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CUT6 2.3
Computers: Understanding Tech 6e 2.3
Term | Definition |
---|---|
system unit | The main part of the computer that houses the major components used in processing data. |
power supply | The component that converts the 110-volt or 220-volt alternating current (AC) from your wall outlet to the much lower voltage direct current (DC) that computer components require. |
motherboard | The large circuit board that functions as the main controller board for a computer. |
trace | A conductive pathway on a circuit board. |
chipset | A controller chip (or set of chips) that controls and directs all the data traffic on a motherboard. |
bus | An electronic path along which data is transmitted. |
bus width | The number of bits a bus can transport simultaneously. |
system bus | The bus that connects the CPU to the main memory. |
expansion bus | A bus on a motherboard that provides communication between the CPU and a peripheral device. |
expansion slot | A narrow slot in the motherboard that allows the insertion of an expansion board. |
expansion board | A circuit board that adds some specific capability to a computer system, such as sound, networking, or extra ports for connecting external devices. Also called expansion card or adapter. |
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus | A popular standard for expansion slots in modern motherboards, available in several sizes including × 1, × 4, and × 16. |
ExpressCard | An expansion card, about the size of a stack of several credit cards, that adds capability to a notebook computer by connecting into an ExpressCard slot in the side of the computer. |
port | An external plug-in socket on a computing device, used to connect external devices such as printers, monitors, and speakers to a computer. Sometimes called interface. |
universal serial bus (USB) port | A general-purpose port used by many different devices, including input devices (such as keyboards and mice) and external storage devices (such as external hard drives, USB flash drives, and digital cameras). |
FireWire port | A general-purpose port often used to connect external drives and video cameras. |
eSATA port | An external version of the Serial ATA standard used for connecting internal hard drives. |
S-video port | A port used for video output for standard-definition TVs. Also known as i480. |
High-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port | A port used for connecting to HDMI-capable input and output devices, such as to high-definition TVs. |
digital visual interface (DVI) port | The most common type of port for display monitors in modern computer systems; also used for some consumer electronics devices and game consoles. |
video graphics adapter (VGA) port | An older type of monitor port still used in many systems; on a PC, a 15-pin female D-sub connector (often abbreviated DB15F). |
D-sub connector | A connector consisting of a D-shaped ring with metal pins or holes inside it; described based on the number of pins and whether it’s male (having pins) or female (having holes), such as DB15F for a connector with 15 holes. |
Ethernet port | A port that enables a computer to connect to networking device using a network cable, typically a UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cable with an RJ-45 connector on each end. |
RJ-45 port | The official name of the connector on an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable. RJ stands for registered jack. |
dial-up modem | A device for connecting to the Internet or a remote network via a dial-up telephone connection. |
audio port | A small, circular hole into which a 3.5-millimeter connector is plugged for analog input devices (such as microphones), analog stereo equipment, and analog output devices (such as speakers and headphones). |
legacy port | A computer port that is still in use but has been largely replaced by a port with more functionality. |
serial port | A 9-pin male D-sub connector on the PC; a popular port for connecting external devices in the early days of computing but now obsolete. Also called COM port (short for communications port). |
parallel port | A 25-pin female D-sub connector on a PC, which matches up with a 25-pin male connector on a cable; a popular port for connecting printers in the early days of computing but now obsolete. Also called LPT port (short for line printer port). |
PS/2 port | A small, round port that was the standard for connecting keyboards and mice in the years before USB; named for a very old IBM computer, the PS/2, which was the first to use this connector type. |
storage bay | A space in the system unit where a storage device (such as a hard drive or a DVD drive) can be installed. Also called bay. |