DisplayPort

A digital display interface standard put forth by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) since 2006. It defines a royalty-free, digital audio/video interconnect, intended to be used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater system.

DisplayPort's simplified construction and plug-and-play design provides ease of use to consumers and installers. One cable can be used to carry both analog and digital video, offering a viable alternative to VGA and opening up future expandability.

DisplayPort version 1.2 was approved on December 22, 2009. The most significant improvement of the new version is the doubling of the effective bandwidth to 17.28 Gbit/s in High Bit Rate 2 (HBR2) mode, which allows increased resolutions, higher refresh rates, and greater color depth. Other improvements include daisy-chain connection with multiple monitors and more color spaces. Also Apple Inc.'s Mini DisplayPort connector, which is much smaller and designed for laptop computers and other small devices, is compatible with the new standard.

2560x1600 (WQXGA) resolution is supported over all 2-meter (6.5 feet) "DP Certified" cables. Some cables, due to their design, may be capable of supporting 2560 x 1600 resolution over lengths longer than 2 meters.

Rounding out DisplayPort's advantages is support for both the proprietary 40-bit HDCP, and a new 128-bit scheme called DPCP which is freely licensed and certain to accelerate the viewing of protected content in the consumer marketplace.

Also see: Multi-Stream Transport (MST)