ITCNA-1 Chapter 1: Installing motherboards and connectors

Explain cable type and connectors, install and configure motherboards, explain legacy cable types

Peripheral Devices

Input/output devices like keyboard and monitor.

System Case/Chassis

Houses internal components of a PC.

Tower Form Factor

Vertical orientation for desktop computer cases.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Supplies power to internal PC components.

Integral Fan Exhaust

Fan in PSU for cooling airflow.

I/O Ports

Connect devices to the PC via cables.

Expansion Card

Additional card for extra ports or functions.

Hardware Port

External connection point for bus interface.

Bus Interface

Transfer data between devices in a PC.

Connector

Part of cable inserted into a port.

Edge Contacts

Contact points for connectors and ports.

Keying

Design to prevent incorrect connector insertion.

Binary Digit

Smallest unit of data, value 0 or 1.

Byte

Group of 8 bits, represents data storage.

Kilobits

1000 bits, used for data transfer rates.

Kilobytes

1000 bytes, used for data storage measurement.

Removable Media Drives

Devices for reading/writing external storage.

LEDs

Light indicators for drive operation status.

Adapter Card Slots

Slots for installing additional adapter cards.

Blanking Plate

Metal strip covering unused adapter card slots.

Cooling System

Maintains optimal temperature within the PC.

Case Fan

Additional fan for improved airflow in case.

Cut Out Slots

Openings for connecting cables to I/O ports.

Front Panel

Access point for controls and media drives.

Side Cover

Removable panel for accessing internal components.

System Documentation

Guidelines for maintaining and configuring a PC.

Anti-Tamper Security

Mechanisms to prevent unauthorized case access.

Transfer Rates

Measured in bits or bytes per second.

Kilobits

1000 bits per second (Kb/s or Kbps).

Kilobytes

1000 bytes per second (KB/s or KBps).

Megabits

1000x1000 bits per second (Mb/s).

Megabytes

1000x1000 bytes per second (MB/s).

Gigabits

1000x1000x1000 bits per second (Gb/s).

Gigabytes

1000x1000x1000 bytes per second (GB/s).

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Standard for connecting peripheral devices to computers.

USB Peripheral Classes

Categories like human interface, mass storage, audio.

Host Controller

Manages USB connections and device communication.

USB Device Limit

Up to 127 devices per host controller.

USB Controllers

Multiple controllers on motherboards for bandwidth management.

USB Standards

Versions with improved data rates and connector types.

USB Type A

Flat rectangular connector for hosts and peripherals.

USB Type B

Square connector for large devices like printers.

USB Type B Mini

Smaller connector, previously used in digital cameras.

USB Type B Micro

Flatter connector for smartphones and tablets.

USB Cable Length (Low Speed)

Maximum length is 3 meters.

USB Cable Length (Full/High Speed)

Maximum length is 5 meters.

USB SuperSpeed Cable Length

Recommended length is about 3 meters.

USB Power Supply

USB can supply power to connected devices.

HDMI

High-Definition Multimedia Interface for video/audio.

HDMI Usage

Common in TVs, consoles, and PC monitors.

HDMI Features

Supports high resolutions, audio, and HDCP.

HDMI Connector Types

Includes Type A, C, and D connectors.

DisplayPort

Dedicated video interface for high bandwidth demands.

Video Bandwidth Factors

Determined by resolution and refresh rate.

Resolution Measurement

Pixels measured horizontally by vertically.

Frame Rate Measurement

Measured in hertz (Hz) or frames per second (fps).

HDMI

Royalty-required interface for audio/video transmission.

DisplayPort

Royalty-free standard supporting 4K and audio.

DP++

Full-size DisplayPort connector type.

MiniDP/mDP

Miniature version of DisplayPort connector.

Thunderbolt

Interface for displays and peripherals, supports daisy-chaining.

Thunderbolt 1 and 2

Compatible with MiniDP, supports 20 Gbps links.

Thunderbolt icon

Lightning bolt symbol distinguishes Thunderbolt ports.

Lightning Interface

Proprietary connector for Apple mobile devices.

Reversible Lightning connector

Can be plugged in either orientation.

SATA

Standard for connecting internal storage drives.

SATA cable length

Cables can be up to 1 m long.

SATA 7-pin connector

Data connector that does not supply power.

SATA power connector

15-pin connector for power supply connection.

SATA speeds

Revision 1: 150 MBps, Revision 2: 300 MBps, Revision 3: 600 MBps.

Molex connector

Legacy 4-pin power connector for older devices.

Molex color coding

Red (5 VDC), Yellow (12 VDC), Black (ground).

eSATA

External SATA standard for peripheral drive connection.

eSATA cable length

Cables can be up to 2 m long.

eSATA port

Requires specific eSATA cable for connection.

VESA

Organization developing DisplayPort standard.

Daisy-chaining

Connecting multiple monitors to a single port.

Content protection

Feature supported by both HDMI and DisplayPort.

Peripheral interface

Thunderbolt can connect general peripherals like USB.

Apple devices

Use Lightning connectors exclusively.

Compact 7-pin connectors

Used in SATA connections for data transfer.

Internal storage devices

Connected via SATA or Molex power connectors.

Royalty-free standard

No fees for using DisplayPort technology.

PC graphics adapter

Hardware for video output in computers.

eSATAp

Nonstandard powered port for USB and SATA compatibility.

USB interface

Dominant standard for external drive connections.

Binary code

Ones and zeroes used for data processing.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Processes instructions and data in a computer.

System memory

Temporary storage for running programs and data.

Random-Access Memory (RAM)

Nonpersistent memory that requires power to retain data.

Mass storage devices

Preserve data when the computer is powered off.

Bus interfaces

Connect components on the motherboard for data transfer.

Transistors and capacitors

Store and transmit data in electronic components.

System clock

Synchronizes operations of all PC components.

Clock speed

Measured in MHz or GHz, indicates processing speed.

Clock multipliers

Adjust timing signals for different bus speeds.

Motherboard type

Influences system speed and device compatibility.

Motherboard manufacturers

Companies like Intel, ASUS, and Gigabyte produce motherboards.

CPU support

Each motherboard supports specific CPU models.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

Static charge that can damage sensitive components.