DB13W3
| Company type | Connector standard |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware, Video technology |
| Founded | Early 1990s |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Analog video connectors |
DB13W3 (also known as 13W3) is a variety of D-subminiature connector primarily utilized in analog video applications. The number 13 signifies the total count of pins, W refers to workstation, and 3 identifies the quantity of high-frequency contacts. This connector established itself as a de facto standard for premium graphical workstations spanning from the early 1990s until the early 2000s.
Video
During the period from the early 1990s through the early 2000s, the 13W3 connector served as a quasi-standard for high-performance graphical workstations. Leading adopters included Sun Microsystems, Silicon Graphics (SGI), and IBM (notably for their RISC-based systems), alongside select display products from Apple, NeXT, and Intergraph.
Pin configurations showed significant variation, even among devices from the same manufacturer, which complicated sourcing and maintenance due to peripherals tailored to specific workstation series. Nevertheless, the proprietary nature of workstation displays and accessories generally minimized widespread compatibility challenges. Additionally, third-party manufacturers such as Mitsubishi, Eiki, and Samsung produced compatible monitors and projectors catering to these workstations.
Currently regarded as obsolete, the 13W3 connector has been largely discontinued since around 2006. Its role in analog video connections has been supplanted by the VGA connector, while digital flat-panel displays have transitioned to interfaces like DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. Among the final commercial uses of 13W3 connectors were in KVM switch devices.
Non-video
A modified version of the DB13W3 connector, replacing high-frequency pins with high-current contacts, is employed in certain 3Com SuperStack Ethernet switch models to deliver DC power. This variant is also found in multiple industrial equipment applications.
Specifications
This connector comprises ten standard signal pins plus three larger positions designed to accommodate either specialized pins with dual concentric contacts for coaxial cable or high-current pins. On computer video outputs, the signal pins are female, whereas the coaxial connectors located in the larger positions are male. These coaxial connectors carry video signals divided into red, green/gray, and blue channels; meanwhile, the standard pins handle four ground connections, three "sense" lines used for monitor identification, vertical sync, horizontal sync, and a composite sync signal.
Adapters and cables are widely available to convert 13W3 connections to standard VGA connector or DVI-A formats. This adaptability allows multisync monitors—commonplace in personal computing since the late 1980s—to interface with these workstations when supporting sync-on-green. Correspondingly, Sun monitors introduced after 1998 with multisync capabilities connect to PCs through similar cabling.
Although 13W3 follows a general standard, synchronization signal assignments differ among manufacturers: Sun, Intergraph, IBM, and SGI each implement unique pin layouts for monitor sense ID and sync signals. Both Sun and SGI provide two versions: one including Display Data Channel support and another without it. For instance, Sun’s DDC-enabled connectors appeared on UPA graphics cards (such as Creator 3D and Expert 3D) along with their compatible monitors (GD5410, GD5510). This variability complicates cable-to-monitor matching. Numerous 13W3 monitors do not support separate sync signals typical of most PC displays. Various adapters exist that enable newer VGA monitors to connect to legacy systems; a common approach involves a cable equipped with DIP switches allowing configuration of sync signals.