Expansion Cards & Peripherials

Standard Card Configuration is one video card, one sound card and maybe one network interface card. First of all you must locate and see if you have any onboard devices; such as on-board video, sound or network interface.

• VGA (Video Graphics Array): Is the standard in display adapters. You can recognize a VGA video card or monitor by the connector: 12 pin layed in 3 rows. If you already have this connector at the rear of the motherboard, you don't need an extra video card. Availability:
  
  • ISA: these video cards can suport up to 255 colors and 800x600 screen resolution.
  • PCI: these video cards can suport up to 32 bit color depth (16 bit means ~65000 colors) and screen resolutions up to 1024x768.
  • AGP: Commonly known as graphics accelerators, these cards support 32 bit color depth and the verry highest screen resolutions plus high performance felt by gamers.
• Sound Card: You can recognize it by three mother jack connectors at the rear. One is for "out", "line in" and "microphone". Availability:
  
  • ISA
  • PCI
• NIC (Network Interface Card): If you want to buy such a card, be sure to get an Ethernet 10BaseT or an 100BaseT card with TP (Twisted Pair) connector, for reasons of highest possible compatibility. Availability:_{I may write later on a document on small networks, for now, you must fend by yourself}
  
  • ISA: Usualy 10BaseT
  • PCI: Almost all are 100BaseT

Installation of the cards is simple (provided you have the slots). Insert the card in an vailable slot (don't force PCI card into ISA slot and things like this), secure with a screw and from the hardware point of view it is completed.

Choosing the peripherials

• The monitor: If you have the VGA video card, select the monitor that best suites your needs. If you will read or type o'lot you need at least 15 inch (diagnonal) that works with a 800x600 screen resolution at at least 75 Hz refresh rate (so that you won't ruin your eyes like i did). If you have a ISA card, then the sane thing to do is a 14 inch 640x480 screen resolution that runs at who-knows-what refresh rate, anything better is a waste.
• The keyboard: select the model you like. Me, pesonaly i like the older keyboards, the ones big and heavy (they last longer). Be sure to get the keyboard with the propper connector (so it fits to your motherboard), if not, there are adapters in stores.
• Mice: i like wheel mice becouse they are quite handy (not that i use the mouse a whole lot). Again, be sure of the connector; even so, there should be no problem as many are sold with adapters included.