Eyefinity within my grasp

[Attila the Bun]

I have just seen the good news that AMD are bringing out a more sensibly priced DP to DVI connector that should be plug and play.

This will allow me to have a play with Eyefinity, on 3 DVI port 19" monitors that I have, once it hit's the etailers here in the UK.

But then I got to thinking what is the difference between DP, DVI and HDMI.

The 5850 comes with all 3. Research suggests that using the DP and 2 DVI ports for gaming is the best setup (in eyefinity). But is using the HDMI the best for playing BLURAY and DVD for films? Or should I only the HDMI when connecting to the TV or if the TV has DVI should I use that.

I haven't found a definitive guide on this so would appreciate a quick explanation of the differences and their optimum use. Or if anybody has a link to somewhere that offers this advise I would be most grateful.

[redddraggon]

I only use the HDMI output when I want it to carry sound. For my Desktop PC that means it's rarely used, but I often use it with my laptop, and I'm sure I would if I had a HTPC.

DVI/DP does the job for solely visual.

[sammorris]

No real benefit using the HDMI for picture/sound over DVI + analog that I've seen.

[redddraggon]

No real benefit using the HDMI for picture/sound over DVI + analog that I've seen.

1 cable instead of 2

[sammorris]

Not really true unless you're using an HDTV or monitor's inbuilt speakers

[Attila the Bun]

So does DVI supply better picture quality than HDMI? Or does it just give higher resolutions.

[sammorris]

Neither.

[Attila the Bun]

Neither.

Only difference is sound transfer with HDMI then. So if I plug a HDMI into a HOOOOOJ HD television I will get the same effect as plugging a DVI into a HOOOOOJ HD monitor with good speakers plugged into a decent sound card?

[sammorris]

Assuming you already have a decent sound card and the speakers in your TV are good, then yes.

[Attila the Bun]

Ok, so why Display Port. Is this the PC version of HDMI ie with sound transferred as well or does it carry other benefits?

[sammorris]

That's basically it for now, apart from it being required to run eyefinity.

[Attila the Bun]

Can I take it from the brevity and clarity of your answers that you have explained this all before

[Repressor]

I don't think you have to pay royalties for using the DisplayPort connections on your products unlike HDMI. I could be wrong though.

[sammorris]

I believe that's true. Also, HDMI didn't originally allow resolutions beyond 1080p. That changed in v1.3.

[Attila the Bun]

So if you're a manufactuer and you put a HDMI port on your TV/Monitor/GPU etc you have to pay the HDMI Licence holder but if you use a Display Port you don't ?!

[Pob255]

Yep display port is slightly different, it can take audio and video, like hdmi, but alst has a bi-directional auxiliary channel which alows additional information to be sent and recieved.

AFAIK eyefinity needs DP because the output controller that does the dvi&hdmi can only susstain two outputs, the DP is on a seperate output controller.
I've got a feeling that the DP's aux channel is also used to sync the 2 controllers, which is why you needed an active DP adaptor.

EDIT: yes HDMI is not royality free, DP is, although an Encrypted DP is not royality free. (yes that's right an encrypted video output signal, just incase someone is tapping into your DP lead)