dvi to hdmi query

[ik9000]

If my graphics card only has DVI outputs, is it as simple as getting a DVI to HDMI cable to run HDMI screens? Does it affect HDCP and would it limit the res to 1080p if i get a 1440 screen?

[DDY]

HDCP over DVI to HDMI shouldn't be a problem, at least for modern cards.

1440p on the other hand might be a problem. 2560×1440 @ 60Hz over DVI would require a dual-link connection, but DVI to HDMI only works over a single-link, typically limiting the display to 1920×1200 @ 60Hz.

Although, it is possible to push 2560×1440 at lower refresh rates over a DVI to HDMI cable, I managed 2560×1440 @ 30Hz some time ago.

If your display supports lower refresh rates, you might be able to push 2560x1440 at say 30Hz though the cable. Obviously you'll have to live with 30 frames/sec but it could be useful as a stop gap measure.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/2560x14...I.92840.0.html

I'm currently running my Dell U2715H at 2560x1440 30p using a DVI-HDMI cable off my i5 2500/Z77, purely as a stop gap while I wait for my new GTX 980 to arrive.

[ik9000]

thanks. I have DL DVI outputs, but is the issue that the cable doesn't do that?

[DDY]

thanks. I have DL DVI outputs, but is the issue that the cable doesn't do that?

Afraid not, HDMI and DVI achieve higher resolutions by different means, the two systems diverge after single-link DVI and lose interoperability at higher resolutions.

[EndlessWaves]

Yeah, DVI stuck with 165Mhz frequency and used more wires to drive higher resolution displays. The original HDMI standard did define a dual-link connector (type B) for the same purpose but they ended up increasing the frequency to 340Mhz and keeping the familiar single-link connector instead.

The other way around occasionally works, presumably because it gets routed to the same hardware, but 2560x1440 DVI to HDMI isn't going to work with a simple cable. You'd need an active adapter that takes the DVI Dual-link signal and spits out a new HDMI signal and I don't know if they exist.

HDCP over DVI to HDMI shouldn't be a problem, at least for modern cards.

If it's only got DVI outputs then it may not be a modern card. There have been DVI-only cards that supported HDCP but a lot of HDCP compatible cards have an HDMI output.

Does the card in question have a DisplayPort output? That may be able to generate a 2560x1440 over HDMI signal.

[shaithis]

thanks. I have DL DVI outputs, but is the issue that the cable doesn't do that?

It's not the cable that's the problem as such, its the HDMI port at the other end. Because HDMI doesn't support dual link, your never going to get a DVI-DL to HDMI-DL cable.

Do you not have any DisplayPort outputs?

[ik9000]

it's one of these http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphi...s-card-review/ so yes, not the most recent tech. Thank you for making me check as apparently according to the review it should have a mini HDMI as well. Do I therefore simply use a mini HMDI to HDMI and will that do the full res?

Does this mean I can run 3 monitors?

[DanceswithUnix]

I wouldn't compromise a monitor choice over DVI connectivity.

As a upside, it sounds like you can get 1440p to work from the sounds of https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport...ion_over_hdmi/ but I'm not sure if that is at only 30Hz refresh rate.

Assuming the GTX460 listed in your system specs is the card you are talking about, I would honestly be looking at updating to something with up to date HDMI and better still a DisplayPort connector or two. A GTX950 or RX 460? You do lose the ability to drive VGA on these modern cards though.

Edit to add:

Does this mean I can run 3 monitors?

Sorry, no you can't. That era of card can drive any two of the output choices, if you plug in a third monitor one of the other monitors switches off. It was designed before Eyefinity, so before people really thought lots of monitors on a single card was a thing.

[DDY]

If it's only got DVI outputs then it may not be a modern card. There have been DVI-only cards that supported HDCP but a lot of HDCP compatible cards have an HDMI output.

By modern, I mean after the period of non-standard DVI to HDMI implementation, which saw uses of the 'spare' data lines, for audio for example, which might upset HDCP.

There were a few, but I concede not many, cards since then which didn't have HDMI, I recall that my HD 4870 had DVI-D, DVI-I and component video.

I should also mention motherboards in addition to graphics cards, because even to this day, low-end motherboards often lack HDMI ports (let alone DP!), favouring DVI-I and/or VGA , presumably as a means for the manufacturer to flesh out their line-up with more 'premium' HDMI equipped boards. Which is exactly the predicament I found myself in when I had a cheaper motherboard and an 1440p display while waiting for my GTX980 to turn up.

it's one of these http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphi...s-card-review/ so yes, not the most recent tech. Thank you for making me check as apparently according to the review it should have a mini HDMI as well. Do I therefore simply use a mini HMDI to HDMI and will that do the full res?

Does this mean I can run 3 monitors?

I'm not sure about the three monitors, but the GTX 460 mini-HDMI port is a 1.4a port, provided that your display supports at least HDMI 1.3, 1440p is good to go!

EDIT: You'll need a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter of course.

[ik9000]

can't afford monitor and new card. Won't get new GPU until I upgrade the desktop but that budget is far too low to realise in the near future.

[shaithis]

it's one of these http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphi...s-card-review/ so yes, not the most recent tech. Thank you for making me check as apparently according to the review it should have a mini HDMI as well. Do I therefore simply use a mini HMDI to HDMI and will that do the full res?

Does this mean I can run 3 monitors?

Prior to HDMI 2.0, you can't run 1440p over HDMI without dropping the refresh rate (which is utterly horrible).

Luckily though, the card you list has 2 x DVI-DL ports. That'll connect 2 1440p monitors. If you have a 1440p monitor with HDMI 1.4, I do have to question why the vendor would do that. Most people in your dilemma have a 1440p screen and no DVI-DL ports to plug it into

Just use a DVI>HDMI cable for now and then if you get a 1440p screen, just change to a DL DVI cable.

[ik9000]

Thanks everyone for the help. Pulling together responses to various posts:

I'm looking at getting this monitor: http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/pr...hs1&l=en&s=dhs
and my GPU is this: http://www.gigabyte.com/MicroSite/72...460SO-13I.html with the manual found here: http://download1.gigabyte.eu/Files/M...60so-1gi_e.pdf

GPU has 2xDVI-I and a mini HDMI. Monitor has DP, HDMI
Wiki suggests anything from HDMI 1.3 onwards will handle 2560x1440 (up to 2560x1600)

The unknown is the table is in the GPU user manual (page 27) that states up to 2048x1536 60-85Hz and then says 2560x1600 60Hz (dual link). Is that just for the DVI or does that apply to the HDMI too? The manual doesn't state which kind of HDMI it is.

This review of the GPU http://www.funkykit.com/reviews/vide...ddr5-review/8/ states it is HDMI 1.4 and if so the dual link note presumably only applies to the DVI outputs on the GPU.

options as i understand it are therefore:
a) I simply use the mini HDMI port to HDMI on the monitor
b) DVI-D DL to HDMI but apparently this won't work at 1440p 60Hz, and would crop me out at either a lower res or lower frequency
c) DVI to display port - but from what I can understand this is even more difficult than DVI to HDMI

option A is the winner - so long as my card's mini HDMI is genuinely HDMI 1.3 or better then it should do 2560x1440p and be ok to run the monitor. Is there a way to check the HDMI type from the machine?

[cptwhite_uk]

petercook7 is selling a superb monitor (brand new) in the forums @ £210.....27" IPS 99% RBG colourspace, 350 nits brightness, IPS @ 2560 x 1440....I should know I use one myself, it's superb.

A little old now (2014 I think), but these were £700ish when released. Professional image quality.

http://forums.hexus.net/classifieds/...10-london.html

I say this as it uses Dual Link DVI input, so you won't have any issues connecting your graphics card too it.

[shaithis]

Thanks everyone for the help. Pulling together responses to various posts:

I'm looking at getting this monitor: http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/pr...hs1&l=en&s=dhs
and my GPU is this: http://www.gigabyte.com/MicroSite/72...460SO-13I.html with the manual found here: http://download1.gigabyte.eu/Files/M...60so-1gi_e.pdf

I'd stay away from that monitor unless you don't mind upgrading to a DP capable GPU to match it. You will feel utterly let down by plugging it in with HDMI (<2.0).

[EndlessWaves]

Prior to HDMI 2.0, you can't run 1440p over HDMI without dropping the refresh rate (which is utterly horrible).

While that's true for 3440x1440, he's looking at 2560x1440, which is within the capabilities of HDMI 1.3 and 1.4. HDMI is a standard where support for some of the elements is optional so it may need to support the higher bandwidth explicitly.

A quick check of the monitor manual shows it does: http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/al...uide_en-us.pdf

I'm not sure about the GTX 460. I know the second revision of Fermi chips (GF11_) supports it though so I think there's a high chance Option A will work and it only costs a couple of quid to find out.

Does this mean I can run 3 monitors?

Nope, Fermi was the last GPU design that could only do two monitors at once. Contemporary AMD cards could do 6 and anything the same age as Fermi's replacement or newer will do at least three (including Intel's integrated graphics).