Extended Display Identification Data (EDID)

To share your experience using EDID with our ELI jump to the ELI Compatibility Report Form below.

Extended Display Identification Data, or EDID, is the data structure passed from a display screen to a device’s video source. EDID works by informing a device to display images with consideration of the screen size, display resolutions and power mode.  To further explain, take the example of a desktop computer and monitor (like the one you might use at work).

Most, if not all, computers contain a video source and a desktop monitor. Typically desktop monitors supports resolutions of 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, or 1920 x 1080. Once power is supplied from a computer to a monitor through an HDMI cable, the monitor sends information including display resolutions, low power modes, signal timing and refresh rates to the video source within the computer. This response of information gives the computer everything it needs to communicate and control the monitor and begin the display of images on the monitor’s screen. This data that is passed to the video source is EDID.

A broader explanation of EDID is available on Wikipedia here: EDID on Wikipedia.

Displaying images from EDID-compatible computers on FDI’s ELI products is a simple process:

Plug:        Power on ELI and connect the HDMI cable between the computer and ELI.
&:               Automatic detection of video capabilities
Play:        Images instantly appear, in the correct resolution, on the ELI screen

Future Designs Inc. leverages EDID technology to inform video sources of ELI’s display capabilities. Any device containing a video source that supports automatic detection of display capabilities is EDID-compatible and has the ability to power up, detect the video capabilities of ELI and then send the images in the correct resolution and timing for the LCD display.

ELI products are equipped with the industry standard HDMI version 1.3c with EDID structure 1.3 for their displays. In addition to containing the ELI model number and EDID revision number, each ELI EDID contains a Detailed Timing Descriptor (DTD) block that communicates exact timing standards for ELI operation.

Using EDID, ELI products communicate with standard computers and single board computers alike to display images in the correct resolution. Two of the most popular single board computers, Beaglebone Black (BBB) and Raspberry Pi (RPi), are fully capable of displaying images on all ELI products. However, it is worth noting that BBB supports EDID v1.3 for auto detection of screen resolution while RPi does not use the DTD block of EDID v1.3. Instead, Raspberry Pi relies on its configuration file to define display information.

The Touch compatibility table shows the result of testing our ELI systems for Touch Screen calibration, OS calibration, HID support and Digitizer support.

The following Video Compatibility charts show you test results from FDI’s testing with various Graphic Processor Units (GPUs), Single Board Computes (SBCs) in different operating systems like Windows and Linux (Ubuntu and Debian).

FDI would like to know what devices have successfully used ELI (and which have not). Use the form below to share your experience. We will use the information you provide to keep our capability chart up-to-date as we strive to continually improve the versatility and compatibility of our ELI products.

An asterisk indicates a required field.