ATA
ATA stands for Advanced Technology Attachment specification. Also known as IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics), this is a hardware interface standard widely used to connect hard drives, CD-Roms etc to a PC. Ultra ATA refers to one of the high speed versions of the ATA specification.
AWG
AWG stands for American Wire Group, a standard measure of the size of copper wire in cables.
BNC Connector
BNC stands for Bayone-Neill-Concelman. These standard connectors are used with coaxial cable, which is widely used in network applications.
Card Edge Connector
A one piece connector that is mounted straight on the motherboard, enabling a daughterboard to be inserted.
Card Guide
A card guide provides support for printed boards, making insertion/extraction to/from the connector easier and safer.
CAT 5
CAT 5 is short for Category 5. This is an industry standard local area network cable that is terminated with RJ-45 connectors.
CF - CompactFlash
This is a flash memory format developed by SanDisk. CompactFlash cards can plug into a CompactFlash socket, or a standard Type II PC card slot with an adaptor. CompactFlash Type II cards are slightly thicker. CompactFlash is widely used in handheld digital devices.
Crimp
Basically a barrel shaped electrical terminal or contact that can be compressed around a wire to form a solderless contact (using a crimping tool, for example).
CSA
Canadian Standards Association
Daughterboard
A board (PCB) that attaches directly to another board. It is usually smaller than, and connects vertically to, the motherboard.
DIL
DIL stands for Dual In Line: ie containing two rows of connecting pins.
DIMM
DIMM stands for Dual In-line Memory Module. This is a small circuit board that holds memory chips.
DIN Connector
DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung eV. This German institute is responsible for setting industry standards. It also stands for Deutsche Industrie Norm, the name of the standards themselves. A DIN connector is therefore one which conforms to one of the institute's many different standards. Popular versions include DIN 41612 connectors, which are widely used in network applications, such as routers and switches. DIN connectors are also commonly used to attach peripherals such as mice and keyboards to computers, and in audio applications.
DIN 41612 Connector
DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung eV. This German institute is responsible for setting a wide range of industry standards. It also stands for Deutsche Industrie Norm, the name of the standards themselves. DIN 41612 connectors are widely used in network applications such as routers and switches.
D-Sub Connector
Short for D-Subminiature Connector. Features two or more parallel rows of pins or sockets, usually surrounded by a D-shaped metal shield to protect against electro magnetic interference. The D shape guarantees correct orientation of plug and socket.
D-Type Connector
Typically used to connect computer peripherals. Features two rows of pins. There is one more pin in one row than the other, creating the 'D' shape and ensuring correct orientation of plug and socket.
EIA
Electronics Industries Association. A US-based wiring standards body.
FPC
Flat Printed Circuitry
Header
The male connector assembly, also known as a post, in a two piece system.
IC
IC stands for Integrated Circuit. Otherwise known as a chip, these are highly integrated active and passive circuits made from a semiconductor material. Invented in the 1950s, these devices are the basis for modern electronics.
IDC Connectors/Cable
IDC stands for Insulation Displacement Connector. This is a type of connector that strips the insulation off the wire to make contact with it. IDC cable is the flat cable used in conjunction with IDC connectors.
IDT
Insulation Displacement Technology. Another term for IDC.
IEC
IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission, a US-based standards organisation.
IEEE 488
IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, a body that develops numerous standards for the computer and electronic industries. IEEE 488 is a standard parallel interface used for attaching digital instruments to a computer.
IEEE 1394
IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, a body that develops numerous standards for the computer and electronic industries. IEEE 1394 is an external bus standard that supports data rates of up to 800Mbps. It was originally developed by Apple, which uses it under the FireWire brand name. It is commonly used for devices that demand high rates of data transfer, such as video.
IP40/IP68
Developed by CENELEC (European Committee for Electro Technical Standardisation), the IP scale is a means of specifying the level of protection provided by a product against environmental influences. The first digit represents protection against the ingress of solid objects. The second digit represents protection against ingress of liquids. The higher the number, the greater the protection afforded.
Jack
A jack is a connecting device into which a plug can be inserted.
JEIDA
JEIDA stands for the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association, a standards organisation that has now been replaced by JEITA, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association.
JEITA
Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association
JISC
Japanese Industrial Standards Committee
Jumper Point
A device used to make adjustments to a circuit board.
LED
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. Emits light when a voltage is applied.
LIF
Low Insertion Force
Mini USB
A compact version of the industry standard USB connector. (See USB and USB 2.0).
MMC - MultiMediaCard
The MultiMediaCard is a compact memory card standard for mobile phones and digital imaging. It is supported by a range of manufacturers, including Nokia, Samsung and Sanyo.
Motherboard
The main board (PCB) within a computer or similar application, typically containing the processor, memory etc.
MOQ
Minimum Order Quantity
MS - Memory Stick
This is a flash memory card developed by Sony for use in cameras, camcorders and other handheld digital devices.
PCB
PCB stands for Printed Circuit Board. In electronic applications, this is the card onto which the electronic components are placed.
PCMCIA
PCMCIA stands for Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Association, the organisation that develops standards for PC cards. Originally intended to provide extra memory for portable computers, PC cards are now employed in a much wider range of applications.
There are three types of PCMCIA card: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. All measure 85.6mm long by 54mm wide, but vary in terms of their thickness.
Pitch
The centre-to-centre distance between adjacent pins.
PLCC
PLCC stands for Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier. This is a surface mount package for microprocessors with a low thermal output.
RA
Right Angle
RAST 5
RAST 5 stands for Raster Anschluss Steck Technik 5mm. It is a 5mm pitch wire-to-board insulation displacement system.
RCA Jacks and Plugs
RCA Jacks and Plugs are commonly used in audio and video applications.
RJ-11
RJ stands for Registered Jack. These standard connectors are used for connecting telecomms equipment.
RJ-45
RJ stands for Registered Jack. These standard connectors are widely used to connect computers to local area networks via unshielded twisted pair cable.
SCART Sockets
SCART stands for Syndicat Francais des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radio et Television. These industry standard audio visual connectors are used to link VCRs, DVDs etc to TV monitors and audio equipment.
SCSI
SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface (pronounced 'scuzzy'). Widely employed in PCs, Apples and UNIX systems, this is an interface standard used for attaching peripherals to the computer. Compared to serial and parallel ports, it offers fast data transmission and the ability to attach many devices to a single port. There are many variations of the SCSI standard, such as Wide SCSI, Fast SCSI, Fast Wide SCSI and Ultra SCSI.
SD - Secure Disk
Memory Card
The SD Memory Card is a compact memory card standard designed to operate between various multimedia applications. It is supported by a range of manufacturers. A small form factor, the miniSD, has also been established.
SIL
SIL stands for Single In Line: ie containing one row of connecting pins.
SIMM
SIMM stands for Single In-line Memory Module. This is a small circuit board that holds memory chips.
SMC - SmartMedia Card
A compact flash memory card standard designed for handheld digital equipment such as cameras.
SMT
SMT stands for Surface Mount Technology. This is the term for components which are soldered to the surface of a PCB, rather than having their pins/leads pushed through holes within it.
TB
Through Board.
Terminal Block
Basically a device that enables the connection of one or more conductors.
Test Point
Provides a point of access to an electrical circuit, for testing purposes.
TIA
Telecommunications Industry Association. Sets standards for communication cabling.
UL
UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories. This US organisation sets certain standards for connector wiring, including flammability ratings such as UL94V-0 and UL94V-2.
USB
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. This external bus standard supports data rates up to 12Mbps. It is widely used in computers for connecting (up to 127) peripherals such as mice, keyboards etc.
USB 2.0
Universal Serial Bus 2.0 is an external bus standard that supports data rates up to 480Mbps. Sometimes referred to as hi-speed USB, it is an extension of, and compatible with, USB 1.1.
VDE
A German-based testing and certification institute.
xD-Picture Card
eXtreme Digital-Picture Card is a flash memory card format designed primarily for digital photography applications.
