VESA Moves To Standardize Digital Flat Panel Monitors

In an attempt to ensure a common digital interface throughout the industry, the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) accepted a proposal to begin work on the DFP interface. The proposal, submitted by Compaq and Hewlett-Packard, was voted into the VESA Display Committee, which began work to develop the standard.

Compaq and HP brought the DFP proposal into VESA to communicate to the industry that there is not an interface conflict but an industry plan to help digital displays develop into volume desk top products. The VESA display committee welcomed the proposal and the opportunity to address the state of confusion that has existed in the industry for the past few months.

While IBM has opted to move ahead with the P&D standard, Compaq feels that a transition connector is needed to support a digital-only interface and not the multi-functional P&D. With USB and IEEE-1394 interfaces becoming mainstream products, Compaq Consumer Group and Hewlett-Packard see the transition away from the VGA interface and DFP to the P&D interface coming after the year 2000. In the meantime, they are committing to DFP products.

The submission was targeted to take advantage of the PlugTest that VESA is sponsoring September 9- 11. Although not yet a draft standard, Compaq has indicated it will have its DFP products there to test with P&D systems. The PlugTest will be conducted in South San Francisco, CA.