DVI Adapter Question

[BlackHammer]

I recently purchased my first PC from dell, the Dimension 5100, and was slightly baffled when setting it up last night...

When connecting the monitor - 17" flat panel, it had various pics of how to connect it...DVI, SVGA and VGA options and then said use the DVI adapter which is supplied but it wasn't!

Can someone kindly point me in the right direction? - There are two connections on the back, one for VGA and one for DVI. Would the GFX card (standard 128MB Radeon supplied) support DVI? - do i need this? http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...103750-7803668

Too many questions, so any help would be appreciated.

[sj33]

Well, there wouldn't be much point if your card doesn't support DVI, as the adaptor on that link just takes an analog (VGA) signal from the DVI-I. You will get no improved picture over VGA because it basically is VGA.

Have a look on your Radeon. Does it have both a VGA output *and* a DVI? Or just a VGA? (Or even just a DVI?) If it has a DVI, you can connect it to your monitor directly using a DVI-DVI cable.
If it only has a VGA, then your card only supports VGA output, in which case you will be best sticking to the old-fashioned VGA cable.

[BlackHammer]

Cheers for the super speedo reply!

I just checked out the spec of the card and it doesnt support DVI which answers my question, so why do i have a DVI connection then?

[mid]

You've got a DVI connection on the monitor because it's a decent monitor, basically. Dell supply lots of different machines, and some of the better ones have graphics cards with DVI output. I'm typing on a 17" Dell TFT right now, connected up through VGA because the box doesn't have DVI out and it looks crisp as anything, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[BlackHammer]

I have a DVI connection on the back of the PC though, that's why I was wondering??

You've got a DVI connection on the monitor because it's a decent monitor, basically. Dell supply lots of different machines, and some of the better ones have graphics cards with DVI output. I'm typing on a 17" Dell TFT right now, connected up through VGA because the box doesn't have DVI out and it looks crisp as anything, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[mid]

Oh, I see. So you've got a DVI connector on the PC, and another on the monitor? My Dell TFT came with a DVI-DVI cable, so you should use that, unless its missing.

Basically, go DVI-DVI if you can, VGA-VGA if you can't, and only worry about VGA-DVI dongles if you want to set up dual monitors where the other monitor only takes the wrong cable type.