IBM Ricoh FB750 manual Dma, Ecp

Direct Color

Generic term for TrueColor, RealColor and HiColor. In these modes, the color information saved in the display memory is not translated by a look-up table, but passed directly to the D/A converter. This means that the full color information has to be saved for each pixel.

Display Adapter or Video Card

A card installed inside the computer (or integrated into the motherboard) that generates video signal to create, with the monitor, a screen image. Most current display adapters are capable of displaying multiple resolutions at varied bit-depth. The higher the screen resolution, the finer the detail. More colors will provide images closer to picture quality. Monitors with a higher refresh rate will have a reduced flicker.

Dithering

Creating a special shade of color with a lot of near together grouped pixels of different colors. May be necessary at low color depth (e.g. 256 colors).

DMA

Direct Memory Access. This is a method of data transfer, where information is transferred directly between system components without the help of the CPU. Enhanced Centronics Ports use a DMA address as do most sound cards and some other peripherals.

DPI or Dots Per Inch

The resolution of images on the computer or from the printer is measured in how many dots (or pixels) there are in each inch of the image. The higher the DPI, the more precise the image can be. DPI also directly affects the size of the image file: the higher the DPI, the bigger the file.

Drag and Drop

This is a Windows and Mac term that refers to moving icons or item around on the screen by using the mouse. Point the mouse cursor at the desired item and click and hold down the left mouse button with your index finger. While holding the mouse button down, move the mouse in the direction you want the item to go. The item “drag” across the screen. When you have the item over the area you want to put it, release the mouse button to “drop” it.

Driver Software

The driver allows software to communicate with hardware; it allows the computer to “drive” the device (such as a scanner). The scanners will only work with the computer if there is driver software installed.

Dynamic Range

The extent of the range of brightness levels in an image.

ECP

Enhanced Centronics Port mode. This mode will allow the computer to send an advanced parallel port signal to installed parallel port device(s). ECP uses a DMA channel to increase its communications abilities.

Email

Electronic mail, text messages sent through a network, such as the Internet, to a specified individual or group. Email messages can carry attached files, such as word-processing documents or graphics. Email is sent and received with special software called an email client: Eudora, MS-Exchange, etc. Some ISPs’ log on program and many Web Browsers have email clients built into them.

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