ACCELERATED GRAPHICS PORT AGP)

A BUS DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE VIDEO CAR. IT SUPPORTS DATA TRANSFER OF 32 BITS AT 254.3 MBps, 508.6MBps, 1.017GBps, and 2.034GMps

ADDRESS BUS

A BUS SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS THE CPU WITH MAIN MEMORY MODULE.  IT IDENTIFIES MEMORY LOCATIONS WHERE DATA IS TO BE STORED OR RETRIEVED.

BACKPLANE

A CIRCUIT BOARD WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF SLOTS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BOARD

BUS

A COLLECION OF CONDUCTORS THAT CONNECT MULTIPLE COMPENENTS, ALLOWING THEM TO WORK TOGETHER FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE

BUS MASTERING

A FEATURE OF SOME BUSES THAT ALLOWS DATA TO BE TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY BETWEEN TWO DEVICES WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF THE CPU

CHIPSET

HANDLES DATA MANIPULATION THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NEED TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CPU.

ALSO CONNECTS MOTHERBOARDS BUSES TOGETHER TO RUN AT DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES ADN CONNECTING PORTS OF VARIOS SPEEDS, SUCH AS USB, FireWire and PS/2 the motherboard buses,

CMOS setup (or BIOS Setup) program

CONTROL BUS

A bus that connects the processor to devices

DATA BUS

A bus used to move data between components.

DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS (DMA)

A combination of software and hardware that allows certain system devices direct access to the RAM

Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)

A parallel port standard that allows a throughput as high as 2 Mbps.  The EPP is also referred to a the IEEE-1284 standard

Expansion Card Slots

Connectors that allow devices to be quickly and easily plugged into the bus system.

Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)

A parallel port standard that provides for bidirectional communication and has extended capabilities to support multiple devices.

Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA): 

An I/O (expansion) bus with a 32-bit data bus.  Designed in response to IBM's MCA bus system.  EISA buses are backward compatible with ISA cards.  This means that an ISA card can fit and function in an EISA expansion slot. 

Field Replacement Unit (FRU)

Any major part of a computer system that could be completely replaced on site rather than repaired.

FireWire (IEEE 1394)

A bus system that provides a high rate of data transfer (speeds of 400 Mbps). A single IEEE 1394 port can serve up to 63 external devices in daisy-chain fashion. 

Flash Bios

BIOS THAT IS STORED ON A REPROGRAMMABLE CHIP, allowing for easy upgrades.

Form Factor

The physical shape or outline of a motherboard and the location of the mounting holes.  Also called a footprint.

I/O port address

a memory address expressed in hexadecimal notation, which is used to identify a computer device such as a video card.

I/O bus:

a bus that connects the processor to the expansion slots.

Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)

an I/O (expansion) bus system featuring a 16-bit data bus.

Internal Bus

part of the integrated circuit inside the CPU

IRQ

an acronym for "interrupt requsest."  An IRQ is signal that interrupts the processes taking place in the CPU and requests that the processors pay attention to a specific device. 

Local Bus

a bus system that connects directly to the CPU and provides communications to high-speed devices mounted closely to the CPU.

Memory address range

An assigned section of memory used as a temporary storage area for data before it is trasferred.

memory bus

a bus that connects the processor to the memory

Micro Channel Architecture (MCA)

An I/O (expansion) bus system featuring a 32-bit data bus.  MCA and ISA cards and slots are not physically compatible. 

North Bridge

The Portion of the chipset that controls higher data speed systems such as graphics and DVD hardware

Peripheral Components Interface (PCI)

A bus system featuring a 32-bit data bus that provides a high-speed bus structure needed for faster CPUs.

Plug and Play (PnP)

A BIOS Function that enables the automatic detection and configuration of new hardware components.  Also, the automatic assignment of system resources such as DMA channels, interrupts, memory, and port assignments.

Power Bus

A bus system that sends electrical power for small consumption devices, such as speakers, lights, and switches.

South Bridge

The portion of the chipset that controls the slower devices asociated with the PCI and ISA buses.

Universal Serial Bus (USB)

a bus system designed to replace he function of expansion slots with a data transfer rate as high as 480 Mbps. The USB is accessed by plugging a USB device into the vus at a port opening in the case.  Additional devices (up to 127) can be connected to the bus in a daisy-chain configuration.

Video Eletronics Standard Association (VESA) local bus

a bus system that could handle a higher data transfer rate than MCA or EISA.  The VL-Bus was developed by a consortium of video adapter and monitor manufacturers.