Understanding Computers “Getting Inside the Computer” Computer Hardware

Motherboards Companies –ASUS Tek, Chaintech, Intel

Motherboards Names –PC, AT, Baby-AT, ATX, LPX

Motherboard

Real Estate? Motherboard = real estate

Power Integrated circuits = power lines

Cheese Wagons Buses = mass transportation

Buildings Memory Chips & Adapters = buildings

Integrated Circuits A super thin slice of semi–conducting material packed with microscopic circuit elements such as wires, transistors, capacitors, logic gates, and resistors. Bits are represented as electrical pulses that travel over these circuits. Also called a chip, microchip and computer chip.

Integrated Circuit Uses Processors Memory Support circuitry ChipPackage

Resist, Trans & Capac Resistor: limit flow of elec. to circuit Capacitor: hold charge & work w/ transistor to hold bits Transistor: open & close circuits of computer

ISA Industry Standard Architecture –Mouse, Speakers –ISA only –Large

PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect –Sound, Video, Network –PCI Only –“Plug & Play”

AGP Accelerated Graphic Port –3D graphics & video –Gaming –Small

Refresher PC = –Ex: Desktop, Notebook, Tablet, Handheld CPU = –“Brains of computer” Input vs. Output –Example of devices… Personal Computer Central Processing Unit

INPUT

OUTPUT

Refresher Processing = Processor = System unit = Storage devices = Manipulation of data

Processor Packages DIPs (dual in-line packages ) –Has 2 sets of rows of pins that connect IC circuitry to a circuit board (“caterpillar”)

Processor Packages DIMMs (dual in-line memory modules) –A small circuit board containing several chips (used for memory purposes)

Processor Packages PGAs (Pin-grid arrays) –A square chip package with pins arranged in squares (typically used for processors)

Processor Packages SECs (single-edge contact cartridges) –Houses a circuit board and processor chip

THE NEXT STEP…