To connect external or peripheral devices to a computer, a port is a connector or jack that is given on the device. For instance, a port is required to connect a keyboard, mouse, pen drives, and other peripherals to your device. Consequently, it serves as a point of attachment or interface between a computer and external devices. Since it is the location where a peripheral device is plugged in to enable data transmission or communication between the device and computer, it is also known as a communication port. Usually found on the computer's back or sides, they range in number from four to six.
Computer ports may be classified as either Serial Ports or Parallel Ports, depending on the kind of protocol being used for communication.
Serial Port:
These ports offer a serial protocol interface for connecting to external devices. Data is transmitted by a single communication line, one bit at a time, in this port. D-Subminiature, often known as the D-sub connection, is one popular serial port that is used to transmit RS-232 signals.
Parallel Port:
A parallel port, as its name implies, is an interface that permits data transmission or communication in parallel via many communication lines between a computer and a device. A printer port, for instance, is a parallel port.
Examples of Computer Ports:
1) PS/2:
It was first launched with IBM's Personal Systems/2 line of computers, as the name implies. These connectors are colour coded; for example, the mouse was designated as green, and the keyboard as purple. It is a six-pin DIN connection other than this. These days, USB ports take its place.
2) VGA Port:
High definition TVs, projectors, and PCs all frequently include this port. With 15 pins organised in 3 rows, 5 pins in each row, this D-sub connection is known as DR-15. The most common usage for it was to link CPUs to CRT displays. However, VGA connectors are included with the majority of LCD and LED displays. These connections cannot, however, guarantee excellent picture quality because VGA can only transmit analogue video signals with a maximum resolution of 648 x 480.
VGA connectors were progressively superseded by more sophisticated ports that can guarantee excellent visual quality, including HDMI and Display connectors, as demand for and focus on video quality continued to expand.
3) Digital Video Interface (DVI):
It is an additional interface that connects a monitor and CPU. It is a high-speed interface designed to replace analogue digital video signal transfer using VGA technology with lossless digital video signal transmission.
Depending on the signals it transmits, a DVI interface might be classified as DVI-I, DVI-D, or DVI-A. While DVI-A and DVI-D only handle analogue and digital signals, respectively, DVI-I enables mixed digital and analogue signals.
Mini-DVI: It is smaller than a standard DVI port, as the name implies. Apple created this 32-pin connector to replace the Mini-VGA port. With the appropriate adapters, it can transmit a variety of signals, including composite, VGA, and S-Video transmissions.
4) Display Port:
Through this interface, audio and video may be sent from a device to a display screen. It is a cutting-edge display technology designed to replace antiquated interfaces like DVI and VGA. Monitors, laptops, desktop computers, tablets, and other devices all have display ports. It delivers a higher resolution than DVI port and features a 20-pin connection.
5) RCA Connector:
It is intended to receive stereo and composite video signals sent across three RCA wires. An RCA connector's three matching coloured jacks are linked to the three color-coded plugs found on a RAC cable. Every coloured jack has a metal ring around it. The yellow jack is utilised for composite video, while the white and red jacks serve the left and right stereo channels, respectively.
6) Component Video:
Three channels may be created from video signals using this interface. Usually, there are three color-coded slots in the component video: Red, Blue, and Green. Every slot gets a certain portion of the visual stream and then broadcasts it. Both analogue and digital video signals may be carried by it, and it provides higher-quality movies than composite video.
7) HDMI port:
The HDMI (High Definition Media Interface) is a digital interface designed to link computers and televisions with HDMI ports to high definition devices including game consoles, digital cameras, and more. In addition, it may transport compressed or uncompressed audio signals as well as uncompressed video. Up to 4096x2160 resolution video signals may be sent via HDMI 2.0, an enhanced version of the protocol.
8) USB:
The USB (Universal Serial Bus) port is incredibly flexible in its application; it may be used for data transfer, peripheral device connections, and even as an interface for charging devices like digital cameras and cellphones. PS/2 connections, gaming ports, serial and parallel ports, etc. have all been replaced by it nowadays.
Types of USB ports:
USB Type A:
There are several variations of this four-pin connection, including USB 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, and USB 3.1. A typical standard known as Version 3.0 allows for a maximum data transmission rate of 400 MBps. Up to 10 Gbps of data rate is permitted with version 3.1.
USB Type C:
This is the newest version of the USB, with 24 pins and a 3A current capacity. Fast charging gadgets also employ it because of its great current handling capability. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) designed this port. This port stands out due to its lack of an up or down orientation, which eliminates the requirement to turn the male connector over in order to insert it into the USB port. A USB-C plug, for instance, is symmetrical, allowing it to be plugged or inserted in any direction.
9) RJ-45:
It is a network port that is Ethernet-style that may be found on computers and other hardware, including switches and routers. In situations when Ethernet networking is necessary, this port enables your computer to connect or communicate with other computers and networking equipment.
It stands for Registered Jack 45 in full. It is sometimes referred to as an RJ45 jack, Ethernet port, or network jack. Because it contains eight connectors, the RJ45 cable is made up of eight distinct coloured wires. It resembles a phone jack other from this, except it's a little bit wider.
10) RJ11:
It is also a registered jack, which is frequently used to terminate telephone cables and provide as an interface for modems, ADSL, and phones. It is a 6P4C connection, which indicates that it has six pins with four contacts, while having an appearance similar to an RJ45. It is smaller and has less pins than that. This connection, sometimes referred to as a phone connector, modem port, phone jack, etc., is mostly used to connect to dial-up modems.
11) 3.5 mm Audio Jack:
It is a tiny, circular port, connection, or audio jack that is frequently seen on phones, laptops, and other devices. It is intended to be connected to speakers and headphones that are wired. Put otherwise, it is capable of accepting a pin-shaped connector from an earphone, headphone, etc. The diameter of the connection is indicated by the value "3.5 mm".
On the other hand, earlier devices had two audio jacks—one for the microphone and the other for the headphones. In addition, they provide a 2.5 mm port or connector for headphones.
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