Lesson 1: Computer Hardware

Computer

• An electronic device capable of accepting data and manipulating its data into information according to instruction.

• An electronic device that manipulates information or “data”. It can store, retrieve, and process data.

Hardware

It is any part of your computer that has a physical structure.

Software

It is any set of instructions that tells hardware what to do.

Desktop Computer

• Designed for use at a desk or a table.

• Made up of separate components.

Laptop

Is battery or AC-powered personal computer that are more portable than desktop computers.

Server

A computer that “serves up” information to other computers on a network.

• An example of a computer program or device that accepts and responds to requests made by another program, known as a client.

Tablet

A mobile computing device designed to be held in one or two hands.

Smartphone

A cell phone that allows you to do more than make phone calls and text.

MAC

• Introduced in 1984

• It was the first widely sold personal computer with Graphical User Interface (GUI)

PC

This type of computer began with the original IBM PC that was introduced in 1981.

Motherboard

The main circuit board within a typical desktop computer, laptop, or server.

Motherboard Form Factors

The specification of a motherboard — the dimensions, power supply type, location oof mounting holes, number of ports on the back panel, etc.

Random Access Memory

A hardware device that allows information to be stored and retrieved on a computer.

• Is a volatile memory — requires power to keep data accessible.

Hard Disk

A non-volatile memory hardware that permanently stores and retrieves data on a computer.

• Lowest type of storage

Central Processing Unit

It is the hardware within the computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input or output operations of a system.

Power Supply Unit

Convert direct current (DC) power that your mother-board, drives, and other peripherals need.

Graphics Card

An expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display.

Common IO Ports

A port is connector on a motherboard or on a separate adapter that allows a device to connect to a computer.

Clock Speed

A processor’s rating that measures a certain number of information processed per second.

FSB (Front Side Bus)

Serves as the processors connection to the system memory. Transfer speed allows better processor performance.

Cache

Enables the processor to speedily access recently used information.

32-bit

(x86) Less efficient type of CPU.

64-bit

(x64) More efficient type of CPU.

Single Inline Memory Module

Technology from early' 90’s. Don’t buy for modern PC’s.

SDRAM DIMM

To meet the increased memory demands of newer and more powerful Pentium and ADM CPUs, designers created the speedier __________. With 168 pins, 5 ¼-inch look much like longer SIMMs.

RDRAM/RIMM

Rambus, Inc., created a super-fast , super-expensive memory in the late 1990s and covered the chips with a cool-looking heat shield.

DDR SDRAM

Biggest competitor to RDRAM, this stuff does some tricky piggybacking on the memory bus to speed things up dramtically.

September 2003

When was DDR2 SDRAM released?

DDR2 SDRAM

The second generation of DDR memory and is capable of operating at greater speeds than DDR, offers a greater bandwidth potential, operates on less power, and generates less heat. Additionally, due to architectural differences, it is incompatible with DDR slots.

DDR3 SDRAM

These chips have a bus clock speed of 400 MHz up to 1068 MHz, range in size from 1 to 24 GB, and consume nearly 30% less power than their predecessors.

240 Pins

How many pins does a DDR3 RAM have for DESKTOP computers?

204 Pins

How many pins does a DDR3 RAM have for LAPTOP computers?

June 2007

When was DDR3 SDRAM released?

DDR4 SDRAM

Has bus clock speeds that range from 800-1600 MHz and range in storage capacity from 4-128 GB per DIMM, also more efficient at 1.2 V when compared to DDR3’s 1.5-1.65 V range.

September 2014

When was DDR4 SDRAM released?

Yes

(Yes/No) Do all computer need to have a hard drive installed?

berg

A power connector for floppy disk.

molex

A power connector for IDE devices such as hard disk and optical disc drive.

SATA

It is a power connector for SATA devices (e.g., hard disk, optical disc drive, solid state drive)

24 pin ATX

The main power connector of the motherboard.

4 pin ATX

It is a standard motherboard power connector used to provide +12 VDC to the processor voltage regulator.

PCIE Power Connector

It is a power connector for video card.

1992

What year was PCI introduced?

Intel

Who introduced PCI?

Peripheral Component Interconnect

PCI

PCI

Was used to attach hardware to a computer including video card.

True

(True/False) PCI has been replaced with PCI Express.

Accelerated Graphics Port

AGP

AGP

An advanced port designed for video cards and 3D accelerators.

August 1997

When was AGP developed and introduced?

Intel

Who developed and introduce AGP?

AGP

Channel is 32-bits wide and runs a 66 MHz, which is a total bandwidth of 266 MBps and much greater than the PCI bandwidth of up to 133 MBps.

July 2002

When was PCI-E approved as a serial computer expansion bus standard?

PCI-E

Originally known as 3rd Generation I/O (3GIO)

PCI-E

It was designed as a high-speed replacement for the aging PCI and AGP standards and is available in different formats.

DisplayPort

Is a digital display interface that can also be used to transmit audio, USB, and other forms of data.

High Definition Multimedia Interface

Simultaneously transmitting visual and audio data via the same cable.

VESA

Who developed the DisplayPort?

DVI

Digital-based standard designed for displays such as flat-panel displays (LCDs, plasma screens, wide high-definition television displays) and video projectors.

Analog D-Sub

Is a standard interface for analog monitor. It was designed for CRT displays.

Port

Is a connector on a motherboard or on a separate adapter that allows a device to connect to a computer.

PS/2 Port

Also referred to as the mouse port or keyboard port. It is used to connect a mouse or keyboard to an IMB compatible computer.

IBM

Who developed the PS/2 Port?

mini DIN plug

The PS/2 port is a __________.

6 pins

How many pins does the PS/2 port contain?

True

(True/False) DVI was developed for transmitting digital video content to display devices at resolutions as high as 2560 × 1600.

False

(True/False) DVI cannot be used with all TVs.

True

(True/False) HDMI is more common as only some DVI cables can transmit audio signals.

DVI

DVI or VGA?

True

(True/False) DVI cables will have better picture quality with digital (and most analog) sources compared to VGA.

Parallel Port

Referred to as the Centronics Interface or Centronics Connector after the company that originally designed it.

Epson

Who later developed the Parallel Port?

Parallel Port

It 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.

VGA Port

Provides 640×480 resolution color display screens with a refresh rate of 60 Hz and 16 colors displayed at a time.

256

If a VGA resolution is lowered to 320×200, how many colors are displayed?

640×480, 60, 16

VGA provides _______ resolution color display screens with a refresh rate of ___ Hz and ___ colors displayed at a time.

IBM

Who developed VGA?

1987

What year was VGA introduced?

USB Port

USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard. It is often referred to as SuperSpeed USB.

November 2008

When was USB 3.0 released?

False

(True/False) Most new computers and devices being manufactures today DON’T support USB 3.0.

5 Gbps or 5,120 Mbps

Maximum rate of USB 3.0

USB 3.2

The latest USB standard.

LAN Port

Referred to as an Ethernet port, network connection, and network port. It allows a computer to connect to a network using a wired connection.

April 2000

When was USB 2.0 released?

480 Mbps

What is the data transfer rate of USB 2.0?

12 Mbps

What is the data transfer rate of USB 1.1?

32, 66, 266, 133

AGP Channel is ___-bits wide and runs a ___MHz, which is a total bandwidth of ____ MBps and much greater than the PCI bandwidth of up to ____ MBps.

August 1998

When was USB 1.1 released?

Line In

Referred to as audio in and sound in; is a jack found on computer sound cards that enable a user to connect an external audio device.

External Audio Device

Include CD players, audio mixers, musical instruments, and microphones.

Line Out

Referred to as audio out and sound out; is a jack found on computer sound cards.

Line Out

It allows output devices to be connected to the computer, transferring computer generated audio to the devices so that it can be heard.

MIC

Port use to insert microphone.

Microphone

It is a device that captures audio by converting sound waves into electrical signal.

True

(True/False) The signal that the microphone converts can be amplified as an analog signal or may be converted to a digital signal, which can be processed by a digital device.

Analog Signal

Uses continuous electrical waves to represent sound, images, or other data.

Digital Signal

Uses discrete numbers that represent the same data.