DisplayPort, the new standard being promoted by VESA as the next-generation digital interface between high-resolution displays and display sources, has already seen wide adoption by PC graphics vendors (such as Intel, NVIDIA and ATI). However, DisplayPort will not only be applied in the desktop display markets, but also in notebooks, TVs and even projectors. All of these markets can benefit from DisplayPort for different reasons and at different time frames. This paper breaks down the different applications and explores the reasons why and when each will adopt this new standard.

Notebooks
Notebooks traditionally use Low-Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) as the interface between the graphics chip and the LCD panel. If you peek in the hinge area of a notebook, sometimes you can see this bronze-colored ribbon connector carrying the LVDS display signals from the base of the notebook to the lid where the LCD resides. With DisplayPort, EMI and routing skew concerns are greatly reduced. This is because DisplayPort uses SerDes technology with an embedded clock. This technology allows the receiving end to receive data almost asynchronously between lanes, and simply re-time the data itself by extracting the embedded clock. Having said that, the main reason notebook computers would replace LVDS with DisplayPort is for power savings. With high-speed DisplayPort, the entire system chipset where the graphics reside can be simplified, and much of the traditional digital-to-analog conversions required for the traditional VGA connection can be avoided. Overall, the power of the graphics sub-system can be reduced by as much as 20 percent, according to Intel. That can translate to longer battery life of up to 20 minutes. Overall, with DisplayPort's reduced EMI issues , less special EMI treatment is needed, all adding up to overall cost savings.

On the external monitor interface front, DisplayPort is also replacing the traditional VGA connector (DB-15). Not only does this get rid of the D/A converters necessary to generate the analog VGA signals, it also replaces the physically large DB-15 connector with a much smaller and thinner DisplayPort connector. This then allows form-factor innovations to occur, such as the revolutionary thinness of the Apple Mac Air. If the VGA connectors are still used, the connector would limit the thickness of the entire notebook computer.

Other than the Apple Mac Air, HP, Dell, Lenovo and other OEMs are all shipping notebooks with DisplayPort. This was driven by the availability of the Montevena chipset from Intel, which included standard DisplayPort. The next-generation chipset, Capella, will take further advantage of power savings and integration by optimizing for the all digital output of DisplayPort. , so we'll expect an acceleration of DisplayPort adoption with these new platforms.