Different Methods for Connecting Video to your M1 Projector
If choosing between the multiple connectors available for hooking your video display up to an actual video signal seems like a headache to you, then you aren't alone. Video engineers have this problem as well. That is why a group of video professionals known as the Video Electronic Standards Association (or VESA) originally came up with the M1 connector.
If choosing between the multiple connectors available for hooking your video display up to an actual video signal seems like a headache to you, then you aren't alone. Video engineers have this problem as well. That's why a group of video professionals known as the Video Electronic Standards Association (or VESA) originally came up with the M1 connector.
M1 is also referred to sometimes by the name P & D-a shortening of the term Plug and Display. The M1 connector interface was designed for the unique purpose of transmitting several different kinds of video, all within one, convenient connector interface. M1 ports can be placed on digital monitors, flat panel displays, or video projectors. Projectors that feature an M1 port as their primary means of receiving video data are often referred to as M1 projectors.
If you have an M1 projector, or other type of M1 video display, then you're in luck because there are several different methods available for connecting your display to a video source. Below, we're going to look at some of those methods and the unprecedented versatility that they provide to the M1 projector.
VGA
The initials VGA stand for Video Graphics Array. VGA connectors are typically found on PCs, where they have become an analog video display standard. Many PCs and notebook computers feature a 15-pin, D-shaped port intended for carrying a VGA signal out to a monitor or a projector. If you've hooked a computer up to a monitor or projector at some time within the last ten years, chances are you've used a VGA cable to do so.
One advantage of the VGA connector is its wide-ranging versatility. Many different types of computers and many different types of video displays possess a VGA port. The typical display resolution of a VGA signal is 640x480, though updated versions of the VGA protocol, such as SVGA or XGA, have higher resolutions.
If you need to be regularly hooking older-model PCs up to your M1 projector, then it might be worth your while to invest in an M1 to VGA adapter cable. This cable will allow you to easily connect VGA ports to your projector. A disadvantage of the VGA connector scheme is that it cannot transmit digital video. If high-resolution video is the name of your game, then you might want to look at one of the M1 connector's other possible connective options.
DVI
The initials DVI stand for Digital Visual Interface. DVI connectors were originally developed as a digital replacement for the VGA connector standard. Whereas the VGA connector is meant for transmitting analog video (like we talked about above), the DVI connector is meant for transmitting uncompressed, digital video. However, a remarkable feature of the DVI connector is that it can transmit both digital and analog video signals, depending on the specific connector type.
DVI connectors come in three variations: DVI-I, DVI-A, and DVI-D. DVI-D connectors can transmit only digital video, whereas DVI-A connectors can transmit only analog video. DVI-I connectors are capable of transmitting both digital and analog video. DVI connectors can transmit video at a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, though they can offer even higher resolutions if you're using something called a dual link DVI cable, which essentiallydoubles the DVI connector's bandwidth.
Though some TVs and in-home projectors feature a DVI interface, the connector standard has been used mostly for computing applications (it has been widely superseded by HDMI in the consumer market). Most of the PCs, LCD display monitors, and digital projectors currently on the market feature a DVI port of some kind.
If you need to be projecting digital video from your M1 projector, then an M1 to DVI adapter cable might be exactly the tool for you. DVI connectors are also partially compatible with HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and VGA connectors, so if you want to use DVI as your primary connector interface and then interface with these other connector types via specialized adapters, that's an option for you as well.
USB
USB is the first connector interface we've discussed here that is not designed primarily for transmitting video. USB connectors are instead intended for connecting personal computers with a variety of peripheral devices ranging from digital cameras to external hard drives to mice and keyboards. One of the unique features of the M1 connector is that it can project video directly from your computer's USB port.
The initials USB stand for Universal Serial Bus. Originally released in 1994, USB was intended as an all-in-one bus that could supersede the hodgepodge of different bus interfaces then used to connect computers with peripheral devices. Though it hasn't succeeded entirely in that ambition, the USB drive has come pretty darned close. With a data transfer rate of 1.5MB/s (60MB/s in USB 2.0 and 625MB/s in USB 3.0), USB is capable of interfacing quickly and easily with a great variety of devices, including an M1 projector.
The key advantage that USB connectors bring to your M1 projector is versatility. Almost all consumer PCs and notebooks have USB buses and the plug-and-play capabilities of the USB bus make it a piece of cake to swap different connectors into and out of a USB port. Though USB ports cannot provide your M1 projector with a data transfer rate as high as that provided by the DVI connector, USB connectors still offer some distinct advantages.
If you're going to be connecting your M1 projector to many different PCs and laptops, then a USB to M1 adapter cable might be the product you're looking for. With this cable you can rest assured that you're able to hook your M1 projector up to almost any computer you run across. If you plan on travelling often and carting your projector to many different meetings and conferences, a USB to M1 adapter cable can remove some of the uncertainty from your presentations.
An example of an M1 cable with great versatility is the VGA and USB to M1 6ft cable by BestPriceCables.com. This cable allows for an M1 connection to either VGA or USB depending on what connection type is available. BestPriceCables also carries M1 to HDMI and M1 to DVI-D.
