Planning to
assemble your own desktop personal computer? Do take note of the numerous types
of cables and cords you might encounter from different sources of information.
So, before overall confusion over these cables and cords sets in, here’s an
overview of the most common computer cable and cord types you’ll encounter for
desktop PCs.
VGA
(Video Graphics Array)
Though still in
common use, VGAs are slowly fading out of popularity due to the gradual shift
to digital connections over analog. Still, if you look on any PC video card
apparatus, there is a good chance you’ll see a VGA port. VGA connections can be
identified by 15 pins arranged in 3 rows with 5 on each row. Each row
corresponds to the 3 different color channels used.
DVI
(Digital Visual Interface)
The DVI
connection is now becoming the successor to VGA. Digital displays like LCD have
proven to be of higher quality and is now the market standard for home
pictures. DVI connectors come in 3 varieties, DVI-A, DVI-D, and DVI-I. With
some desktop PCs, you may need a VGA-to-DVI or DVI-to-VGA converter cable.
HDMI
(High Definition Multimedia Interface)
High-definition
broadcast has become the new standard of high quality. Unlike VGA and DVI, HDMI
sends both video and audio signals together. The signals are digital
only; HDMI is only compatible with newer devices. HDMI connectors come in 4
types:
§ Type
A is the most popular and identified by its 19 pins on the male head. Type A is
compatible with single-link DVI-D connections.
§ Type
B is larger than Type A, coming in at 29 pins on the male head, and is
compatible with dual-link DVI-D connections.
§ Type
C is a 19-pin connector that’s most often used with portable devices, like
camcorders and digital cameras.
§ Type
D looks similar to a micro-USB cord. It also has 19 pins.
USB
(Universal Serial Bus)
The USB
connection is now the most pervasive connection type today. Nearly every form
of computer peripheral device from keyboards, mouse, headsets, flash drives,
wireless adapters, and the like can be connected to your computer through a USB
port. The design has evolved over the years, which means there are multiple
versions of USB still available such as the USB 1.0/1.1, USB 2.0 (the most
common type found in the market), and USB 3.0. The mini and micro USB variants
are most often used with smaller, portable devices like PDAs, phones, and
digital cameras.
IDE
(Integrated Drive Electronics)
IDE cables were
used to connect storage devices to a motherboard. It’s the wide cable that
looks like a ribbon with more than 2 plugs. The connectors on an IDE cable have
40 pins.
SATA
(Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)
Newer hard
drives will likely use SATA ports over IDE ports. In fact, SATA was designed to
slowly succeed IDE. Compared to IDE, SATA provides higher data transfer speeds.
Your motherboard needs to be compatible with SATA. A standard SATA cable can be
identified by two connectors, each having 7 pins and an empty notch. It looks
like a subtle L-shape. A sub-type, the eSATA
(external SATA), is an extension and improvement on the SATA cable. It makes
SATA technology available in an external form. In reality, eSATA is not much
different from SATA, but it allows connections to devices like external hard
drives and optical drives. This is useful because eSATA offers speeds much
faster than USB alternatives.
Ethernet
Ethernet cables are used to set up local area
networks. They’re mostly used to connect routers to modems and
computers. Nowadays, they come in three varieties: Cat 5 cables are the most
basic type, Cat 5e (Cat 5 Enhanced) allows for faster data transmission, and Cat
6 offers the best performance of the three.