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Question about different DVI port colors

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So my XFX DD R9 280 has 2 DVI ports, the top one has a blue color and the bottom one has a red color. I didnt think there was a difference until I noticed in the top one I have no problems and the bottom one I have had several complete compuier crashes while playing games, Is there an actaul difference between Blue and Red DVI Ports on this card or is the bottom port just faulty?
 
Does one have a part of the plug that looks like this: - and another that looks like this: + ?

The - are DVI-D or Digital, the + are DVI-I or Integrated, which will transmit analog and digital signals.

Of the DVI-D there are single link and dual link, with the single link having a gap in the main body pin array. Single link are normally limited to 1900x1200, and Dual link capable of higher resolutions.

The colors don't usually matter, and no standard exists that I am aware of.

EDIT: Here's a little more explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

According to your card here: http://xfxforce.com/en-us/products/...black-double-dissipation-edition-r9-280a-tdbd they are the same color. However, the specs say you have a Dual link DVI-I and a Single link DVI-D.

According to this review, the Black/Blue one is DVI-D. http://www.technologyx.com/featured/xfx-r9-280-double-dissipation-review/2/
 
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Does one have a part of the plug that looks like this: - and another that looks like this: + ?

The - are DVI-D or Digital, the + are DVI-I or Integrated, which will transmit analog anf digital signals.

Of the DVI-D there are single link and dual link, with the single link having a gap in the main body pin array. Single link are normally limited to 1900x1200, and Dual link capable of higher resolutions.

The colors don't usually matter, and no standard exists that I am aware of.

Here's a little more explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

According to your card here: http://xfxforce.com/en-us/products/...black-double-dissipation-edition-r9-280a-tdbd they are the same color. However, the specs say you have a Dual link DVI-I and a Single link DVI-D.

According to this review, the Black/Blue one is DVI-D. http://www.technologyx.com/featured/xfx-r9-280-double-dissipation-review/2/
Yeah I checked the bttom one has a plus. but is there any correlation between crashes on the botom one and never crashes on the to[p one?
 
Honestly I don't know. What connection does the male connector for your monitor cable have?

EDIT: I'm guessing your monitor connector is single link DVI capable, and would account for the no problems using the DVI-D connector on your card which is single link.
 
Honestly I don't know. What connection does the male connector for your monitor cable have?

EDIT: I'm guessing your monitor connector is single link DVI capable, and would account for the no problems using the DVI-D connector on your card which is single link.
yeo thats probably the case since my monitor is ancient... but which one should I use if I get a new monitor that is modern?
 
I would use the DVI-I since it's dual link, if you get a new monitor, or use the Display Port.

@XFXSupport, your thoughts?
 
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There is different cable also
 
There is different cable also

D'oh, I didn't even think about trying a DVI-D DL cable! With a dual link, he should be able to use the DVI-I connector without any issues like now.
 
Hold up... I find it very odd that something as silly as which DVI port you're using causes your computer to crash. The only possible explanation that comes to my mind is if you had a monitor (which you don't) capable of really high resolutions, or a high refresh rate (120/144hz), and these features were only possible using the dual link port, and your computer only crashed while using the dual link port, suggesting possibly instability with your video card as it stresses harder to produce the higher resolution/refresh rate.

You said you don't crash while using the top port, which would mean in the DVI-D port you're fine, and in the DVI-I port you have problems. However, if you look at the image of the back of the card, you'll see that next to the black/blue port there is a VGA icon next to it, and the red port has what appears to be an icon for digital. This seems to suggest that the black/blue port is, in fact, the DVI-I port, and the red port is the DVI-D port, contrary to what the reviewer writes. If I'm right this turns everything upside down and you're okay with the DVI-I port, and not the DVI-D port, which still does not make sense.
 
@hat the only quirk in what you stated is the XFX specs page I linked states the DVI-D is actually single link.
 
That doesn't really change anything... it just means he's having no issues with a DVI-D single link monitor via a DVI-D single link connection. There's no reason, that I know of, for any problems to occur when using a monitor with a single link connection with a connector that is dual link. If anything, at the most, I would expect the monitor to say "out of range" or somesuch, or possibly have some weird display issues, but crashing the entire computer? That's a bit of a stretch.
 
That doesn't really change anything... it just means he's having no issues with a DVI-D single link monitor via a DVI-D single link connection. There's no reason, that I know of, for any problems to occur when using a monitor with a single link connection with a connector that is dual link. If anything, at the most, I would expect the monitor to say "out of range" or somesuch, or possibly have some weird display issues, but crashing the entire computer? That's a bit of a stretch.
So can you link me to a DVI cable that is dual
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=dual_link_dvi_cable-_-12-816-013-_-Product




capture013.jpg
 
I would use the DVI-I since it's dual link, if you get a new monitor, or use the Display Port.

@XFXSupport, your thoughts?

That doesn't really change anything... it just means he's having no issues with a DVI-D single link monitor via a DVI-D single link connection. There's no reason, that I know of, for any problems to occur when using a monitor with a single link connection with a connector that is dual link. If anything, at the most, I would expect the monitor to say "out of range" or somesuch, or possibly have some weird display issues, but crashing the entire computer? That's a bit of a stretch.

Heres Pictures, I use the blue one and I have the cable that was linked to me

http://prntscr.com/9krdl0
http://prntscr.com/9kre3z
 
One is dual-link DVI-I (with digital and analog), the other is single link DVI-D (digital only). I have to admit though, I'm not sure which color is supposed to represent which port.
1 x DL-DVI-I
1 x SL-DVI-D
 
One is dual-link DVI-I (with digital and analog), the other is single link DVI-D (digital only). I have to admit though, I'm not sure which color is supposed to represent which port.
So when I get a super quality awesome Monitor which port do I stick it in, the red one or Blue one?
 
So when I get a super quality awesome Monitor which port do I stick it in, the red one or Blue one?
A "super awesome quality monitor" shouldn't be using DVI but rather DisplayPort IMHO. I also already said before:
I have to admit though, I'm not sure which color is supposed to represent which port.
 
So when I get a super quality awesome Monitor which port do I stick it in, the red one or Blue one?

I said above, "or use the Display port"."
 
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Aren't they same? (Both seems DVI-I for me; 24+5pin)

Here is an example for DVI-I & DVI-D on same card:
outputs.jpg
The OP has a XFX card, that's an ASUS card... For the OP, one port is dual link, the other is single link in addition to one being DVI-I and the other being DVI-D respectively.
 
The OP has a XFX card, that's an ASUS card...
I was just showing as example... There is OP's card's pictures in the quote above, anyway here is OP's card from XFX website;

20140226100845_R9-280A-TDF_3.JPG.png
 
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