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How
To Select Your Computer Cables
by my-tech-guide.com
Without
the processor, a computer is but a simple collection of hardware
tossed together in a mindless bundle inside the same box. Without
the cables, none of the hardware could be connected,
much less powered, and the computer would be of little use
to anyone (except perhaps as an elaborate paperweight). At
face value it would appear that the selection of cables is
pretty simple, and usually pre-ordained by the factory design,
but is this always the truth?
We
all know that computers have a certain number of ports, yet we
rarely consider that each port offers a connection point,
usually via cable, of one piece of hardware to another.
Take the PS/2 port, for example, which connects a mouse or
keyboard to the computer. The cable may be flexible, have
gold connectors, and be specially prepared with foil and
braid shielding to reduce EMI/RFI interference, which may
impair the mouse’s operation.
Another
port that demands a connecting cable is the VGA port. This
port connects the computer to the monitor and allows the
user to actually see the output. The cable needed to connect
this device is a male to male extension and high resolution
monitor cable with ferrite core to eliminate interference
may be a good choice.
Yet,
while the cables for most of the connections needed for printers,
monitors, keyboards, etc. to the CPU is a fairly standardized
affair, the more creative uses of cables are still a bit
of a mystery to many a computer user. Consider the
multimedia cable kits needed to hook up the average notebook
computer to a television set in order to create
a small home entertainment system. The cabling needed for
this use includes an RCA (Composite Video) cable which offers
direct connection ability to the RCA connector at the television
itself. Also included in this kit would be an S-Video cable
as a secondary backup, in case your television actually allows
for the S-Video hook-up. The last cable in this kit is the
S/PDIF digital audio cable which will serve as the connection
for a digital audio device to ensure top quality sound.
Another
creative use of cabling is the creation of a connection
between a projector and a computer. A pure video
signal must be transferred to create a sharp, highly defined,
and natural looking image on a projector, which is quite
a challenge. Cables used in this application are designed
especially to eliminate signal degradation and video noise
that very often lead to a fuzzy, poorly defined picture
image, which will destroy the integrity of even the best
picture presentation. These cables used for this application
are constructed from UL 2919 certified 30 AWG materials
with double shielded braid.
Obviously, cables
need to be selected first and foremost for their proper
connectivity. A cable with a serial port connector
will be useless for a USB port and vice versa. Thus, in
order to ensure adequate connection of all hardware, please
be certain to refer often to the user’s manual that came
with your computer and any new peripherals you may purchase
along the way. In addition to the foregoing, be sure to
choose high-end cabling for new additions to the system
you may wish to purchase at a later date. Cabling
is not that expensive, and you truly will get what you
pay for. Or course, many a component will already
come pre-packaged with a cable or two, and many of these
cables claim to be the best possible solution for connectivity,
but is this truly the case? Usually, it is best to invest
a little extra money and purchase another set of cables,
to ensure the highest quality output (or input) possible.
Please remember, it is not a useful endeavor to purchase
a high end graphics card or sound card, and then skimp
on the quality of the cable and not get the full benefit
of the upgrade.
In
closing, while most manuals will guide the user to the proper
cable selection, the addition of peripherals will often require
the user to do a little bit more research above and beyond
the research required to select the best possible compatible
peripheral.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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