This document provides information about various computer connections and ports. It defines terms like connection, connector, and expansion slot. It describes common connection types like IDE, SATA, SCSI, serial, parallel, USB, FireWire, MIDI, sound cards, and video ports. It includes images and descriptions of specific connectors, cables, and the devices they are used for. It also lists common USB devices and provides information on USB transfer speeds and connector variations.

1. Connectors and Plugs
Things you need to know

2. Connection
A connection is a term that describes the
link between a plug or connector into a
port or jack. For example,
your monitor, mouse, and keyboard all
make a connection to the computer before
they will be able to work.

3. Connecting
Connecting - Describing the process of
connecting a plug, wire, or other device
to the computer. For example, I'm
connecting my computer to the
Internet.

4. Connections
Connections - An overall
description of all available ports
and jacks (more than one) on a
computer.

5. Connector
Connector - The description of the
end of the cable that connects to the
computer.Centronics, DB, and DIN are
good examples of types of
connectors.

6. Connect, connected, and connecting
Connect, connected, and connecting - This
term can also be used in software, for
example, when a user gets onto
the Internet they are connecting to another
computer to establish a connection.

8. IDE- Integrated Drive Electronics
• Integrated Drive Electronics or IBM Disc Electronics, IDE is
more commonly known as ATA or Parallel ATA (PATA). It is a
standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives and CD or
DVD drives.

9. A picture of what an IDE cable looks like, and the
IDE channels it connects to on the motherboard.

10. EXPANSION SLOT
Alternatively referred to as a bus
slot or expansion port. An expansion
slot is an opening located inside
a computer on the motherboard or riser
board that allows additional boards to be
connected.

12. COMPUTER EXPANSION SLOTS
• AGP - Video card
• AMR - Modem, Sound card
• CNR - Modem, Network card, Sound card
• EISA - SCSI, Network card, Video card
• ISA - Network card, Sound card, Video card
• PCI - Network card, SCSI, Sound card, Video card
• PCIe - Video card
• VESA - Video card

13. Many of the above expansion card
slots are obsolete. You're most likely
only going to encounter AGP, PCI, and
PCIe when working with computers
today. In the picture below, is an
example of what expansion slots may
look like on a motherboard.

14. SerialATA, SATA 1.0 was first
released in August2001 and is a
replacement for the Parallel ATA
interface used in IBM
compatible computers.
SerialATA is capable of
delivering
1.5 Gbps (1500 MBps) of
performance to each drive
within a disk array.
Serial ATA, SATA

15. Serial ATA, SATA cable

16. SCSI- SMALL COMPUTER SYSTEM INTERFACE,
Short for Small
Computer System
Interface, SCSI is
pronounced
as "Scuzzy"and is
one of the most
commonly used
interface for disk
drives that was first
completed in 1982.

17. SCSI CONNECTORS
The below illustrations are examples of some of
the most commonly found and used SCSI
connectors on computers and devices and
illustrations of each of these connections.
SCSI CONNECTORS back of Hard disk SCSI CONNECTORS male/Female

18. Short for Video Graphics Array, VGA is a popular display
standard developed by IBM and introduced in 1987. VGA
provides 640 x 480 resolution color display screens with
a refresh rate of 60Hz and 16 colors displayed at a time. If the
resolution is lowered to 320 x 200, 256 colors are shown.
VGA
DB9 Male/Female RS232 Cable

19. Short for Bayonet Neill
Concelman connector,
a BNC connector is a
type of connector used
with coaxial Ethernet
cable. The connector is
bayonet-style, meaning
that it is put in then
turned and locked in
position. This
connector is commonly
used on a Token
Ring network
BNC connector

20. A Composite Cable Or RCA Cable is an audio/video
cable with yellow, red, and white connectors on
each end. They connect a VCR, DVD player, gaming
system, or other audio/video device to a TV. The
yellow connector is for video and the red & white
connectors are for audio (red for the right speaker,
white for the left speaker)
RCA cable

21. Digital Visual Interface, DVI is a video display interface.
It was developed to be an industry standard for
transmitting digital video content to display devices at
resolutions as high as 2560 x 1600. Common devices
that utilize the DVI connection are computer
monitors and projectors. DVI can even be used with
someTVs
DVI connector
DVI plug/Port

22. FireWire
Alternatively referred to as IEEE-1394, FireWire is a
digitalbus with a bandwidth of 400-800 Mbps. It can handle up to
63 units on the same bus, and is hot swappable. Users more
familiar with USB can consider FireWire similar to USB, as they has
many similarities. Like USB, FireWire has dozens of different
devices such as removable drives and cameras.

23. Short for High Definition Multimedia
Interface,HDMI is a connector and cable capable of
transmitting high-quality and high-bandwidth streams
of audio and video between devices. For example,
between a HDTV and DVD or Blu-ray player.
HDMI
HDMI cable/Port

24. Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI is a
standard for digitally representing and transmitting sounds that
was first developed in the 1980s. The MIDI sound is played back
through the hardware device or computer either through a
synthesized audio sound or a waveform stored on the hardware
device or computer. The quality of how MIDI sounds when
played back by the hardware device or computer depends upon
that device's capability.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI
MIDI cable use in connecting musical keyboard

25. The parallel port is found on the back of
IBM compatible computers and is a 25-pin
(type DB-25) computer interface commonly
used to connect printers to the computer.
PARALLEL PORT
Parallel connector (as indicated)
Parallel port with printer logo

26. A sound card is an expansion card or IC for
producing sound on a computer that can be heard
through speakers or headphones. Although the
computer does not need a sound device to function,
they are included on every machine in one form or
another; either in an expansion slot (sound card) or
on the motherboard (onboard).
SOUND CARD

27. Digital Out (White or Yellow) (words: "Digital" or "Digital Out") -
Used with surround sound or loudspeakers.
Sound in or line in (Blue) (Arrow pointing into waves) - Connection
for external audio sources, e.g. tape recorder, record player, or CD
player.
Sound out or line out (Green) (Arrow pointing
out of waves) - The primary sound connection
for your speakers or headphones. This sound
card also has a second (black) and third
(orange) sound out connector.
Microphone or Mic (Pink) (Microphone) - The connection for
a microphone or headphones.
MIDI or joystick (15 pin yellow connector) -
Used with earlier sound cards to connect MIDI
keyboard or joystick.

28. USES OF A COMPUTER SOUND CARD
• Games
• Audio CDs and listening to music
• Watch movies
• Audio conferencing
• Creating and playing Midi
• Educational software
• Business presentations
• Record dictations
• Voice recognition

29. Universal Serial Bus, USB
Short for Universal Serial Bus, USB (pronounced yoo-es-
bee) is a standard that was introduced
in1995 by Intel, Compaq, Microsoft and other computer
companies. USB 1.x is an external bus standard that
supports data transfer rates of 12Mbps and is capable of
supporting up to 127peripheral devices.

30. USB transfer speeds
USB 2.0, also known as hi-speed USB, was developed by
Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Intel,Lucent,
Microsoft, NECand Philips and was introduced in 2001. Hi-
speed USB is capable of supporting a transfer rate of up to
480 Mbps and is backwards compatible, meaning it is
capable of supporting USB 1.0 and 1.1 devices and cables.
USB 3.0 also known as Super Speed USB is the latest version of
the USB protocol. Most new computers feature USB 3.0 ports
built-in, offering data transfer speeds of up to five gigabits per
second. USB 3.0 improved upon the USB 2.0 technology with
speed and performance increases, improved power
management and increased bandwidth capability (providing
two unidirectional data paths for receiving and sending data at
the same time).

31. USB connector variations
USB connectors come in many shapes and sizes as
there are many different devices that utilize them.
Every version of USB connector including standard,
Mini, and Micro have two or more variations of
connectors.

32. • Camera
• External drive
• iPod or other MP3 player
• Keyboard
• Keypad
• Microphone
• Mouse
• Printer
• Joystick
• Jump drive aka Thumb drive
• Scanner
• Smartphone
• Tablet
• Webcams
Today, there are millions of different USB devices that can
be connected to your computer. Below are just a few of
the most common USB devices you'll likely find and use.

33. Thank you