User Manual
20 Glossary
Glossary
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
An interface specication for graphics cards on older PCs. AGP was designed to offer the necessary bandwidth
and latency to perform texture mapping directly from system memory.
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
BIOS is a set of routines that control how the computer transfers data between computer components, such as
memory, disks and the display adapter. The BIOS instructions are built into the computer’s read-only memory. You
can update the BIOS using a suitable software tool.
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
The CPU, also called “Processor,” actually functions as the “brain” of the computer. It interprets and executes
program commands and processes data stored in the system memory.
Device Driver (software)
A software routine that links a peripheral device to the operating system. It acts as a translator between the device
and the applications that use it. Each device has its own set of specialized commands known only to its driver while
the applications access devices using high-level generic commands. The driver translates these commands into
the commands required by the devices.
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
A type of RAM that requires refresh cycles to prevent the loss of the data stored in it.
OS (Operating System)
The software that controls the overall operation of a computer system. The OS tasks include memory allocation,
input and output distribution, interrupt processing, job scheduling, and various other duties.
PCIe (PCI Express)
The latest technology and interface specication for graphics cards, which enables high-performance 3D graphics
on current PCs. PCIe offers larger bandwidth for data transfer, as compared with AGP bus.
POST (Power On Self Test)
When you turn ON the computer, it will rst run through the POST, a series of software-controlled diagnostic tests.
The POST checks system memory, the motherboard circuitry, the display, the keyboard, the diskette drive, and
other I/O devices.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
The computer’s primary storage area used to write, store, and retrieve information and program instructions
which are passed to the CPU for processing. The information in RAM can be repeatedly re-written with new data.
Compared to other storage media like magnetic tape, oppy disk, and hard disk, RAM has an extraordinarily fast
access rate. RAM, however, is volatile, which means that the data stored in it are lost when the system power is
turned off, or if power glitches occur.
ROM (Read Only Memory)
An integrated circuit chip containing program and data that can be accessed and read but not modied.
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM)
A type of DRAM with access signals that are synchronized with the CPU clock, eliminating the delay associated
with data transfers between the CPU and memory. SDRAM takes memory access away from the CPU control;
internal registers in the memory accept the request, and lets the CPU do something else while the data requested
is assembled for the next time the CPU talks to the memory.
ZOTAC GRAPHICS CARDSZOTAC GRAPHICS CARDS
ZOATC VGA Manual-english-Final-N20 20 2010-11-1 16:03:49