Specifications
Computer Architecture and Maintenance (G-Scheme-2014)
manufacturers. Intel and AMD provide specifications to the chipset
manufacturers, who, in turn, develop and sell chipsets with various features and
abilities to motherboard manufacturers. Of course, the exceptions to this are Intel
and AMD, who also create their own chipsets.
Chipset architecture are of Two Types
• Hub Architecture
• North/South Architecture
North Bridge Architecture
Northbridge is an Intel chipset that communicates with the computer processor and
controls interaction with memory, the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus,
Level 2 cache, and all Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) activities. Northbridge
communicates with the processor using the frontside bus (FSB). Northbridge is one
part of a two-part chipset called Northbridge/Southbridge. Southbridge handles the
input/output (I/O) functions of the chipset.
South Bridge Architecture
Southbridge is an Intel chipset that manages the basic forms of input/output ( I/O )
such as Universal Serial Bus ( USB ), serial , audio, Integrated Drive Electronics ( IDE ),
and Industry Standard Architecture ( ISA ) I/O in a computer. Southbridge is one of
two chipsets that are collectively called Northbridge /Southbridge. Northbridge
controls the processor , memory , Peripheral Component Interconnect ( PCI ) bus ,
Level 2 cache , and all Accelerated Graphics Port ( AGP ) activities. Unlike
Northbridge, Southbridge consists of one chip, which sits on Northbridge's PCI bus.
http://www.karbosguide.com/books/pcarchitecture/chapter22.htm
http://www.karbosguide.com/books/pcarchitecture/chapter26.htm
Q.Difference between Southbridge and Northbridge:
Ans.North and south bridge refer to the data channels to the CPU, memory and Hard
disk data goes to CPU using the Northbridge. And the mouse, keyboard, CD ROM
external data flows to the CPU using the Southbridge.
The Northbridge is the portion of the chipset HUB that connects faster I/O buses (for
example, an AGP bus) to the system bus. Northbridge SI also bigger looking then
Prepared By – Prof. Manoj.kavedia (9860174297 – 9324258878 ) (www.kavediasir.yolasite.com)
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