S2390 Trinity KT
65
ROM
(
R
ead-
O
nly
M
emory) is a storage chip which contains the BIOS (Basic Input/
Output System), the basic instructions required to boot the computer and start up the
operating system.
SDRAM
(
S
ynchronous
D
ynamic
RAM
) is so-called because it can keep two sets of
memory addresses open simultaneously. By transferring data alternately from one set
of addresses, and then the other, SDRAM cuts down on the delays associated with
non-synchronous RAM, which must close one address bank before opening the next.
The
serial port
is so called because it transmits the eight bits of a byte of data along
one wire, and receives data on another single wire (that is, the data is transmitted in
serial form, one bit after another).
SIMM
S
ingle
I
n-line
M
emory
M
odules are the most common form of RAM. They
must be installed in pairs, and do not have the carrying capacity or the speed of
DIMMs.
SIMM bank/socket
SIMM sockets are the physical slots into which you stick SIMM
modules. A pair of SIMM sockets form a SIMM bank, and act as a unit. If only one
socket is filled, the bank will not operate.
In
Sleep/Suspend mode
, all devices except the CPU shut down.
SRAM
S
tatic
RAM
, unlike DRAM, does not need to be refreshed in order to prevent
data loss. Thus, it is faster, and more expensive.
In
Standby mode
, the video and fixed disk drive shut down; all other devices operate
normally.
UltraDMA/33/66/100
is a fast version of the old DMA channel. UltraDMA is also
called UltraATA. Without UltraDMA your system cannot take advantage of the higher
data transmission rates of the new UltraATA hard drives.
Universal Serial Bus
or USB, is a versatile port. This one port type can function as a
serial, parallel, mouse, keyboard, or joystick port. It is fast enough to support video
transfer, and is capable of supporting up to 127 daisy-chained peripheral devices.
VGA
(
V
ideo
G
raphics
A
rray) is the PC video display standard.
V-SYNC
controls the vertical properties of the monitor.
ZIF socket
Z
ero
I
nsertion
F
orce sockets make it possible to insert CPUs without
damaging the sensitive pins. The CPU is lightly placed in an open ZIF socket, and the
metal lever pulled down. This shifts the processor over and down, guiding it into place
on the board.
GLOSSAR
Y