Video Electronics Standards Association

VESA (/ˈviːsə/), formally known as Video Electronics Standards Association, is a technical standards organization for computer display standards. The organization was incorporated in California in July 1989^[1] and has its office in San Jose, California.^[1][2] It claims a membership of over 225 companies.^[3]

In November 1988, NEC Home Electronics announced its creation of the association to develop and promote a Super VGA computer display standard as a successor to IBM's proprietary Video Graphics Array (VGA) display standard. Super VGA would enable graphics display resolutions up to 800 × 600 pixels, compared to VGA's maximum resolution of 640 × 480 pixels—a 56% increase.^[4]

The organization has since issued several additional standards related to computer video display.

Standards

• Feature connector (VFC), obsolete connector that was often present on older videocards, used as an 8-bit video bus to other devices
• VESA Advanced Feature Connector (VAFC), newer version of the VFC that widens the bus to either a 16-bit or 32-bit bus
• VESA Local Bus (VLB), once used as a fast video bus (akin to the more recent Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP))
• VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE), used for enabling standard support for advanced video modes
• Display Data Channel (DDC), a data link protocol which allows a host device to control an attached display and communicate EDID, DPMS, MCCS and similar messages
• Extended Display Identification Data (E-EDID), a data format for display identification data
• Monitor Control Command Set (MCCS), a message protocol for controlling display parameters such as brightness, contrast, display orientation from the host device
• DisplayID, display identification data format, which is a replacement for E-EDID
• VESA Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS), which allows monitors to be queried on the types of power saving modes they support
• Digital Packet Video Link (DPVL), a display link standard that allows to update only portions of the screen
• VESA Stereo, a standard 3-pin connector for synchronization of stereoscopic images with LC shutter glasses
• Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI)
• Generalized Timing Formula (GTF), video timing standard
• Coordinated Video Timings (CVT), a replacement for GTF
• VESA Video Interface Port (VIP), a digital video interface standard
• DisplayPort a digital display interface standard
• VESA Enhanced Video Connector, an obsolete standard for reducing the number of cables around computers

Criticisms

VESA has been criticized for their policy of charging non-members for some of their published standards. Some people believe the practice of charging for specifications has undermined the purpose of the VESA organization. According to Kendall Bennett, developer of the VBE/AF standard, the VESA Software Standards Committee was closed down due to a lack of interest resulting from charging high prices for specifications.^[5] At that time no VESA standards were available for free. Although VESA now hosts some free standards documents, the free collection does not include newly developed standards. Even for obsolete standards, the free collection is incomplete. As of 2010, current standards documents from VESA cost hundreds to thousands of dollars each. Some older standards are not available for free, or for purchase. As of 2017, the free downloads require mandatory registration.^[6] While not all standards bodies provide specifications freely available for download, many do, including: ITU, JEDEC, DDWG, and HDMI (through HDMI 1.3a).

At the time DisplayPort was announced, VESA was criticized for developing the specification in secret and having a track record of developing unsuccessful digital interface standards, including Plug & Display and Digital Flat Panel.^[7]

References

External links

• Official website