Active vs. Passive Displayport adapters

[Tamohar]

At first my DP to DVI adapter failed, so I decided to order an Active DP to DVI adapter. I discussed with the Tech-Support team about this. They told that they have tried 3 "Active" DP adapters, but only one worked fine. They suggested me to order the one that was working. They even mentioned that the video card was tested on the DP capable monitors, and it worked fine. Now I want to ask everyone here, about the difference between Active Display port adapter and Passive Display port adapter. Is any one here up to date with the PC Video technology to give the explanation in this context.

[Chandranath]

The difference between the Active Display port adapter and Passive Display port adapter is rather simple. Passive adapters are merely a cable to go from display port to DVI/HDMI/VGA. The video card detects the monitor as such, and outputs the required signal (DVI/HDMI/VGA). On the other hand Active adapters, receive a display port signal from the video card, and convert it to DVI/HDMI/VGA. They will always have some sort of on board DAC or video converter chip which they use to convert the dp signal.

[CACTUS101]

If I have understood your query, in order to support DVI adapters your video card has to be of the Dual Mode. DVI adapters are not passive for sure. Whenever a passive adapter is connected there is a special pin which informs the video card about it. Then the video card switches to use DVI protocol on Display Port connector, while the "passive" adapter then converts the electrical voltages to DVI levels. In your case I think that your video card is not "Dual Mode" and hence fails to support "passive" voltage translator DVI adapters, which may be the reason for the failure of DP to DVI.

[CAILYN]

Tamohar, have you any idea about the HDCP? Check if your DVI display supports HDCP encryption? HDCP is a form of digital copy protection developed by Intel Corporation to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across Display Port(DP), Digital Visual Interface(DVI). It is a copy protection scheme to eliminate the possibility of intercepting digital data midstream between the source to the display. Check it and if it does let me know in the next post.

[Tamohar]

..have you any idea about the HDCP? Check if your DVI display supports HDCP encryption? HDCP is a form of digital copy protection developed by Intel Corporation to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across Display Port(DP), Digital Visual Interface(DVI). It is a copy protection scheme to eliminate the possibility of intercepting digital data midstream between the source to the display...

ViewSonic VX900 is the display attached to the PD-to-DVI adapter. I will have to look at the HDCP status. I have never tried it. That is a very good response indeed from your side. Thanks for this quick response.

[Marthaz]

I have ViewSonic VX912, but it does not have HDCP. It should be okay to plug in a non-HDCP monitor, as far as there is no need for the output content to be protected. I am absolutely clueless about how DP requires things to be, and the things are handled by your version of Windows. I would love to see what changes your new "active" adapter will make. Do make a post. Thanks.

[Tamohar]

I got my new "active" adapter. It is working fine. I plugged in the new "Active" Display Port to DVI adapter. After connecting the ViewSonic monitor was on line in seconds. It really made a lot of difference to my problem. Thanks.