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Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port: It is also known as standard connection interface, it is
used to connect USB devices and supply them with power. It is commonly used for connecting
devices like mouse and keyboard to the computer.
Ethernet Port: This port connects the network cable to the computer, providing Internet and
network access.
VGA Port: The Video Graphics Array (VGA) port connects monitors using analog video signals.
It has holes that correspond to the pins on the VGA connector. VGA is known for lower image
quality compared to modern digital connections.
HDMI Port: The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port connects devices with
high-definition video and audio signals. It supports digital signals, offering superior image
and sound quality compared to analog ports like VGA.
Serial Port: It is also called a communication port, it transfers data one bit at a time in a
sequence. It uses pins to connect to the computer and was commonly used for connecting
modems.
Parallel Port: It is similar to a serial port, but instead of transferring data one bit at a time, it
transfers multiple bits simultaneously. Parallel ports are used for connecting devices that need
high-speed data transfer, such as printers.
PS/2 Port: It was used for connecting keyboard and mouse but has largely been replaced by
USB ports.
Audio Port: This port connects external audio devices such as speakers, headphones, and
microphones to the computer.
Modem
It stands for MODULATOR–DEMODULATOR. It
allows a computer to send and receive data over
a telephone line. It converts data from digital to
analog and vice versa. The process of converting
digital signals to analog signals is called
modulation. The process of converting analog
Internal Modem External Modem
signals to digital signals is called demodulation.
Modems are of two types: internal and external. The internal modem is located inside the CPU
box, typically mounted on the motherboard. On the other hand, an external modem is a separate
device that you can connect to the computer with the help of a USB port. It generally contains
indicators in the form of small lights.
Sound Card
Sound card is located inside the CPU box and is used to convert sound
into digital data and vice-versa. It allows the computer to play music
through an output device, such as a speaker. It has audio ports through
which we can connect speakers and headphones to the computer.
Sound Card
Computer—Hardware Components 9

