Types Of Memory Cards for Computer, Mobile Phones and Digital Camera

1.PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) - The PCMCIA standard has been expanded several times and are suitable for many types of devices. There are three types of PCMCIA cards-

Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and are used primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer.

Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick. These cards are often used for modem and fax modem cards.

Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick, which is sufficiently large for portable disk drives.

2.Compact Flash - Compact Flash is the de facto standard to flash memory Storage. It is used everywhere from digital cameras to MP3 players to embedded systems. There are two variants of Compact Flash: Type 1 & Type 2. CF Type 2 cards are a little bit thicker than CF type I Cards. Currently CF Type 2 cards house devices like Micro drive and WiFi network Card. CF cards are very robust and industrially proven to be reliable.

3.Secure Digital card - Secure Digital card is basically the second generation Multimedia Card. They are exactly the same as MMC physically, other than the extra locking switch on the SD Card. The locking switch prevents data from being read, written, and deleted from the storage card. A SD Card device can also read and write MMC.

mini Secure Digital card -Recently a new smaller SD Card has emerged on the market. It is called the mini SD Card. The card is originally intended for use in mobile phones and miniature electronics, such as MP3 players.

micro Secure Digital card - The micro SD Card is even smaller than the miniSD Card. The micro SD Card is designed for use in cellular phones and small mobile devices. The micro SD Card can accessed in a SD Card slot via an adapter.

4.Multimedia Card - The Multimedia Card (MMC) standard was introduced by SanDisk and Siemens in 1997. MMC is smaller but slightly thicker than the Smart Media cards. Its interface pins are on its backside and lay similarly to Memory Stick. The card itself is 32 mm x 24 mm x 1.4mm and is often used in place of the SD card. Transfer speeds of a MMC is around 2.5MB/s and they can often be used in SD Card readers.

5. Sony Memory Sticks - Sony Memory Sticks are light, compact and designed for a wide variety of devices including digital cameras, recorders, and more. Memory Stick uses a serial interface to transfer data between the host device and card.

        Memory Stick PRO - Sony Memory Stick PRO is the new Standard to eliminate the 128 MB limitation. Currently, Memory Stick PRO is available up to 1 GB. Memory Stick PRO will not work in devices that only support the standard Memory Stick. But Memory Stick PRO devices are compatible with the original Memory Stick. Today, all 128MB, and under, cards are Memory Stick, while all larger cards are Memory Stick PRO.

         Memory Stick Duo - Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo are basically smaller versions of the Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro. The Duo has pin-to-pin compatibility with its older and larger Memory Stick sibling.

6. Smart Media - Introduced by Toshiba in 1995 . Smart Media card is the first challenger to the flash memory market. It is smaller and thinner than the CF cards. It also has contact pins directly on the surface of the card.

7. xD-Picture Card - xD-Picture Card is a contender invented and promoted by Olympus and Fuji. the xD-Picture Card is a type of removable flash memory designed for use in digital cameras. The xD is ultra-compact with its size of 20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm.







Related Terms:
      Types Of Computer Memory Cards
      Digital Camera Memory Cards
      Mobile Phones Memory Cards
      

What is Computer Memory Card?

A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital contents. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles. They are small, re-recordable, and they can retain data without power.





Related Terms:
Computer Memory Card
Mobile Phone Memory Card
Digital Camera Memory Cards

What is Computer Network Card?

A network card is an expansion card which installs into a computer and enables that computer to physically connect to a local area network. The most common form of network card in current use is the Ethernet Card. Other types of network cards include wireless network cards and Token Ring network cards. Ethernet network cards most often use RJ-45 jacks. Wireless network cards usually have no external connections other than a possible antenna jack. Other terms for network card include network adapter, network interface card and NIC.

A network interface controller (NIC) is a hardware device that handles an interface to a computer network and allows a network capable device to access that network. The NIC has a ROM chip that contains a unique number. The MAC address burned into it. The MAC address identifies the device uniquely on the LAN.







Related Keywords:
          Using Network Cards in Computers
          Network Cards in Laptops
          Install Network Cards In Computer
          Local Area Network (LAN) Network Cards

TV Tuner Card For Computers

A TV tuner card is a computer component that allows television signals to be received by a computer. TV tuner are available in a number of different interface:- as

1.PCI bus expansion card
2.PCI Express bus
3.PCMCIA, mini PCI Express
4.PCMCIA Express
5.USB devices also exist





Related Keywords:
            What is Tv Tuner Card
            Installing Tv Tuner Card
            Watch Tv on Computer

Sound Card (Computer Components)

A sound card (audio card) is a computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. Typical uses of sound cards include providing the audio component for multimedia applications such as music composition, editing video or audio, presentation, education, and entertainment.

Sound cards usually feature a digital-to-analog converter, which converts recorded or generated digital data into an analog format. The output signal is connected to an amplifier, headphones, or external device. Most sound cards have a line in connector for signal from a cassette tape recorder or similar sound source. The sound card digitizes this signal and stores it (under control of appropriate matching computer software) on the computer's hard disk for storage, editing, or further processing. Another common external connector is the microphone connector, for use by a microphone or other low level input device. Input through a microphone jack can then be used by speech recognition software or for Voice over IP applications.

Components Of Video Cards

Graphics processing unit (GPU)
Video BIOS
Video memory
RAMDAC
Cooling devices
Power demand
Video Graphics Array (VGA)
Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
Video In Video Out (VIVO)
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
Display Port




Graphics processing unit (GPU) - A GPU is a dedicated processor optimized for accelerating graphics. The processor is designed specifically to perform floating-point calculations, which are fundamental to 3D graphics rendering. The main attributes of the GPU are the core clock frequency, which typically ranges from 250 MHz to 4 GHz and the number of pipelines, which translate a 3D image characterized by vertices and lines into a 2D image formed by pixels.

Video BIOS - The video BIOS or firmware contains the basic program that governs the video card's operations and provides the instructions that allow the computer and software to interact with the card.

Video memory - Since video memory needs to be accessed by the GPU and the display circuitry, it often uses special high speed or multi-port memory, such as VRAM, WRAM, SGRAM, etc.

RAMDAC - RAMDAC (Random Access Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter) converts digital signals to analog signals for use by a computer display that uses analog inputs such as CRT displays. Depending on the number of bits used and the RAMDAC data transfer rate, the converter will be able to support different computer display refresh rates.

Cooling devices - Video cards may use a lot of electricity, which is converted into heat. If the heat isn't dissipated, the video card could overheat and be damaged. Cooling devices are incorporated to transfer the heat elsewhere.

Power demand - As the processing power of video cards has increased, so has their demand for electrical power. Present fast video cards tend to consume a great deal of power. While CPU and power supply makers have recently moved toward higher efficiency, power demands of GPUs have continued to rise, so the video card may be the biggest electricity user in a computer.

OutPut Ports:

The most common connection systems between the video card and the computer display are:

1.Video Graphics Array (VGA) Analog-based standard adopted in the late 1980s designed for CRT displays. Some problems of this standard are electrical noise, image distortion and sampling error evaluating pixels.

2.Digital Visual Interface (DVI): Digital-based standard designed for displays such as flat-panel displays (LCDs, plasma screens, wide High-definition television displays) and video projectors. It avoids image distortion and electrical noise, corresponding each pixel from the computer to a display pixel, using its native resolution.


3.Video In Video Out (VIVO) includes to allow the connection with televisions, DVD players, video recorders and video game consoles. 


4.High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI): An advanced digital audio/video interconnect released in 2003, and is commonly used to connect game consoles and DVD players to a display. HDMI supports copy protection through HDCP. 


5.Display Port: An advanced license and royalty-free digital audio/video interconnect released in 2007. Display Port intends to replace VGA and DVI for connecting a display to a computer.





Incoming Search Terms:
       Graphics processing unit (GPU)
       Video BIOS
       Video memory
       RAMDAC
       Cooling devices
       Power demand
       Video Graphics Array (VGA)
       Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
       Video In Video Out (VIVO)
       High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
       Display Port

Video Card

The video card is an expansion card that allows the computer to send graphical information to a video display device such as a monitor or projector. The Video Card is also known as graphics card, graphics adapter, video adapter. Each motherboard supports only a limited range of video card formats. Some video cards offer added functions, such as video capture, TV tuner adapter, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 decoding, FireWire, light pen, TV output, or the ability to connect multiple monitors.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is an optical disc storage media format. Its main uses are video and data storage. It is of the same dimensions as compact discs (CDs), but has low capacity to store data.

•DVD-ROM (Read Only Memory) has data that can only be read and not written.
•DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM can both record and erase data multiple times.






Related Search Terms:
    DVD
     Digital Compact Discs
     Standard DVDs
     DVD storage capacity
     Mini DVD Storage Capacity

     DVD-RAM

     Read Write DVD

     Rewritable DVD

     DVD Movies Disc

Compact Disc -CD

A Compact Disc (CD) is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was developed to store music at the start, but later it also allowed the storing of other kinds of data. Standard CDs have a diameter of 120 mm and can hold up to 80 minutes of audio (700 MB of data). The Mini CD has various diameters ranging from 60 to 80 mm.






Related Search Terms;
    DVD
     Compact Discs
     Standard CDs
     CD storage capacity
     Mini CD Storage

What is Formating (Low Level Formatting And High Level Formatting)

Disk formatting is the initial part of the process for preparing a hard disk or other storage medium for its first use. A disk formatting may set up multiple file systems by formatting partitions for each file system. There are two steps involved in formatting magnetic media such as floppy disks and hard disks.

1.Low-level formatting- This formatting involves the creations of the actual structures on the surface of the media that are used to hold the data. This means the tracks and marking the start of each sector on each track. Low level formatting sometimes called ―true formatting‖ since it is actually recording the format that will be used to store information on the disk.

2.High-level formatting- This is the process of creating the disk’s logical structure such as the file allocation table and root directory. The high level format uses the structures created by the low level format to prepare the disk to hold files using the chosen file system.









Related Terms:
       How To Format Computers
       Formatting Computers with USB
       Format Computer with CD
     Low Level Formatting
       High Level Formatting

What Is Mass Storage Devices and Their Types

Mass Storage refers to the storage of large amounts of data in a persisting and machine-readable fashion. Mass storage includes devices with removable and non-removable media. It does not include RAM, which is volatile in that it loses its contents after power loss. Mass storage devices are characterized by:

•Sustainable transfer speed
•Seek time
•Cost
•Capacity

Types Of Mass Storage Devices

1.Floppy Disk Drives(FDD)

2.Hard Disk Drive(HDD)

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD)- A floppy disk is a data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible ("floppy") magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. Unlike most hard disks, floppy disks are portable, because it can remove them from a disk drive. Disk drives for floppy disks are called floppy drive. Invented by IBM, floppy disks in 8-inch (203 mm), 5 1/4" in (133 mm) and 3 ½‖ in (89 mm) formats enjoyed nearly. There decades as a popular and ubiquitous form of data storage and exchange, from the mid 1970’s to the late 1990’s. the floppy disks current role is in these area- 

1.Data transfer 

2.Small storage and backup 

3.Software installation and driver updates 

Hard disk drive (HDD)- A hard disk drive (HDD) is the mechanism that controls the positioning, reading, and writing of the hard disk, which furnishes the largest amount of data storage for the PC. The seek time of HDD is about 12 milliseconds or less. There are several interface standards for passing data between a hard disk and a computer. The most common are IDE and SCSI. Significant role of hard disk are following 

1.Performance 

2.Storage capacity 

3.Software support 

4.Reliability

Related Search Terms:
         Mass Storage device
         Pen Drive
         Hard Disk Drive
         Floppy Disk Drive
         Micro SD Cards

What Is Ethernet?

         Ethernet is the most widely-installed local area network technology. Specified in a standard, IEEE 802.3, Ethernet was originally developed by Xerox from an earlier specification called Aloha net (for the Palo Alto Research Center Aloha network) and then developed further by Xerox, DEC, and Intel. An Ethernet LAN typically uses coaxial cable or special grades of twisted pair wires. Ethernet is also used in wireless LANs. The most commonly installed Ethernet systems are called 10BASE-T and provide transmission speeds up to 10 Mbps. Devices are connected to the cable and compete for access using a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) protocol.

          Fast Ethernet or 100BASE-T provides transmission speeds up to 100 megabits per second and is typically used for LAN backbone systems, supporting workstations with 10BASE-T cards. Gigabit Ethernet provides an even higher level of backbone support at 1000 megabits per second (1 gigabit or 1 billion bits per second). 10-Gigabit Ethernet provides up to 10 billion bits per second.






Related Search Terms:
          What is Ethernet
          Types Of Ethernet Cards
          Standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet
          Palo Alto Research Center Aloha network

What Is FireWire (Apple Computer's High Performance Serial Bus)

FireWire is Apple Computer's version of a standard, IEEE 1394, High Performance Serial Bus, for connecting devices to your personal computer. FireWire provides a single plug-and-socket connection on which up to 63 devices can be attached with data transfer speeds up to 400 Mbps. The standard describes a serial bus or pathway between one or more peripheral devices and computer’s microprocessor. The first products to be introduced with Firewire include digital cameras, digital video disks (DVDs), digital video tapes, digital camcorders, and music systems.



Related Search Terms:
          What is FireWire
          Apple Computer FireWire
          IEEE 1394
          High Performance Serial Bus
          Single Plug and Socket Connection
          Data Transfer Speed 400Mbps

What is Computer USB (Universal Serial Bus)

USB is a serial bus standard to connect devices to a host computer. USB allows to connect and disconnect without rebooting the computer or turning off the device. USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, game pads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal media players, flash drives, and external hard drives.





Related Search Terms:
         What is USB
         How USB works
         USB 3.0
         High Speed USB
         Computer USB Ports

What Is Parallel Port in Computer

A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers for connecting various peripherals. On PCs, the parallel port uses a 25-pin connector (type DB-25) and is used to connect printers, computers and other devices that need relatively high bandwidth. It is often called a Centronics interface after the company that designed the original standard for parallel communication between a computer and printer. A newer type of parallel port, which supports the same connectors as the Centronics interface, is the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) or ECP (Extended Capabilities Port). Both of these parallel ports support bi-directional communication and transfer rates ten times as fast as the Centronics port.



Related Search Terms:
Parallel Port
25 pin Connector (type DB 25)
What is Centronics Interface
Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)
Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)
Bi-Directional Communication and Transfer

What Is Serial Port in Computer

A serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time. Ethernet, FireWire, and USB use serial port, compliant to the RS-232 standard. In modern personal computers the serial port has largely been replaced by USB and Firewire for connections to peripheral devices. Serial ports are commonly still used in applications such as industrial automation systems, scientific analysis, shop till systems and some industrial and consumer products. Server computers may use a serial port as a control console for diagnostics. Network equipment (such as routers and switches) often use serial console for configuration. A serial port requires very little supporting software from the host system.







Related Search Terms:
        Serial Communication Physical Interface
        Ethernet, FireWire, and USB
        RS-232 Standard
        Serial Console for Configuration

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) is an organization consisting of some 500 companies that has developed a standard for small, credit card-sized devices, called PC Cards. Originally designed for adding memory to portable computers, the PCMCIA standard has been expanded several times and is now suitable for many types of devices. There are three types of PCMCIA cards -

•Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and are used primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer.

•Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick. These cards are often used for modem and fax modem cards.

•Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick, which is sufficiently large for portable disk drives.

Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-E)

PCI Express is a Computer EXANSION CARD designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP standards. A PCIe card fits into a slot of its physical size or bigger, but may not fit into a smaller PCIe slot. Some slots use open-ended sockets to permit physically longer cards and will negotiate the best available electrical connection. The number of lanes actually connected to a slot may also be less than the number supported by the physical slot size. The advantage gained is that a larger range of PCIe cards can still be used without requiring the motherboard hardware to support the full transfer rate—in so doing keeping design and implementation costs down.

Peripheral Component Interconnect eXtended (PCI-X)

PCI-X (PCI eXtended) is a computer bus and expansion card standard that enhances the 32-bit PCI Local Bus for higher bandwidth demanded by servers. PCI-X was developed jointly by IBM, HP, and Compaq and submitted for approval in 1998.

PCI-X was needed as some devices, most notably Gigabit Ethernet cards, SCSI controllers (Fibre Channel and Ultra320), and cluster interconnects could, by themselves, saturate the full bandwidth (only 133 MB/s) of the PCI bus. The first solution was to run the 33-MHz PCI bus at double the speed, 66 MHz, effectively doubling the throughput to 266 MB/s. However, machines with multiple high-bandwidth devices still needed more headroom, so additional pins were added to the slot, going from 120 to 184, to form a 64-bit variety. This initially only ran at 33 MHz, basically giving the same maximum throughput of 266 MB/s. Though combined 64-bit, 66-MHz ports had also been implemented, these extensions had been only loosely supported as optional parts of the PCI 2.x standards. Device compatibility beyond the basic 133 MB/s continued to be difficult.