Motherboard Studies

Question 0

CPU

Answer 0

Central Processing Unit

Question 1

ATX

Answer 1

Advance Technology eXtended (standard Motherboards since 1995)

Question 2

BIOS

Answer 2

Basic Input Output System

Question 3

Chipset

Answer 3

Central meeting point for many devices

Question 4

Northbridge

Answer 4

Chipset in charge of the connection to high data transfer devices such as PCI Express video cards and the RAM.

Question 5

Southbridge

Answer 5

Chipset in charge of the connection to all the secondary controllers: USB, SATA, Firewire, etc

Question 6

MCH

Answer 6

Memory Controller Hub. Intel’s name for the NorthBridge Chipset.

Question 7

ICH

Answer 7

Input/Output Controller Hub. Intel’s name for the SouthBridge Chipset.

Question 8

On-Die Northbridge

Answer 8

Northbridge built in processor (Intel)

Question 9

Front-Side-Bus

Answer 9

Bus between the processor and the NorthBridge (MCH memory control hub). Only present on motherboards with North/SouthBridge chips (before 2008). Actually a parallel bus.

Question 10

DMI

Answer 10

Direct Media Interface. High-speed point-to-point interconnection between the chipset and the processor. Uses lanes to send/receive info. (Intel) Better than Front-Side Bus.

Question 11

HyperTransport

Answer 11

AMDs version of DMI which is way faster because AMD still uses Northbridge and Southbridge chipsets; Northbridge in charge of video card, Processor in charge of RAM. Speed used more for video card.

Question 12

QPI

Answer 12

Quick Path Interconnect - Intel’s more powerful DMI, as fast as HyperTransport (used by more powerful workstations and server motherboards)

Question 13

Memory Bus

Answer 13

Connects MCH to RAM. Also known as the address bus.

Question 14

SATA

Answer 14

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment - Seven pin Serial ports connect to SouthBridge. Used to connect Hard Drives, Optical Drives (cd,dvd,bdr)

Question 15

IDE

Answer 15

Intregrated Drive Electronics. 40 pins Parallel ports (PATA). Used to connect Hard Drives and Optical Drives (cd and dvd).

Question 16

PCI

Answer 16

Peripheral Component Interconnect bus. Developed in the 90s by Intel to replace ISA bus . Connects directly to southbridge or main chipset. Connects modems, sound cards, video and network adapters.

Question 17

AGP

Answer 17

Accelerated Graphics Port . Alleviated disadvantages with PCI for video (3D included). Allowed video card to be connected to northbridge.

Question 18

PCIe

Answer 18

PCI Express connects directly to northbridge or directly to processor. Lessor PCIe connect to the southbridge/main chipset. Send info within full duplex lanes (send and receive at the same time).

Question 19

AMR

Answer 19

Audio/Modem Riser, Communications. Designed by Intel to offer a slot with a small footprint that had the capability to accept soundcards or modems.

Question 20

CNR

Answer 20

Communications andNetworking Riser. Meant for specialized networking, audio and modem technologies. CNR could be software and hardware controlled. Obsolete 2007.

Question 21

PCMCIA

Answer 21

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association - organization that developed the PC Cards technology. Originally designed for additional storage. Later this technology was used for modems, network cards, combo cards and hard drives.

Question 22

I/O Ports

Answer 22

Cluster of ports at the back of the computer.

Question 23

IEEE 1394a

Answer 23

Firewire or i.Link. Used for devices that demand low-latency transfer of data. Music or video devices use this port. v1 400 Mbps

Question 24

USB

Answer 24

Universal Serial Bus. Used for many devices today. USB 2.0: 480 Mbps, USB 3.0: 5 Gbps

Question 25

Audio Cluster

Answer 25

Optical digital out, microphone in, line in, speakers (surround sound)

Question 26

RJ45 LAN Port

Answer 26

Network connection. Today they are Gigabit Ethernet LAN Controllers 10/100/1000 Mbps.

Question 27

ATX

Answer 27

Advance Technology eXtended designed in the mid 90s to replace AT motherboards.  Dimensions: 12" x 9.5" (305mm x 204mm) . Intergrated port clusters in back. Usually has 7 expansion bus slots. RAM slots and expansion bus slots are perpendicular to each other. P1 has a 20-pin power connector, ATX12 v2.x has a 24-pin connector (added pins are 11, 12, 23, 24)

Question 28

microATX

Answer 28

mATX 6.75"x6.75" to 9.6"x9.6" Usually square size (instead of rectangle like ATX). Backwards compatible installation (can be installed in ATX towers). Usually are square in size (key indicator)

Question 29

ITX

Answer 29

Group of motherboard form factors designed by VIA Technologies, Inc

Question 30

Mini-ITX

Answer 30

Released in 2001 6.7"x6.7" screw compatible with ATX cases. Uses passive cooling to keep quiet and conserve power. Great for HTPCs (Home Theater PCs)

Question 31

Nano-ITX

Answer 31

Released in 2005 4.7"x4.7" low power consumption. Used in media centers, automotive PCs, set-top boxes (STB) and personal video recorders.

Question 32

Pico-ITX

Answer 32

Designed and released in 2007 3.9"x2.8" . Uses powerful processors and RAM, requires active cooling. Used in extremely small PCs and ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs).

Question 33

Mobile-ITX

Answer 33

Released in 2010. 60mmx60mm (smallest of all ITX form factors). There are no ports, needs a separate I/O board. intended for military, surveying, transportation, and medical markets and used in UMPCs and smart phones.

Question 34

BTX

Answer 34

Balanced Technology eXtended. 12.8"x10.4" (wider than ATX). RAM and expansions slots are parallel to each other. The port cluster is situated differently than ATX.