As times change and technology advances, older devices become more difficult to use. For instance, when many devices switched from offering VGA to being primarily HDMI, it created difficulty using older televisions and gaming consoles.
Thankfully, there are converters that make it easier to connect those older devices. If you aren’t sure what a VGA to HDMI converter is, you will know why you should probably have one when all is said and done.
What is a VGA Output?
Before you can worry about going VGA to HDMI, it helps to know what VGA is in the first place. Before we used HDMI for all of our entertainment devices, VGA was the standard. Short for Video Graphics Array, it came to prominence in the 1980s and was used for televisions, computer monitors, projectors, laptops, and a litany of other devices.
They had an analog component with a number of pins inside that transferred data between two devices. They weren’t meant to be “hot-pluggable,” which means that you couldn’t just connect or disconnect while your computer was turned on. VGA also didn’t carry audio, which could be frustrating where audio was necessary.
What is HDMI?
HDMI is one of the latest connection types, taking over from Digital Visual Interface (DVI). HDMI makes it possible to not only transfer audio and video signals through one cable but to also control the audio of a device from an additional display.
For things like video streaming, presentations, and video games, it resulted in a massive improvement. Just about every device you find will have at least one HDMI port now. The further we move away from VGA technology, the more imperative it becomes to have a converter in order to use those old devices.
What Does the VGA to HDMI Adapter Do?
There is both VGA to HDMI as well as HDMI to VGA. Basically, these converters allow you to connect to devices that have different display types that otherwise wouldn’t be compatible. These adapters are pretty small and portable, so they can be taken with you just about anywhere you need them to go.
Some adapters have an additional chip inside to make functionality between the two devices even better. Even better, AV cable adapters can go all the way up to 1920 x 1080 resolution, which might not be the highest anymore but is still pretty good.
Why to Have an HDMI/VGA Adapter
The cool thing about HDMI/VGA adapters is that they can be used for a variety of purposes. If you are looking to play classic games on an older computer but want a larger display, you need an adapter to make that connection. As it turns out there are other reasons to invest in an adapter.
Gaming. Perhaps the biggest reason to have one of these converters is for gaming. As displays and graphic cards have improved (significantly), some older devices have gone out of style. That said, you can still play them if you have the right converter. Older consoles aren’t compatible with newer monitors and televisions but can be with the proper HDMI/VGA converter.
Connecting to Older Displays. This is a carry-on from the prior point but still matters. Older televisions, in particular, will only have VGA, coax, and other outdated connection types. If you want to hook up an older monitor, you will need an HDMI to VGA adapter to get it done.
Older Projectors. Projectors aren’t exactly commonplace but you can still transmit a picture from your computer to a projector using an adapter. Just make sure you know what the resolution needed is or you can get warped/distorted images.