Cables and Leads

A new innovation from the company IDT (Integrated Device Technology, Inc) solves a limitation of the new Display Port Cable technology once and for all with it’s new PanelPort LinkXtend solution. This allows you to effectively increase the length/distance of the DisplayPort Cable without compromising its performance.

Using this new device allows you to daisy chain DisplayPort Cables, it is a cost effective and reliable solution for those with the need to extend the range of their Display Port Cable enabled devices.

Following along with the companies IDT Power Smart initiative and the DisplayPort cable standard it doesn’t require any kind of outside power source. This small device allows the signal to be repeated down the Display Port Cable while strengthening the signal at each point. The LinkXTend device offers 2.7ghz with 4 lanes offering a total transfer of 10.8Gbps which is more than enough to handle a huge display of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

As the digital age progresses we can expect to see a growing number of devices released using not only a Display Port Cable for there connectivity but also the chip that is in the PanelPort LinkXtend as this will allow them to offer cost effective solutions to meet the demands of their users.

DisplayPort Cable

So why can’t you just use a longer cable?

A big part of the Display Port Cable technologies advantage is its speed and the quality of data that it sends. By using a longer cable its signal quality and security weakens, this can happen even when using very expensive and high quality cabling.

Why is there a limitation anyway?

DisplayPort Cable connections were developed to connect your computer to a HD monitor or projector hence the need for longer distances was not really a consideration. But there are times when people need the longer range and as the digital age moves forward the need for this capability is only going to grow.

All of this equipment means that we need to move vast amounts of data securely between these devices while leaving in enough room for further expansion in the future. Not so long ago this meant having hideous amounts of cables trailing all over your home. This is not only hazardous from people tripping but can also cause all manner of problems with everyday tasks like cleaning or just moving things around.

DisplayPort Cable

In recent times this need has seen a large number of new faster and more secure ways of connecting all of these devices together. The common standard in recent times has been HDMI. While there is nothing wrong with this as it is more than capable of moving all the data you need securely and at good speeds, manufacturers haven’t liked the idea of the licensing fees which they are charged for using this proprietary technology. This is where DisplayPort technology comes in as it is free which means that manufacturers can use it without paying the licensing fees and are able to pass on these savings.

But is DisplayPort as good as HDMI?

Definitely yes! It can easily handle everything that HDMI leads can and due to the take up of its use by the manufacturers since 2008 and development by companies like Intel it is likely to be more common than HDMI in the near future.

So what exactly can it do?

Utilising a USB connection supporting 1 of 4 pairs of data including audio, video, and clock signals, the Display Port Cable boasts a maximum resolution of 1080p. Although the Displayport cable itself is compliant with other HD systems such as DVI and HDMI, the Displayport connector itself is not cross compatible.

Security measures implemented into the cable includes DPCP, or otherwise known as DisplayPort Content Protection. DPCP allows for users to optionally enable content protection that can help protect transmission data from being intercepted and sent to unauthorized users from a distance. The Displayport system is also being constantly upgraded, with its development backed up by Intel is releasing new versions to the market much like the way HDMI does so.