Display Port - any rumours?

Hi,

Lenovo, HP and Dell are supporting Display port movement (together with ATI). First silicon versions should be ready by end of this year. Has anybody heard when Lenovo is going to implement it?

I expect first it will be implemented on the "test series" notebooks - non Thinkpad line.

But story becomes more complicated, because Intel supports the competitive connection - UDI. :/

My observation until now is that Lenovo is going to skip the DVI step, at least in Thinkpad line.

Here is the description of the Display port (and UDI): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort

So, does anybody know more about these issues?

 

So its not compatible with the majority of the displays out there, and we want this why?

 

Well, old standard D-sub connections cannot provide up to date picture quality.
Then DVI does not have encryption and some manufactures say it is also expensive to implement (not sure why, maybe due to some royalties and connector size).
It looks like manufactures are also in favor of smaller connectors.
The HDMI is expensive too, so they then for alternatives. HDMI - for home electronics and something else - for PC-s.

 

Encryption on a computer is not as big of a concern, as anything playing out of it is already at full access to the user. What are you going to do... copy the movie again on your computer as you watch it?

Right now all the formats are basically DVI compatible. This interface also comes in different flavors and sizes. Some laptops fit the entire DVI plug, some like Apple use a smaller compact plug. For models that support is, a few have the dual link DVI port which is capable of driving much higher resolution displays (2560x1600). DVI also fully supports the current HDCP encryption lineup FYI. HDMI is just DVI with digital audio added along. this is why a simple cheap adapter plug can convert HDMI and DVI cable so easily. It just reconnecting pins on different connectors, no other electronics involved.

I dont see who is going to want to adopt this, with no big advantage over DVI for the home computer user, besides costing a ton more.

Last thing I want to add is who out in the computer engineering field thinks we want completely different connections for TV's than computer displays?!?! Maybe consolidate and standardize something for one in a while. Geezz

 

I guess the idea is that the video contents will be encrypted all they until display and it will be finally decrypted only inside of the display.
It looks like Vista will have some features to protect the encrypted contents. Therefore HD playback will be supported only on x64 systems.

I agree with you, but I don't think that companies have learned enough yet from their mistakes.

 

True. It's not of a big concern, however somehow the big companies doesn't see that and force HDCP on us - and that makes it a concern for us too.

HDCP alone makes all CRT (except the very few that has HDMI/DVI-D) obsolete for HD content. Also alot of computer-displays and HD TVs doesn't have it either so they are seriousely handicapped just because of that.

The worst part is that they implementet HDCP tooooo late and even worse is that it is cracked and have been for many years. So all this is useless.

Only serious people will even attempt to record a movie from DVI/HDMI and they can just as easily crack HDCP.
The only good thing about it is that they realized (to some extent) that they were completely off mark and decided to atleast prospone the use of HDCP. God knows for how long though.

D-sub do provide the quality needed for most displays. And with most I mean all monitors up to atleast 22". The problem is that many TFT displays use cheap components for VGA so there might still be some picture degradation.

DVI has support for the same encryption as HDMI.

A bit off topic but the reason for why only Vista and only 64 bit is allowed to watch HD-encrypted movies is more of a political matter than anything else - it's something that the media-companies asked for.


But really, DisplayPort is nothing of value for an notebook today (or tomorrow). It's not compatible with anything on the market so if a computer (desktop or notebook) should implement it they *must* implement both display-port and DVI/VGA. And it will take years before monitors or computers will use it. AMD just said that they will be ready for display-port in 2008 (which I guess includes ATi).

I don't see the fuzz about DVI for an notebook either, eventhough I admit that it would be nice.
VGA offers just as good quality on quality-displays. And you don't connect your laptop just as often to a monitor. And when you do your not as often at home so compatibility is a high priority. And pretty much any computer device takes VGA.
With DVI you would need an DVI->VGA adapter and thats another thing to carry around. With HDMI you skip entirely on VGA which would be really bad.

Apples solution is kinda nice.
They have a small dvi connector and they sell two adapters, one for DVI(D) and one for VGA. Problem is that it't useless without an adapter and as said. Most already have VGA and it's easy to misplace, forget your adapter.
I personally prefer a single VGA over that solution.

 

Yes, it is true. But I would by now x60 and a 22" LCD for my home. Also I notice that more people are thinking the same way. 80-90% of time the notebook would stay at home.

In general, at many places (Europe) new projectors are installed, that support DVI, but usually there are no DVI cables installed.

 

Here is the first bird from chip makers: http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/03/displayport-to-support-hdcp-too/
According the page the advantages of display port (from manufactures view point) are low pin count, low power, license-free video interconnect standard.

 

Yes, yes, yes! Finally there is only one standard - Display port: UDI dies as Intel, Samsung back DisplayPort ( http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/...d=KXVJTXI55WUXSQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=196802386)
I am really looking forward for X70 (or what ever Santa Rossa) with a Display Port

Well, maybe it is not so urgent. Asus' external video card XG Station might be a nice solution to hookup a big screen or even several screens to the X series (connects trough Express Card).

 

I would be happy with a DVI port on the laptop itself.

 

Yes you are right, but I bet Lenovo will skip this option - it will move straight from VGA to Display port, at least for ThinkPads. That is my impression so far.