Analog vs. DVI

Most of the LCD panels reviewed in this story have only analog inputs; just four units had DVI (Digital Visual Interface) inputs as well. We tested the devices using the analog inputs. While the DVI protocol is gaining support, currently it is not as popular in today's consumer market as its proponents had hoped. Remember, to use a digital monitor you'll need a graphics card with a digital interface. DVI was created by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG) and sets guidelines for transferring digital video signals from a computer to a digital monitor. The advantage of a digital interface is that it eliminates the digital-to-analog conversion process, which can cause signal problems and pixel jitter. The signal starts out digitally in your PC's graphics subsystem, and rather than being converted to an analog signal (via a RAMDAC) for transmission to the monitor, it remains digital. We plan to investigate thoroughly the claimed signal quality of DVI in the future.