The One Display Port To Rule Them All...

[takaharu_]

The hint's in the title; DisplayPort, which is incorporated by FireGL V7700, an Industry-first workstation graphics card, supports HD resolutions as well as up-coming (home) technologies such as touch screens and USB links.

 

The DisplayPort connector supports 1 to 4 data pairs in a Main Link that also carries audio and clock signals, each with a transfer rate of 1.62 or 2.7 Gbit/s. The video signal path supports 6 to 16 bits per color channel. A bi-directional auxiliary channel (at a constant 1 Mbit/s) carries management and device control data for the Main Link using VESA EDID and VESA MCCS standards. The video signal is not compatible with DVI or HDMI, but a DisplayPort connector can pass these signals through. While DVI and HDMI require separate clock signals, DisplayPort embeds the clock in the data signal. The data transmission protocol in DisplayPort is based on micro packets and is extensible for future feature additions, whereas DVI/HDMI transmission protocol is a Serial Data Stream at 10x pixel clock rate. Finally, unlike the separate DVI/HDMI and LVDS standards, DisplayPort supports both external (box-to-box) and internal (laptop LCD panel) display connections.

 

DisplayPort supports a maximum of 10.8 Gbit/s data rate and WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution over a 3 meter cable.

 

DisplayPort includes optional DPCP (DisplayPort Content Protection) copy-protection from AMD, which uses 128-bit AES encryption, with modern cryptography ciphers. It also features full authentication and session key establishment (each encryption session is independent). There is an independent revocation system. This portion of the standard is licensed separately. It also adds support for verifying the proximity of the receiver and transmitter, a technique intended to ensure users are not bypassing content protection system to send data out to distant, unauthorized users.

 

DisplayPort is a competitor to the HDMI connector (with HDCP copy-protection), the de facto digital connection for high-definition consumer electronics devices. Another competitor is Unified Display Interface, a low cost compatible alternative to HDMI and DVI. However, the main supporter of UDI, Intel, has stopped the development of the technology and now supports DisplayPort.

 

Newly featured in version 1.1 is the support of HDCP content protection and support for fiber optic cables as an alternative to copper, allowing a much longer reach between source and display without image degradation. Revision 2.0 is planned for later release.

 

Before being acquired by AMD, one of the supporters, ATI reported that they were expecting DisplayPort products in early 2007. The AMD/ATI merger completed July 2006 might have postponed the availability of DisplayPort products somewhat, but it seems as though AMD has decided to use DisplayPort as the standard port for its Fusion processor platform, and upcoming mobile platforms after 2008 as AMD announced that they will introduce their first DisplayPort products in late 2007 as a part of their forthcoming platforms for mainstream on 2006-12-15.

 

On 2007-07-25, at AMD's Technology Analyst Day 2007, AMD renewed their commitment to supporting DisplayPort with the 780G chipset and RV670 graphics cards with external DisplayPort transmitter. The company also committed to implement the transmitter on chip level for its RV635 and RV620 graphics products in its Financial Analyst Day 2007 held on 2007-12-13, providing support without external transmitters. These products obtained certification from VESA on March 19.

 

Genesis Microchip also announced DisplayPort products to be available in 2007, as did Samsung. A concept monitor by Dell implementing DisplayPort was demonstrated early May 2007.

 

The Dell 3008WFP 30-inch (76 cm) and 2408WFP 24-inch (61 cm) monitors released in January 2008 both support the DisplayPort.

 

Advantages over DVI

• Based on micro-packet protocol

• Allows easy expansion of the standard

• Allows multiple video streams over single physical connection (in a future version)

• Designed to support internal chip-to-chip communication

• Can drive display panels directly, eliminating control circuits and allowing for cheaper and slimmer displays

• Aimed to replace internal LVDS links in notebook panels with a unified link interface

• Dual-mode DisplayPort is capable of backward compatibility with single link DVI/HDMI; dual link DVI/HDMI and analog VGA require active converter adapters or dongles
• Supports both RGB and YCbCr color spaces (ITU-R BT.601 and BT.709 format)
• Auxiliary channel can be used for touch-panel data, USB links, camera, microphone, etc.
• Fewer lanes with embedded clock reduce RFI.

Tech Specs

• 10.8 Gbit/s forward link channel supports high resolution monitors up to 2560×1600 with single cable.
• 8B/10B data transmission
• Open and extensible standard to help with broad adoption.
• Supports color depth of 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 bits per component.
• Full bandwidth transmission for 3 meter cable.
• Reduced bandwidth transmission, 1080p, for 15 meter cable.
• DisplayPort connector assists in blind connection by just feeling.
• 128-bit AES DisplayPort Content Protection (DPCP) support, and support for 40-bit High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) from version 1.1 onwards.
• Supports internal and external connections so that one standard can be used by computer makers reducing costs.

I think it's a safe bet to say that DisplayPort will be replacing DVI and before HDMI does (the ATI 3000 & 4000 series and Nvidia's 8000 & 9000 series don't really count as they support HDMI ports with an adapter).

Edited June 8, 2008 by takaharu_