The VGA port, the connection that has connected monitors to computers for many years is on its way to being phased out. Chip manufacturers Intel and AMD, with backing from various computer vendors; have announced, their support for VGA technology will be phased out by 2015.
VGA once phased out, will be replaced by the adoption of the Display Port and HDMI ports. These newer technologies take up less space on laptops, have lower power consumption than VGA ports and support higher screen resolutions.
They also support digital technology, which VGA doesn’t — thus paving the way for richer apps on PCs. These newer technologies enable slimmer laptop designs and support higher resolutions with deeper color than the 20-year-old VGA.
Intel and AMD will begin phasing out support for VGA in 2013 and expect the technology to be off all their product lines by 2015.
According to Intel spokesman Nick Knuppfer, The move’s intended to phase out old analog legacy connectors. Knuppfer also told TechNewsWorld. “HDMI and Display Port are modern digital interfaces that support higher resolutions and screen sizes”.
Both Intel and AMD will also stop supporting low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) by 2013. LVDS is an electrical signaling system that enables high transmission rates over twisted-pair cables. It moves video data from graphics adapters to computer monitors. Apple’s FireWire serial bus interface uses LVDS.
The chip makers favor Display Port 1.2 for PC monitors and HDMI 1.4a for connectivity to TV screens.
Samsung and LG, for example, already offer some products with Display Port technology embedded into them. Both of these vendors, as well as Dell and Lenovo, are on-board with Intel’s and AMD’s plans to phase out of VGA. “Lenovo already offers PCs that feature HDMI or Display Port,” company spokesperson Kristy Fair told TechNewsWorld.
