Transcript
Back To Basics: Identifying Your Computer Ports
All these ports have been replaced by USB
Serial Port: A serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time. PS/2 Connector: Is used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers. Parallel Port: Sends several data signals simultaneously over several parallel channels (as opposed to the Serial Port). Games Port: The traditional connector for video game input devices on x86-based PCs.
Ethernet/RJ45: The illustration calls this RJ45, this is incorrect and should be called 8P8C (8 Position 8 Contact.) They are used typically used to terminate twisted pair cables ‘internet’ cables. Modem/RJ11: a physical interface often used for terminating telephone wires.
VGA Port: Acronym for Video Graphic Array. Use this for external monitors/projectors connecting to computers. S-Video: Separate Video (not Super Video) carries the video data as two separate signals, lumen (luminance) and chroma (color). HDMI: High Definition Multimedia Interface is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. DVI: Digital Video Interface is a video interface standard designed to provide very high visual quality on digital display devices such as flat panel LCD computer displays and digital projectors. Mini-DVI: This connector is used on Apple computers as a digital alternative to the Mini-VGA connector. Micro-DVI: This port is a video connection port used by some Apple MacBook Air laptop computers produced between January-October 2008 audio.
Audio Mini-Jacks Sockets: are for stereo headphone input. S/PDIF: Or Sony/Phillips Digital Interconnect Format firewire-ports.
Firewire 400MB/s: Can transfer data between devices at 100, 200, or 400 Mbit/s half-duplex data rates. Firewire 800Mb/s: Can transfer data at a rate of 786.432 Mbit/s full-duplex power-ports.
C5 / C6: ‘Cloverleaf’ or ‘Mickey Mouse’ power connectors can be seen on the majority of laptop power supplies and portable projectors. C7 / C8: C7 is also sometimes called ‘Shotgun’. These connectors can be found on cassette recorders, battery/mains operated radios, some full size AV equipment, laptop computer power supplies, and video game consoles. C13/C14: C14 is used as an inlet to attach the power cord to the power supply, as do many monitors, printers and other peripherals, while many older computers also provide a panel-mounting C13 outlet for powering the monitor USB-ports.
USB-A: This kind of plug is most frequently seen on cables that are permanently attached to a device, such as one on a cable that connects a keyboard or mouse to the computer. USB-B: Typically plugs into an upstream receptacle on a device that uses a removable cable, e.g. a printer. Mini-A & Mini-B: Mini-A is now deprecated, but both these plugs are plugs are approximately 3 by 7mm. These are used in PDA’s, mobile phone, and cameras. Micro-B: Micro plugs have a similar width as the Mini’s but approximately half the thickness. These enable integration into thinner portable devices. Micro-AB: This receptacle is capable of accepting either a Micro-A plug or a Micro-B plug.
eSata: External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, standardized in 2004, provides a variant of SATA meant for external connectivity. DisplayPort: Is a digital display interface standard put forth by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) since 2006. MiniDP: A miniaturized version of the DisplayPort used by Apple. PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association is used in a wide range of products such as WiFi, networking and memory. Images are Copyright 2009, Martin Owens, Creative Commons BY-SA
