Direct Media Interface is part of the technology used on a motherboard, which itself is part of the central brain of your computer.
Direct Media Interface (DMI) is a term used by the Intel Corporation to define a connection type used in some of their computer hardware. The term was first used in 2004.
Identification
Direct Media Interface refers to the chip to chip connection used by Intel to connect the platform controller hub (PCH) to the computer's central processing unit (CPU). Intel has used DMI on its i3, i5 and i7 chips as well as on other systems based on its Nehalem and Clarkdale processors.
Function
DMI is a high-speed interface bus that allows for simultaneous transfers between the processor and the PCH. Transfer rates of up to 10 gigabytes (GB) per second can be achieved. DMI succeeded Intel's Hub system, which performed a similar function, albeit less efficiently.
Expert Insight
According to CNET, Intel's Direct Media Interface was the cause of a 2008 court battle between Intel and NVIDIA, a manufacturer of graphics processing units (GPUs) and other chipsets. Intel sued NVIDIA to stop them from developing products that make use of DMI.
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