMI port. Really just about sloppy programming/lack of imagination that their HDMI EDID info defaults as a movie screen without a clear option for setting it as a PC monitor.

Click to expand...

You seem a bit harsh in your criticism. You might better turn your bitterness towards the inventors of the very delicate "HDMI handshake" when more than just two devices are involved. This is infamously unreliable and frequently requires "workarounds" and "Rube Goldberg" solutions, or simply "fall back to device-to-device direct HDMI connections" and eliminate any "HDMI relay". Take for example the infamous "loss of native" problem with the Motorola DCX-family of DVRs, where relaying HDMI from DCX through an AVR and on to an HDTV causes the user-configured "native" HDMI video setting in the DCX to be lost any time one of the three boxes is powered off. Motorola built the "native" HDMI video setting about 6 years ago, and it has been "broken" this way for the same 6 years. It has NEVER BEEN FIXED BY MOTOROLA, and still fails to this day in their brand new boxes.

I can assure you, when connecting a true HDMI source device (e.g. BluRay player or DVHS VCR) to an HDMI input of the Eizo, it displays true 1920x1080 (and even accepts 1080p from the BluRay player) in full-width 1920x1080 (small black bars on top and bottom of the 1920x1200 screen).

It's only with this brand new setup, relaying HDMI out of the HD5770 through the AVR and then HDMI back to the Eizo, that something's not quite right... at least with the current arrangement.

Hey, if I send HDMI directly from the DVHS VCR to the Eizo it displays perfectly. But if I relay the HDMI through the AVR (so that the HDMI audio can be handled by the AVR) I get constant "HDCP not supported" violation messages and no sound delivered from the VCR, intermingled with several seconds of perfect video/audio. Something about the intermediate AVR in the HDMI relay is interfering with the HDCP part of the HDMI handshake, and breaking things. My solution is to send the HDMI output of the VCR directly to the second HDMI input of the Eizo, while sending optical audio output from the VCR to the AVR for multi-channel audio-only handling. Same sound results, and now perfeclty working HDMI video to the Eizo. Problem solved.

I need to do some experimenting with using the HDMI output of the HD5770, along with the possible use of my "HDMI port multiplier".

This HDMI handshake complexity forced upon us by "the suits" in "The Industry" in order to prevent digital piracy is really at the bottom of this whole problem. For example, recent tightened digital video copyright protection agreements with "The Industry" has resulted in Oppo being required to use Cinavia technology in its new upcoming 103/105 player products. This has in turn prompted them to totally remove analog video output from the new devices (and in turn prompted a HUGE rush for new users trying to buy a now-discontinued and virtually no longer available 93/95 players with their untouched audio and video circuitry, whose new/used prices have skyrocketed).

You're not understanding. Your Eizo is a 1920x1200 screen and it's not telling the video card that it's 1200p on the hdmi port. That is what maiaibing was saying.

Zepher said:

You're not understanding. Your Eizo is a 1920x1200 screen and it's not telling the video card that it's 1200p on the hdmi port. That is what maiaibing was saying.

Click to expand...

Let me clarify.

As far as I can tell, the HDMI output from the video card is only 1920x1080. And when I display "info" on the Eizo it shows "1080p". This the very same "info" presented when I play a BluRay disc to the Eizo via HDMI... same "1080p". As far as I know, 1080p means 1920x1080p (as opposed to 1920x1080i, for NTSC HDTV). But via HDMI it's 1920x1080 resolution.

I've never seen HDMI output larger than that. Are you saying you have (or have seen) an HDMI connection to a monitor that can display larger than that (say 1920x1200 like DVI does)? If so, please provide specific details. With current BluRay discs and players, I don't think there's anything higher than 1080p needed to be displayed. There would not be a monitor built in the past few years capable of displaying something like 1200p, if that were possible. Best-possible BluRay today is 1080p, so 1080p-capable hardware and software is all that needs to be built.

Now how the Eizo displays that 1920x1080, well that seems to vary:

(a) 1920x1080i coming from my JVC DVHS VCR, well that 1080i is displayed as "1080i" in the Eizo's "info" and is presented using the full complete width of the Eizo 1920x1200 screen, so yes there is a small black area on top and bottom as the image is only 1920x1080 but the full horizontal screen width is used.

Again, this is 1080i from the source.

(b) 1920x1080p coming from my BluRay player, well that 1080p is displayed as "1080p" in the Eizo's "info" AND IS ALSO PRESENTED USING THE FULL COMPLETE WIDTH OF THE Eizo 1920x1200 screen. So just like the 1080i coming from my DVHS VCR, there is again a small black area on top and bottom of the 1920x1080 image being presented on the 1920x1200 screen, but once again the FULL HORIZONTAL SCREEN WIDTH IS USED.

(c) 1920x1080p coming from Windows 7 and the HD5770/drivers, with the monitor connected via HDMI and used as part of the Windows desktop, well that 1080p is once again displayed as "1080p" in the Eizo's "info". So it would seem that any HDMI input shows as either 1080i or 1080p in info, with the implied vertical size being 1920. It would seem that Win7 and the HD5770 drivers send it out as 1920x1080p.

However, there is obviously something slightly different about the 1080p coming from Win7/HD5770 and the 1080p coming from my BluRay player, because when used as part of the Windows desktop the 1920x1080p image is slightly reduced and DOES NOT USE THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE EIZO SCREEN. Instead, about 1 1/2" of black bar on left and right appear (with the vertical height of the image also reduced, to keep the 16:9 aspect ratio), so you'd say this 1920x1080 is "slightly miniaturized from the maximum size 1920x1080 presentation from either DVHS VCR/1080i or BluRay/1080p. I can reduce that 1 1/2" black bar by enabling the "slight zoom" feature of the Eizo, which magnifies somewhat the "shrunken 1920x1080", leaving me with only 3/4" black on the left and right.

But it's still not the 100% full maximum width possible with 1920x1080 on the Eizo 1920x1200 screen, as is seen with the DVHS VCR/1080i or BluRay 1080p.

I am guessing that it is the "1920x1080p 50hz" which CCC says is the status of that monitor. Unfortunately, the Eizo's "info" does not show the refresh rate when connected via HDMI, only the resolution. So I don't know that the true difference is between the other 1920x1080 outputs which DO use the full screen width, and the 1920x1080 from Windows/HD5770 which uses somewhat less than full screen width.

But the difference is probably due to how the Eizo is responding to the 50hz refresh from Windows, rather than 30hz/1080i or 60hz/1080p which is what I believe my VCR/1080i and BluRay/1080p players are putting out.


When I use the Eizo in DVI mode, I am now using the entire 1920x1200 screen in its native/maximum presentation format. And the Eizo "info" shows "1920x1200 60hz". This is obviously a PC-friendly DVI-type information.

And this 1920x1200 60hz DVI mode makes use of 100% horizontal and vertical space on the 1920x1200 Eizo screen. And that's how I use it... not HDMI.

I've got a pair of Westinghouse 24" monitors hooked up with HDMI at 1920x1200 just fine.

A "full" HD spec source will output at 1920x1080 since that is the current max resolution of those devices, so of course the monitor is going to try and sync to 1080p.

If you have your video card connected to the Eizo with HDMI and the monitor tells the card it is an HDTV, then it will max out at 1080P since that is the max for a current HDTV.

Zepher said:

I've got a pair of Westinghouse 24" monitors hooked up with HDMI at 1920x1200 just fine.

Click to expand...

I didn't know that was possible. Very interesting.

A "full" HD spec source will output at 1920x1080 since that is the current max resolution of those devices, so of course the monitor is going to try and sync to 1080p.

Click to expand...

But in this case the "source device" is the HD5770 video card. If the hardware and ATI drivers could support HDMI at 1900x1200p you'd think that's what would kick in. But it's not.

You just plug in the HDMI cable and the rest is automatic including, I might add, the instant disabling of the DVI connection which is the other side of the HDMI connection for that monitor. Windows/driver swiftly changes that monitor to be HDMI, not DVI. If you look in CCC you'll now see THREE monitors, with your "previous DVI version" now #3 and disabled. The HDMI version of that monitor has taken over.

Also, there is no resolution higher than 1920x1080 that can be selected. So that must be what the Eizo is reporting to the HD5770 is all it can accept via HDMI.

If you have your video card connected to the Eizo with HDMI and the monitor tells the card it is an HDTV, then it will max out at 1080P since that is the max for a current HDTV.

Click to expand...

What is your video card(s) being used with the Westinghouse monitors? How can they both be HDMI? Two video cards??

If you're using an ATI video card with CCC, can you provide what is shown as the resolution and refresh rate for the monitors?

And, do the Westinghouse monitors not have DVI capability? I guess I wonder why one would choose HDMI over DVI if given an option?

card is a 3870 using a pair of DVI to HDMI cables.
there are no DVI ports on the Westinghouse monitors either. I would prefer DVI since they are locking connectors.

Zepher said:

card is a 3870 using a pair of DVI to HDMI cables.

Click to expand...

I rest my case.

You aren't running these as HDMI monitors. That is being hidden from the HD3870 (which has dual DVI outputs, not HDMI outputs) by the adapter cable. From Windows' perspective (and the HD3870 and drivers/CCC) you are running these two monitors as DVI.

Please look in CCC and confirm that they almost certainly show "DVI" in their connection. Both the hardware (HD3870) and software (Catalyst drivers and CCC) think you've got a DVI connection going.

It probably looks like this, which is what my Eizo looks like when it is connected in DVI mode:



You're thus not experiencing HDMI limitations as I am when using the true HDMI connector on my HD5770.


When my Eizo is connected in "true, genuine, HDMI mode" so that Windows and the HD5770 and drivers/CCC know it's connected through an HDMI cable, it is limited to 1920x1020 and shows in CCC as "HDMI connected" (as shown below), not "DVI connected" (as shown above):




Note that the Eizo in its original DVI-connection mode has been displayed as a 3rd monitor, but disabled:

there are no DVI ports on the Westinghouse monitors either. I would prefer DVI since they are locking connectors.

Click to expand...

Well then they're really HDTV's I'd have to say, which you're using as Windows desktop monitors.

But from your 3870's perspective they ARE actually DVI connections, not HDMI connections. You're using a video card's DVI connectors, "magically" supporting an HDMI-only display device through an adapter cable. But for all intents and purposes, Windows believes they are DVI connections.

I'm sure you could not get HDMI connections higher than 1920x1080 today (before 2K/4K becomes commonly available).

this is the specs from your card,
HDMI® (With 3D, Deep Color and x.v.Color™)

• Max resolution: 1920x1200

ATI Radeon

You have to set it to 1920x1200 since your monitor is not reporting itself properly.

Zepher said:

this is the specs from your card,
HDMI® (With 3D, Deep Color and x.v.Color™)

• Max resolution: 1920x1200

ATI Radeon

Click to expand...

I know that. But it only applies to DVI connections.

You haven't posted the screenshots from CCC on your machine that I requested, confirming or denying that your two Westinghouse monitors are actually being treated as if they were on a DVI connection, with the fact that they're HDMI being masked from your video card and Windows by the DVI-to-HDMI adapter cable.

I really do want to see what CCC says your monitors are connected as, just like my screenshots reveal.

You have to set it to 1920x1200 since your monitor is not reporting itself properly.

Click to expand...

If you would like to tell me where I'm supposed to do this, I will be glad to try. You need to post a screenshot if you're providing instructions to do something, as a picture is worth 1000 words and the words you're using don't seem consistent with what I know to be true on my own machine. You need to make your case and convince me with pictures, so that I see what you're talking about on your machine and can investigate on my machine.


In particular, when changing the resolution on the Eizo when it is in DVI mode, the available choices go all the way up to 1920x1200 as you'd expect:



But when trying to change the resolution on the Eizo when it is in HDMI mode, the available choices only go up to 1920x1080 as I have said:



So there is no way for me to manually specify any resolution higher than what is presented to me in that slider. And since the Eizo in HDMI mode says "1920x1080" is the maximum resolution I can support, that's what's shown in the slider.

If there is some other place I should be going to change resolution beyond that, please tell me what it is (and/or post a screenshot). But if the monitor can only accept up to 1920x1080 while in HDMI mode (just as it has already announced), what good could possibly come from trying to feed it 1920x1200???

SHOW ME IN PICTURES WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.

I can't post screens from the machine with the westinghouse monitors till later this week, as the machine is at my co-workers house.

I don't have any 1920x1200 monitors here to play with and see how our AMD cards function with an hdmi cable.