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Learn
the Basics. Your Computer.
By Matt Western.
In
this multi part article I will explain to you the basic components
of your Computer. I will also try and clear up some of the terminology
used that describes various components of your computer.
This
article is not intened to be detailed ot technical. It is just
meant to offer you an introduction to the topic being discussed.
Serial
Ports
In
a computer, a serial port is an interface (a point that can have
something attached to it) on a computer system with which information
is transferred in or out one bit at a time.
Data
transferred through a serial port is measured in bits per second,
the term for this measurement is baud.
In
earlier days serial devices could transfer data up to 300 baud,
but nowadays the typical serial data transfer speed is around
56,000 bits per second (56Kbps) or 56,000 baud.
Throughout most of the history of personal computers, this was
accomplished using the RS-232 standard over simple cables connecting
the computer to a device such as a terminal (a terminal is a device
that connects to a larger computer like a mini or mainframe and
allows many people to use it at one time) or modem. Mice, keyboards,
and other devices were also often connected this way.
While
RS-232 originally specified a 25-pin D-type connector, these were
large and awkward, and most of the pins were unused (after all,
since data is sent one bit at a time, only one wire is needed
for data in each direction plus a few control signals).
Because the 25 pin connector was large and most pins were unused,
it became common to use other connectors for these ports (in particular
the 9-pin version used by the original IBM PC). In Europe, the
related RS-422 standard was popular, and often used German DIN
connectors.
In
very recent years, more advanced electronics has made possible
more reliable and higher-speed serial communications such as USB
and Firewire.
USB
and Firewire are much faster interfaces. These interfaces make
it possible to connect devices that would not have been feasible
over slower serial connections, such as storage devices and sound
and video devices.
RS
232 is not as popular as it once was, but it is still available
on all new PC's.
Devices
that typically use a serial port to connect to are printers, modems
and mice.
Article
© Matt Western - deTechnify.com
**********************************************************
Matt Western has been working in the electronics and IT areas
since 1983. These days he heads up deTechnify.com a web site aimed
at clearing away the technical haze surrounding computers computing
and the internet.
You can contact Matt via http://www.detechnify.com
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