PC Hardware A Beginner’s Guide

Chapter 12: Video Cards^259

increasing the video card’s capabilities to process more of the graphic information and to

produce better displayed images. Rather than the video standard, a card is typically chosen

because of its price, its memory, and the graphics language or API (application program

interface) it uses to produce 3D graphics.

Connector

One standard that has endured from the beginning is the connection used to connect the

monitor to the video card. The monitor connects to the video card through a 15-pin HD15

(high-density 15-pin) DB-style connector, as shown here:

Video Card Components

AvideocardisvirtuallyaseparatecomputingsystemthatismountedinsidethePCtohan-

dle video graphics reproduction on the monitor. It has its own processor, BIOS, memory,

chipset,andconnectors,allofwhicharefocusedatprocessinggraphicimagesfordisplay.

Video Standard Resolution(s) Colors

VGA (Video Graphics Array) 640 × 480 16

320 × 200 256

SVGA (Super VGA) 800 × 600 16

1,024 × 768 256

1,280 × 1,024 256

1,600 × 1,200 256

XGA (Extended Graphics Array) 640 × 480 65,536

1,024 × 768 256

Table 12-1. PC Video Adapter Standards