Audio Connectors
back panel audio connectors that are built into your motherboard. These are round and designed for 1/8" (3.5 mm) plugs.
RGB
component video; three channels, red, blue, and green
VGA (Video Graphics Array)
referred to as generic analog video; 15 pin
S-Video
analog component video technology that combines the three channels (used in RGB) into one; round, 7 pin mini-DIN connector
DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
digital video standard supporting analog signal and VGA technology
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
a high?speed, hot?pluggable serial interface used for
connecting external peripherals to a PC; can pull power from the pc and not externally
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
a digital video interface standard which is commonly used by computers as well as TVs; can also carry audio signals
DisplayPort
A digital video interface standard designed to be an industry standard and replace VGA
and DVI; backward compatible with VGA and DVI by using adapters
Thunderbolt
A high?speed digital computer interface developed by Apple for video, external storage, and other devices.
Parallel Connections
A legacy port and cable?connector pairing based on a DB25 interface most commonly used for attaching a printer to a computer; sends 8 bits at a time over 8 separate wires.
Serial Connections
A computer interface that transmits one bit at a time, also known as an RS?232 connector.
PS/2 ports
A six?pin mini?DIN connector used to connect a keyboard and mouse to your computer.
FireWire
Apple's original implementation of IEEE 1394, a high?speed serial I/O interface ideal for video applications between a computer and an external video source or
destination.
eSATA (External SATA)
SATA hard drive connector that is external
RJ-11
A connector type for twisted?pair cabling. Telephone cabling uses an RJ?11 connector.
RJ-45
A connector type for twisted?pair cabling. Network cabling uses an RJ?45 connector.