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NOTE Almost all connectors are now color-coordinated to help users plug the right device into the right port. These color codes are not required, and not all PCs and devices use them.

Cards Versus Onboard

All of the connectors on the back of the PC are just that: connectors. Behind those connectors are the actual devices that support whatever peripherals plug into those connectors. These devices might be built into the computer, such as a keyboard port. Others might be add-on expansion cards that a tech installed into the PC.

Most PCs have special expansion slots inside the system unit that enable you to add more devices on expansion cards. Figure 3-18 shows a typical card. If you want some new device and your system unit doesn’t have that device built into the PC, you just go to the store, buy a card version of that device, and snap it in. Later chapters of the book go into great detail on how to do this, but for now just appreciate that a device might be built in or it might come on a card.

Be careful handling cards. Touch the metal plate with the 90-degree bend and try to avoid touching any of the electronics. As mentioned in Chapter 2, “Operational Procedures,” always put cards into an anti-static bag when moving them to prevent ESD.

Figure 3-18 Typical expansion card

Keyboard

Today’s keyboards come in many shapes and sizes, but they always connect to your computer by either a mini-DIN port or a USB port. Many keyboards ship with an adapter so you can use either port. Most keyboard plugs and mini-DIN keyboard ports are colored purple (see Figure 3-19).

Figure 3-19 Keyboard plug and port

Monitor

A monitor connects to the video connector on the system unit. You’ll usually see one of two types of video connectors: the older 15-pin female DB Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) connector or the unique, digital video interface (DVI) connector. VESA connectors are colored blue, whereas DVI connectors are white. Many video cards have both types of connectors (see Figure 3-20) or two VESA or two DVI connectors. Video cards with two connectors support two monitors, a very cool thing to do!

Figure 3-20 Video card with (from left to right) S-Video, DVI, and VESA ports

The newest video connector is called Hi-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), shown in Figure 3-21. HDMI is still very new to the video scene and brings a number of enhancements, such as the ability to carry both video and sound on the same cable. Primarily designed for home theater, computers with HDMI connectors grow more common every year.

Figure 3-21 HDMI connector

Sound

The sound device in a computer performs two functions. First, it takes digital information and turns it into sound, outputting the sound through speakers. Second, it takes sound that is input through a microphone or some other audio source and turns it into digital data.

To play and record sounds, your sound device needs to connect to a set of speakers and a microphone or more. All PCs have at least two miniature audio jacks: one for a microphone and another for stereo speakers. Better cards provide extra miniature audio jacks for surround sound. Figure 3-22 is a typical onboard soundcard showing six different 1/8-inch jacks. Four of these are for speakers and two are for input (such as microphones). The color scheme for sound connections is complex, but for now remember one color—green. That’s the one you need to connect a standard pair of stereo speakers.

An older sound card may still provide a female 15-pin DB port that enables you to attach an electronic musical instrument interface or add a joystick to your PC (see Figure 3-23). These multi-function joystick/MIDI ports are rare today.

Adding more and more audio jacks to sound cards made the back of a typical sound card a busy place. In an effort to consolidate the various sound signals, the industry invented the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format (S/PDIF) connection. S/PDIF comes in coaxial and optical versions. Figure 3-24 shows