DVI Cables

DVI (Digital-Video Interface) cables are great for connecting High Definition devices like HDTV, set-top boxes, DVD players, and AV receivers. Digital Optical cables can connect your digital signal to a receiver or processor without electrical or radio frequency interference through the use of fiber optics. It offers a purer signal than traditional coaxial cabling.

DVI Connector Pinout

With the capability to deliver crisp images to high definition televisions (HDTVs) and flat-panel computer monitors, DVI cables are a widely used medium for digital video transmission. DVI, which stands for digital video interface, utilizes either a single or dual link to transmit non-compressed data to a display's individual pixels.

In DVI cables, video signals are transmitted via twisted-pair copper wire, and protected from degradation by an encoding technology known as TMDS, or transmission minimized differential signaling. TMDS works by sending two versions of each signal down a twisted pair; while one wire carries the signal in standard format, the signal's inverse travels through the other. Once both “halves” of the video signal reach their destination, they're measured against each other, and any loss that may have occurred is compensated for.

DVI connectors come in three basic styles: DVI-A (analog), DVI-D (digital), and DVI-I (integrated analog and digital signals). In addition, DVI-D and DVI-I cables are available with either single or dual link capability; dual-link connectors contain an extra set of pins. But regardless of which style they are, all DVI connectors are designed so that they can't be incorrectly plugged in, and feature two built-in screws that provide each connection with extra support and stability.

Below, we've provided a quick-reference pinout chart that shows which DVI connector pins correspond to which signals.

DVI Connector Pinout Chart
Pin Function Pin Function
1 TMDS Data Channel 2- 16 Hot Plug Detect
2 TMDS Data Channel 2+ 17 TMDS Data Channel 0-
3 Shield for TMDS Data 2/4 18 TMDS Data Channel 0+
4 TMDS Data Channel 4- 19 Shield for TMDS Data 0/5
5 TMDS Data Channel 20 TMDS Data Channel 5-
6 DDC Clock 21 TMDS Data Channel 5+
7 DDC Data 22 TMDS Clock Shield
8 Analog Vertical Sync 23 TMDS Clock+
9 TMDS Data Channel 1- 24 TMDS Clock -
10 TMDS Data Channel 1+  
11 Shield for TMDS Data 1/3 C1 Analog Red
12 TMDS Data Channel 3- C2 Analog Green
13 TMDS Data Channel 3+ C3 Analog Blue
14 Power (+5V) C4 Analog Horizontal Sync
15 Ground C5 Analog Ground