Plug and Display Analog/Digital (P&D-A/D, M1-DA) Video

35 pin MOLEX “MicroCross” female connector at the videocard/monitor.

35 pin MOLEX “MicroCross” male connector at the cable.

The VESA Plug and Display Analog/Digital connector (P&D-A/D), commercially marketed by InFocus and projector vendors as M1-DA, is the analogue-plus-digital variant of the P&D standard first ratified by VESA in June 1997. It consolidates TMDS digital video (Silicon Image PanelLink protocol), analogue RGB via four coaxial lines, USB, optional IEEE 1394 (FireWire), and DDC/I²C into a single 30-pin D-shell body supplemented by five coaxial contacts (C1–C5). The digital TMDS section is pin-compatible with the digital-only P&D-D variant, and the standard is explicitly compatible with DVI via a passive mechanical adapter, though care is required because the P&D Hot Plug Detect line may carry up to +20 V whereas DVI HPD is rated at +5 V. The connector was assigned VESA interface code 06h in the EDID Display Information Extension Block standard (August 2001) and shares its TMDS encoding with DFP and DVI; it was largely superseded by DVI by 2004.

Notes

• The P&D-A/D (M1-DA) uses a D-shaped shell, distinguishing it from the earlier EVC (Enhanced Video Connector, 1994) which shares the same 30-pin-plus-quad-coax contact layout but uses an isosceles-trapezoid shell.
• The digital TMDS section (pins 1–3, 7, 11–15, 21–23) is pin-compatible with the digital-only P&D-D variant; a passive mechanical adapter connects P&D-A/D to a DVI-I port.
• HPD voltage caution: the Hot Plug Detect line on P&D may carry up to +20 V; DVI HPD is specified at +5 V. Adapters must leave the HPD line unconnected or clamp it to 5 V to avoid damaging DVI host hardware.
• USB support is per USB Specification v1.0 (January 1996); DDC is per VESA DDC/CI Standard v1 (August 1998). Both are optional features of the P&D standard.
• IEEE 1394 (FireWire) support is optional; pins 9–10 (pair A, data), 18 (outer shield/charge power return), 19–20 (Vg/Vp), and 29–30 (pair B, clock) carry the 1394 interface.
• The coaxial contacts C1–C4 carry analogue RGB video; C5 is the shared video/pixel clock ground return.
• The +5 VDC supply on pin 28 powers DDC and related circuitry. Pin 8 carries charge power for optional peripheral charging.
• VESA assigned interface code 06h to P&D in the EDID Display Information Extension Block standard (VESA DI-EXT, Release A, August 2001).

Signals

• TMDS Data 2+/− — Positive and negative conductors of TMDS data channel 2 (differential pair; single-link TMDS per Silicon Image PanelLink)
• TMDS Data return — Shield/return for TMDS data pairs
• Hz and Vt Sync return — Ground return for horizontal and vertical synchronisation signals
• Horizontal sync/Composite sync — Analogue horizontal synchronisation or composite sync signal
• Vertical sync — Analogue vertical synchronisation signal
• TMDS Clock return — Shield/return for the TMDS clock pair
• Charge power — Optional power rail for peripheral charging
• 1394 pair A, data−/+ — IEEE 1394 (FireWire) data pair A, negative and positive conductors
• TMDS Data 1+/− — Positive and negative conductors of TMDS data channel 1
• TMDS Data 1 return — Shield/return for TMDS data channel 1
• TMDS Clock+/− — Positive and negative conductors of the TMDS pixel clock pair
• USB data+/− — USB 1.0 data lines (positive and negative)
• 1394 outer shield — IEEE 1394 outer cable shield, also serves as charge power return (optional; pin 18*)
• 1394 Vg — IEEE 1394 ground reference voltage
• 1394 Vp — IEEE 1394 power voltage
• TMDS Data 0+/− — Positive and negative conductors of TMDS data channel 0
• TMDS Data 0 return — Shield/return for TMDS data channel 0
• Stereo sync (TTL) — TTL-level synchronisation signal for stereo (3D) display glasses
• DDC return & Stereo Sync return — Ground return shared by the DDC bus and stereo sync signal
• DDC data (SDA) — I²C data line for Display Data Channel (carries EDID from the display)
• DDC clock (SCL) — I²C clock line for Display Data Channel
• +5 VDC — 5 V supply for DDC and peripheral logic
• 1394 pair B, clock+/− — IEEE 1394 clock pair B, positive and negative conductors
• C1 – Red Video — Analogue red video signal (coaxial contact)
• C2 – Green Video — Analogue green video signal (coaxial contact)
• C3 – Pixel clock (optional) — Optional analogue pixel clock (coaxial contact)
• C4 – Blue Video — Analogue blue video signal (coaxial contact)
• C5 – Video / Pixel Clock Ground — Coaxial ground return for analogue video and pixel clock signals

References

• VESA Plug and Display Standard, Version 1.0, Revision 0 (June 1997)
• Digital Visual Interface (DVI) Revision 1.0 – DDWG, April 1999
• VESA Display Information Extension Block Standard, Release A (August 2001)

Category:Computer Video Connectors