2.1 - Cables and Connectors

Front

Maximum number of SATA devices connectable to a motherboard with six built-in SATA connectors?

Back

Six

Answer explanation

The number of SATA devices that can be connected to a motherboard is directly determined by the number of built-in SATA connectors available, which in this case is four. Each SATA port supports a single device, such as a hard drive, solid-state drive, or optical drive. Since the motherboard in this scenario has four SATA connectors, it can accommodate up to four SATA devices simultaneously without the need for additional expansion cards or adapters. The option that eight, sixteen, or thirty-two devices can be connected is incorrect because they exceeds the number of available ports. To connect more than four devices, a SATA expansion card or port multiplier would be required, which is not mentioned in this scenario.

Front

Which SATA connector is responsible for data transfer: 7-pin or 15-pin?

Back

7-pin connector

Answer explanation

You use a 7-pin connector to connect a SATA hard drive to the motherboard. IDE hard drives use a 40-pin connector. SCSI and SPI-SCSI parallel interfaces use 50-, 68-, or 80-pin connectors.

Front

What is the primary purpose of the Thunderbolt interface?

Back

To enable high-speed data transfer and support multiple types of connections

Answer explanation

The Thunderbolt interface is designed to provide high-speed data transfer, as well as support for various types of connections, including display, storage, and power through a single port. It combines PCI Express, DisplayPort, and power delivery in one interface.

Front

Which component(s) is most likely to use a Molex power connector?

Back

Older case fans, hard disk drives (HDDs) and removable media drives (optical, magnetic, etc.)

Answer explanation

Molex power connectors are commonly used to provide power case fans for older hard disk drive (HDD). Molex connectors are 4-pin power connectors traditionally found in older computer systems. They are often used to power devices such as case fans, optical drives, and older hard disk drives. They provide a reliable power connection but lack the more modern features found in newer power connectors. A SATA SSD does not use a Molex connector. Instead, it relies on a SATA power connector, which is specifically designed for SATA-based drives and offers a more compact and streamlined design compared to Molex. A monitor is powered externally through its own dedicated power cable and does not connect directly to the computer's internal power supply. A USB external hard drive is powered through its USB connection or via an external power adapter.

Front

Which display technology provides better contrast and deeper blacks, resulting in better picture quality?

Back

OLED

Answer explanation

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays don't require a backlight. While this means they do not perform as well as LCD displays in lighted areas, they have a much better contrast ratio with deeper blacks. Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) dominate the laptop display market but require a backlight and have a lower contrast ratio. Digital light processing (DLP) is used in projectors. While plasma display panels have a better contrast ratio than LCD displays, the technology is unsuitable for laptop displays because of their smaller size and larger power consumption.

Front

Most common interface for peripheral devices?

Back

USB

Answer explanation

USB is the most common interface for peripheral devices, such as printers, keyboards, and mice. FireWire is a common interface for digital video cameras and recorders, hard drives, and network adapters. Serial interfaces are common for modems, older printers, and networking devices. PATA interfaces are most common for internal HDDs and CD/DVD drives.

Front

Which interface is primarily used for internal hard drives in modern desktop PC systems?

Back

SATA

Answer explanation

SATA is primarily used for internal hard drives in modern desktop PC systems. PATA (also called EIDE, IDE, and ATAPI) is a parallel ATA interface and was the most common interface used for hard disks and CD/DVD drives in the past. It is not used in modern PC systems. USB and Firewire are interface standards for connecting various external devices, including external hard drives. SCSI is commonly used for server storage. However, SCSI is rarely used for hard disks in modern desktop systems.

Front

What is the maximum data transfer speed supported by USB 2.0?

Back

480 Mbps

Answer explanation

USB 2.0, also known as Hi-Speed USB, supports a maximum data transfer speed of 480 Mbps (megabits per second). This was a significant improvement over the earlier USB 1.1 standard, which only supported speeds up to 12 Mbps. USB 2.0 is widely used for connecting peripherals such as keyboards, mice, printers, and external storage devices. While it is slower compared to newer standards like USB 3.0 and USB 3.1, USB 2.0 remains backward compatible with older USB devices and is still commonly found in many devices today.

Front

Cable type for connecting a laptop to a large wall-mounted LED TV for high-resolution video and audio presentation.

Back

HDMI

Answer explanation

HDMI is the default cable standard for newer electronic devices, such as Blu-ray players and LED TVs. HDMI can carry both digital video and audio signals. Most modern computers include an HDMI port. DVI and VGA only support video signals. S/PDIF cables and ports are used to send a digital audio signal to high-end audio devices. It does not support video signals.

Front

What happens when you plug a USB 2.0 hard disk into a USB 3.0 port?

Back

The device will work but only transfer at USB 2.0 speeds.

Answer explanation

USB 3.0 ports are backward compatible with all previous USB versions. However, these ports can only transfer as fast as the slowest version being used. This means that a USB 2.0 device connected to a USB 3.0 port will transfer data at USB 2.0 speeds. Devices only require an external power source if they require more than 500 mA or 900 mA of power (for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, respectively).