Ports and connectors allow external devices to connect to a computer system. Ports are points of connection on the computer case where peripherals attach via cables and connectors. Common ports include USB, FireWire, Bluetooth, serial and parallel ports. Connectors join cables to ports and come in male and female varieties. Devices like hubs allow multiple peripherals to connect to a single port.

1. PORTS AND
CONNECTORS

3.  The point at which a peripheral
attaches to.
 Communicates with a system unit so
that the peripheral can send data to or
receive information from the computer.

4.  External devices often attaches by a cable to a port on
the system unit.
 The term JACK is sometimes is used to identify audio
and video ports.
 The front and back of system unit on desktop personal
computer contain many ports.
 The ports of notebook computers including netbook
and Tablet PCs are on the back , front and sides.

6.  Joins a cable and a port.
 A connector at one end of the a cable attaches to a port
on the system unit.
 A connector at the other end of the cable attaches to a
port on the peripheral.

7. Male Female
 Have one or more  Have matching
exposed pins (end of holes to accept the
an electrical cord). pins on a male
connector or ports
(electrical wall
outlet).
• Gender changer is a device that enables
to join a port and a connector that are both
female or both male.

8.  Universal serial bus port
 Connect to up 127 different peripherals together with a
single connector.
 USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed USB) more advanced and faster than
USB.
 USB 3.0.
 USB 2.0 & USB 3.0 are backward compatible (they
support older USB devices as well as USB 2.0 & USB 3.0)
 To attach multiple peripherals using a single USB port, can
use USB Hub.

9.  A device that plugs in a USB port on the system unit.
 Contains multiple USB ports in which can plug cables from
USB devices.
 Self-powered or bus-powered
 Self-powered USB hub draws power from an electrical
outlets whereas bus-powered USB hub draws power from
USB bus in the computer.
 Wireless USB hub is a receiver plugs into a USB port on the
computer and it communicates wirelessly with the receiver.
 USB supports hot plugging and Plug and Play (attach
peripherals while the computer is running)

10.  IEEE 1394 port
 Connect multiple types of devices that require faster
data transmission speeds.
 The three latest version (FireWire 800, FireWire 1600
and FireWire 3200 ) have speeds faster than the
original FireWire 400.
 Use FireWire hub to attach multiple devices to a single
FireWire port.
 Supports Plug and Play.

11.  Bluetooth technology uses radio waves to transmit data
between two devices.
 Have to be within about 33 feet to each other.
 Contain a small chip that allows them to communicate
with other Bluetooth-enabled computers or devices.
 Bluetooth headsets allow smart phone users to connect
their telephone to a headset wirelessly.
 Bluetooth wireless port adapter that will convert an
existing USB port into a Bluetooth port.
 Bluetooth PC cards and ExpressCard modules (traditional
notebook computers and Tablets PCs).
 Bluetooth cards (smart phones and PDAs).

13.  A special high-speed parallel port.
 Allows to attach SCSI peripherals (disk drivers and
printers).
 SAS (serial-attached SCSI) transmits at mush faster
speeds than parallel SCSI.
 For small computer system interference can daisy
chain up to either 7 to 15 devices together.

14.  External Series Advanced Technology Attachment.
 Allows to connect an external SATA hard disk to a
computer.
 SATA hard disks are popular because of their fast data
transmission speeds.
 Connections provide up to 6times faster data
transmission speeds than external hard disks attached
to a computer’s USB or FireWire port.

15.  Infrared Data Association.
 Transmit data via infrared light waves.
 For these wireless device, to transmit signals to a
computer, both the computer and the device must
have an IrDA port.
 Align the IrDA port on the device with the IrDA port
on the computer.
 Example : smart phone, PDA, keyboard, mouse and
printer.
 Several of these devices use a high-speed IrDA
port, sometimes called a fast infrared port.

16.  A type of interface that connects a device to the system
unit by transmitting data one bit at a time.
 Some modems that connect the system unit to a
telephone lines use a serial port because the telephone
line expects the data in a specific frequency.

17.  Musical Instrument Digital Interface.
 The electronic music industry’s standard that defines
how devices (sound cards and synthesizers) represent
sound electronically.
 A special type of serial port that connects the system
unit to a musical instrument. (electronic keyboard).
 A synthesizers can be a peripheral or a chip, creates
sound from digital instructions.
 Has the capability of recording sounds that have been
created by a synthesizer and then processing the
sounds (the data) to create new sounds.

19.  A port replicator is an external device that provides
connections to peripherals through ports built into the
devices.
 The mobile user accesses peripherals by connecting
the port replicator to a USB port or a special port on
the mobile.
 Sometimes the port replicators disable ports on the
mobile computer to prevent conflicts among the
devices on the computer and the port replicator.

20.  An external device that attaches to a mobile computer
or device, contains a power connection and provides
connection to peripherals.
 Similar to port replicator, but it has more functionality.
 Usually includes slots for memory cards, optical disc
drivers, and other devices.
 Users can work with a full-sized keyboard, a
mouse, and other desktop peripherals from their
traditional notebook computer, netbook or Tablet PC.