VESA Brings DisplayPort Through USB Type-C

[GoodBytes]

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) is working with the USB group to give the ability of USB new coming up Type-C connector the ability to send DisplayPort signal through it (this include video and audio), and still provide USB connectivity.

The technology will be called DisplayPort Alternate Mode, and it will allow USB Type-C to support adapters to convert the audio and video signal to HDMI, VGA, and DVI like normal DisplayPort can.

VESA utilized the Alternate Mode functional extension of the USB Type-C specification in the development of this new Standard. The DisplayPort Alt Mode repurposes some or all of the four existing SuperSpeed USB lanes to deliver full DisplayPort performance, and uses other signaling available in the USB Type-C connector for DisplayPort's AUX channel and HPD (Hot Plug Detection) function. This enables computers, tablets, smartphones, displays, and docking stations to implement the new USB Type-C connector at both ends while using the DisplayPort Standard over USB Type-C to transmit high-resolution A/V along with USB data and power.

In addition, you can use a USB Type-C cable to DisplayPort, to allow you to operate current DisplayPort compatible monitors.

Like USB, DisplayPort uses a packetized data structure and differential AC-Coupled signal "lanes" that carry high speed data with an embedded clock. This allows the same electrical circuits and cables to carry either SuperSpeed USB data, at up to 10 Gbps per lane, or DisplayPort, at up to 8.1 Gbps per lane, as defined in the new DisplayPort 1.3 Standard. Early implementations of DisplayPort Alt Mode USB Type-C devices will likely use existing DisplayPort 1.2a capabilities that support up to 5.4 Gbps per lane. Using 5.4 Gbps across all four high-speed lanes will support up to 4K (4096 x 2160) display resolutions at a 60Hz frame rate with up to 30-bit color.

Source: http://www.techpowerup.com/205573/vesa-brings-displayport-to-new-usb-type-c-connector.html

[ERSCreeper]

Whooooooooooooooooop!!

[Lavachyste]

W00t

[Vitalius]

This is what we need. A universal port that is standardized and in everything, that can handle everything. Power (100w+ of electricity), Video (i.e. DisplayPort which covers audio), Data (i.e. files), just everything.

Like USB 2.0 is now, but better than USB 2.0. 

[dragosudeki]

Going to be really odd to see USB ports in the back of the graphics card

[AlexGoesHigh]

this is awesome, and its full blown DP whit its latest implementation, 4k 60hz and also adaptive sync since its 1.2a, the applications of this connector are far much greater that ever, every device should have at least one of this port now, when its ready for production

[AHaskin14]

#USBMASTERRACE

[Mo5]

Going to be really odd to see USB ports in the back of the graphics card

I don't think there are going to be USB ports on the GPU itself... it's going to be the monitors.

[dragosudeki]

I don't think there are going to be USB ports on the GPU itself... it's going to be the monitors.

It would have to be on the GPU itself to make it universal..... Unless we are going to have display port to USB connectors to the monitor, which wouldn't make anything much more universal as the GPU ports would still remain a different port. Unless I'm wrong of course and there is no point in the display port aspect of the USB other than maybe for hubs?

[DigitalHermit]

This got me excited...

 

Now the question is when this will hit the market...

[AlexGoesHigh]

also this just killed thunderbolt, it has almost the same flexibility as it but for a fifth of the cost (or more!), and can be in a much wider range of devices

[WereCat]

So for example I could hook up my phone to my TV and play Netflix charge battery at the same time and access my phone storage?

(Assuming that there will be mini connector version for phone).

[PortentousLad]

Sounds a bit odd to me. USB is a terrible standard AFAIK but at minimal to no cost. Thunderbolt would make more sense in my mind but I think there's a lot of patent bs tied to it.

Anyway if they can make this work and it's not just a quick and dirty way type thing, great.

[So_I_Will]

I read that this will allow 4k  monitors at 120hz http://techreport.com/news/27054/displayport-1-3-supports-5k-displays-4k-at-120hz

[GoodBytes]

Sounds a bit odd to me. USB is a terrible standard AFAIK but at minimal to no cost. Thunderbolt would make more sense in my mind but I think there's a lot of patent bs tied to it.

Anyway if they can make this work and it's not just a quick and dirty way type thing, great.

The problem USB has is that:

-> It's not dedicated to something, so there is a performance drop. Although, DisplayPort seams to by-pass the USB controller, so it should be like you used a native DisplayPort cable

-> It uses the CPU to manage everything, the controller of USB is simplistic in design, but this is why USB is so cheap to implement and use, as no additional hardware is needed, beside the controller of course, which cost nothing as it doesn't really process anything, just manages the protocol, sends anything to process to the CPU, and the CPU goes to the USB controller asking if it's done with the work or not (example: file transfer), every now and then, and not have the controller poke the CPU saying "Ya I am done", as, well it doesn't process anything to do this.

While thunderbolt is technically speaking better in performance, performance is not everything. Cost is. And help Thunderbolt, for the fact that nearly all peripherals aren't fast enough or genuinely need the extra bit of performance from USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt (let alone USB 3.0).

If anyone is interested:

AnandTech goes in greater details on how it will all work: http://www.anandtech.com/show/8558/displayport-alternate-mode-for-usb-typec-announced

[bcredeur97]

now the only question is which one will take off first?? USB or thunderbolt??

 

I hope USB does and it reaplces EVERTYTHING. even HDMI on consumer devices. Displayport is sooo much better.

[LAwLz]

now the only question is which one will take off first?? USB or thunderbolt??

 

I hope USB does and it reaplces EVERTYTHING. even HDMI on consumer devices. Displayport is sooo much better.

I think it's pretty obvious that USB will take off first.

 

 

The more I hear about USB 3.1 C the more I like it, but I am worried about one thing. I would like to see HDMI being compatible as well, so that I can plug it into my TV.

I saw HDMI 2.0 being mentioned in the Anand article but hasn't really read it thoroughly yet. Will passive USB 3.1 type-C to HDMI 2.0 be possible or will it be some crappy active cable with reduced quality? The only experience I've had with active DP adapters has been awful (quality loss during the conversion).

 

 

I think this might be it for Thunderbolt. It costs more and support less than USB 3.1 type-C. It will be interesting to see how Apple reacts to this as well. They would benefit from changing too.

[LukeTim]

Is it finally going to be the Universal Serial Bus it was supposed to be?

[GoodBytes]

I think it's pretty obvious that USB will take off first.

 

 

The more I hear about USB 3.1 C the more I like it, but I am worried about one thing. I would like to see HDMI being compatible as well, so that I can plug it into my TV.

I saw HDMI 2.0 being mentioned in the Anand article but hasn't really read it thoroughly yet. Will passive USB 3.1 type-C to HDMI 2.0 be possible or will it be some crappy active cable with reduced quality? The only experience I've had with active DP adapters has been awful (quality loss during the conversion).

 

 

I think this might be it for Thunderbolt. It costs more and support less than USB 3.1 type-C. It will be interesting to see how Apple reacts to this as well. They would benefit from changing too.

DisplayPort is backward compatible to HDMI with an inexpensive adapter. You can find cables that is DisplayPort (or mini-DisplayPort, if you want that) in one end, and ends with an HDMI plug.

Example: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Gold-Plated-DisplayPort/dp/B004C9P9TM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411401505&sr=8-1&keywords=DisplayPort+to+HDMI

So it will be no problem. You should be able to find Type-C to HDMI.

[Real_PhillBert]

Universal Serial Bus is finally becoming truly universal! Woot Woot!

[Arkosh]

YESSS!!! ONE Cable For EVERYTHING!!!

[Peopie]

I wonder if you can use the cable as a usb data and displayport at the same time.

If so, then that would be pretty cool. We could potentially see screens with hard drive enclosures built in.

 

But I think i can see it being only used as either a usb cable or as a displayport cable

[LAwLz]

DisplayPort is backward compatible to HDMI with an inexpensive adapter. You can find cables that is DisplayPort (or mini-DisplayPort, if you want that) in one end, and ends with an HDMI plug.

Example: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Gold-Plated-DisplayPort/dp/B004C9P9TM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411401505&sr=8-1&keywords=DisplayPort+to+HDMI

So it will be no problem. You should be able to find Type-C to HDMI.

Well I am reading the Anandtech article and it says DP++ is not supported, so the cable you linked would not work. It needs to be an active cable and from my experience (which is very very limited) those cables can degrade quality significantly.

Maybe I was just unlucky and had bad adapters, but I did a blind test with my mom and she could clearly see that the VGA port had far better quality than the DP to HDMI adapter I was using for our TV (the laptop I used only had VGA and DP, and I wanted a single cable for video and sound).

Unless there are active cables which has lossless conversion (again, I have very limited experience with active DP cables so they might exist) then I think this is a step backwards from the 11-pin USB 2.0 port with MHL (at least in the video out department, everything else regarding 3.1 type-C is far superior).

I wish DisplayPort was on every monitor/TV. If it were we wouldn't have this issue.

[Nineshadow]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

[Victor Golf]

Now the back I/O panel on motherboards with integrated video outputs will not be crowded with unused outputs.