Adding Serial Ports to a Computer with Only USB Ports by Preston Wily
So you bought a new computer but you don't have serial ports? It's surprisingly common these days - you find an awesome machine that does everything you want it to do, but then you get home and find out that amongst the lightning-fast processor and terabyte hard drive, you're missing something -... Add a true serial port with a USB adapter You can use a USB to Serial Adapter to easily and quickly add a serial port to your laptop. ... A lot of these devices are moving to newer standards, most notably USB, but many still operate on legacy technologies (serial or parallel) because of the...

Easy to Execute! by Seamus Dolly
Plug and play equipment or hardware solves the problem of driver installation, re-starting routines, and generally speaking, “hassle”, for those who are not technically proficient. If your computer supports “Plug and Play”, then, as the name suggests, you simply plug it in and play. ... Prior to “plug n play”, you would have to insert a floppy disc or cd, to supply and install the necessary software or “driver”. ... Basically, it is like an electrical adaptor which allows up to seven devices to be connected to it.

USB Connectors by Elizabeth Morgan
Today communication and technology have reached new heights. Various types of electrical devices can be connected to laptops, computers and mobile phones. A special port is installed in these devices from where a USB connector is attached. The other end of the port is connected to external... Among the various types of USB connectors available in the market, the most popular ones are serial to USB connectors, parallel to USB connectors, RJ11 USB connectors and USB Ethernet connectors. ... USB connectors are used to connect different types of USB cables with all standard compatible USB ports.

Paper Handling and Connectivity of Laser Printers and Inkjet Printers by Christy Berger
You've decided to buy a laser or inkjet printer but do not know what the paper handling facilities of a typical laser or inkjet printer are and which of these paper handling functions you will really need. Here's some information that will help you find out before buying your inkjet or laser... You will need a USB port to connect to a laser or inkjet printer. ... There are 2 types of USB ports; USB 1.1 and USB 2.0. ... All inkjet and laser printers nowadays have a USB port. ... Some laser or inkjet printers still have the older parallel port technology if you prefer.

Purchasing Your Portable Laptop by Alan Jason Smith
Before you purchase your laptop you'll want to familiarize yourself with the various features and determine what you need and what you do not. Some folks seek out all the latest bells and whistles. For others it's about getting your typical job done efficiently and cost effectively. ... But if you have only a CD drive and copy to floppy on your PC at home, for the two to talk to each other you're going to need an external floppy drive on your laptop. ... Your old mouse may connect by parallel port, but the newest versions require USB connection.

POS Printers by Steve Valentino
Fast-developing technology has come up with a variety of features of features in point of sale, or POS, printers that provide for the different uses at a point of sale. Remote printing is now the “in-thing” for restaurant owners—customer orders are directly printed in the kitchen with number and... Computers and printers can be connected directly through a parallel port in both the devices, or they can be connected directly through a serial interface. ... Laser and thermal printers are very quick, but it is the dot-matrix printer that is used by small scale retailers and restaurant owners,...

USB: Computer Connectivity Colossus by Nathan Kartchner
USB has become the Colossus of computer connectivity, standing astride the world of computing accessories and peripherals with the self-confident ease of a standard that has triumphed over its opponents. Parallel and serial protocols are virtual dinosaurs, being phased out almost universally by... Though Firewire has a max transfer speed of 400 mbps (80 mbps slower than the USB 2.0 standard), when it comes to transferring large quantities of data Firewire actually has the advantage of USB. ... The speed difference coupled with the durability, universality, and simplicity of the USB...

How To Upgrade Your PC by Alex Fir
Before you upgrade your PC hardware it’s best to search all options and ask for advice. Only after this you can go and buy a new component. It’s also useful to check if you really need an upgrade. Do not upgrade your very old PC because it would cost a lot of money. ... If you need to work a lot on peripherals such as digital cameras, digital camcorders, CD burners, and scanners then you need to upgrade to USB and Firewire ports if you are not using them already. ... If you happen to be an average user and need more storage you can add an additional drive to the existing one.

How to Choose Right PC Diagnostic Software by Natalie Aranda
Computer Diagnostics is a need to keep a healthy operating system and vital for business productivity, where a failure can be a costly mistake. PC diagnostic software can determine hardware and software conditions and possible failures, as well as current settings and connectivity. ... Computer Diagnostics should also be able to check other computer components such as the BIOS, serial and parallel ports, USB and Ethernet ports, etc. ... If a PC diagnostic tool returns the parameters of the hard drive, and allows toggling the IRQ directly to determine which I/O port is at which IRQ, make...

History of the Computer - Codes for Data Transfer, Part 3 of 3 by Tony Stockill
DATA TRANSMISSION CODES We have mentioned teletype machines, these were the backbone of operator communication with the computer, but were also used for remote input of data. A phone line could be used to link a storeman in the warehouse with the main computer using a modem... Once again the character set was restricted to the basic ASCII codes, and Control codes with printers from different manufacturers able to be used due to the standard codes (Interfaces were a different matter!) Contrast this with the laser or inkjet printer today, Virtually any font and character set, color and...