DisplayPort (DP for short) is a digital video interface standard developed by the PC and Chip Manufacturers Alliance and standardized by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). This interface is free of certification and license fees. It is mainly used to connect video sources to monitors and other devices, and also supports carrying audio, USB and other forms of data.
This interface is designed to replace the traditional VGA, DVI and FPD-Link (LVDS) interfaces. The interface is backwards compatible with leg-acy interfaces such as HDMI and DVI via active or passive adapters.
Designed for low-power implementation and high performance, DisplayPort supports next-generation display technologies while providing compatibility with existing devices. Designed for space-constrained applications such as ultra-thin notebooks, netbooks and graphics cards, where connector space is at a premium and display performance is critical.
DisplayPort is designed to be a scalable, high-performance digital display connectivity solution for the future. It enables the highest resolutions, fastest refresh rates, and deepest color depths over standard cables.
DisplayPort has unique features and capabilities that enable exciting new monitors and monitor uses. And it doesn't require PC users to replace everything, as simple adapters allow DisplayPort-enabled devices to connect to monitors and projectors using older technologies like DVI, HDMI and VGA.
DisplayPort is the first display port to rely on packetized data transfer technology, which can be found in technologies such as Ethernet, USB and PCI Express. It can be used for both internal and external display connections. Different from past standards that required fixed transmission of timer signals in the differential pair of each output end, the DisplayPort protocol is based on small data packets called micro-messages. This micro-message can embed the timer signal in the data. in the flow. The advantage is that with a smaller pin count, higher resolution can be achieved. The application package also allows DisplayPort to be extensible, meaning that additional functionality can be added over time without significant changes to the physical port itself.
DisplayPort can be used to transmit audio and video simultaneously, each of which can be transmitted independently without the other. The video signal path can have 6 to 16 bits per color channel, and the audio path can have up to 8 channels of 24-bit 192 kHz uncompressed PCM audio, or a compressed audio format can be encapsulated in the audio stream. A bidirectional, half-duplex auxiliary channel carries device management and device control information for the primary link, such as VESA EDID, MCCS and DPMS standards. Additionally, the connection port is capable of carrying bidirectional USB signals.
DisplayPort signals are not compatible with DVI or HDMI. However, dual-mode DisplayPorts are designed to carry single-link DVI or HDMI 1.2/1.4 protocols through the port, which is accomplished by using an external passive connector that selects the required signal and converts the electrical signal from LVDS for TMDS. Dual-mode DisplayPorts with passive connectors do not support VGA and dual-link DVI. These connection ports require active connectors to convert the protocols and signals required for output. VGA connectors can be powered using the DisplayPort connector, while dual-link DVI connectors may rely on external power (see HDMI, DVI, and VGA Compatibility).
DisplayPort connectors can have 1, 2, or 4 differential data pairs (lanes) on the main link, and each lane can have a native bit rate of 1.62, 2.7, or 5.4 Gbit/s. The data is 8b/10b encoded, that is, each 8-bit message is encoded into a 10-bit symbol. Therefore, the effective data transfer rates per channel after decoding are 1.296, 2.16, and 4.32 Gbit/s (or 80% of the total).
