The future of graphics card IO

[katiekitsune]

with gsync/freesync just around the corner dvi is looking like it will be obsolete soon. So I have a couple ideas on what the new IO setup should be

1. 2x dvi replaced with 2xHDMI with an extra displayport or 2xthunderbolt where HDMI was
2. dvi replaced with 2xdisplayport and former displayport location filled with 2x thunderbolt

if you have any other idea feel free to post them here

 

[Edge]

DVI will still be used simply because absolutely bloody everyone has a monitor that uses DVI. Just look at VGA.

Just because a new technology is arriving doesn't mean the old one is going to suddenly vanish.

 

[remember300]

Plus as far as im aware DVI can carry more data than HDMI 1.4 at least not sure about HDMI 2.0 but we will see, ive noticed more gpu's have put DVI-D over HDMI and then display port for third display normally adapted to DVI-D for triple displays.

 

[katiekitsune]

HDMI is the exact same signal as DVI but with audio and ethernet passthrough. its easily adabtable.
these suggestions are over the standard IO for higher end cards (dual DVI, HDMI, DP)

 

[remember300]

You might want to edit those to a single post,
and i have seen a few cards with 4 mini display ports i think.
The I/O's are able to support 4k atm so i dont think there is too much of an issue to change them atm

 

[katiekitsune]

I've seen cards with 4 full size DPs on them, and on paper displayport is the best commercial video interface on the market and it doesnt cost anything to add to systems. (HDMI has a licensing fee)
(if I'm paying $400 or more on a card I want more than just a r9 280x matrix to be and option.)

 

[NeverBackDown]

Displayport can use far more bandwidth which is why 4k uses DP.

Here's data on all the common cables in a pdf(web format so you won't download it)
http://www.amd.com/Documents/50279_AMD_FirePro_DisplayPort_1-2_WP.pdf

Only really need to read the graphs unless you want to go through the whole thing.

 

[Wraith]

DVI isn't going anywhere soon as it's the VESA standard in video transfer, and given that VESA have been implementing the upcoming Adaptive Sync technology into DVI since 2007 and into the new DVI 1.2a connection, we have a thread in the NEWS section detailing this as we discussed it at length that g-sync and freesync are pretty much redundant now.

 

[SuB]

To my knowledge HDMI can't push 1080p@120hz/144hz you need DVI-D for that?

HDMI to me personally, is kind of like bluray, it's great, but it's already on it's way out in the long term.

DVI-D/I etc will be around for years, purely because lots of screens use it, and not a lot of people (at least those with any sense) want to output audio from their GPU.

Displayport/Thunderbolt being compatible with all of them seems like it makes the most sense to me. Vendors need to pony up a few adaptors and then they can fit loads more outputs on the back of the cards, like you can get 6 miniDP ports on a card easily, and it doesn't need to be a dual slot f'ugly I/O shield as well

 

[barnsley]

HDMI doesn't have enough bandwidth from what I've read. I think you have to use 2 to get 60hz 4k?
Displayport and DVI will be the future imo.

 

[WYP]

DisplayPort is the Future Guys, with freesync coming in DP 1.2a and Dockport coming with 1.3 and the current iteration being the only game in town to run 4K at 60FPS.

HDMI as a standard only keeps up with the times and never innovates, it only ever improved itself whenever the industry is slowed down by it. Think of right now, 4K displays are being released without HDMI being able to cope with the bandwidth requirements while DP was already able to do it.

 

[katiekitsune]

well then i would gladly lose hdmi as an IO option if they would include an adapter

 

[SeekaX]

HDMI is dead, who the heck ever cared about HDMI. 1x DVI-I, 1x DVI-D, 2x Display Port, DP is the future, DVI is the bridge, /thread.

 

[remember300]

Yeah thats true and nice link to that AMD thing very interesting

 

[katiekitsune]

they should at least include an adapter for dvi-hdmi so people can hook up their tv to it if they want ( some people do). and maybe 1DP and 2 mini DP/Thunderbolt (cause thunderbolt is oddly useful)