DVI vs HDMI

Hi

Is there any difference in these 2 connections when playing erm...GTA 4 or something like that

or even if I was playing HI-Def footage, the monitor is a Dell 24"

Lee H

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Comments

HeroPsycho

They're the same thing. You can adapt between the two in fact. HDMI just can also include an audio signal in the spec, where DVI does not.

JDMurray

HDMI is used to support and enforce DRM media protection, while DVI cannot.

tiersten

JDMurray wrote:

HDMI is used to support and enforce DRM media protection, while DVI cannot.

It is HDCP that is used for DRM and it is on both HDMI and DVI. It is optional however for DVI.

HDMI is a superset of DVI-D. It includes HDCP, audio, smaller connector and support for things like YCbCr.

For purposes of playing a game, there is no difference between HDMI and DVI. If you're playing HD content like a BluRay disc then it will matter since it will check that there is a secure path from source to display.

HeroPsycho

tiersten wrote:

It is HDCP that is used for DRM and it is on both HDMI and DVI. It is optional however for DVI.

HDMI is a superset of DVI-D. It includes HDCP, audio, smaller connector and support for things like YCbCr.

For purposes of playing a game, there is no difference between HDMI and DVI. If you're playing HD content like a BluRay disc then it will matter since it will check that there is a secure path from source to display.

JDMurray

DVI does not support encryption, hence any DRM that is implemented using DVI is insecure.

dynamik

JD, is this DHTI+ material?

JDMurray

dynamik wrote:

JD, is this DHTI+ material?

Yup. Digital home theater does involve content protection technology. Not being very fond of DRM systems myself, I don't delve into it very often.

HeroPsycho

JDMurray wrote:

DVI does not support encryption, hence any DRM that is implemented using DVI is insecure.

Not to belabor the point, but that's not true. HDCP on video cards and monitors is a DRM encryption scheme that can run on DVI-D.

Here's a random link of such a video card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130400

Random link of an HDCP DVI-D monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824155053

JDMurray

The encryption is supported by the HDCP standard, not the DVI standard. For those wishing to avoid media content DRM altogether, stay away from HDCP and HDMI.

macdude

The original DVI spec does not have any encryption on it. They have put HDCP on DVI on some connectors not all.

Some new DVD players, TV sets (including HDTV sets) and video projectors have DVI/HDCP connectors; these are physically the same as DVI connectors but transmit an encrypted signal using the HDCP protocol for copy protection. Computers with DVI video connectors can use many DVI-equipped HDTV sets as a display; however, due to Digital Rights Management, it is not clear whether such systems will eventually be able to play protected content, as the link is not encrypted.

This is from Wikipedia.

Kasor

Think from different perspective and from the corporation view. DVI and HDMI are two different interface that using in different industry.

Standard will take long time to convert the technology and specially that today VGA still need as alternative connection. So, maybe in the future that HDMI will be all we need. However at this time, they are two different interface and avoid compare them because at the end. You will get confuse...

HeroPsycho

JDMurray wrote:

DVI does not support encryption, hence any DRM that is implemented using DVI is insecure.

I think we're splitting hairs here. Encryption on DVI may not be a part of the spec, but DVI clearly can support encryption because HDCP over DVI is present in the market place.

Encryption over DVI vs. HDMI doesn't mean one is any tougher to crack than the other just because DVI's official spec doesn't contain encryption mechanisms. It depends on the encryption used in both of them, which is HDCP.

That's like saying 128-bit AES is easier to crack on original WPA than it is in WPA2. WPA's spec doesn't have AES, but WPA2 does, but it's common and supported for routers and access points to have AES modes for their original WPA spec equipment instead of the official TKIP method that is a part of the spec. 128-bit AES encryption is safe to use if implemented right, regardless if it's on WPA or WPA2 equipment. TKIP however is perhaps not safe to use on WPA now if you've been following the news lately.

IMO, the better way to go against DRM is don't buy media that has it enabled. Using HDMI doesn't automatically mean the content is encrypted via HDCP. Content providers may not have encrypted the content for whatever reason.