DVI & VGA power draw

adhunt · 11-23-2007, 03:28 AM

OK so my saga of problems has come down to this question; does DVI draw more power than VGA?!?

Because my new X1650 is as follows;

VGA on any monitor any res: perfect desktop, video, games at high res

DVI on 17" : perfect desktop (1024), seems fine for video, crashes loading a high res game

DVI on 22" widescreen: desktop flicks to black every 10 or so seconds (1680), video's grainy, games even worse!

Which leads me to think perhaps it's the power supply - but that only makes sense if DVI uses significantly more power than VGA does...

ebackhus · 11-23-2007, 07:11 AM

I would think that DVI uses slightly less juice as there's no need for digital to analog conversion. What kind of PSU are you using?

adhunt · 11-23-2007, 02:25 PM

300W Antec

But it doesn't make sense that it's the PSU if it works perfectly with analogue does it?

ebackhus · 11-23-2007, 05:21 PM

You need more power. Regardless of connections, not having enough power CAN cause some really strange issues with any computer.

adhunt · 11-23-2007, 06:07 PM

Ha ok fair enuff, so if for instance i put an Antec 500W Basiq supply in - it's 20+4 pin where as my old m/board is only 20... Could I snap or cut the extra 4 on the 20+4 off so that it'll fit as theres a capacitor in the way of where the extra 4 would be...?

adhunt · 11-23-2007, 06:08 PM

Of course there's the other option that the DVI on the card has a problem...

11-23-2007, 03:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
adhunt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 25 OS: XP SP2	DVI & VGA power draw OK so my saga of problems has come down to this question; does DVI draw more power than VGA?!? Because my new X1650 is as follows; VGA on any monitor any res: perfect desktop, video, games at high res DVI on 17" : perfect desktop (1024), seems fine for video, crashes loading a high res game DVI on 22" widescreen: desktop flicks to black every 10 or so seconds (1680), video's grainy, games even worse! Which leads me to think perhaps it's the power supply - but that only makes sense if DVI uses significantly more power than VGA does...

11-23-2007, 07:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,265 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: DVI & VGA power draw I would think that DVI uses slightly less juice as there's no need for digital to analog conversion. What kind of PSU are you using? __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

11-23-2007, 02:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
adhunt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 25 OS: XP SP2	Re: DVI & VGA power draw 300W Antec But it doesn't make sense that it's the PSU if it works perfectly with analogue does it?

11-23-2007, 05:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,265 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: DVI & VGA power draw You need more power. Regardless of connections, not having enough power CAN cause some really strange issues with any computer. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

11-23-2007, 06:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
adhunt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 25 OS: XP SP2	Re: DVI & VGA power draw Ha ok fair enuff, so if for instance i put an Antec 500W Basiq supply in - it's 20+4 pin where as my old m/board is only 20... Could I snap or cut the extra 4 on the 20+4 off so that it'll fit as theres a capacitor in the way of where the extra 4 would be...?

11-23-2007, 06:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
adhunt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 25 OS: XP SP2	Re: DVI & VGA power draw Of course there's the other option that the DVI on the card has a problem...