A+ CHAPTER TWO LESSON 3
Video Adapters and Converters
Converters can be purchased for video ports. For example, Figure 2.14 shows a DVI-to-HDMI adapter
(with both ends visible). Figure
2.15 shows a DVI-to-VGA adapter.
Figure 2.14 DVI-to-HDMI adapter
Figure 2.15 DVI-to-VGA adapter
Multipurpose Ports
Some ports/cables can be used for multiple devices, including USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and
Lightning. The USB port is probably the one people are most familiar with, but the Thunderbolt and
Lightning ports are also considered multipurpose ports. Let’s explore these ports.
USB Ports
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus and is one of the most popular ports on desktop PCs and laptops. A
USB port allows up to 127 connected devices to transmit at speeds up to 10 Gb/s (10 billion bits per
second) or 20 Gb/s. Devices that connect to a USB port include printers, scanners, mice, keyboards,
joysticks, optical drives, tape drives, game pads, cameras, modems, speakers, telephones, video phones,
data gloves, and digitizers. Additional ports can sometimes be found on the front of a PC case or on the
side of a mobile device. Figure 2.16 shows some USB ports.
Figure 2.16 USB ports
USB Versions
USB ports come in three main versions: 1.0/1.1, 2.0 (Hi-Speed), and 3.0 (SuperSpeed). USB 1.0 operates
at speeds of 1.5 Mb/s and 12
Mb/s; USB 2.0 operates at speeds up to 480 Mb/s. USB 3.0 supports transmissions up to 5 Gb/s. The USB
3.0 port, which still accepts older devices and cables, is colored blue. USB 3.1 is available in USB Gen 1
and USB Gen 2. Whereas the Gen 1 type supports transmission speeds up to 5 Gb/s, USB 3.1 Gen 2
increases the speed to 10 Gb/s, is backward compatible with prior versions, and can deliver more power,
and its ports are colored teal. The USB 3.2 standard, the newest standard at press time, can support two
lanes of 5 Gb/s or two lanes of 10 Gb/s. A USB 3.2 port requires a USB Type-C (sometimes called a USB-
C) cable and supports up to 20 Gb/s data transfer rates. Keep in mind that to achieve USB 3.x speeds, a
3.x device, 3.x port, and the USB-C cable must be used. The version 1 and 2 cables use 4 wires. Version
3.0 cables use 9 or
11 wires. Version 3.1 and 3.2 Type-C cables have 24 wires. Figure 2.17 shows the different USB versions
and speed symbols. Note that the port does not have to be labeled, and sometimes looking at the
technical specifications for the computer or motherboard is the only way to determine the port speed.
Figure 2.17 USB versions, speeds, and symbols
USB Power Delivery (USB-PD)
USB ports have been able to provide 5 V at 500 mA for 2.5 watts of power to devices since version 2.0.
The newest USB standard, Power Delivery (PD or USB-PD), can provide up to 20 V at 5 A for 100 watts of
power. The standard actually has five levels of power delivery: 10 W, 18 W, 36 W, 60 W, and 100 W.
USB Cables
Each USB standard has a maximum cable length:
> Version 1.0/1.1: 9.8 feet (3 m)
> Version 2.0: 16.4 feet (5 m)
> Version 3.x: 9.8 feet (3 m)
These standards are provided to ensure that devices function properly. USB cables can be longer than
these specifications, but they may not work as well.
If a USB port provides power to a device, then the maximum cable length shortens. For example, if a USB
2.0 PD device is being used, the maximum cable length is less than 13 feet (4 m). If a USB 3.1 PD device is
used with a USB Type-C cable, then the cable length should be less than 3.3 feet (1 m). A PD device
requires a Type-C cable, but not all ports or cables support PD.
With the older ports, sometimes a USB extension cable is needed. Figure 2.18 shows a cable used to
extend the length of a standard USB cable.
Figure 2.18 USB extension cable
USB Connectors
USB ports can be either upstream ports or downstream ports. An upstream port is used to connect to a
computer or another hub. A USB device like a printer or flash drive connects to a downstream port.
Downstream ports are commonly known as USB Type-A and USB Type-B. A standard USB cable has a
Type-A male connector on one end and a Type-B male connector on the other end. The port on the
computer is a Type-A port. The Type-A connector inserts into the Type-A port. The Type-B connector
attaches to the Type-B port on the USB device. Figure 2.19 shows Type-A and Type-B connectors.
Figure 2.19 USB Type-A and Type-B connectors
The USB Type-C connector is the latest connector and will eventually replace the Type-A and Type-B
connectors. With older devices, it is possible to use an adapter in order to attach to a Type-C connector.
Many USB 3.0 ports are Type-C connectors, but they do not have to be. USB 3.1 (Gen 2) and USB 3.2
require USB Type-C connectors. Figure 2.20 shows a USB Type-C connector and cable. Notice in the
photo of a USB Type-C connector in Figure 2.21 that the cable connector could be inserted into the USB-
C port with either side facing up (the connector is non-directional).
Figure 2.20 USB Type-C connector and cable
Figure 2.21 USB-C cable and connector
Tech Tip
USB Alternate Mode
Some USB ports support other types of non-USB data, such as video and audio for DisplayPort, HDMI,
Thunderbolt, Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), and PCIe through a USB Type-C cable. Alternate Mode is
enabled through the USB-PD protocol. Alternate Mode also supports sending non-USB data at the same
time as USB data. For example, with Alternate Mode enabled, streaming video can be sent at the same
time as USB data.
Mini-USB and Micro-USB
Two smaller USB ports used on portable devices such as hubs, external hard drives, digital cameras, and
smartphones are the miniUSB and micro-USB ports. There are several types of these smaller USB ports:
mini-A, mini-AB, micro-B, and micro-AB. The mini-AB and micro-AB ports accept either a mini-A/micro-A
or a mini-B/micro-B cable end. Figure 2.22 shows the standard Type-A USB cable that would be inserted
into a PC port compared to the mini- and microUSB cables used with mobile devices. Figure 2.23 shows a
USB 3.0 micro-B port and connector.
Figure 2.22 Micro-USB, mini-USB, and USB Type-A cables
Figure 2.23 USB 3.0 micro-B port and connector