StarTech DISPLAYPORT to DVI Cable Adapter

Worked as expected. A simple, cost-effective way to convert DisplayPort graphics connections to use older DVI monitors. StarTech products are generally good quality, and these did not disappoint. Reliable connections, decent price. These are not the cheapest adapters out there, but I trust the brand enough to spend a little more.Note to multi-monitor users: I run three and sometimes four monitors. All of mine are older DVI monitors. I use an AMD FirePro DisplayPort graphics card. I found that some newer HD graphics cards with support for several monitors, AMD for sure, may require some of the connections to be active in order to support more than two monitors. These passive connectors are great if you are only running two DVI monitors or are adding one or two DVI monitors to a setup that has active connections to existing monitors (such as direct DisplayPort connections). If using more than two DVI monitors and converting from DisplayPort, you may need to purchase active adapters (such as the StarTech DP2DVIS) in order to use more than two monitors concurrently. Consult the user manual for your graphics card, or reach out to the manufacturer's tech support to be sure.

This is an excellent product in that it is built well and accomplishes what it is designed to do. But before you buy, UNDERSTAND what it is not designed to do: this is a passive adapter and is not designed to output a DVI-D Dual Link signal (only Single Link). If you need Dual Link, you need an active adapter instead. Note this is not a design flaw of this product but rather a limitation of DisplayPort. DisplayPort has 20 wires and DVI-D Dual Link requires 25 wires. To make up the difference, an active adapter takes a native DisplayPort signal on 20 pins and converts it to the DVI-D Dual Link signal on 25 pins. See Startech product DP2DVIMM6BS.In my scenario I had two ASUS VG236H 120Hz monitors (DVI-D Dual Link or HDMI input) and an Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card (1x DVI-D Dual Link, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort output). The DVI-D Dual Link output on the graphics card ran the first monitor just fine at 1920 x 1080 @120Hz, but neither HDMI nor DisplayPort via this adapter could run the second monitor at 120Hz, only 60Hz. I could have purchased the DP2DVIMM6BS cable for my solution but opted to keep my old GTX 580 and run my second monitor from the dual graphics card setup.

I have an HP EliteBook 8540p for work. At work I have a docking station which has VGA and DVI ports which allows me to have an external dual-monitor setup at work. That means I have two LCD monitors separate from the laptop screen and I run the computer with the lid closed. I wanted the same external dual-monitor setup when working from home, but didn't want to pay for a $200 docking station from HP. I found out that the laptop has both a VGA and a DisplayPort++ port and so I ordered this adapter to be able to run one monitor from the VGA and another from the DisplayPort port converting the signal to DVI for my second LCD monitor. I am pleased to report that it works just as I hoped. I can start the laptop with the lid open to load the operating system and then once the Nvidia display drivers kick in I can close the lid and it switches the display to the two external monitors. So I am saving a ton of money by purchasing this $16 adapter over the $200 docking station.

EDIT again, 3/22/14. I've gone down the rabbit hole with Alice, when it comes to these DVI-D to male Display Port single link adaptors. Lost 3 days trying out different things, and guess what: the BLACK one (link in comments, I can't put it here) -- the BLACK one works with the Dell 2211H monitor and Dell 780 (single-link) Display Port. Dell is having a 30% off (with free shipping) sale on these refurbished monitors through March 31: just enter SPRING30 as your discount coupon code (you can only use the coupon ONCE), at dfsdirectsales(dot)com. They are also being auctioned off in dellauction(dot)com, going for about the same price as on sale (roughly $70, pre-shipping). They are good monitors, with ONE Type B usb port to hub power for two Type A ports on the left side of the monitor (dfsdirectsales claims two and two, that's incorrect). Native Resolution is 1920x 1080p; if you make an onscreen video, the video uploaders like vimeo, will recognize that resolution. (I just tested it.)But each monitor varies, for I have many of them; these adaptors, didn't initially work. Why? Well, part of the problem, is Windows 7. When you first connect a monitor or change the monitors you had connected, and you've HAD at least two before, or have them now -- Windows unaccountably assigns the higher-resolution monitor, 'first place'. So the other monitor might stay dark, if the configuration is wrong (depending on whether you're using Intel integrated graphics or nVidia). That problem remains unless you 'burp' Windows 7 to reset, by unplugging the monitors, or otherwise changing them. I think that's what happened, here. I don't have a separate monitor port expansion, video or graphics card. The Dell Optiplex 780 is an older business machine which only has 15-pin VGA and Display port as its defaults. So if Windows doesn't recognize both defaults on boot, then it won't recognize the monitors after boot. Until this 2211H monitor was hooked up.So now the question is, why that monitor? Its DVI-D connector looks just like all of them. But the StarTech BLACK connector, is somewhat different from its white one. The white one has a black face, and only the single blade at the end. It works fine as a passive dual-link connector for the newer, dual-link Display Ports. It also works after Windows 7 was 'burped' -- by the BLACK ONE.THIS BLACK one has the same WHITE FEMALE FACE as on the back of the monitor. I can't explain why this BLACK one works on the Dell 2211H (which has two usb ports, essential for WD Passport usage), with the Dell 780 (which has only a single-link Display Port). I can only report it does.Also, if you're interested, the StarTech DisplayPort to HDMI converter works well also, but in Dell 780s, all that's transmitted, is video (single-link DPs only transmit video). Link to it, is in the comments.So the original edit and review below, are thus here corrected. I've re-rated the BLACK one to four stars (will be five once I'm sure of the longevity). Again, the key is that its white face (which you can see in the web pictures) should MATCH the back of the monitor's DVI-D connector. Again, the comments contain links to four adaptors (the Accel allegedly ACTIVE DVI-D to single-link Display Port, didn't work at all). So you won't lose 3 days, trying to figure out this stuff!===================EDIT, 3/18/14: I've now tried both of these with my Dell 780 computers and a Dell 1907 monitor, plus an older one. The monitors are DVI-D, which is an important distinction; Dell flat panel monitors are all DVI-D(igital Only); that style is incompatible with most other DVI, and also incompatible with VGA(nalog), so you can't use a VGA-DVI adaptor, since the -D is Digital Only. Another important distinction, is that the 780 computers' Display Ports, are SINGLE LINK, not dual. This product's description, claimed it would work on single-link Display ports, and would convert, not merely be a passive adaptor.Wrongo. The adaptor is passive, works fine with Display ports that are DUAL link, like later Dell machines, eg the Latitude 6510 laptop. Both the adaptors described below are of the same type, and are passive. Had I known that before purchase, I'd not have bought these. So chalk it up to misleading description. Not worth the time returning, and the things are well made, do work with my dual link Display Ports.So, the monitor won't 'hear' the signal, stays black and blank. I'm so tired of trying to figure out what cables and other nonsense are compatible with what other stuff, I could scream. Lost two days, just trying to find out what cable to buy, and it's the wrong one. So I write this, hoping to save YOU time. Will try another type, won't say what kind now; and if it works, I'll put its link in the comments.Original review, follows below, made the day before this edit.===============================The StarTech DP to DVI adapter/converter which has a WHITE DVI plug (bell-shaped) casing but black terminus, is female DVI-D only. Which means, all those little holes and one 'blade'. By contrast, the StarTech DP to DVI adapter/converter which has a BLACK DVI plug (square) casing but a white terminus, is female multi-purpose DVI, for it has holes above and below the 'blade' for a DVI-I or similar male connector.I don't know if DVI-D only will work with the black (square) one. They both fit well to male DVI-D plugs, but will the signal carry? I can't say yet. The monitors I just bought from Dell haven't arrived. Will edit this review to report performance of each, later.By the way, the monitors are 2211H's, which have TWO upstream and TWO downstream usb ports. So, you can hook up one monitor with two computers (the upstream ports are those rounded square ends, and provide the hub connection on independent power; the downstream ports are on the monitor, into which you plug your devices, which receive power from the monitor's hub). They only allow VGA or DVI-D connection.So if your machines only have VGA and Display Port like mine (Dell 780 Optiplex), you need one of these converters, so you can hook up both computers per monitor (using only one computer at a time, but it saves desk space).IMPORTANT: you cannot convert DVI-D (which only has the blade at one end, no pins surrounding it) to VGA. Only a DVI-I can convert (it has four pins or more, surrounding that blade). So if your monitor is DVI-D, you cannot use a VGA adaptor. Problem is, many of the so-called 'DVI' adaptors sold, don't clearly specify whether DVI-D or not.