DVI compatible

Swanny

Don’t laugh but I purchased a nice new 19” TFT DVI/VGA monitor and took delivery yesterday, the problem is I did not check to see if my graphics card would support DVI. My graphics card is a NVIDIA QUADRO NVS 280 PCI (that’s what it says on my system information) and a quick google would seem to indicate that it is DVI compatible but when I look at the back of my PC I cannot see an inlet that matches the DVI cable. Do I need a new graphics card? Also do I have to ensure that it is compatible with the motherboard?

rsykes2000

What sort of connector does the graphics card have ? Is it a standard d-sub (ie d-shaped, small connector) or a larger one, and did you get a cable with it ? Reason I ask is that it seems you get a cable with it to allow to connect to a standard VGA monitor and the one to connect to a DVI seems to be purchased separately ? (from nvidia's website http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_10854.html)

Swanny

I think it is the standard d sub. But what you are saying does seem correct. My cable is DVI to DVI, can I get a DVI and VGA cable?
Many Thanks

wolfman

You could just get a standard d-Sub cable. I'm assuming the monitor has both DVI and d-Sub outputs. I wouldn't know about a convertor from DVI to d-Sub, although you can get them for d-Sub to DVI.

With regards to a new graphics card, you could get a new one. Wouldn't cost much more than £30 (depending on the spec you want). You'd need to make sure the card is compatible with the motherboard. Ie if you have an AGP slot, you need an AGP graphics card.