Basics Flashcards
What knowledge domains are addressed by the A+ Exams?
PC hardware; Networking; Laptops; Printers; Operational procedures; Operating systems; Security; Mobile devices; Troubleshooting
What does CompTIA stand for?
Computer Technology Industry Association
What is the A+ certification the equivalent of?
One year of on-the-job experience
Three main components of a computer?
Power supply: converts AC from wall to DC for system.
motherboard (aka mainboard/planar): wiring for components to communicate
drive bay: holds storage, like hard drives (SATA (Serial ATA(Advanced Technology Attachment))
What does DDR3 DIMM stand for?
Double Data Rate 3 Dual Inline Memory Module
What is the difference between hardware, software, and firmware?
Hard: physical electronic components; soft: set of instructions that controls the hardware; firm: software permanently placed in hardware (like Basic Input/Output System, the program a personal computer’s microprocessor uses to get the computer system started after you turn it on. It also manages data flow between the computer’s operating system and attached devices)
What are common input and output devices?
In: keyboard, mouse, touchscreen; Out: monitor, audio, printer Both: (not a device:) network
What is the definition of processing?
The event of a program being loaded, retrieved, transmitted, or executed. Uses CPU and RAM
Why is it important to increase componentization and standardization?
Makes it cheaper and easier to add/replace/upgrade pieces.
What are the three main functions of PC hardware?
CPU processes input data based on software instructions. Short-term data storage (Random Access Memory). Long-term storage mediums (Hard Disk Drive -, slower than RAM, optical drives, flash/usb/pin drive)
What’s an optical drive?
CD-ROM/DVD/Blu-ray drives, as opposed to floppy or hard disk
What’s networking?
a specialized form of input and output that entails using media (cable) and devices (routers, switches) to link multiple computers into an interconnected unit.
What is the name of a mouse/keyboard connector? What color are they?
Mini-DIN(Deutsches Institut für Normung) or PS/2 (developed for IBM’s PS/2 computer). Green for mouse, purple for keyboard (usually, otherwise mouse is usually on top keyboard on bottom).
What is this?
DE-9 connector (commonly and incorrectly called DB-9), a common kind of D connector (or D-subminiature/D-sub connector).
What is this?
Parallel connector, a DB-25 connector. Used to connect parallel devices (printer, scanner, HDs)
What’s this?
S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital InterFace; outputs audio
What’s this?
Cable (twisted pair cabling) with 8P8C (8 position 8 contact) modular connector, commonly (but incorrectly) referred to as RJ45, used for Ethernet network connection.
What are 8-10 in this picture?
8 - pink - microphone jack
9 - blue - line-in
10 - green - line out
What are these called, and what are they for?
top: DB-15, the three rows of pins means it’s a video connector. VGA (Video Graphics Array, also from IBM’s PS/2 standard) (analog)
middle: S-Video (Separate Video, b/c it separates Y(luma/luminance/black and white(from similarity to Greek gamma since the signal is luminance after gamma correction) and C(chroma/chrominance/color(hue and saturation)); can use to connect to TV, e.g.
bottom: DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connector
What’s this?
IEEE 1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
Came out in 1994, Apple called it FireWire.
High speed serial bus
This? Noteworthy things?
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
Proprietary
Uncompressed digital video, compressed or un-compressed audio
This is what?
S/PDIF Optical (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH USBS TYPE B!)
For digital audio (not to be confused with visual info)
Is?
TRS connector (Tip Ring Sleeve)
Tip carries signal/positive/left channel
Ring carries negative/right channel
Sleeve is ground
aka phone connector
used for audio
