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DVI-VGA Quality! Help!

O

oxycat78

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I need some info here. I'm getting a new Mac and have the choice between getting a 17 Inch Flatpanel monitor or a 19 inch. The 17 inch has DVI, while the 19 inch doesn't (the 19 does however have better contrast, which is a major plus). My current 17 inch died on me last night, so time for a new one. Now my question is, is there any quality loss (noticable) when running the 19 inch over a DVI to VGA adapter (Mac has DVI out)? Or will it be the same as running the monitor over a normal VGA port?

Thanks!
 
answer

Pretty much the same as any VGA port. It shouldn't be any problem whatsoever. Many designers use CRT monitors with VGA connections (with adapters) so if it's good enough for them, it is darn good enough for the rest of us.
Oh, as far as monitor signals go, all of them START as digital (which is what DVI is) and then are either sent as digital signals thru DVI or converted by an internal VGA port or an adapter.
So...to stop rambling. you'll be just fine.
 
Ok, thanks! I'm a graphic designer, but have been working with DVI monitors for years now, and the last CRT I had was an old 20 inch on the first G4. Just wasn't sure if there'd be a difference. Good to know it's safe to get the 19 inch. Thanks again!
 
oxycat78 said:
I need some info here. I'm getting a new Mac and have the choice between getting a 17 Inch Flatpanel monitor or a 19 inch. The 17 inch has DVI, while the 19 inch doesn't (the 19 does however have better contrast, which is a major plus). My current 17 inch died on me last night, so time for a new one. Now my question is, is there any quality loss (noticable) when running the 19 inch over a DVI to VGA adapter (Mac has DVI out)? Or will it be the same as running the monitor over a normal VGA port?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Both 17" and 19" monitors are CRT or LCD? If CRT, DVI adds little value. If LCD, definitely get DVI. LCD over VGA produces soft images often with visible artifacts.
 
If the monitors are LCD monitors, then you will loose quality using a VGA adaptor. The signal will start as digital, then get converted to analog (VGA), and then back to digital when it gets to the LCD. For the best quality, you want to keep it 100% digital which is what a DVI LCD display will give you.
 
At my work we recently had a demonstration of DVI's superiority over VGA. In our group we were all given identical new LCD monitors a couple days ago; 20" Dell monitors that have both DVI and VGA input. Since I use my own Powerbook there, I used the DVI cable to hook my monitor up. Everyone else had VGA cards (they're all running desktop machines with either Windows or Red Hat Linux), and so hooked their monitors up using the VGA cable. My boss comes in a bit later, glances at my monitor and says "why isn't mine that crisp?" We all started looking and comparing with each others' displays, and all agreed that the difference was significant.

So now my boss is buying DVI cards for everyone else in the group. 😀 I should've asked him to buy me one of those new Mac Minis...
 
Duh

We all know that DVI is superior to VGA, that wasn't the question. You don't have to prove that point. It is a fact, though, that CRT monitors are cheaper and are not helped by DVI connections.
 
appleretailguy said:
We all know that DVI is superior to VGA, that wasn't the question. You don't have to prove that point. It is a fact, though, that CRT monitors are cheaper and are not helped by DVI connections.
Click to expand...

It wasn't clear to me (or, obviously, to others) that the original poster was referring to CRTs at all - "flatpanel" would seem to imply LCD monitors. Also, his follow-up post seems to be saying he hasn't used a CRT for a long time. Since you interpreted what he was asking differently than the rest of us, I will be curious to see his response to nutmac's question.
 
VGA sucks for flat panels dont buy it, cga panels tend to be very blurry which is horrible for design work, get the DVI panel whatever the cost
 
Hey everyone, thanks for all the infos! Getting the DVI monitor, 17 inch Sony. And by the way, i am refering to LCD monitors, as stated, haven't had CRT's for a long time.
 
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