VESA Standards
Download VBE 2.0
| December
1997 |
VESA Display Data Channel (DDC) ™ Standard, Version 3: This standard defines a communications channel between a computer display and a host system. The channel may be used to carry configuration information to allow optimum use of the display and may also carry display control information. In addition, it may be used as a data channel for Access.bus peripherals connected to the host via the display. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Enhanced Video Connector (EVC) ™ Pinout and Signal Standards, Version 2: EVC establishes a standard video output connector for personal computers, workstations, and similar products, including the ability to support high-frequency video signals and including “multimedia” and other signals expected to be required in future computer displays. This revision of the EVC standard provides a pinout definition which is slightly modified from the original EVC pinout, in order to provide computability with the VESA “Plug & Display” connector. The changes involve features which are not believed to be in use at the time of this revision, and so should not affect computability with EVC products introduced prior to this revision. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Connector and Signal Standards for Stereoscopic Display Hardware ™ Version 1: This standard establishes a connector for the attachment of stereoscopic viewing devices, such as LCD shutters, shutter glasses, etc., which will provide power and the stereo synchronization signal to these products. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) ™ Standard, Version 3: VESA has developed the EDID data format as a compact method to specify the capabilities of various types of monitors as well as integrated displays. This standard defines data formats to carry configuration information to allow optimum use of displays. It is anticipated that EDID format data will be transported by a variety of communication protocols. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Enhanced Video Connector (EVC) ™ Physical Connector Standard, Version 1, Revision 2: This standard establishes a standard video output connector physical description for the EVC connector. It establishes physical standards for a connector in order to address these needs and provide superior performance over what was possible with earlier systems. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Flat Panel Monitor Physical Mounting Interface Standard (FPMPMI)™ Version 1: This standard defines physical mounting interfaces for flat panel monitors, corresponding standards for flat panel monitor mounting devices and associated cable, cable connectors and power supply location guidelines. |
| November
1997 |
VESA Video Interface Port (VIP) ™ Standard, Version 1.1: This standard that defines the method for connecting digital video devices to graphics display adapters. VESA VIP is a dedicated physical connection between a graphics adapter and one or more 3rd party hardware devices, such as MPEG-2 decoders, video digitizers, etc. With a dedicated connection, devices supplying video data do not have to compete with other data movement on the current industry standard PCI bus. |
| June
1997 |
VESA Plug and display (VP&D) Standard v1: This standard provides a digital interface and, optionally, an analog interface for video data allowing a wide range of display devices to be attached to a single video port on the host system which may be a personal computer (PC), workstation, or other device. This standard only defines the interface at the connector on the host system and provides additional recommendations regarding system implementation. |
| December
1996 |
VESA Discrete Monitor Timings (DMT) Standard 1.0, Rev. 0.7: The revised DMT standard presents a set of timing standards for display monitors and covers resolutions all the way from 640 x 350 up to 1600 x 1200 and from 60 Hz up to 85 Hz. |
| December
1996 |
VESA Generalized Timing Formula (GTF) Standard 1.0: The VESA GTF standard defines a method for generating general purpose display timing, while bringing standardization, without restricting the market to fixed, pre-defined formats or refresh rates and thus allowing for differentiation within a standardized environment. |
| August
1996 |
VBE/AF Standard 1.0: The VBE/AF 1.0 defines the interface of a new operating system portable, loadable device driver architecture that will provide access to accelerated graphics hardware. Some of the accelerator functions supported include hardware cursors, multi buffering, solid and transparent off-screen bitmaps, rectangel filling, line drawing and polygon filling. |
| August
1996 |
FPDI-1B Rev 2.0: This document describes the electrical, logical, and connector interface between flat panel displays and display controllers in an integrated environment. |
| March
1996 |
Display Data Channel (DDC) Standard 2.0, with The Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) 2.0: This standard defines a communication channel between a computer display and the host system. It includes the VESA Bios Extension/Display Data Channel (VBE/DDC) specification and the Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) Standard. |
| March
1996 |
Discrete Monitor Timings (DMT) Standard 1.0: This standard presents a set of timing standards for display monitors and covers resolutions all the way from 640 x 350 up to 1280 x 1024 and from 60 Hz up to 85 Hz. |
| March
1996 |
VESA Unified Memory Architecture (VUMA) Standard 1.0: This standard establishes the electrical and logical interface between system controller (core logic) and an external VUMA device enabling them to share physical system memory (DRAM). |
| November
1995 |
Enhanced Video Connector (EVC) Pinout and Signal Standard 1.0: This standard establishes a standard video output connector for personal computers, workstations, and similar products with the ability to support high frequency video signals. |
| November
1994 |
Enhanced Video Connector (EVC) Physical Connector Standard 1.0: This standard establishes a standard video output connector physical description for the EVC. |
| October
1995 |
Flat Panel Display Interface (FPDI) Standard 1.0: This standard establishes the electrical, logical, and connector interface between flat panel displays and display controllers in an integrated environment. |
| November
1994 |
VESA BIOS (VBE) Standard 2.0: Standardizes a modular software interface for display and audio devices. |
| October
1994 |
VESA Display Specifications and Test Procedures Standard 1.0: Provides standard definitions and test conditions for computer display specifications so that specifications across different models and manufacturers can be compared. |
| September
1994 |
VESA Media Channel (VMC) Software Standard 1.0: Provides an open software interface for transferring pixel data between two or more devices on the VMC. |
| August
1994 |
Display Data Channel (DDC) Standard 1.0: This new communications standard allows monitors to support plug and play capabilities as outlined by Microsoft for Windows '95. |
| March
1994 |
VESA Advanced Feature Connector (VAFC) Standard 1.0: Designed to standardize an open hardware interface for a high bandwidth point-to-point connection system for transferring pixel data between graphics and video systems. |
| February
1994 |
VESA BIOS Extension Display Data Channel (VBE/DDC) Standard 1.0: Provides the system services for reading the Display Identity via the Display Data Channel. |
| February
1994 |
VESA Audio Interface (VBE-AI) Standard 1.0: Provides a single low-level API (Application Program Interface) for sound technologies. |
| February
1994 |
VESA BIOS Extension Power Management (VBE/PM) Standard 1.0: Establishes a standard set of hardware independent system services for controlling the power management features of the VESA DPMS (Display Power Management Signaling) compliant display devices. |
| December
1993 |
VESA Media Channel (VMC) Hardware Standard 1.0: Standardizes an interface for desktop multimedia systems. The VM Channel enables the real time flow of uncompressed multimedia pixels in a bi-directional fashion between multiple video adapters. |
| November
1993 |
VESA Local Bus Standard, VL-Bus 2.0: The standard describes a uniform hardware interface, architecture, timing, electrical and physical specification of peripherals to a high-speed bus, and compatibility among a wide variety of products. |
| November
1993 |
VL Bus Plug and Play Addendum (included with VL-Bus 2.0): Describes the method to allow VL-Bus cards to participate in the ISA Plug and Play Standard. The method described adheres to the VL-Bus goal of software transparency. |
| November
1993 |
VESA Advanced Feature Connector (VAFC) Standard 1.0: Provides an open hardware interface for a high bandwidth (150mb/sec) point-to-point connection system for transferring pixel data between graphics and video systems. |
| October
1993 |
VESA Monitor Timing Standard for 800 x 600 with 72Hz and 1024 x 768 with 70Hz Refresh Rate: Establishes refresh rates for 800 x 600 Super VGA running on CRTs 17" and smaller, measured diagonally. These ergonomic standards eliminates almost all flicker and works on existing multi-frequency, high-resolution monitors. |
| October
1993 |
VESA Monitor Timing Manufacturing Guideline for 1024 x 768 with 60Hz, 800 x 600 with 60Hz, 800 x 600 with 56Hz Refresh Rate. Documents the most common timing parameters in current monitor and board products running at the above resolutions. All products manufactured to VESA's timing guidelines work together. |
| August
1993 |
VESA Image Area Definition (VIAD) Standard 1.0: Provides an industry standard method of defining the usable image area for CRT displays and enables consumers to compare products more easily. |
| August
1993 |
VESA Display Information File (VDIF) Standard 1.0: Provides a uniform display specification to enable video controllers from various manufacturers to provide correct monitor timing and video signals to any connected compliant display, without prior knowledge about the display's timing requirements. |
| August
1993 |
Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS) Standard 1.0: Provides communication between the display controller and the display, and standardizes a common definition and methodology in which the display controller sends a signal to the display enabling various power management states. |
| August
1992 |
VESA Local Bus (VL-Bus) Standard 1.0: Provides a uniform interface for local bus peripherals that ensures interoperability and compatibility between different manufacturers products while providing the highest levels of performance. |
| October
1991 |
VESA BIOS Extension (VBE) Standard 1.2: Provides for a common software interface to Super VGA video adapters, which gives simplified software application access to advanced VGA products. |
| October
1991 |
VESA BIOS Extension (VBE) Standard 1.2: (includes version 1.0 and 1.1): This standard enables software to query the graphics board on its capabilities and then set the desired mode. Serves as a common software interface to Super VGA video adapters. VS911022 is version 1.2 of the VBE and has added support for direct color modes up to 8 bits per color per pixel. |
| October
1991 |
VESA Video Cursor Interface (VCI) Standard 1.0: Provides an easy interface between Super VGA and pointing devices (e.g., a mouse), handling initialization, cursor drawing, and standard cursor handling. The VCI enables mouse users to work in higher resolutions than otherwise possible without customized drivers. |
| October
1991 |
VESA Super VGA Protected Mode Interface (SVPMI) Standard 1.0: This standard provides a protected mode applications mode setting capability for Super VGAs without requiring them to leave protected mode. It is the protected mode equivalent of the VBE. |
| August
1991 |
VESA Monitor Timing Standard for 1024 x 768 with 70Hz Refresh Rate: VS910801: Establishes a 70Hz refresh rate for 1024 x 768 Super VGA running on CRTs 17" and smaller, measured diagonally. This ergonomic standard eliminates almost all flicker and works on existing multi-frequency, high-resolution monitors. |
| November
1990 |
VESA Monitor Timing Manufacturing Guideline for 1024 x 768 with 60Hz Refresh Rate: VG901101: Documents the most common timing parameters in current monitor and board products running 1024 x 768 Super VGA at 60Hz. All products manufactured to VESA's 1024 x 768 / 60Hz guideline work together. |
| June
1990 |
VESA Monitor Timing Standard for 800 x 600 with 72Hz Refresh Rate: VS900603: Establishes a 72Hz refresh rate for 800 x 600 Super VGA. This ergonomic standard eliminates almost all flicker and works on existing multi-frequency, high-resolution monitors. |
| June
1990 |
VESA Standard 8514/A Register Bit Fields: VS900601: Defines standard 8514/A register bit fields and mnemonics. This and VS890804 allow software developers to develop high-performance portable 8514/A graphics applications. |
| June
1990 |
VESA Monitor Timing Manufacturing Guideline for 800 x 600 with 60Hz Refresh Rate: VG900602: Does the same for 800 x 600 at 60Hz. |
| June
1990 |
VESA Monitor Timing Manufacturing Guideline for 800 x 600 with 56Hz refresh rate: VG900601: Does the same for 800 x 600 at 56Hz. |
| August
1989 |
VESA Standard 8514/A Registers: VS890804: Defines 8514/A register names, mnemonics and addresses. |
| August
1989 |
VESA Standard VGA Pass-Through Connector: VS890803: Standardizes a VGA pass-through connector for VGA and 8514/A boards running on an ISA or EISA machine. Allows VGA graphics implemented on the motherboard to be used with higher-end boards using a standard connector. |
| August
1989 |
VESA Standard 8514/A ROM addresses: VS890802: Defines standard memory addresses for 8514/A products. |
| August
1989 |
VESA Mode 6AH Graphics Standard: Defines consistent initialization numbers for 800 x 600, 16-color Super VGA, which allows programs to set this graphics mode on all Super VGA boards. |
To Get Involved
Committee and Workgroup Meetings are regularly held each month at the VESA offices in San Jose, California. Interested members may get involved by attending a committee meeting or contacting the Committee Activity Department at VESA by phone: (408) 435-0333; or by e-mail: committees@vesa.org.Non-members may participate by contacting newmemberservices@vesa.org.
About VESA
VESA was established in 1989 to set and support industry-wide interface standards designed for the PC, workstation, and other computing environments. International in scope, VESA is a non-profit corporation, headquartered in San Jose, California; led by a Board of Directors that represents a voting membership of more than 290 corporate members worldwide.
Last Updated: 02/03/98