DVI Connector Pinout: Hot Plug Detect Pin

Digital Visual Interface (DVI) cables and ports use a standardized pin configuration to transmit video data and control signals between source devices and monitors. Among these control signals is Hot Plug Detect (HPD), which allows a computer to recognize when a display is connected or disconnected in real time. On all standard digital DVI connectors—including DVI-D and DVI-I—Pin 16 is the specific pin assigned to Hot Plug Detect.

The Role of Pin 16 (Hot Plug Detect)

Pin 16 functions as an active signal line that notifies the host graphics card (transmitter) of the presence of an active display (receiver).

When a monitor is plugged into the system:

  1. The source device supplies a +5V reference voltage through Pin 14.
  2. The monitor pulls Pin 16 high (typically outputting between +2.4V and +5V) to confirm the connection.
  3. Upon sensing this voltage on Pin 16, the graphics card triggers an interrupt to initialize the link.
  4. The graphics card then reads the monitor’s Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) over the Display Data Channel (DDC) via Pin 6 (DDC Clock) and Pin 7 (DDC Data).

Relevant Pin Assignments

In the standard 24-pin digital grid of a DVI connector, the low-voltage control pins are grouped closely together:

  • Pin 14: +5V Power (Provides power to the monitor's EDID EEPROM chip)
  • Pin 15: Ground (Return path for +5V power and sync lines)
  • Pin 16: Hot Plug Detect (HPD)

Because Pin 16 is a digital control pin, its physical location and functional assignment remain identical across Single-Link DVI-D, Dual-Link DVI-D, and DVI-I configurations.