[ale] OT: DVI KVM Switches

[Pat Regan]

aaron wrote:
> Don't know about that one. The half dozen or so LCD panels I've put into 
> service so far needed no local adjustment to function via VGA. Existing 
> monitor spec communications with the computers provided the needed
> multi-scan options info and set up was true connect & continue.  
> 

All LCD panels have auto adjust.  Some work better than others.  All the
panels I have installed that are newer than mine seem to work much better.

Have you ever noticed the flicker on the default X background on some
LCD panels using analog?  Usually you can fix it by changing the refresh
rate (60hz isn't always optimal like the manual says), and sometimes
doing a bit of manual adjusting.  It is easy enough to correct, but it
never happens with DVI.

> ... and a less costly DVI monitor could just as easily have substandard (or 
> cheap) RAMDAC components.  Moving the RAMDAC element to inside the
> monitor case is no guarantee of better price / performance ratios.
> 

An LCD panel doesn't need a RAMDAC, using DVI it is 100% digital.  Well,
technically not 100%...  DVI has 15 of its pins reserved to do the job
of a standard analog VGA cable, as a fallback.

> I'm still not convinced of substantial reasons for changing over to DVI 
> monitor connections. All the issues seem to point back to the inescapable 
> need for quality components, cabling and connectors regardless of which form 
> of electronic signal you are working with.
> 

The switch to DVI is already happening.  Most of the time you can find
monitors with DVI for the same price as without, and even lower end
video cards are starting to show up with DVI ports.

A low quality analog VGA cable will give you a poor picture.  A cheap
DVI cable (as in the free one that comes with the monitor, I suppose :p)
will give you an identical picture any other cable.  If the cable works,
it works at near 100%.  If it fails, it fails quite miserables (like
ethernet).

Pat
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