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VESA Plug and Display
Interface standard for displays and peripherals

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.

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Design

VESA Plug and Display symbol1: §9.4 
MarkMeaning MarkMeaning
A1RS-170DNon-standard
A2RS-343D125–65 MHz
A3EuroD265–112 MHz
A4VESAD3112–160 MHz
 
IEEESupports IEEE 1394-1995 USBSupports 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.2: §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.3: §10.1  Maximum resolution is 1600×1280 with a 60 Hz refresh rate.4: §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.5: §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.6: §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:7: §4.5.2.1 

P&D analog video signal levels8: §4.5.2.1 
SignalType 1RS-170Type 2RS-343Type 3EuroType 4VESA
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
BlankReferenceReferenceReference+0.000 VDC
Sync. tip-0.400 V-0.286 V-0.300 VNone

The P&D connector supports optional charging power at 18–20 VDC and up to 1.5 A.9: §4.6  In addition, a stereoscopic display synchronization signal is supported as an option.10: §4.7  Data signals over USB and FireWire also are optional.

USB version is not specified,11: §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.12

FireWire, if supported, must be compliant to IEEE 1394-1995 specification.13: §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.14: §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.15: §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 interoperability16: §12 
Host(receptacle)Monitor(plug)EVC17P&D-A/DP&D-D
EVC18 Yes Yes No
P&D-D No Yes Yes
Notes

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.19: §10.3 

The P&D port is sometimes mistaken as an alternative form of the Apple Display Connector,20 but ADC carries higher current, has different pin layout, and does not support FireWire.

VESA P&D receptacle pinouts21: §7.8 
PinFunctionP&D-A/DP&D-D
1General purpose, third makeTMDS Data2 +
2TMDS Data2 -
3TMDS Data2 return
4Horizontal & Vertical sync returnNot used
5Horizontal sync / Composite syncNot used
6Vertical syncNot used
7TMDS Clock return
8General purpose, fourth makeCharge power +
9General purpose, third make1394 pair A, data -
101394 pair A, data +
11TMDS Data1 +
12TMDS Data1 -
13TMDS Data1 return
14TMDS Clock +
15TMDS Clock -
16USB data +
17USB data -
18General purpose, fourth make1394 outer shield (optional) & Charge Power return
19General purpose, third make1394 Vg
201394 Vp
21TMDS Data0 +
22TMDS Data0 -
23TMDS Data0 return
24Stereo syncNot used
25DDC return & Stereo sync return
26DDC data (SDA)
27DDC clock (SCL)
28General purpose, fourth make+5 VDC
29General purpose, third make1394 pair B, Clock +
301394 pair B, Clock -
C1Quasi-Coaxial, fourth makeRed Video OutNot used
C2Green Video OutNot used
C3Pixel clock (optional)Not used
C4Blue Video OutNot used
C5Common ground for quasi-coaxial lines, second makeVideo / Pixel Clock ReturnUsed as mechanical key

Alternative names

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

References

  1. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  2. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  3. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  4. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  5. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  6. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  7. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  8. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  9. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  10. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  11. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  12. "M1 to DVI-D/USB cable $59.00*(US)". InFocus. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120204120205/http://www.infocus.com:80/accessories/cables-and-adapters/m1-dvi-dusb-cable ↩

  13. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  14. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  15. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  16. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  17. For this table, it is assumed EVC is the analog-only implementation ↩

  18. For this table, it is assumed EVC is the analog-only implementation ↩

  19. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩

  20. "What the hell is… Apple's Display Connector?". http://www.theregister.com/2000/09/27/what_the_hell_is_apples/ ↩

  21. "VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030704041337/http://www.vesa.org/public/PnD/pnd.pdf ↩