I have 2 pc screens that use VGA. My pc has multipul HDMI slots but only one VGA slot. Is there anything that can change the HDMI slot into a VGA slot like an adaptor or something. I didnt think it would need anything high tech becuse its downgrading the signal surely?

thanks

HDMI or DVI? I'm pretty sure you mean DVI, in which case "DVI to VGA" adaptors exist for a couple of quid, or came with your graphics card.

Na I do mean HDMI, its the HD slot for an HD screen but i want to use it for a non HD screen, i.e. VGA.

Umm although after that comment I realised i do have a DVI slort, so i could use that. However i'll leave this thread here to see if anyone knows if HDMI to VGA is possible.

I don't think it is.

HDMI is purely digital, and VGA is purely analogue in signal.

DVI actually has 2 variations - DVI-D (digital) and DVI - A (analogue). Graphics cards (and monitors) support both of these and automatically detect which to use. This means a simple plug can convert between a DVI socket and both HDMI and VGA. However, you cannot do the same for HDMI -> VGA (while it is theoretically possible to adapt the plugs by chaining HDMI-DVI-VGA, it won't work as the signal is wrong). You would need a transcoder to do HDMI - VGA.

Just use your DVI port, I don't see any reason why you would want to use your HDMI port, it offers no benefits over a DVI port for purely visual purposes, especially on a VGA monitor.

As for your comment about "downgrading the signal", that is wrong, the adaptor plugs don't do ANYTHING to the signal (at most they contain a couple of resistors), they just map the pins. The signal is generated by the video processor, which decides what type of signal to send based on information it receives from the monitor (they communicate back). Also, changing from digital to analogue is not downgrading as such (though digital is certainly superior), it's more changing (transcoding), a bit like the difference between a CD and an LP, rather than a DVD and a CD (CDs and LPs are completely incompatible, whereas CDs are compatible with DVD players, but not vice versa).

Wow thats a thorough answer thanks. Yeah after noticing i had a DVI slot i guessed i should use that as I have seen DVI -> VGA adaptors before. Hopefully i'll be up and running with dual screen shortly.

thanks skillers

I use a DVI to VGA converter on my graphics card for my screen. I tend to find cables are what lower quality more than anything else. I have a very low quality cable that came with a PC/Game console converter, and it makes my screen ghost horribly

Cable quality is a massive issue with analogue signals (like VGA).

With digital cables, it's not so much a problem, except over long distances when signal degradation takes effect. It's proven that a £30 HDMI cable and a £300 one perform the same.

and as well as a coat hanger?

Yeah, over a short distance, coat hangers would work. Not advised for multi-pin stuff like DVI and HDMI, though.

You could use many coat hangers for the different pins

That would be a mess ^^

oh f*ck i shorted the system *BOOM*
Next time, insulated coathangers for mains electricity



Theres DVI-I that is DVI-A and DVI-D compatable and also M1-DA which is DVI-I + USB in one cable

Don't forget DL-DVI, right?

They use very similar connectors (well just the middle pins are used) so I didn't count that in my expansion

Pfft, I meant the signal. DVI-I is just DVI-D and DVI-A compatible cable. DL-DVI is just extended DVI-D for higher res. As for the USB one, that doesn't real make much difference in this convo