Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2-1:
The yellow RCA
phono
connector, for
composite video
output
HDMI Video
A better quality picture can be obtained using the
High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
connector, the only port found on the bottom of the Pi (see Figure 2-2). Unlike the analogue
composite connection, the HDMI port provides a high-speed digital connection for pixel-
perfect pictures on both computer monitors and high-definition TV sets. Using the HDMI
port, a Pi can display images at the Full HD 1920x1080 resolution of most modern HDTV
sets. At this resolution, significantly more detail is available on the screen.
If you're hoping to use the Pi with an existing computer monitor, you may find that your
display doesn't have an HDMI input. That's not a disaster: the digital signals present on the
HDMI cable map to a common computer monitor standard called
Digital Video Interconnect
(DVI)
. By purchasing an HDMI-to-DVI cable, you'll be able to connect the Pi's HDMI port to
a monitor with DVI-D connectivity.
If your monitor has a VGA input—a D-shaped connector with 15 pins, typically coloured
silver and blue—the Raspberry Pi can't connect to it directly. To use this type of monitor,
you will need to purchase what is known as an
adapter dongle
; look for models that convert
HDMI to VGA and specifically mention Raspberry Pi compatibility when making a purchase,
and simply connect the HDMI end to the Pi and your VGA monitor cable to the other end of
the dongle.
