How Could I Have Missed That!?

I feel like such an idiot.

So I needed a DVI monitor cable that exceeded 3 meters. The standard cables that come with any monitor are usually in the range of 1.5-2 meters.

I went to GH to scour for some cables to no avail. A guy from one of the shops asked me if I had an HDMI cable since they’ve got HDMI-DVI adaptors. In my arrogance, I immediately dismissed the guy. After all, I was clearly in need of DVI and not HDMI.

I started walking away being all smug with my “I know technology, don’t go suggesting stupid things like that” attitude… then I froze in my tracks after a few meters. What the guy was trying to say suddenly sank in.

HDMI cables are basically cables that have channels for video and audio. HDMI to DVI converters, naturally, would just take the video signal and disregard the audio… pretty much the same way DVI to D-SUB (VGA) converters work as far as digital/analog video signals go.

Then of course, it’s all digital, so apart from attenuation ¹ Which usually starts beyond 5 meters on regular cables “interference” isn’t really applicable when talking in binary. And finally, there’s also no “risk” of damaging the equipment since it’s just data – the power/mains is totally separate from the equation.

After my Joey Tribbiani moment, I went back and told the guy that I finally got what he was saying. We agreed that at the very least, there’s one more option that wouldn’t hurt to try; if it doesn’t work, then I could return the items for a refund.

So I got two HDMI to DVI converters, and a 5 meter HDMI cable – essentially reconstructing a single DVI-DVI cable with HDMI as the wire, and DVI as the heads. Only got enough for one cable just in case it didn’t work.

Seems like my worry was unfounded; it’s working perfectly.

Now I’m even considering doing the same for the other monitor just so it’s all uniform.

The cool thing about this is I can just buy standard HDMI cables of different lengths (since those are much easier to find) should the need arise – no more need for specialized DVI cable-lengths.

Lesson learned; LISTEN.