Take the 2-minute tour ×

I have a device that has an HDMI output port. The specification says that I can connect it to a monitor that has an HDMI input port (through HDMI to HDMI cable) or one that has a DVI-D input port. Now, I don't have either. What I have are monitors that have only VGA input ( Actually, the connector port on the monitor reads RGB input, but I am assuming it is a VGA port). So I am thinking of buying a HDMI to VGA cable.

Will such a hack work ?

The device is BeagleBoard.

I can get an HDMI to VGA male cable, but all monitors seem to need female connectors, so if I can get a VGA female to female cable connect it to my HDMI to VGA male cable, will this work too ?

share|improve this question
You only have monitors that have VGA inputs? Time to upgrade your monitor. –  MBraedley Sep 5 '11 at 15:40
@MBraedley - Yes sadly, thats the truth –  AnkurVj Sep 5 '11 at 16:10

3 Answers 3

up vote 5 down vote accepted

This tend to be the general consensus on forums:

It won't work. VGA to DVI is possible, because there are two kinds of DVI signals:

  • DVI-I, which has both analog and digital output, and
  • DVI-A which has only the analog output

So if you hook in the VGA → DVI cable, the signal will be analog on the DVI-end of the cable. Since HDMI is digital, it doesn't support analog signals.

But there are signal converters that can convert digital to analog RGB, but they cost like 300$ at least. So you'll need a HDMI to DVI cable and a signal converter similar to this.

share|improve this answer
The required HDMI-male to VGA-female converters are now available, e.g. on dx.com, at around 8 US$. –  vinnief Jul 9 '14 at 23:53
You are right, but they does not cost that much. –  Pedro77 Oct 6 '14 at 16:29

No, it shouldn't work. HDMI ports on video cards emit digital signals, VGA ports on monitors expect analogue signals.

Cables with HDMI connector at one end and VGA at the other may be designed for video cards that have a VGA connector but which can be made to output HDMI digital signals through that connector. In other words, the other way around from what you want.

You might be better to look for a USB to VGA adapter.

share|improve this answer
Finding a USB adapter with drivers that work on a BeagleBoard (TI OMAP processor, ARM architecture, OS not mentioned but not desktop Windows) might be difficult. –  Ben Voigt Sep 5 '11 at 16:17


That's a VERY bad assumption, since "RGB input" describes almost all types of analog and digital video formats, and you should look at the actual specifications on the interface.

If you need help understanding the specifications, you might ask on electronics.se

share|improve this answer
The reason for my assumption is that, that port is the only port available, the monitor is fairly old, I searched on the web and saw that it looks like what a vga input port should look like. Electronics.se, now that is one site I could use ! Thank you ! –  AnkurVj Sep 5 '11 at 16:13

Your Answer


