DMS-59
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DMS-59 is a 59-pin electrical connector generally used for computer video cards. It provides two DVI-I outputs on a single connector. A connector adapter cable is needed for conversion from DMS-59 to DVI or VGA, and different types of adapter cables exist. The connector is four pins high and 15 pins wide, with a single pin missing from the top row, in a D-shaped shell, with thumbscrews.
The application for DMS-59 is to support a higher density of video displays, in the same amount of connector space as a DVI connector. DMS-59 supports two DVI-I channels, which yields two VGA analog channels and four DVI digital channels (two DVI-D Dual Link channels). Thus, a single DMS-59 connector can support up to four monitors, depending on the card and the monitors. The compact size lets a half-height card support up to four monitors, and a full-height card (with two DMS-59 connectors) up to eight monitors.
The DMS-59 connector is used by ATI, NVIDIA, and Matrox for video cards sold in Dell, HP, and Sun computers. Dell provides adapter cables which break out the DMS-59 connection into other types. One adapter cable has two VGA connectors; the other has two DVI-I connectors.
Some confusion has been caused by the fact that vendors label cards with DMS-59 as "supports DVI", but the cards do not have DVI connectors built-in. Such cards, when equipped with only the VGA connector adapter cable, cannot be connected to a monitor with only a DVI-D input. A DMS-59 to DVI adapter cable needs to be used with such monitors.
The DMS-59 connector is derived from the Molex Low Force Helix connector, which can also be found on some (presumably earlier) graphics cards. These ports are similar to the DMS-59 port, but have all 60 pins present, whereas DMS-59 has one pin (pin 58) blocked. You cannot put a connector plug with all 60 pins (such as a Molex 88766-7610 DVI-I splitter) into a properly keyed DMS-59 socket.
