The venerable Video Graphics Array (VGA) port and it upstart cousin digital-visual interface (DVI) port will become extinct over the next five years. So says Brian O’Rourke, research director at NPD In-Stat in a recent report published on PCWorld. NPD In-Stat points out how new laptops today come with HDMI and DisplayPort for interfacing with HDTVs, monitors and projectors.
VGA 
has no upgrade path, and DVI has only gone through one minor upgrade cycle; in comparison, HDMI and DisplayPort are continuously being upgraded, according to O’Rourke. More importantly, chipmakers such Intel (INTC) and AMD (AMD) are phrasing out chipset support for VGA by 2015, while AMD has announced it will phase out chipset support for DVI by 2015. NPD In-Stat is forecasting shipments of devices with DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort to pass 2 billion by 2015.
VGA’s long history stretching back to its introduction in 1986 makes it difficult to envision a world without it. Still, there have been ample signs of its impending obsolescence, such as the introduction of DVI and HDMI ports in mid-to-high-end displays in recent years.
Of course, its forced retirement will mean that VGA will no longer be available as a fallback option for auditoriums and function rooms around the world. The presence of interface adapters can help, though businesses will probably need to give greater consideration to the presence of multiple interface support when acquiring new display devices or projectors.
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OF course, the move to HDMI is being driven by big media so they can implement their draconian vision of DRM, HDCP.
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.