Form Factors And Power Supplies

Front 1

active backplane

Back 1

A type of backplane system in which there is some circuitry, including bus connectors, buffers, and driver circuits, on the backplane.

Front 2

alternating current (AC)

Back 2

Current that cycles back and forth rather than traveling in only one direction. In the United States, the AC voltage from a standard wall outlet is normally between 110 and 115 V. In Europe, the standard AC voltage from a wall outlet is 220 V.

Front 3

ampere or amp (A)

Back 3

A unit of measurement for electrical current. One volt across a resistance of one ohm will produce a flow of one amp.

Front 4

AT

Back 4

A form factor, generally no longer produced, in which the motherboard requires a full-size case. Because of their dimensions and configuration, AT systems are difficult to install, service, and upgrade. Also called full AT.

Front 5

ATX

Back 5

The most common form factor for PC systems presently in use, originally introduced by Intel in 1995. ATX motherboards and cases make better use of space and resources than did the AT form factor.

Front 6

ATX12V power supply

Back 6

A power supply that provides a 12 V power cord with a 4-pin connector to be used by the auxiliary 4-pin power connector on motherboards used to provide extra power for processors.

Front 7

Baby AT

Back 7

An improved and more flexible version of the AT form factor. Baby AT was the industry standard from approximately 1993 to 1997 and can fit into some ATX cases.

Front 8

backplane system

Back 8

A form factor in which there is no true motherboard. Instead, motherboard components are included on an adapter card plugged into a slot on a board called the backplane.

Front 9

brownouts

Back 9

Temporary reductions in voltage, which can sometimes cause data loss. Also called sags.

Front 10

BTX (Balanced Technology Extended)

Back 10

The latest form factor expected to replace ATX. It has higher quality fans, is designed for better air flow, and has improved structural support for the motherboard.

Front 11

bus riser

Back 11

Also called a riser card.

Front 12

capacitor

Back 12

An electronic device that can maintain an electrical charge for a period of time and is used to smooth out the flow of electrical current. Capacitors are often found in computer power supplies.

Front 13

clamping voltage

Back 13

The maximum voltage allowed through a surge suppressor, such as 175 or 330 volts.

Front 14

compact case

Back 14

A type of case used in low-end desktop systems. Compact cases, also called low-profile or slim-line cases, follow either the NLX, LPX, or Mini LPX form factor. They are likely to have fewer drive bays, but they generally still provide for some expansion.

Front 15

data line protector

Back 15

A surge protector designed to work with the telephone line to a modem.

Front 16

daughter card

Back 16

A subordinate extension of a motherboard.

Front 17

desktop case

Back 17

The initial screen that is displayed when an OS has a GUI interface loaded.

Front 18

diode

Back 18

An electronic device that allows electricity to flow in only one direction. Used in a rectifier circuit.

Front 19

direct current (DC)

Back 19

Current that travels in only one direction (the type of electricity provided by batteries). Computer power supplies transform AC to low DC.

Front 20

Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS)

Back 20

Energy Star standard specifications that allow for the video card and monitor to go into sleep mode simultaneously. See also Energy Star.

Front 21

electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Back 21

A magnetic field produced as a side effect from the flow of electricity. EMI can cause corrupted data in data lines that are not properly shielded.

Front 22

Energy Star

Back 22

“Green” systems that satisfy the EPA requirements to decrease the overall consumption of electricity. See also Green Standards.

Front 23

field replaceable unit (FRU)

Back 23

A component in a computer or device that can be replaced with a new component without sending the computer or device back to the manufacturer. Examples include power supply, DIMM, motherboard, floppy disk drive.

Front 24

FlexATX

Back 24

A version of the ATX form factor that allows for maximum flexibility in the size and shape of cases and motherboards. FlexATX is ideal for custom systems.

Front 25

form factor

Back 25

A set of specifications on the size, shape, and configuration of a computer hardware component such as a case, power supply, or motherboard.

Front 26

full AT

Back 26

Another term for AT.

Front 27

Green Standards

Back 27

A computer or device that conforms to these standards can go into sleep or doze mode when not in use, thus saving energy and helping the environment. Devices that carry the Green Star or Energy Star comply with these standards.

Front 28

intelligent UPS

Back 28

A UPS connected to a computer by way of a USB or serial cable so that software on the computer can monitor and control the UPS. Also called smart UPS.

Front 29

joule

Back 29

A measure of work or energy. One joule of energy produces one watt of power for one second.

Front 30

line conditioner

Back 30

A device that regulates, or conditions, power, providing continuous voltage during brownouts and spikes.

Front 31

line-interactive UPS

Back 31

A variation of a standby UPS that shortens switching time by always keeping the inverter that converts AC to DC working, so that there is no charge-up time for the inverter.

Front 32

low-profile case

Back 32

Another term for a compact case.

Front 33

LPX

Back 33

A form factor in which expansion cards are mounted on a riser card that plugs into a motherboard. The expansion cards in LPX systems are mounted parallel to the motherboard, rather than perpendicular to it as in AT and ATX systems.

Front 34

MicroATX

Back 34

A version of the ATX form factor. MicroATX addresses some new technologies that were developed after the original introduction of ATX.

Front 35

Mini-ATX

Back 35

A smaller ATX board that can be used with regular ATX cases and power supplies.

Front 36

Mini-LPX

Back 36

A smaller version of the LPX motherboard.

Front 37

NLX

Back 37

A low-end form factor that is similar to LPX but provides greater support for current and emerging processor technologies. NLX was designed for flexibility and efficiency of space.

Front 38

notebook case

Back 38

A type of case used for portable notebook computers.

Front 39

ohm (Ω)

Back 39

The standard unit of measurement for electrical resistance. Resistors are rated in ohms.

Front 40

P1 connector

Back 40

Power connection on an ATX or BTX motherboard.

Front 41

P8 connector

Back 41

One of two power connectors on an AT motherboard.

Front 42

P9 connector

Back 42

One of two power connectors on an AT motherboard.

Front 43

passive backplanes

Back 43

A type of backplane system in which the backplane contains no circuitry at all. All circuitry in a passive backplane system is contained on a mothercard plugged into a backplane.

Front 44

power conditioner

Back 44

A line conditioner that regulates, or conditions, power, providing continuous voltage during brownouts.

Front 45

rectifier

Back 45

An electrical device that converts AC to DC. A PC power supply contains a rectifier.

Front 46

resistor

Back 46

An electronic device that resists or opposes the flow of electricity. A resistor can be used to reduce the amount of electricity being supplied to an electronic component.

Front 47

riser card

Back 47

A card that plugs into a motherboard and allows for expansion cards to be mounted parallel to the motherboard. Expansion cards are plugged into slots on the riser card.

Front 48

sag

Back 48

Another term for a brownout.

Front 49

sleep mode

Back 49

A mode used in many “Green” systems that allows them to be configured through CMOS to suspend the monitor or even the drive, if the keyboard and/or CPU have been inactive for a set number of minutes. See also Green Standards.

Front 50

slimline case

Back 50

another term for compact case.

Front 51

smart UPS

Back 51

Another term for intelligent UPS.

Front 52

soft power

Back 52

Another term for a soft switch.

Front 53

soft switch

Back 53

A feature on an ATX or BTX system that allows an OS to power down the system and allows for activity such as a keystroke or network activity to power up the system. Also called soft power.

Front 54

spikes

Back 54

Temporary surges in voltage, which can damage electrical components. Also called swells.

Front 55

surge protector or surge suppressor

Back 55

A device or power strip designed to protect electronic equipment from power surges and spikes.

Front 56

swell

Back 56

another term for spike.

Front 57

tower case

Back 57

The largest type of personal computer case. Tower cases stand vertically and can be as high as two feet tall. They have more drive bays and are a good choice for computer users who anticipate making significant upgrades.

Front 58

transformer

Back 58

A device that changes the ratio of current to voltage. A computer power supply is basically a transformer and a rectifier.

Front 59

transistor

Back 59

An electronic device that can regulate electricity and act as a logical gate or switch for an electrical signal.

Front 60

uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

Back 60

A device designed to provide a backup power supply during a power failure. Basically, a UPS is a battery backup system with an ultra-fast sensing device.

Front 61

volt (V)

Back 61

A measure of potential difference in an electrical circuit. A computer ATX power supply usually provides five separate voltages +12 V, -12 V, +5 V, -5 V, and +3.3 V.

Front 62

watt (W)

Back 62

The unit used to measure power. A typical computer may use a power supply that provides 200 W.