DDC

Short form for Display Data Channel. It is a VESA standard for communication between a monitor and a video adapter. DDC is what enables plug and play connection between a computer's video card and a monitor.

Using DDC, a monitor can inform the video card about its properties, such as maximum resolution and color depth (i.e. supported resolutions, manufacturer, phosphor/filter type, display size, luninance data and in the case of digital panels - pixel mapping). The video card can then use this information to ensure that the user is presented with valid options for configuring the display.