Comptia A+ 801/802 Chapter 6-10

Parallel Port

I/O port that enables data-transfer method sending 8 bits or multiples of 8 in a single operation; quite often a DB 25F port, also known as LPT port

SVideo

analog video standard used in many VCR and DVD products for input and output of video signals

iLink

another name for IEEE 1394

com

another name for serial port

Apps

applications made for smartphones and tablets

CCFL backlight

backlight for conventional LCD displays

digital camera

camera that uses a digital image sensor instead of film; most use flash memory cards for storage

data projector

can be used in place of a primary display or can be used as a clone of a primary display to permit computer information and graphics to be displayed on a projection wall or screen

mini PCI

cards used to configure different models of a particular portable computer with different features and are not available at retail

ghost cursor

caused by mouse movement too fast for screen refresh rate

accelerometer

combination of hardware and software that measures velocity in mobile devices; detects rotation, shaking of the device, and so on

WXGA

common widescreen graphics graphics resolution for laptops and some displays

HDMI

compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data

SDDIMM

compact version of standard DIMM module, available in various pinouts for used in notebook computers and laser/LED printers

custom system configuration

computer configuration that is not a stock or standard configuration to better fir the computer to a specified task

Thin Client

computer used to access network stored and processed applications

standard thick client

computer used to run locally stored and locally processed applications

daisy-chaining

connecting multiple devices through a single port; used EPP and ECP parallel port modes and SCSI

header cable

connects to motherboard header pins connected to integrated I/O ports

Inverter

converts DC current into AC current to power CCFL backlight in LCD displays

virtualization

creating an environment in which operating system or applications run on a software-created simulation of a computer rather than directly on the computer hardware itself

color quality

describes the number of bits that represent color

ECP

designed for daisy-chaining different devices to a single port; uses IRQ, I/O port addresses, and DMA channel, making it the most resource hungry of all the different parallel port modes

terminator

device placed at the end of the SCSI daisy-chain or a switch setting on the last device on a SCSI daisy-chain

TV tuner

device that can receive analog or digital TV from over-the-air or cable TV sources for live playback or storage for later viewing

KVM switch

device that enables a single keyboard, video display, and mouse to work with two or more computers

contrast ratio

difference in brightness between the lightest and darkest portions of the displays

SPDIF

digital audio standard for interfacing sound cards or onboard sound hardware to a digital amplifier

multitouch Touchscreens

display that can sense the presence of two or more contact points; common in Apple and Android mobile devices

OLED

display that uses organic LEDs based on organic compounds that emit light

docking system

enables laptop computers to use devices not built in, such as card slots, high-end audio and video ports, and others; requires a proprietary, dedicated external bus connector

Videocard

expansion card that generates video signal and displays it on a monitor

VGA

first popular analog video standard; basis for all current video cards

SCSI

flexible interface usable for hard and optical drives, scanners, and other devices

pointing device

general term for any mouse-type device

pointing stick

generic term for IBM/Lenovo TrackPoint, Toshiba Accupoint, or other eraser-head pointing devices located in the middle of the keyboard

I/O port

generic term for ports used for input or ouput

Express Card

high-performance replacement for CardBus; available in 34-mm-wide (/34) and 54-mm-wide (/54) versions

USB

high-speed replacement for older I/O ports

root hub

hosts USB ports on a PC

imaging device

how Microsoft Windows identifies devices such as cameras or scanners in My Computer/Computer

HID

human interface device, mouse or keyboard

ARM

in mobile devices, a 32-bit reduced instruction set computing architecture designed for low-power consumption and simplicity

composite

lowest quality video signal supported by PCs, uses a single RCA cable and port to transmit video signal

synchronization

matching up of files and other data between one computing device and another

SVGA

may refer to 800 x 600 VGA resolution or any VGA display setting that uses more than 16 colors or a higher resolution 640 x 480

Device ID

method of indicating different devices attached to a SCSI host adapter; each device must use a unique ID number, which is set on each device

CRT

monitor's picture tube, a large vacuum tube that displays information

touchpad

most common type of pointing device installed on laptops; all emulate mice, but some recent models also support multitouch

resolution

number of dots per inch (dpi) supported by a scanner or printer, or the number of pixels supported by a display

screen lock

pattern drawn on the display, a PIN (passcode), or a password, used to make a mobile device unacessible to other people

geotracking

practice of tracking and recording the location of a mobile device over time

display port

primarily used to transmit video but can also send audio and USB signals as well; designed as a replacement to VGA and DVI

Video capture

process of capturing live video from analog or digital sources and storing it as a computer file

jailbreaking

process of removing limitations on Apple devices, giving the user root access and allowing a person to install unauthorized software

screen calibration

program on a mobile device that verifies the three axes (left to right, up and down, and back to front) are calibrated properly

port replicator

provides a single connection for various types of I/O ports for portable computers; device is connected to external devices and is then connected to the portable computer through an external proprietary expansion bus or through a USB port

refresh rate

rate at which electron guns in the monitor's CRT repaint the picture on the screen; measured in Hz

bus powered hub

receives power from upstream USB port; limits power to 100 mA per device

LED

refers to a special backlit LCD display; similar to LCD but uses different backlighting instead of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp

DVI

replaced DFP as the standard for support of LCD displays on desktop computers

nullmodem

serial cable that has transmit and receive wires crossed at one end; used for data transfer

serial port

serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time

mini PCIe

smaller than a mini-PCI cards and use a two-part, double-sided, 52 pin-edge connector

MDM

software that secures,manages, and monitors multiple mobile devices from a central location

Fn key

special key on laptop keyboards that, when pressed, enables other keys to perform an additional task, such as adjusting screen brightness, toggling the Windows desktop to an external display, and so on

MIDI

standard developed for the storage and playback of music based on digital sampling of actual musical instruments

RGB

the three additive primary colors used in electronics, systems, and monitors

Belarc System Advisor

third-party ActiveX web-based program that identifies the computer's operating system, hardware, Windows version, and security status

CPUZ

third-party CPU identification program that provides extensive technical information on a CPU's features and revision level

SI Software Sandra

third-party system analysis program that provides extensive technical information on a computer's hardware

degaussing

to demagnetize a CRT display; removes color fringing and distortions onscreen

Plasma

type of displays that uses small cells that contain ionized gas

LCD

type of screen used on portable computers and on flat panel desktop displays

GPU

used to render information on its way to the display

self-powered hub

uses AC adapter, provides full power specified for USB port type(s) supported

EPP

uses both IRQ and I/O port addresses; mode supported by most high-speed printers and drives attached to parallel port

Webcam

video camera designed for live chat sessions; resolutions range from sub-VGA -1080p HD

Internet passthrough

when a mobile device connects to a PC to use the PC's Internet connection

Wi-Fi tethering

when a mobile device shares its Internet connection with other Wi-Fi capable devices

rendor specific

when only certain hardware manufacturers use an operating system made for them

GPS

worldwide system of satellites that provides information concerning the whereabouts of mobile devices and anything else with a reciever

HD audio

Intel standard for high definition audio; supports 192 kHz 32-bit sampling in stereo and 96 kHz 32-bit sampling for up to eight channels

Android

Linux-based operating system mostly in smartphones and tablets computers; open-source

IOS

Mac OSX-based closed source operating system for iPhones and iPads

Hi-speed USB

USB 2.0 ports and devices

Super Speed USB

USB 3.0 ports and devices

generic hub

USB hub that plugs into a USB port of USB root hub

Cardbus

32-bit version of PC Card add-on card used in laptops

XGA

1024 x 768 display standard that is a minimum requirement for most Windows programs

PC card

16-bit PCMCIA card used in older laptops

Audio mini-jack

3.5 mm (1.8 inch) jacks used for stereo and surround audio, microphones and line in/line out connections

System Information

Microsoft Windows application that displays information about a computer's operating system, hardware, and environment

Device Manager

Microsoft Windows utility that displays detailed information about the computer hardware in the system including status and driver information

Home Server PC

PC optimized to provide file, print, and backup services on a home or SOHO network

Dual View

Windows standard for supporting extended or cloned desktop with external video port on laptop computers

Soundcard

add-on card designed for digital sound recording and playback; plugs into a PCI or PCIe x1 slot

gyroscope

adds measurements of pitch, roll, and yaw to mobile devices, just like in the concept of flight dynamics