Digital visual interface, or DVI cables are capable of carrying a 720p, 1080i, or 1080p video signal. This means that, like HDMI cables, they are the most capable wires in maximizing the quality of your HDTV picture. Unlike component cables, which are analog and feature a series of analog plugs not unlike older and dated composite cables, DVI video cables more closely resemble the VGA cables we use to run a display between a desktop computer and its monitor.
Most newer television sets, DVD players, Blu-ray players, and game consoles support DVI connections. The difference between DVI cables and HDMI cables is small, except for the fact that the latter are capable of carrying both digital audio and video signals in one package.
Because the DVI and HDMI technologies are so similar, it is possible to use DVI to HDMI cables. This is useful if you purchase a new television that does not support DVI but instead has only an HDMI port. Adapters are available to carry the same quality signal through DVI cable and into the TV through HDMI plug. Of course, a premium Monster DVI to HDMI cable is far from cheap, usually retailing for around $50. Budget companies like AudioQuest and Dynex usually have alternatives for far cheaper.
Advantages of DVI Cables
The advantage to picking up a DVI cable is the picture quality you’ll receive when linking your new Blu-ray player or Xbox 360 to an HDTV capable of 720p, 1080i or ideally 1080p resolutions. The argument for using digital cables like DVI is that it is the “purest” way to transmit a signal – taking it from a digital source and relaying the signal with digital cables to an HDTV. The alternative, analog component cables, usually have to do some rendering of the source, which videophiles believe degrades the overall picture quality.
Disadvantages of DVI Cables
The main disadvantage of DVI compared to HDMI is that you will need separate DVI and audio cables, rather than one simple connects. Like HDMI, the other drawback of using DVI cables is the price. Because big box retailers recognize that these cables are necessary to reproduce the high definition picture you see in the store, they often include heavy markups when setting prices for DVI and HDMI connectors rather than the TV itself. DVI cables often cost over $50, far more than the actual cost of their production. If your television only supports a 720p or 1080i display, it’s best to just stick with component video cables.
Since many computers and laptops these days have DVI outputs, you might be looking for DVI cables to connect your computer to a TV or projector. If you don’t need the resolution and expense of a DVI cable (or if you don’t have DVI inputs on your device), it is easy enough to find DVI to video cable adapters that will allow you to connect to S video or RCA ports.