Have you ever been overwhelmed why what you need to plug in with a new computer? Ever not know what cables to buy or adapters? Hopefully this blog will help with that a little.

What the cables look like

VGA

VGA (Video Graphics Array) is the oldest video cable still used today. This cable is analog and runs off of an RGB color spectrum. As analog, it also doesn’t support audio. It also is a very basic connection and is being phased out for HDMI and DisplayPort technology.

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DVI

DVI (Digital Video Interface) is the next oldest video cable still being used. This one provides the added benefit of being digital and having more capabilities, although it still doesn’t support audio. DVI also has various configurations that provide different capabilities. DVI is also being phased out for HDMI and DisplayPort.

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HDMI

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a audio/video digital interface cable that is replacing some older cables. It provides the extra capabilities of DVI, while also carrying audio and other signals through it. This cable was developed in the early 2000’s. Although quite prominent, there are other technologies being developed to replace it.

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DisplayPort

DisplayPort is a digital cable developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). This port can carry audio, video, and data, though it is primarily used for video. Display port is backwards compatible with VGA, DVI, and HDMI.

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Mini-DisplayPort

This video cable was developed by apple, and is a much trimmer design that all other other cables out there.