TYAN TRINITY KT-A Manual page 65

memory where any byte can be accessed without touching the adjacent data, is often
used to refer to the system's main memory. This memory is available to any program
running on the computer.
ROM (Read-Only Memory) is a storage chip which contains the BIOS (Basic Input/
Output System), the basic instructions required to boot the computer and start up the
operating system.
SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM) is so-called because it can keep two sets of
memory addresses open simultaneously. By transferring data alternately from one set
of addresses, and then the other, SDRAM cuts down on the delays associated with
non-synchronous RAM, which must close one address bank before opening the next.
The serial port is so called because it transmits the eight bits of a byte of data along
one wire, and receives data on another single wire (that is, the data is transmitted in
serial form, one bit after another).
SIMM Single In-line Memory Modules are the most common form of RAM. They
must be installed in pairs, and do not have the carrying capacity or the speed of
DIMMs.
SIMM bank/socket SIMM sockets are the physical slots into which you stick SIMM
modules. A pair of SIMM sockets form a SIMM bank, and act as a unit. If only one
socket is filled, the bank will not operate.
In Sleep/Suspend mode, all devices except the CPU shut down.
SRAM Static RAM, unlike DRAM, does not need to be refreshed in order to prevent
data loss. Thus, it is faster, and more expensive.
In Standby mode, the video and fixed disk drive shut down; all other devices operate
normally.
UltraDMA/33/66/100 is a fast version of the old DMA channel. UltraDMA is also
called UltraATA. Without UltraDMA your system cannot take advantage of the higher
data transmission rates of the new UltraATA hard drives.
Universal Serial Bus or USB, is a versatile port. This one port type can function as a
serial, parallel, mouse, keyboard, or joystick port. It is fast enough to support video
transfer, and is capable of supporting up to 127 daisy-chained peripheral devices.
VGA (Video Graphics Array) is the PC video display standard.
V-SYNC controls the vertical properties of the monitor.
S2390B Trinity KT-A
65