Download Powerpoint Presentation: Ports and Connectors

Ports and Connectors
By Karina Hackett
Overview:
Ports are also known as sockets, and are
located at the back of a system unit.
Connectors are the parts found at the end of
a cable, and are affixed to a port. Ports and
connectors allow computers to connect to one
another or to other devices, such as printers,
scanners, CD-writers, etc.
Types of Ports
The connectors for
serial ports
SERIAL PORTS
Having been around for decades,
are one of the most basic external connections to a
computer. These ports accept data one bit at a time, and are
slower than other types of ports (parallel ports, for example).
Serial ports are used to connect to an external modem or
directly to a network.
Types of Ports
A telephone jack is a type of port. Telephone jacks accept a
telephone plug at one end, and attach to an electric circuitry
at the other end.
Types of ports
Parallel ports are the most used interface (point of
communication) for printers. This port needs 8 wires,
compared to serial ports, which only need one. Because of
this, a parallel port can send 8 bits (1 byte) at a time. The 8
bits are transmitted parallel to (beside) each other, as
opposed to serially, or all in a single row. A standard parallel
port sends 50 to 100 kilobytes of data per second.
The Connector for the Parallel
Port
Each pin in the connector that attaches to a parallel port has
a “job”. For example, pin #11 is charged if the printer is
busy, then it drops the voltage below 0.5 volts to let the
computer know it’s ready to receive more data. The printer
lets the computer know it’s out of paper by sending a charge
on pin #12.
Connectors
Connectors have “genders”. A male connector has pins, and
fits inside the female, which has holes.
Types of Connectors
(Most of which are found near Karina and a
digital video camera!)
Used for
digital audio
Used on many
USB digital
cameras
Used to connect a
digital video camera to
a computer
On the computer there
should be a "male"
connector; the mouse or
other serial device
(modem, digital camera)
should have a “female”.
Standard
audio
connector
A 4-pin
Firewire
connector
Has 4
pins,
a.k.a. SVHS