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Appendix D Terminology
AC '97
Audio Codec 97 (AC'97) refers to a codec standard developed
by Intel® in 1997.
ACPI
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) is an OS-
directed configuration, power management, and thermal
management interface.
AHCI
Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is a SATA Host
controller register-level interface.
ATA
The Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface
connects storage devices including hard disks and CD-ROM
drives to a computer.
ARMD
An ATAPI Removable Media Device (ARMD) is any ATAPI
device that supports removable media, besides CD and DVD
drives.
ASKIR
Amplitude Shift Keyed Infrared (ASKIR) is a form of modulation
that represents a digital signal by varying the amplitude
("volume") of the signal. A low amplitude signal represents a
binary 0, while a high amplitude signal represents a binary 1.
BIOS
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is firmware that is first
run when the computer is turned on and can be configured by
the end user.
CODEC
The Compressor-Decompressor (CODEC) encodes and
decodes digital audio data on the system.
CMOS
Complimentary metal-oxide-conductor is an integrated circuit
used in chips like static RAM and microprocessors.
COM
COM refers to serial ports. Serial ports offer serial
communication to expansion devices. The serial port on a
personal computer is usually a male DB-9 connector.
DAC
The Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) converts digital signals
to analog signals.
DDR
Double Data Rate refers to a data bus transferring data on both
the rising and falling edges of the clock signal.
DMA
Direct Memory Access (DMA) enables some peripheral devices
to bypass the system processor and communicate directly with
the system memory.
Appendix D Terminology
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