Why Do VGA Cords Have Screws?

If you have ever tried to connect an older display port to your computer, you have likely dealt with a VGA cord. These pieces are often seen hanging out of the back of computer monitors, and are usually plugged right into the back of a PC. For the average computer user, these cords are out of sight and out of mind. But if you are trying to finagle your setup to reach maximum efficiency, or you are completely revamping your AV system, you might find yourself dealing with VGA cords and other professional AV supplies more often than not.

Why Do VGA Cords Have Screws?

This might bring up questions like, “How do VGA cords work?”, and “Why do VGA cords have screws on them?” As one of the oldest pieces of hardware needed to smoothly connect an audio-video setup, VGA cords are quite sensitive. Let’s talk more about why this hardware requires a bit more precision than some of its newer counterparts.

VGA: The Only Cord With Screws

If you have ever connected a monitor to your computer, then you have likely worked with VGA cords before. They come with two plastic-coated screws on each end of the connector, which screws small pins into the open holes on the receiving device. While many newer cables no longer require these screws, they were once necessary to keep the connection perfectly in place.

Not to mention, monitors face their connectors downward rather than facing them up. This can cause computer wires to slip out of their sockets due to an unstable connection. These screws act as stabilizing pins that hold everything in place, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted visual connection.

Be Careful With VGA Pins!

Again, VGA cords are found just about everywhere. Perhaps it is because of their universal adaptability that they are still used on a regular basis, although more advanced versions of AV cables are on the market as well. However, these cables rely more heavily on analog protection than newer AV connectors. VGA cords come with a series of pins that transmit electronic signals from one device to another. Due to the fragility of these cords, it is essential that each pin stays intact. It requires all of the pins to make a solid connection, providing you with uninterrupted visual output.

However, if one of the pins were to break, your VGA cable may stop working entirely. They are each responsible for transmitting data to your computer, and visual quality will be significantly lost with each broken pin. In fact, you’ll probably have to replace your VGA cord altogether. If you have ever heard the phrase, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”, then you’ll understand how important it is that every VGA pin remains intact.

How to Screw In a VGA Cable

If you are setting up a new computer system and you are plugging VGA cables into the back of your PC for the first time, you might be a little intimidated by the number of available open ports. While screwing in a VGA cable is fairly straightforward, you may still need some assistance to get it in correctly. Just follow these steps:

1. Turn off your PC. This prevents electrical shocks or surges that could end up destroying certain parts of your computer.
2. Line up the VGA cord with the open port on the back of the computer, making sure that the pins have a place to go without breaking.
3. Start to gently guide the VGA cable towards the port until it fits perfectly.
4. Screw each side of the cord into the appropriate hole until you feel it tighten.
5. Once the screws are tight, you can stop twisting it. It does not need to be so tight that it can break.

If you have any other questions about VGA cables, or if you want to replace your broken-pinned cords with our state-of-the-art VGA converters, give one of our Kanex Pro experts a call today. We look forward to helping you achieve the best AV setup of the year!