Do you screw in both bolts on VGA cables, just the top one or ignore them altogether?

andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 121 points –
84

Okay I'll bite the bait. THE TOP ONE‽‽‽ What sick form factor are you using with vertical VGA ports?

You need to rotate your pc case if the VGA port isn’t vertical. The ground pins always need to be on top so all those grounding electrons weigh down the other conductors to make the data flow more quickly.

Uh no, the ground pins need to be at the bottom so they’re near the ground idiot

That's not true. VGA is a horizontal spec with the entire trapezoid housing being the ground contact. The data electrons to one side is due to the earth's axial tilt spinning them into a corner via healing crystals.

That's when you use the ports placed on the motherboard in a standard verical PC case, meaning the system uses integrated graphics for the visual output instead of deticated videocard. Videocards that are put into MB at 90° are horizontal, right, but in most office setups I handle they are rare nowadays. Videocards are almost exclusively installed when you handle 3d and content rendering in demanding apps, and for office and browser stuff they are too costy after the crypto price hike and in a sanctioned Russia.

Nettops have horizontal motherboards tho.

standard verical PC case

Excuse you! Standard PC cases are horizontal:

Desktop computers that have a vertically standing motherboard.

Many machines have vertical connectors, if the machine is turned for any reason. Or you're using the on-board card, etc.

Haven't plugged in a VGA cable in a long time. As someone else pointed out it depends if it is temporary or long term.. I always screw them in if it is long term

Haven't plugged in a VGA cable in a long time.

Exactly. What have you done to HDMI and DP ports?

DVI is the Gen X of video connectors

VGA is the Boomers and HDMI is the Millenials. Gen-Z is using USB-C.

Nobody likes DisplayPort

DisplayPort is the cool uncle who is happy to mind the kids for free. A lot of people copy his smooth relaxed style and mannerisms without realising.

Both every time but I also haven't used a VGA cable in at least 15 years.

Lucky you lmao

I still see them once every so often

In fact, I went onsite to a customer who wanted a new PC set up because the old one "wouldn't boot". Sure enough the cable was sticking out of the monitor at about a 15deg angle. I pushed the VGA cable in a bit extra hard and it came right back.

I was out of there in about 30min.

For quickly testing something: fuck screws.

For long-term use: both a tight as I can so I barely can unscrew them later because why not.

Long term use, at least one

Temporary, fuck the screws all together

And it was always temporary!

I've had less fall out than I had cases where the screw stuck in the socket and it started unscrewing out of the motherboard that I just gave up on them altogether

Jesus Christ, both!! 😆 But only finger tight. Sod you bastards who get the screwdrivers out! That's overkill. 😁

Both, heathens dont bother and they reap what they sow.

Hahaha, I can't disagree, even as a heathen.

As others have said, depends on how permanent something is

Who does just one? That's worse than not doing either. Since they're captive screws, doing just one can force the connector to wedge in crooked. I've had issues with tightening one too far before starting the threads on the other. Sometimes you have to go back and forth a couple times

After you properly connected it, sealing just one seems okay, isn't it?

If you tighten just one side, it can pull the connector in that direction. Think of tightening heatsink screws unevenly on each side.

These seem way more forgiving tho. Up to the point you can connect it hot and working and it'd go nice.

Pro tip: It's a lot easier f you twist both knobs at the same time using the same motion as opening a bottle cap.

Ever think you got it unscrewed and accidentally yank the standoff from the PCB?

I work in tech support. I haven't done this, but a user I've worked with absolutely has. I have a photo around here somewhere, if I recall correctly he actually ripped the wires out of the cable lmao!

Edit: the picture. Guess it wasn't wires out of the cable hah.

Well that's retro but I used to only screw in the side that's easier to reach because that already secures it while also allowing you to more easily unplug it again.

A school computer lab with a bunch of grubby-handed students touching and licking and who knows what to every surface? Yes, VGA cables get screwed down.

Both, three rotations after the threads catch.

One or none bears the risk of the connector coming out crooked and bending the pins, causing a potential alignment issue on the next connection and bending them further.

I think this is highly dependent on the setup.. like is this temporary, semi- temporary, or permanent?

Let's say it's for years, but this setup is not moving around at all and it's one of like a hundred of machines you prepare for usage.

Lightly screw in one

And then replace my old shit and not touch anything but HDMI or DP for the last ten years.

One if somewhat temporary.

Both if I want 1-2% increase in performance.

It depends.

For my work computer, I screw them in tight, both on the monitor and the DP/VGA adapter.

For stationary devices (like overhead projectors) and extension cords, I screw them in, but not very tight.

For classroom computers, I only screw them in on the monitor and leave them unscrewed on the computer. Students can't keep their legs calm and often snag the cables. I prefer to let the connectors harmlessly disconnect instead of damaging the graphics card or motherboard.

I don’t screw them in unless it’s in a confined location where the cable is applying pressure to unseat, or if it’s fallen off at least once

I sure wish my external HDDs had screw in ports. Those things come loose if there's a change in air pressure.

if I HAVE to use vga, and its only being used for 1 computer, than both, else none if im only using it for temporary reason , none.

It depends.

When the VGA socket I'm plugging the VGA cable has a screwing hole (for example, tower PCs as well as some HDMI-To-VGA adapters) , and I'm intending to let it plugged, I generally do screw them in, not entirely, but sufficiently to don't let it escape due to VGA cable's weight (especially if the cable has dozens of meters as well as those cilindrical magnetic thingies that reduces electromagnetic interference).

But one of my laptops have no screwing holes at the sides of the VGA socket so it's impossible to screw the VGA cable.

These sockets without any holes at all look and feel like they need these. These are mostly in notebooks where you do need to secure the connection, and it feels like whenever you put it in it is ready to go off at any second.

Context kind of matters for me, but if I'm screwing any in, it's both of them.

My monitors are on a swivel bar, and plug into the underside. Those get screwed completely in if the cable has screws. But on the desktop, since it doesn't really move and I've never yanked a cable, they're usually left loose.

I plugged one in today. I left the screws loose. Ironically I moved it between two computers that couldn't originally do VGA.

I re-organised my leisure desk. My C64 sometimes hooks up to a TFT thanks to my turbo chameleon 64 cartridge.

Today I hooked my C64 up to my CRT instead. I needed that TFT for my Amiga 1200 which has DVI-I out thanks to my indivision flickerfixer. But I have a DVI->VGA adapter to use that same cable.

Neither, and I never once had the cable fall out. Just imagine the countless seconds I saved from not screwing and unscrewing.

I usually screw in both bolts but I still have an old laptop that I use on very rare occasions that doesn't have the screw holes for some reason.

Serial cables. How quaint.

Video graphics array connector and DB-9 connectors are not the same.

Having soldered many of both, I should have noticed. I literally just threw out a big pile of both that have been loitering in storage for years. I'm still surprised when old tech (for any random definition of "old") pops up.