6.1Glossary1394
1394 is the IEEE designation for a high performance serial bus tht offers data transfers at 100/200/400 Mbps. This serial bus defines both a back plane physical layer and a point-to-point cable-connected virtual bus. The primary application of the cable version is the integration of I/O connectivity at the back panel of personal computers using a low-cost, scalable, high-speed serial interface. The 1394 standard also provides new services such as live connect/disconnect capability for external devices including disk drives, printers and hand-held peripherals such as scanners and cameras. This is a new standard to complement the slower USB interface and to compete with the more expensive SCSI interface.
AC97 (Audio Codec '97)
AC '97 is the next step in enabling PCs with audio quality comparable to consumer electronics devices. The specification defines new cost-effective options to help integrate the components necessary to support next-generation auto-intensive PC applications such as DVD, 3-D multiplayer gaming and interactive music. The specification also defines new extensions supporting modem and docking to help both desktop and mobile manufacturers adopt these new technologies more quickly and cost-effectively. This specification uses software emulation to compete with the PCI SoundBlaster specification.
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
The ACPI specification defines a cross-platform interface designed to support many operating systems. ACPI defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface that provides a standard way to integrate power management features throughout a PC system, including hardware, operating system and application software. This enables the system to automatically turn ON and OFF peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives, and printers, as well as consumer devices connected to the PC such as VCRs, TVs, phones, and stereos. With this technology, peripherals will also be able to activate the PC. For example, inserting a tape into a VCR can turn on the PC, which could then activate a large-screen TV and high-fidelity sound system.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
An interface specification that enables high-performance 3D graphics on mainstream PCs. AGP was designed to offer the necessary bandwidth and latency to perform texture mapping directly from system memory.
Bus | Bus Frequency | Bandwidth | Data Transfer Rate |
PCI | 33MHz | 33MHz | 133MByte/sec |
AGP 1X | 66MHz | 66MHz | 266MByte/sec |
AGP 2X | 66MHz | 133MHz | 512MByte/sec |
AGP 4X | 66MHz | 266MHz | 1024MByte/sec |
Backup. A copy of a file, directory, or volume on a separate storage device from the original. This copy is for the purpose of data retrieval in case the original is accidentally erased, damaged, or destroyed.
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
BIOS is a set of routines that affect how the computer transfers data between computer components, such as memory, disks, and the display adapter. The BIOS instructions are built into the computer’s read-only memory. BIOS parameters can be configured by the user through the BIOS Setup program. The BIOS can be updated using the provided utility to copy a new BIOS file into the EEPROM.
Bit (Binary Digit)
A bit is he basic unit of digital data used by the computer. A bit equals either: 0 or 1.
Boot
Boot means to start the computer operating system by loading it into system memory. When the manual instructs you to “boot” your system (or computer), it means to turn ON your computer. “Reboot” means to restart your computer. When using Windows 95 or later, selecting “Restart” from “Start Shut Down...” will reboot your computer.
