New DockPort Display Standard Released From VESA

VESA, the Video Electronics Standards Association who are the governing body over the display connectivity standards (the people who write out the rules so-to-speak) have announced that they are expending the DisplayPort standard to allow USB3.1 data and power to be carried over the same cable that video signals are currently run over on the DisplayPort interface. Known as DockPort, the connection is physically the same, much like USB3.0 is with USB2.0, meaning that older DisplayPort only devices will be backwards compatible with DockPort enabled devices. When two DockPort devices are connected together, power and USB3.1 data will run over the cable, reducing the overall number of cables that need to be connected between the source and display.

As DockPort is an extension of an existing standard, it will be offered to current VESA members without any additional licensing fees, meaning that any products that feature the new standard won’t have to incur massive price jumps.

“As computing platforms become increasingly mobile, it becomes necessary to reduce the number of external connectors,” explained Steve Belt, Corporate Vice President – Strategic Alliances & Solutions Enablement AMD, a VESA member company. “With DockPort, VESA has developed a technology standard that enhances elegant docking designs, reduces mobile form factors, and enriches the user experience with streamlined, one-cable access to a wide range of external displays, peripherals and storage.”

Unlike HDMI which can only carry audio and video data, DockPort is set to be the first standard to carry non-video data across a display cable as well as the first standard to allow power to run alongside a video signal without interference. As the new standard begins to roll out, a number of vendors are showing off their latest product at Computex 2014 which is running this week, although there is no word if this standard is ready to hit the shelves just yet.

“The new DockPort standard demonstrates the enormous adaptability of the DisplayPort standard,” according to VESA Board Chair Alan Kobayashi, Fellow & Executive R&D Management for DisplayPort Group at MegaChips Technology America. “On the one hand, DisplayPort is a flexible A/V transport protocol that easily coexists with other protocols, like USB-it plays nicely with others. On the other hand, DisplayPort is also a robust and proven connector design whose electro-mechanical properties can accommodate data and power over a common passive copper cable and interface.”

Source: Press Release