Understanding Computers
“Getting Inside the Computer”
Computer Hardware
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 Also called a chip, microchip and computer chip.and computer chip.
Integrated Circuit Uses
• Processors • Memory• Support circuitry
Chip Chip
PackagePackage
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
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
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
Refresher
• PC = – Ex: Desktop, Notebook, Tablet,
Handheld
• CPU = – “Brains of computer”
• Input vs. Output– Example of devices…
INPUT
OUTPUT
Refresher
• Processing =
• Processor =
• System unit =
• Storage devices =
Manipulation of data
Processor Performance
• Speed: processor clock set clock speed (MHz or GHz )
• MHz = ???– Mega hertz
Motherboards
• Companies– ASUS Tek, Chaintech, Intel
Motherboards
• Names– AT, Baby-AT, ATX, mini-ATX