Vol.008 - DP / HDMI 2-in-1 Connector for More Flexible I/O Design

 

Can One Port Support Both DP and HDMI?

“Can we design more intelligently within limited space?”

 

Meet the DP + HDMI 2-in-1 Connector: Greater Display-Output Flexibility for Industrial Equipment

If you have seen the rear I/O of industrial PCs, embedded systems, or digital signage equipment, you have probably noticed one thing: there are never enough ports, yet there is never enough space.

You need USB, LAN, COM ports, power, and display outputs. For display output, the two most common interfaces are HDMI and DisplayPort.

Here is the challenge: one customer may want HDMI because the on-site displays all use HDMI. Another may want DisplayPort to connect high-resolution monitors. Yet the engineering reality is that the available I/O space is already full.

DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector appearance

The Product in One Sentence

This is a dual-purpose display connector that accepts either an HDMI or a DisplayPort plug.

Normally, HDMI is HDMI and DisplayPort is DisplayPort. Their shapes, pin assignments, and signal definitions differ. What makes this DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector unique is its specialized structure and detection design, which allow one connector opening to accommodate both plug types.

It does not simply solve the problem of adding another connector. Instead, it offers a smarter option when equipment space is limited but flexibility for both HDMI and DP display outputs must be retained.

 

Why Does This Product Matter?

Many devices are moving toward smaller form factors and higher integration. Rear I/O space is especially valuable in industrial PCs, embedded systems, display-control equipment, digital signage, and commercial displays. The smaller the product enclosure, the fewer ports it can accommodate—yet customer expectations do not necessarily decrease.

That is the value of the DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector: it not only saves space, but also preserves HDMI and DisplayPort application flexibility within a single hardware port location.

DisplayPort 2.0 80Gbps

HDMI 2.1 48Gbps

Single Port Dual-Interface Integration

 

More Than Space Saving: More Design Options

For industrial-control and commercial-display products, the same equipment is often installed in different environments with different monitors, cables, and control systems. Some sites commonly use HDMI, while some systems prefer DisplayPort. Some customers prioritize high resolution and bandwidth, while others simply need easy connection to on-site displays.

The advantage of the DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector is that equipment can address different display requirements without repeatedly compromising mechanical design or I/O configuration.

The connector is clearly visible from the front view

Supports High-Speed Display Requirements

This is not a low-end or transitional display interface. DisplayPort 2.0 provides bandwidth up to 80 Gbps, while HDMI 2.1 provides up to 48 Gbps—supporting next-generation high-resolution, high-refresh-rate, and high-speed audio/video transmission requirements.

In other words, it is not designed merely to make both plugs fit; it enables equipment to retain high-specification display-output capability in limited space.

 

How Does It Identify HDMI or DisplayPort?

This is one of the product’s most interesting features. The DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector uses a Pin 21 switch-detection mechanism to determine whether an HDMI or DisplayPort cable has been inserted. Think of it as a simple identification switch.

Inserted Cable	Pin 21 Status	Switch Status	Operating Mode
HDMI	Not Triggered	Open	HDMI Mode
DisplayPort	Triggered and Connected to Shield	Closed	DisplayPort Mode

 

When an HDMI cable is inserted, Pin 21 is not triggered, the switch remains open, and the system enters HDMI transmission mode. When a DisplayPort cable is inserted, Pin 21 is triggered and connected to the shield, the switch closes, and the system switches to DisplayPort transmission mode.

When inserting HDMI, align it with the right side of the opening; when removing DisplayPort, press the latch.

Which Products Is It Suitable For?

The DP + HDMI 2-in-1 connector is especially suited to products where space is limited but display requirements remain demanding, including industrial PCs, embedded systems, digital signage, commercial-display equipment, display-control equipment, and multimedia devices.

• Industrial PCs: Rear I/O space is limited, yet support for different display interfaces is often required.

• Embedded systems: Compact designs require a higher level of port integration.

• Digital signage and commercial displays: Installation environments vary, and display interfaces may differ.

• Display-control equipment: Requires stable output while reducing interface-configuration constraints.

Accelerate Time-to-Market:  Next-Gen 2-in-1 Connector Bridges DP & HDMI for Unified IPC Platforms

In many cases, the biggest challenge is not making new designs, but selecting which market to go to under much hesitation.  To stay in the current market or to catch the potential customers in another growing one?　Now, you could have them all via the 2-in-1 solution, that could not only keep your current customers, but also allows more new ones in these two mainstream interfaces.    It’s a smart, flexible solution for Display-Output Design

One port, two display possibilities.  That is what makes DP/ HDMI 2-in-1 outstanding.