How do I connect my Graphics card to my Monitor?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackblack644 

Okay so, I've got a bit of a problem here, I have a Dell Ultrasharp 2405fpw monitor and it has a DVI-D Dual Link Connection.


And I've recently bought the Asus GeForce GT 520 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-ENGT520-SILENT-1GD3-LP/dp/B004W6MZI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324208991&sr=8-1)

This Graphics Card has a DVI-I Dual Link connection.....


What I don't understand is how do I connect a DVI-I Graphics Card to a DVI-D Monitor???

I just don't get it!!

The Dell comes with the DVI Dual Link cable. All you have to do is connect the cable to the monitor and to the card DVI port.

DVI Dual Link is the pins not that you need dual cable. Here have a look.

Graphics card has DVI-I output.  The 'I'  means it is Integrated (ie good for both analog and digital).

Monitor has DVI-D input.  The 'D' means it is Digital (ie good to receive a digital signal only).

DVI-I vs DVI-D

The DVI cable that you will use is one with both ends being DVI-D whose pin layout will allow it to be plugged into both the graphics card's output and the monitor's input.

(It is important not to have DVI-I as it has additional pins which will not be compatible with the DVI-D input of the monitor.)

Single Link vs Dual Link

As your Dell 2405FPW is a 1920x1200 monitor and this native resolution is less than 2560x1600, therefore you will only need a Single Link DVI cable.  Of course, if you use a Dual Link DVI cable, it will still function properly.

Just a FYI.

You can use DVI-D Dual Link to Female DVI-I Dual Link and they are compatible.

The DVI-I Dual Link has the additional analog pins for use with legacy adapter such as VGA/D-Sub.   

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackblack644 

Woah - Thanks Windfire!!
Just one more question - Will there be any performance increase in using Dual link Link as opposed to Single Link??

Not for your situation.  Dual link capability is like the 12' ceiling height of a room.  A 6' person walks in and out of the room but he remains a 6' guy.  Regardless of the headroom inside the room, he cannot get any taller.

It is also like the speed limit of a highway which just does not make your car goes faster.

Your card is able to send out signal to a monitor (eg one with a native resolution 2560x1600) with a rate that requires a dual link capability cable.  So, if you use a Dell U2711 or U3011, you will need a dual link cable.