The Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) defines a data structure that a digital video device (essentially a computer monitor) sends to a video card to communicate its characteristics so that the card can, in turn, send the signal at the correct resolution and frequency in addition to knowing the display data.

Where is EDID used?

The source device that communicates with a display / TV / Monitor / Projector can be a graphics card on a desktop or laptop PC, a DVB-T / DVB-S receiver, DVR, a DVD and Blu-ray Disc player, a console game ... and this is what reads the data contained in the EDID to generate the required video signal. Originally the EDID was developed for use between analog devices such as computers - monitors with VGA connections: now we find it implemented in DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort and all digital video connections.