Hardware Articles

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Tuesday, 3rd August 2010

The RS232 and RS485 serial port has its share of problems. Some of them are inherent while others arise during its usage. The intrinsic ones are constituted by its limitations, while the ones that occur when being used are spontaneous. This means that the RS232 / RS485 serial port has 'an already predicted' problem (the inherent ones) and problems that [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Tuesday, 3rd August 2010

The RS232 and RS485 interfaces use asynchronous serial communication. This means that they utilizes start and stop bits in order to know when information is being sent. This is a bit different from the synchronous data communication in which devises must be synchronized at first and then send data continuously. This means that in the latter, idle RS232 data has [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Jacque Crook @ Wednesday, 28th July 2010

More and more computer owners are switching to optical mice each year. The old, mechanical ball mice have served their purpose admirably, but they just can't compete with an optical mouse when it comes to sensitivity and accuracy. Also, with their high number of moving parts, mechanical ball mice don't have the same lifespan as a modern mouse. That's not [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Chris Smith @ Wednesday, 14th July 2010

Buying a new computer is a big decision. Not only do you need to decide on things like screen size, hard disk capacity, amount of memory and processor type - you'll also want to consider whether to buy a shiny new computer or a refurbished model. The refurbished computer option is well worth investigating, it has many things going for it [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Drew Burns @ Monday, 12th July 2010

While it may seem strange to talk about a 1980s computer being an 'antique', that's really what it is. Technology has changed so quickly that computers built just 25 years ago seem hopelessly outdated. Yet for true computer geeks, 80s computers represent the start of the modern age of what has become an everyday part of our lives. These [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Dominic Donaldson @ Friday, 2nd July 2010

Computers get more advanced with every year that passes, there was a time when the most advanced thing that a computer could do was perform rudimentary mathematics when programmed to do so. Now thanks to the massive advancements that have been made with computer hardware and software you can now perform a number of tasks with just a simple click [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Thursday, 1st July 2010

Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports have become very popular and most new computers come installed with two or more. Users are comfortable with the advantages of USB's plug and play and with the variety of peripheral devices that can be easily connected. However, there are still many legacy devices, especially in industrial automation environments, where RS232 (and RS422 / RS485) [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Wednesday, 30th June 2010

In the serial communications world one of the most enduring specifications is RS232. Indeed, many personal computers (PCs) still have at least one RS232 port, even with the popularity of Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. It is partly this longevity that has created a market for converters to interface between RS232 and other serial interfaces e.g. RS422 and RS485. RS232 serial [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Tuesday, 29th June 2010

Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors are well known for the high-speed data transfer and hot swap capabilities they provide to personal computers (PCs). It's also becoming common to see PCs with USB ports used as diagnostics and monitoring devices in industrial automation networks, such as those used by RS422-compliant surveillance and security camera systems. It's important to remember that the EIA [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Brian Jones @ Monday, 28th June 2010

Laptops are very important especially for business and leisure travelers. However, just like any other electronic device, it is possible to experience different kinds of technical and maintenance problems. Because of its delicate nature, the laptop screen is one of the most commonly affected parts, which is susceptible to damage and malfunction. Free yourself from all these troubles by learning [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Brian Jones @ Monday, 28th June 2010

Also called as the Central Processing Unit of a computer system, CPU acts as a processor, which is responsible for carrying out the directions of a particular computer application or program. It also features components that are important to do the essential functions of a personal computer. The design, implementation as well as the form of this unit changes over [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Monday, 28th June 2010

Even with the widespread use of Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, for many of our customers who use converters, serial ports are still an important interface. Not only on computers, but also digital cameras, printing equipment, modems and a wide range of industrial automation network equipment, continue to make use of serial port connectivity. (Although, if you examine computers manufactured [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Saturday, 26th June 2010

Many people are familiar these days with the use of universal serial bus [USB] ports on their desktop, laptop and notebook computers. The widely used USB 2.0 specification supports a 480 Mbps transfer rate and is popular because computer users can easily connect a wide range of consumer electronics devices and computer peripherals to their computers without having to configure [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Brian Jones @ Friday, 25th June 2010

Burning DVDs can be a problem for some people especially those who do not have the knowledge and skills to get the job done. The process is complicated even further by the other factors involved in the process including the types of DVDs to burn such as commercial DVDs, multimedia files to DVDs and data DVDs. After determining the particular [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Maggie White @ Friday, 25th June 2010

Industrial enclosures come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. When purchasing an enclosure, you will likely have many options to choose from and many decisions to make. Fortunately, this means you will be more likely to easily find the indoor or outdoor enclosure that fits your needs. One very important decision you'll need to make is determining the [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Daniel Lorenz @ Friday, 25th June 2010

This article describes the top three benefits of using RS232 to RS485 converters - a niche market servicing these legacy serial communications protocols. RS485 is an electrical interface standard still widely used by industrial automation devices such as sensors, motor managers, temperature controllers and control valves that communicate real-time, deterministic data across bus-based networks. Although newer devices that make use [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By Jack Landry @ Thursday, 24th June 2010

Have you ever wanted to learn how shopping websites work? Have you ever been on one of those kinds of websites and able to buy or sell any of your own products? It can be a confusing process if you have not been on the internet very much or have not had much experience communicating online before. But if you have [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By li baocai @ Wednesday, 23rd June 2010

Let's take an imaginary journey inside an inkjet cartridge. The first thing we do is to dive into a pool of ink. This is very special ink. It is a mix of water, dyes and chemicals and is more expensive than champagne, per ounce. You're about to find out how inkjet cartridges work. This amazing box of ink fires a [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By li baocai @ Wednesday, 23rd June 2010

Many printer companies inform you that discount ink cartridges or refill cartridges can damage the printer. When it comes to replacing the ink cartridge in our printer, many of us are tempted to purchase a discount ink cartridge or refill the old ink cartridge. This is to avoid paying the cost associated with OEM ink cartridge. They also claim that it [more...]

Computers » Hardware | By li baocai @ Wednesday, 23rd June 2010

How many milliliters of ink in the printer ink cartridge? This is mostly a small detail that people forget when it comes to buying printer ink. Some manufacturers may only fill about 75% of the cartridge and state on their advert that the cartridge contains X amount of ink in milliliters. This lets them sell their printer cartridges for a [more...]