Experiment-3

AIM:
To study various connections and ports used in computer communication.
1. VGA Port and its specification
2. Serial port and its specification and applications
3. Parallel ports and its specification
4. USB port and its specification
5. RJ45 connector, Ethernet port

THEORY:
VGA Port and its specification:
Short for Video Graphics Adapter or Video Graphics Array, VGA is a popular display standard
developed by IBM and introduced in 1987. VGA provides 640 x 480 resolution color display
screens with a refresh rate of 60 Hz and 16 colors displayed at a time. If the resolution is lowered
to 320 x 200, 256 colors are shown. It’s a three row 15 pin connector comes with a screw type
locking mechanism. A VGA cable carries analog components RGBHV video signal (Red, Green,
Blue, Horizontal sync, Vertical Sync) and DDC data. Due to VGA carries analog signal we may
suffer signal loss if we increase the wire length. The maximum resolution that a VGA can
provide is 2048 x 1536 pixels. The disadvantage of a VGA is it doesn’t carry audio signal.

VGA utilizes analog signals, which means it is only capable of lower resolutions and lower
quality display on screens. VGA connectors are used to connect the Computer or Laptops (which
have VGA connector) to a TV, Monitor or Projector.
VGA Pin functions
The illustration below shows the 15-pin VGA connector, its pin assignments, and size
dimensions. As can be seen, the VGA connector has 15 holes and each hole (pin) has its own
function as explained in the below chart.

Pinout Configuration

Pin No. Pin Name Description

1 RED Red video (75 ohm, 0.7V peak-to-peak)

2 GREEN Green video (75 ohm, 0.7V peak-to-peak)

3 BLUE Blue video (75 ohm, 0.7V peak-to-peak)

4 ID2 / RES Monitor ID Bit 2 / Reserved

5 GND Ground

6 RGND Red Ground

 7 GGND Green Ground

8 BGND Blue Ground

9 KEY +5V DC output from graphic card

10 SGND Sync Ground

11 ID0 / RES Monitor ID Bit 0 / Reserved

12 ID1 / SDA Monitor ID Bit 1 / I2C bi-directional data line

13 HSYNC Horizontal Sync

14 VSYNC Vertical Sync

15 ID3 / SCL Monitor ID Bit 3 / I2C data clock

Serial port and its specification and applications:

A serial port is an interface that allows a PC to transmit or receive data one bit at a time. It is one
of the oldest types of interfaces and at one time was commonly used to connect printers and
external modems to a PC. Modern serial ports are used in scientific instruments, shop till systems
such as cash registers and applications like industrial machinery systems.
Compared to a parallel port, the data transfer rate of a serial port is slower.
Serial ports rely on a special controller chip, the Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
(UART), to function properly.
The table below provides pinout information for the RS-232 serial console port located on the
rear panel of Solace PubSub+ 3560s:

Pi Signal Description
n Name

1 RTS Request To Send

2 DTR Data Terminal

Ready

3 TXD Transmit Data

4 GND Ground

5 RI Ring Indicate

6 RXD Receive Data

7 DSR Data Set Ready

8 CTS Clear To Send

The serial connection:

The external connector for a serial port can be either 9 pins or 25 pins. Originally, the primary
use of a serial port was to connect a modem to your computer. The pin assignments reflect that.
Let's take a closer look at what happens at each pin when a modem is connected.
9-pin connector:
1. Carrier Detect - Determines if the modem is connected to a working phone line.
2. Receive Data - Computer receives information sent from the modem.
3. Transmit Data - Computer sends information to the modem.
 4. Data Terminal Ready - Computer tells the modem that it is ready to talk.
5. Signal Ground - Pin is grounded.
6. Data Set Ready - Modem tells the computer that it is ready to talk.
7. Request To Send - Computer asks the modem if it can send information.
8. Clear To Send - Modem tells the computer that it can send information.
9. Ring Indicator - Once a call has been placed, computer acknowledges signal (sent from
modem) that a ring is detected.

25-pin connector:
1. Not Used
2. Transmit Data - Computer sends information to the modem.
3. Receive Data - Computer receives information sent from the modem.
4. Request To Send - Computer asks the modem if it can send information.
5. Clear To Send - Modem tells the computer that it can send information.
6. Data Set Ready - Modem tells the computer that it is ready to talk.
7. Signal Ground - Pin is grounded.
8. Received Line Signal Detector - Determines if the modem is connected to a working
phone line.
9. Not Used: Transmit Current Loop Return (+)
10. Not Used
11. Not Used: Transmit Current Loop Data (-)
12. Not Used
13. Not Used
14. Not Used
15. Not Used
16. Not Used
17. Not Used
18. Not Used: Receive Current Loop Data (+)
19. Not Used
20. Data Terminal Ready - Computer tells the modem that it is ready to talk.
21. Not Used
22. Ring Indicator - Once a call has been placed, computer acknowledges signal (sent from
modem) that a ring is detected.
23. Not Used
24. Not Used
25. Not Used: Receive Current Loop Return (-)

Voltage sent over the pins can be in one of two states, On or Off. On (binary value "1") means
that the pin is transmitting a signal between -3 and -25 volts, while Off (binary value "0") means
that it is transmitting a signal between +3 and +25 volts...
Applications: The serial port standard is RS-232. This standard is used for transmitting serial
communication between devices, which are usually called data communications equipment
(DCE) and data terminal equipment (DTE). The serial port uses a nine-pin (DE-9) connector or a
25-pin (DB-25) connector. Originally, the standard used 25 pins. Because many of the pins were
unused and were quite bulky, the smaller DE-9 connector became popular. Today, the serial port
is seldom used but can be found as a communication device for GPS receivers, LED and LCD
text displays, bar-code scanners and flat-screen monitors.

Parallel port and its specification:

A parallel port is an interface allowing a personal computer (PC) to transmit or receive data
down multiple bundled cables to a peripheral device such as a printer. The most common parallel
port is a printer port known as the Centronics port. A parallel port has multiple connectors and in
theory allows data to be sent simultaneously down several cables at once. Later versions allow
bi-directional communications. This technology is still used today for low-data-rate
communications such as dot-matrix printing.
The computer is capable of having the parallel port run at different modes depending on your
needs and available resources. Some of these modes include: IEEE-1284 (Auto), Centronics
mode, Nibble Mode, SPP (unidirectional), bidirectional, EPP, and ECP.
The DB25 connector had an 8-bit data bus and a maximum cable length of 15 feet. Although
there are 50 foot cables, it is not recommended that these cables be used as it can create poor
connection and data signals. Below is additional information about each of the pins on this
connector. Pin 1 through 25 identified in the image above.
PIN PURPOSE
1. Pin 1 -Strobe
2. Pin 2 +Data Bit 0
3. Pin 3 +Data Bit 1
4. Pin 4 +Data Bit 2
5. Pin 5 +Data Bit 3
6. Pin 6 +Data Bit 4
7. Pin 7 +Data Bit 5
8. Pin 8 +Data Bit 6
9. Pin 9 +Data Bit 7
10. Pin 10 -Acknowledge
11. Pin 11 +Busy
12. Pin 12 +Paper End
13. Pin 13 +Select
14. Pin 14 -Auto Feed
15. Pin 15 -Error
16. Pin 16 -Initialize Printer
17. Pin 17 -Select Input
18. Pin 18 -Data Bit 0 Return (GND)
19. Pin 19 -Data Bit 1 Return (GND)
20. Pin 20 -Data Bit 2 Return (GND)
21. Pin 21 -Data Bit 3 Return (GND)
22. Pin 22 -Data Bit 4 Return (GND)
23. Pin 23 -Data Bit 5 Return (GND)
24. Pin 24 -Data Bit 6 Return (GND)
25. Pin 25 -Data Bit 7 Return (GND)

Today, the parallel port has widely been replaced by the USB port. However, below is a listing
of various hardware components that have been used with the parallel port.
1. Printer - The most common use for the parallel port.
2. Scanner - Another commonly used parallel device is a parallel port scanner. Parallel port
scanners are a popular alternative to SCSI scanners because of how easy they are to
install.
3. External drives - Another popular use of the parallel ports are external drives such as the
Iomega Zip drive, which can be removed from one computer and placed onto another.

USB port and its specification

A USB port is a standard cable connection interface for personal computers and consumer
electronics devices. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, an industry standard for short-distance
digital data communications. USB ports allow USB devices to be connected to each other with
and transfer digital data over USB cables. They can also supply electric power across the cable to
devices that need it. Both wired and wireless versions of the USB standard exist, although only
the wired version involves USB ports and cables.
Connect two devices directly with one USB cable by plugging each end into a USB port. (Some
devices feature more than one USB port, but do not plug both ends of a cable into the same
device, as this can cause electrical damage!)
You may plug cables into a USB port at any time regardless of whether the devices involved are
powered on or off. Follow the instructions provided with your equipment before unplugging
USB cables. In some cases, unplugging a USB cable from a running device can cause damage to
the device or the files being used on the computer. For this reason, it is good practice to always
safely eject your USB device before physically unplugging it.
Multiple USB devices can also be connected to each other using a USB hub. A USB hub plugs
into one USB port and contains additional ports for other devices to connect subsequently. If
using a USB hub, plug a separate cable into each device and connect them to the hub
individually.
Several major types of physical layouts exist for USB ports:
1. USB-A (Type A): The rectangular USB Type A connector approximately 1.4 cm (9/16
in) length by 0.65 cm (1/4 in) height is typically used for wired mice and keyboards. USB
sticks normally feature USB-A connectors also.
2. USB-B (Type B): Less common than type A, USB B devices are nearly square in shape
and are commonly found on routers, computers, printers, and game consoles
3. Micro USB: So-called Micro USB versions of both USB-A and USB-B also exist -
smaller versions than their base counterparts, popular on mobile devices. Older but now
obsolete "mini USB" versions can also be found on many old devices.
4. USB Type C: With dimensions of 0.84 cm by 0.26cm, this newer standard is designed to
replace both A and B with smaller ports to better support the thinner form factors of
mobile devices.
 USB Type C

RJ45 connector, Ethernet port

The RJ45 port is the network port on a computer. This socket has many names. It is also known
as the Ethernet port, the network adapter, the network jack or the RJ45 jack. A "port" is another
name for a socket on a computer, as is "jack." The RJ45 port is wired directly onto the network
adapter inside the computer, and so is the cable interface to that device.
An RJ45 jack is really a telephone connector. The original RJ45 has eight pins inside and two
connectors. The last two pins are used for a programmable resistor. The plug looks the same as a
standard US telephone plug (which is the RJ11), except it is bigger.
Ethernet
The most widely used standards defining the physical properties of networks are called Ethernet.
Of all the cable types recommended for Ethernet standards, the most common is Unshielded
Twisted Pair. This cable contains eight wires configured in pairs with the two wires of each pair
twisted around each other. The size and shape of the RJ45 connector was deemed suitable for
terminating UTP cable. The eight pins connected to the eight wires in the cable. However, the
RJ45 connector only has two contacts. Thus, it was redesigned by the Electronic Industries
Alliance for the purposes of Ethernet usage to have eight contacts.
Devices in a wired network are usually connected physically to a server, modem, router, or each
other with Ethernet cables. Each end of an Ethernet cable has a connector called an RJ45
connector. A Registered Jack 45 (RJ45) connector is a standard type of physical connector for
network cables. RJ45 connectors are used almost exclusively with Ethernet cables and
networking.

Wiring Pinouts of RJ45 Connectors

Two standard RJ45 pinouts define the arrangement of the individual eight wires needed when
attaching connectors to a cable: T568A and T568B standards. Both follow a convention of
coating individual wires in one of five colors (brown, green, orange, blue, or white) with certain
stripe and solid combinations.

Pin T568B T568A

1 white with orange stripe white with green stripe

2 orange green

3 white with green stripe white with orange stripe

4 blue blue
5 white with blue stripe white with blue stripe

6 green orange

7 white with brown stripe white with brown stripe

8 brown brown