Converting VGA to DVI

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Is it possible, I mean inside a monitor, to convert a VGA-only LCD to DVI? LCDs are all digital by design, but the cabling stuck out of the back of mine is VGA only.

 

I assume there are probably either un-soldiered connections or open ports to install a DVI receptacle, but before I tear into the thing I wanted to know from the smarter, wealthier, handsomer, better-accented people here.

 

Previously shared here, a Samsung SyncMaster 2043SNX 20" widescreen.

[MedicSN6]

Is it possible, I mean inside a monitor, to convert a VGA-only LCD to DVI? LCDs are all digital by design, but the cabling stuck out of the back of mine is VGA only.

 

I assume there are probably either un-soldiered connections or open ports to install a DVI receptacle, but before I tear into the thing I wanted to know from the smarter, wealthier, handsomer, better-accented people here.

 

Previously shared here, a Samsung SyncMaster 2043SNX 20" widescreen.

 

 

They make this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...9-901-_-Product

 

It doesn't truly convert the signal but you can at least plug you VGA cable into it and then the adapter into your vid card. And it's cheap. Most high-end cards come with them now.

[CoBoL~SPARTA~]

Like medic said there are converters, but do you want to convert to true DVI. If so I guess it's just a bit more than soildering a new end on (which would only be the same as a convertor).

 

 

[MedicSN6]

Like medic said there are converters, but do you want to convert to true DVI. If so I guess it's just a bit more than soildering a new end on (which would only be the same as a convertor).

 

 

It would seem to me that a true conversion would be moot as the actual display is the important part. If the monitor housing only has a VGA plug then I would assume that this is the way they designed it to work. To be able to use it with a DVI only video card would call for an adapter. A true conversion would mean that the monitor's display would have to support the signal which I doubt it would.

 

You would have to get the schematics of the model you have and the schematics of a higher model that has the DVI and compare the two in detail before you go taking stuff apart. Even then, adding in the risk of killing your monitor, it is probably easier to just get a new monitor.

 

I don't think it is worth the risk compared to the existing solution. But it might be a good justification to get a new monitor. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

The reason I'm asking is that I think the monitor already has the bits inside to run DVI, because the monitor's manual claims DVI is an option, and there is an empty DVI-labeled space on the monitor.

 

I already have the cable-conversion piece. It's how I run the monitor presently with a DVI-only video card.

 

I don't have the bucks to get another monitor, not justifiably (I'd rather buy TrackIR anyway), but if there was a workaround to increase quality that involved me building a component I'd certainly explore it.

 

The recent chatter about GPUs btwx Cobol & Vii had me wondering if my new bottleneck with the coming 5770 will be the monitor itself. That, and I tried a little ARMA yesterday on our 32' TV using a borrowed DVI-HDMI cable from work. Soo cool on the big screen.

 

Oh, all that and it's spring in Newfoundland finally. It makes me want to build stuff.

[Batwing~SPARTA~]

In one answer, you cannot.

 

If you grab an A+ book or any other tech book that can give you an insight of the schematic of a monitor, you will see that the diagram shows a component inside the monitor which is there to decode the VGA signal back to digital.

 

Fact is, VGA is analog, however every monitor needs a digital signal, so once you connect your cable to the VGA port, there is this converter inside the monitor trnslating the signal back in digital. it might have some loss in quality.

 

monitors coming with the DVI port, bypass that "translation" and work digital to digital with no quality loss. As well HDMI, which is basically a DVI able to carry audio as well (maybe larger bandwith, not sure)

 

So buttom line, your monitor has to pass thru the VGA to digital internal decoder and there is no way for you to bypass that.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

So buttom line, your monitor has to pass thru the VGA to digital internal decoder and there is no way for you to bypass that.

 

That's the sort of guidance I need! Batwing, you're name is going in thread posts for my amateur tech questions. I only wonder if I can remove the internal converter and install a DVI cable. Forget about a receptacle, I'd just take a DVI-DVI patch cable and remove one end, fixing the cable permanently to the monitor.

 

If this was me 20 years ago, I'd be hot-rodding an International Pickup. Instead, I'm trying to hot-rod (or hot-wire) a monitor.

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Just buy anouther monitor, there cheap now days and save your self all the headakes.

[MedicSN6]

Just buy anouther monitor, there cheap now days and save your self all the headakes.

 

http://www.ecost.com is a good place especially if you don't mind refurbs.

[Batwing~SPARTA~]

Honestly I am not an electronic engineer, but I do suppose trying that conversio is extremely risky and big chanches to screw your monitor up permanently.

 

Either you keep it the way it is, at least it works, or u put in badget about $170 to get a good new monitor similar size, paying attention to the refresh rate performances. Possibly lower tha 4 ms black to black or around 2 ms grey to grey.

 

This is importnt to avoid ghosting on fast action scenes.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Honestly I am not an electronic engineer, but I do suppose trying that conversio is extremely risky and big chanches to screw your monitor up permanently.

 

Either you keep it the way it is, at least it works, or u put in badget about $170 to get a good new monitor similar size, paying attention to the refresh rate performances. Possibly lower tha 4 ms black to black or around 2 ms grey to grey.

 

This is importnt to avoid ghosting on fast action scenes.

 

 

Hey all, it's just a fun project to consider. Ya'll don't know me (and I don't know you, not really), but I've been taking things apart and putting them together since I could hold a screwdriver. It's just what I do. I learned when Mom had a fit at her disassembled hairdryer that I should learn quick how to reassemble things. Since then, I haven't gone so far in a single project that I couldn't either back out of it or finish what I started. If the monitor connections are too much, then I'll just put it back together.

 

Presently testing the theory with marriage.

[Batwing~SPARTA~]

hehehahhe.. ok ok.. well.. I can t help on that tho.

 

You need to see if you can find a sort of bluprint of your monitor motherboard, and having someone able to read the circuits and blah blah.. lol.. i don t even know what I am talking abouot

 

Good luck with that

 

[SirSmokalot]

Ebden, there's really no big visual difference between VGA and DVI unless you are trying to run DuAl Link....also some of your supported resolutions may not appear as most DVI monitors communicate with the monitor via EDID. Also Batwing is right, alot of monitors that support both VGA and DVI have a PCB that does the converting so the monitor itself can use either format. If you are missing the PCB that does the converting, DVI will be useless depending on if the monitor takes a straight digital signal. Or your model or series number comes with just a analog conversion box.

 

I'd suggest either sticking with the VGA or if you want DVI that bad and want higher resolutions with improved picture quality, get a newer monitor. You would be better off, trust us on this.

 

If you do end up getting a new one, make sure to get one with the new "display port" format (vrs 1.2) or HDMI 1.4 as these will support better resolutions at higher refresh rates above 120hz. They should also support Dual Link DVI as well. Also make sure the monitor supports 120hz....that will be key for 3D gaming ;)

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Ebden, there's really no big visual difference between VGA and DVI unless you are trying to run DuAl Link....also some of your supported resolutions may not appear as most DVI monitors communicate with the monitor via EDID. Also Batwing is right, alot of monitors that support both VGA and DVI have a PCB that does the converting so the monitor itself can use either format. If you are missing the PCB that does the converting, DVI will be useless depending on if the monitor takes a straight digital signal. Or your model or series number comes with just a analog conversion box.

 

I'd suggest either sticking with the VGA or if you want DVI that bad and want higher resolutions with improved picture quality, get a newer monitor. You would be better off, trust us on this.

 

If you do end up getting a new one, make sure to get one with the new "display port" format (vrs 1.2) or HDMI 1.4 as these will support better resolutions at higher refresh rates above 120hz. They should also support Dual Link DVI as well. Also make sure the monitor supports 120hz....that will be key for 3D gaming ;)

 

Thanks for the tip. I've since had a look at this monitor more closely, and it indeed does not have the required DVI hardware on the internals, at least not as obvious like I had hoped (such as an empty 'DVI' portion of the board). I've moved on at present to accumulating the parts needed for a Freetrack headset.