DVI is a common connection option for connecting PCs to monitors. Before HDMI became available for home theater applications, DVI connections were used to transfer digital video signals from some source devices.

DVI is a standard for transmitting video signals from DVI-equipped source devices (such as PCs and DVD players) to a video display that also has a DVI video input connector. The DVI interface has three designations:

While the connector size and shape are the same for each type, the number of pins varies. If a DVI connection is used in a home theater environment, it is most likely the DVI-D type.

A DVI-equipped DVD player or other home theater source device can pass video signals up to 1080p for display. Using a DVI connection results in better picture quality than using composite or S-Video, and can be equal to or better than component video connections.