VESA Plug and Display
# VESA Plug and Display

VESA Plug and Display (abbreviated as P&D) is a video connector that carries digital signals for monitors, such as flat panel displays and video projectors, ratified by Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) in 1997. Introduced around the same time as the competing connectors for the Digital Visual Interface (DVI, 1999) and VESA's own Digital Flat Panel (DFP, 1999), it was marketed as a replacement for the VESA Enhanced Video Connector (EVC, 1994). Unlike DVI, it never achieved widespread implementation.

The P&D connector shares the 30-pin plus quad-coax layout of EVC, which carries digital video, analog video, and data over Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 (FireWire). At a minimum, the P&D connector is required to carry digital video, in which case the connector is designated P&D-D; when both digital and analog video are included, the connector is designated P&D-A/D.

## Design

VESA Plug and Display $symbol^{:§9.4}$ :

| Mark | Meaning | Mark | Meaning |
| - | - | - | - |
| A1 | RS-170 | D | Non-standard |
| A2 | RS-343 | D1 | 25–65 MHz |
| A3 | Euro | D2 | 65–112 MHz |
| A4 | VESA | D3 | 112–160 MHz |
| IEEE | Supports IEEE 1394-1995 | USB | Supports USB |
| (none) | No IEEE 1394 support | (none) | No USB support |

The P&D receptacle and plug are required to bear a standardized symbol to designate the standards with which it is compatible. The upper left quadrant designates analog video support. The upper right quadrant designates digital video support. The lower quadrants designate IEEE 1394 and USB $support.^{:§9.4}$

All P&D connectors are required to carry single-link TMDS digital video signal (max 160 MHz), and support VESA Display Data Channel version 2 at a $minimum.^{:§10.1}$ Maximum resolution is 1600×1280 with a 60 Hz refresh $rate.^{:§1.2.2}$

Analogue video signals, if supported, must be provided as three separate color channels (red / green / blue) along with one composite or two (horizontal & vertical) sync $signals.^{:§9}$ The nominal impedance of each signal line is 75 Ω and each channel must be capable of carrying a bandwidth of at least 2.4 $GHz.^{:§7.10.1.9}$ The type designation for the analogue video signals designates the voltage values of the signals only, including the Type 4 (VESA) analog DC protocol introduced with $EVC:^{:§4.5.2.1}$

P&D analog video signal $levels^{:§4.5.2.1}$ :

| Signal | Type 1 RS-170 | Type 2 RS-343 | Type 3 Euro | Type 4 VESA |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Peak | +1.000 V | +0.714 V | +0.700 V | +0.700 VDC |
| Minimum | +0.075 V | +0.054 V | +0.000 V | +0.000 VDC |
| Blank | Reference | Reference | Reference | +0.000 VDC |
| Sync. tip | -0.400 V | -0.286 V | -0.300 V | None |

The P&D connector supports optional charging power at 18–20 VDC and up to 1.5 $A.^{:§4.6}$ In addition, a stereoscopic display synchronization signal is supported as an $option.^{:§4.7}$ Data signals over USB and FireWire also are optional.

USB version is not $specified,^{:§8.5}$ but if supported, it would have been intended for contemporary USB standards. The USB connector is intended for passing mouse movements from a projector's wireless remote to the computer's presentation software and for firmware upgrades.

FireWire, if supported, must be compliant to IEEE 1394-1995 $specification.^{:§8.6}$

### Connectors

Although the pin layout is copied from VESA EVC, the connector shell is slightly different: EVC uses a trapezoid shape, while P&D uses a D-shape. The interface is protected by patents issued to $Molex.^{:§7.1}$ With the introduction of P&D, EVC continued as the connector for analog-only signals and is sometimes known as P&D-A; the EVC/P&D family was completed with combination analog/digital (P&D-A/D) and digital-only (P&D-D) $connectors.^{:§12.1}$ P&D-A/D is compatible with EVC devices (except for the missing VESA EVC features), P&D-D is not.

P&D and EVC $interoperability^{:§12}$ :

| Host (receptacle)Monitor (plug) | EVC | P&D-A/D | P&D-D |
| - | - | - | - |
| EVC | Yes | Yes | No |
| P&D-D | No | Yes | Yes |

**Notes**

* 1 2 For this table, it is assumed EVC is the analog-only implementation

In addition to the regular P&D connector, the standard also specifies a 40-pin microribbon connector, which is only defined when making digital video connection via $P&D-D.^{:§10.3}$

The P&D port is sometimes mistaken as an alternative form of the Apple Display Connector, but ADC carries higher current, has different pin layout, and does not support FireWire.

VESA P&D receptacle $pinouts^{:§7.8}$ :

| Pin | Function | P&D-A/D | P&D-D |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data2 + | TMDS Data2 + |
| 2 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data2 - | TMDS Data2 - |
| 3 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data2 return | TMDS Data2 return |
| 4 | General purpose, third make | Horizontal & Vertical sync return | Not used |
| 5 | General purpose, third make | Horizontal sync / Composite sync | Not used |
| 6 | General purpose, third make | Vertical sync | Not used |
| 7 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Clock return | TMDS Clock return |
| 8 | General purpose, fourth make | Charge power + | Charge power + |
| 9 | General purpose, third make | 1394 pair A, data - | 1394 pair A, data - |
| 10 | General purpose, third make | 1394 pair A, data + | 1394 pair A, data + |
| 11 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data1 + | TMDS Data1 + |
| 12 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data1 - | TMDS Data1 - |
| 13 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data1 return | TMDS Data1 return |
| 14 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Clock + | TMDS Clock + |
| 15 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Clock - | TMDS Clock - |
| 16 | General purpose, third make | USB data + | USB data + |
| 17 | General purpose, third make | USB data - | USB data - |
| 18 | General purpose, fourth make | 1394 outer shield (optional) & Charge Power return | 1394 outer shield (optional) & Charge Power return |
| 19 | General purpose, third make | 1394 Vg | 1394 Vg |
| 20 | General purpose, third make | 1394 Vp | 1394 Vp |
| 21 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data0 + | TMDS Data0 + |
| 22 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data0 - | TMDS Data0 - |
| 23 | General purpose, third make | TMDS Data0 return | TMDS Data0 return |
| 24 | General purpose, third make | Stereo sync | Not used |
| 25 | General purpose, third make | DDC return & Stereo sync return | DDC return & Stereo sync return |
| 26 | General purpose, third make | DDC data (SDA) | DDC data (SDA) |
| 27 | General purpose, third make | DDC clock (SCL) | DDC clock (SCL) |
| 28 | General purpose, fourth make | +5 VDC | +5 VDC |
| 29 | General purpose, third make | 1394 pair B, Clock + | 1394 pair B, Clock + |
| 30 | General purpose, third make | 1394 pair B, Clock - | 1394 pair B, Clock - |
| C1 | Quasi-Coaxial, fourth make | Red Video Out | Not used |
| C2 | Quasi-Coaxial, fourth make | Green Video Out | Not used |
| C3 | Quasi-Coaxial, fourth make | Pixel clock (optional) | Not used |
| C4 | Quasi-Coaxial, fourth make | Blue Video Out | Not used |
| C5 | Common ground for quasi-coaxial lines, second make | Video / Pixel Clock Return | Used as mechanical key |

## Alternative names

* M1-DA, a name used by InFocus (often shortened to M1)
