Pictures Of Basic Computer Parts

Pictures Of Basic Computer Parts


Inside any computer you will find some basic parts. The basic parts are the minimum required for a computer to function properly in any application. So we have the outer case, the motherboard, the microprocessor, the video card, the memory, the network interface card, the hard drive, the sound card, the floppy disk drive and the optical drive.

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You will be provided below with a list of computer parts, each with its description and descriptive picture in order for you to understand better which is which and what is does.

Let’s start with the motherboard, which is one of the main parts without which the computer cannot work. It’s practicaly the support for the other parts which are attached to it, and it’s main role is to create the links between all the pieces you have in your computer.

Followed by the processor, or the microprocessor which is the central unit of information processing of a computer, which coordinates the system and which physically presents as an electronic chip. It controls the activities of the whole system and can process the user’s data. It’s the main element of a computer system; the chip, that is placed on the motherboard is very complex, and can reach up to millions of transistors. The microprocessor insures the data and instruction processing, both from the operating system as the ones from inside the user’s applications; it reads, process and control the applications and executes or supervises the information transfer and controls the general activity of the other components that make up the system.

The video card, or graphics accelerator card, is an expansion card whose function is to generate and output images to a display

The RAM, or the Random Access Memory, is the generic name for any type of memory that can be:

- random accessed, offering direct access to any of its location or address in any order, even randomly;

- implemented on electronic chips (and not on magnetic or optical devices as the hard disks or CDs).

The network interface card, or LAN adapter, is an expansion card designed for allowing the computers to connect to a network of computers.

The hard drive, or hard disc, is an electro-mechanical device for data storage or saving. Data saving is done on a magnetic surface on the rounded metallically cups.

The sound card, or the audio card, is a computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs.

The CD-ROM, or the Compact Disc Read-Only Memory: is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains accessible data to a computer for data storage and music playback. The CD-ROM doesn’t allow the computer to write anything to a CD.


The Floppy Disk Drive, or floppy drive, diskette drive, 3.5 inch drive, 5.25 inch drive, reads data from and writes data to a small disk. The most common type is the 3.5 inch drive followed by the completely 5.25 inch drive, among other sizes.

So now you know how basic computer parts look like and what are used for. We hope this information has been useful and has answered your questions and doubts about computer parts.

Overview of motherboards (part 2)

This posed a problem for full length expansion cards because the height of the processor interfered with proper card installation. In addition, heat dissipation from the processor sometimes caused problems for the expansion cards. The AT form factor also caused problems with the drive bays. The width of the board was 12" wide and 13.8" deep which overlapped with the space required for drive bays.


The Baby AT was a smaller version of the AT, only 9" wide and 13" deep, with newer, smaller components. It was a more compact board, but had the same drawbacks as the AT. In a home PC this is rarely an issue. However, in servers, many expansion cards are full length. Traditionally servers are not designed around the Baby AT form factor.

As motherboards have evolved over the years, the AT/Baby AT form factors have become obsolete.

ATX

The ATX form factor was designed to overcome the problems associated with the AT/Baby AT form factors. As shown in Figure B, the ATX component layout is different from the AT. In the ATX form factor, the processor and memory are arranged at a right angle to the expansion slots, allowing room for the use of full-length expansion cards. In the newer computers, the combined height of the processor, heat sink, and cooling fan make it possible to insert full length cards in any other form factor, and most new computers (including servers) are built around the ATX form factor.

The ATX form factor is different than that of the AT/Baby AT form factor

ATX motherboards also offer advanced power management features that make them ever more attractive to computer builders. For example, ATX motherboards offer a soft shutdown option, allowing the operating system to completely power down the computer without the user's having to press the power switch.

A full size ATX board is 12" wide and 9.6" deep. There is also a smaller version referred to as the Mini-ATX board, is 11.2" wide and 8.2" deep.

MicroATX

The MicroATX, introduced by Intel in 1997, is a compatible variation to the ATX board outlined above. As the name would imply, the MicroATX is smaller than the standard ATX board because of the reduced number of I/O slots on the board. Due to the fact that it is smaller than the standard ATX board, the MicroATX form factor reduces the cost of computers and is often used in lower-cost systems.

FlexATX

The FlexATX form factor was released by Intel as an addition to the MicroATX. This form factor, which is smaller than the MicroATX, is designed for lower-end, smaller, consumer orientated systems. Some FlexATX boards do not even include expansion slots which mean expansion is only possible through USB or firewire ports.

LPX

The LPX form factor is not a standard one but a non-standard proprietary one sometimes found in desktop computer models (as opposed to towers or mini towers). This form factor is characterized by an expansion board that runs parallel to the motherboard. A riser card arrangement is used for expansion cards thereby allowing for smaller cases. The disadvantage is that this limits the number of expansion cards available.

LPX motherboards are typically integrated and most have the video and sound components built-in. However, due in part to the fact that the form factor is non-standardized, the ATX form factor is more popular.

BTX

Balanced Technology Extended (BTX) form factor was released in 2003 by Intel. Unlike other form factors, this one did not evolve from an older form factor. Instead, it was a completely new form factor.

As shown in Figure C, the BTX form factor allows for more integrated onboard components because it is larger than ATX. The airflow path is optimized by moving the memory slots and expansion slots. This allows the main system board components to use the same airflow thereby requiring fewer fans and reducing noise.

Figure C

Balanced Technology Extended (BTX) form factor was released in 2003 by Intel.

The three motherboards included in the BTX form factor are outlined below.

• PicoBTX - This is the smallest BTX motherboard form factor. It uses four mounting holes and one expansion slot.

• microBTX - This form factor is slightly smaller than the regular BTX but larger than the PicoBTX. It uses seven mounting holes and four expansion slots.

• BTX - Also referred to as regularBTX, is the largest BTX form factor. It uses up to ten mounting holes and supports a maximum of seven expansion slots.

NLX

NLX has been a form factor in use with desktops for quite some time. It is a compact form factor, often referred to as a "low-profile application". NLX motherboards are easily distinguished by the riser card to which the expansion cards connect. The riser cards allow from two to four expansion cards to be plugged in. These expansion cards sit parallel to the motherboard.

Servers with this form factor offer power that is similar to the larger traditional servers, but in the size of a VCR. The obvious benefit of the NLX form factor is that the bulk of a traditional server is reduced to a space-saving smaller server. Additionally, servers assembled in a rack mount case can be secured to a rack, which can itself be secured to the floor, providing better equipment safety.

Table A summarizes the form factors outlined above, including what they are typically used for and the maximum number of slots

Overview of motherboards

All motherboards contain similar essential components including processor slots, expansion buses, RAM banks, integrated controllers (either IDE or SCSI), power connectors, and peripheral connectors. It is these essential components that work together to provide the connectivity and communication within the computer.


Although all motherboards have similar components they are based on different form factors and when it comes to motherboards, you need to be familiar with these form factors. Form factors determine the specifications of a motherboard such as its size, shape, physical layout, and so on. When purchasing a new computer system, the form factor is important because you need to ensure that the motherboard fits with the case and other components.

Integrated vs. non-integrated

Motherboards are classified as either integrated or non-integrated. Integrated motherboards contain built-in components that are normally on found by adding expansion cards. For example, a motherboard might have video and network capabilities built right into the board, so you don't have to purchase a separate video card and network card. The obvious downside to this is that if the video or network component ceases to function, you will either have to replace the entire motherboard or disable the malfunctioning onboard component can damage other components on the motherboard, necessitating the replacement of the motherboard.

With non-integrated motherboards, the initial cost is higher because more individual components need to be purchased. In case of component failure, however, replacement of the entire motherboard can be avoided. Another issue that arises with non-integrated motherboards is the availability of expansion slots to support the multiple components.

In server motherboards, it is common to find integrated components such as SCSI and RAID controllers in addition to the video and network cards already mentioned. With large amounts of RAM installed in servers, combined with the fact that there is no need for enhanced video, servers often contain some integrated components. Component failure resulting in a smoked motherboard is still an issue though. To support these components, a non-integrated motherboard would require a minimum of four expansion slots, and this is the main reason components such as video and sound are integrated into the motherboard of a server.

Many motherboard manufacturers offer both types of motherboards. The specific components used in integrated motherboards vary between manufacturers, but they commonly include on-board video, audio, modem, and network adapter card. Some manufacturers will integrate all of these components; others will provide a selection.

Form factors

As mentioned earlier, motherboards are classified by form factors. Form factors essentially define the layout of the actual motherboard including the dimensions, component positioning, mounting holes, number of expansion slots, and so on. There are several different types of form factors including:

• AT/Baby AT

• ATX

• LPX

• BTX

• NLX

The following sections will outline some of the characteristics of each of the form factors listed above, starting with the AT/Baby AT.

AT/Baby AT

The Advanced Technology (AT) was the original IBM form factor design, on which the processor, memory and expansion slots were all arranged in a straight line as shown in Figure A.

Difference Between Analog and Digital

Analog & Digital
As a know-how, analog is the system of taking an audio or video signal (the human voice) & translating it in to electronic pulses. Digital on the other hand is breaking the signal in to a binary format where the audio or video information is represented by a series of "1"s & "0"s. Simple when it is the deviceanalog or digital phone, fax, modem, or likewisethat does all the converting for you.
Digital versus analog can refer to process of input, information storage & transfer, the internal working of an device, & the kind of display. The word comes from the same source as the word digit & digitus.
The digital know-how breaks your voice (or tv) signal in to binary code a series of 1s & 0s transfers it to the other finish where another tool (phone, modem or TV) takes all the numbers & reassembles them in to the original signal. The beauty of digital is that it knows what it ought to be when it reaches the finish of the transmission. That way, it can correct any errors that may have occurred in the information transfer. What does all that mean to you? Clarity. In most cases, you'll get distortion-free conversations & clearer TV pics. The nature of digital know-how allows it to cram lots of those 1s & 0s together in to the same space an analog signal makes use of. Like your button-rich phone at work or your 200-plus digital cable service, that means more features can be crammed in to the digital signal. Digital offers better clarity, but analog gives you richer quality. Digital like the VCR or the CD is coming down in cost & coming out in everything from cell rings to satellite dishes.
Phone lines
Digital lines are present in huge, corporate phone systems. Though digital lines over lower voltages than analog lines, they still pose a threat to your analog equipment.
Analog lines also known as POTS (Plain Elderly Phone Service), support standard rings, fax machines, & modems. These are the lines usually present in your home or small office
There's digital-to-analog adapters that not only let you make use of analog equipment in a digital surroundings, but also safeguard against frying the internal circuitry of your phone, fax, modem, or laptop computer.
Cordless phone
The nature of digital technologybreaking a signal in to binary code & recreating it on the receiving endgives you clear, distortion-free cordless calls.
Cordless rings with digital know-how are also able to encrypt all those 1s & 0s in the coursework of transmission so your conversation is safe from eavesdroppers. And, more power can be applied to digital signals & thus, you'll enjoy longer range on your cordless phone conversations.
The advantage to analog cordless products? Well, they are a bit cheaper. & the sound quality is richer. So unless you need digital security, why not save a couple of bucks & go with an analog phone? After all, in home or small office environments where you may be the only cordless user, you won't have any interference issues.
Keep in mind, when speaking about digital & analog cordless rings, you are speaking about the signals being transferred between the handset & its base. The rings themselves are still analog devices that can only be used on analog lines. Also, the range of your cordless phoneanalog or digitalwill always depend on the environment.
Cellular Rings
Perhaps the most effective use of the digital versus analog know-how is in the booming cellular market. With new phone activations increasing exponentially, the limits of analog are quickly being realized.
Digital cellular lets significantly more people use their rings within a single coverage area. More information can be sent & received simultaneously by each phone user. And, transmissions are more resistant to static & signal fading. & with the all-in-one rings out nowphone, pager, voice mail, net accessdigital rings offer more features than their analog predecessors.
Analog's sound quality is still superioras some users with dual-transmission rings will by hand switch to analog for better sound when they are not concerned with a crowded coverage areabut digital is quickly becoming the norm in the cellular market.
Better Sound Quality
Digital offers a better quality of sound. Proponents of digital claimed that because digital scrambled up the signals in to bursts, it was more secure than analog & can help thwart "cloning," an act of grabbing phone account information over the air in order to copy then resell that information for piracy purposes. By some industry estimates, close to $650 million in wireless services has been coveted by these big-eared crooks, which only adds onto the operator's bottom line a cost that is finally passed on to the customer. Digital has stronger battery life than analog, & for the most part, better, more modern features on the rings.