Controller (computing): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:27, 5 November 2012

Revision as of 15:05, 5 November 2012

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In desktop computers the controller may be a plug in board, a single integrated circuit on the [[motherboard]], or an external device. In [[mainframe computer|mainframes]] the controller is usually either a separate device attached to an [[Channel I/O|channel]] or integrated into the peripheral.

==Controller boards==

[[Image:KL Genoa EGA.jpg|thumb|right|text-top|150px|Video display controller expansion board]]

Early desktop computers such as the [[IMSAI 8080]] used expansion boards (or expansion cards) for all controllers, each handling a specific type of device. Examples of expansion board controllers are:

* [[Graphics controller]] or video display controller

* [[SCSI]] controller, more properly called ''SCSI [[host bus adapter]]''

* [[Network interface controller]] (NIC)

{{clear}}

==Controller chips==

[[File:Ic-photo-Intel--C8251.JPG|thumb|right|text-top|150px|Intel C8251 Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (USART) chip]]

As chip densities improved controllers were implemented as single chips and often located on the motherboard. Examples are:

* [[Keyboard controller (computing)|Keyboard controller]]

* [[Programmable Interrupt Controller]]

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* [[Peripheral DMA controller]]

* [[Floppy disk controller]]<!-- sometimes is external, traditionally internal -->

{{clear}}

Further integration enabled development of ''[[Super I/O]]'' chips &mdash; single chips that could control a variety of devices such as floppy disks, parallel ports, serial ports, keyboard, and mouse.

==Controller boards==

[[Image:KL Genoa EGA.jpg|thumb|right|text-top|150px|Video display controller expansion board]]

* [[Graphics controller]] or video display controller

* [[SCSI]] controller, more properly called ''SCSI [[host bus adapter]]''

* [[Network interface controller]] (NIC)

{{clear}}

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==See also==

* [[Control unit (disambiguation)]]

* [[Adapter (computing)]]

* [[Programmable logic controller]]

* [[Computer bus]]

* [[Super I/O]]

* [[Control unit (disambiguation)]]

* [[MIDI controller]]