BUS / EXPANSION CARD TYPES

BUS
TYPE

BUS
WIDTH

MAX
SPEED

BUS
MASTERING

COMMENTS
CONFIGURATION

8-BIT

8-BIT

4.77
MHz

NO

No longer used, Configured by Jumpers and DIP Switches

ISA

16-BIT

8MHz
or
10MHz
(TURBO)

NO

Configured by Jumpers and Dip switches, Some are software configurable

EISA

32-BIT

8MHz

YES

EISA are backwards compatible with ISA. Software-"EISA Configuration Disk" or by Jumpers.

MCA

16-BIT
or
32-BIT

12MHz

YES

Proprietary IBM design. Software - "Reference Disk", No longer used.

VESA or
VL-BUS

32-BIT

PROCESSOR
SPEED

YES

Backward compatible to ISA cards. Configuration with Jumpers.

AGP

32-BIT

66MHz

~

Used in Video cards

USB

1 Bit

But it moves real fast!

Universal Serial Bus. External bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps and/or 1.5 Mbps. A single USB port can be used to connect up to 128 peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards. USB also supports Plug-and-Play installation and hot swapping.

PCMCI
(PC-CARD)

16-BIT

32-BIT CardBus

33 MHz

NO

USED IN NOTEBOOKS, Some are software configured, some are
Plug & Play

Type 1

3.3mm
thick

Memory upgrades

Type 2

5mm
thick

Modem and Network cards

Type 3

10.5mm
thick

Hard Drives