Types of cables: E With so many types of cables, it’s hard to find a singular source of information that highlights the important differences between them all. Here’s an overview of the most common computer cable types you’ll encounter when dealing with computers. 1. VGA Cable:Also known as D-sub cable, analog video cable. Connect one end to: computer monitor, television (PC input port) Connect other end to: VGA port on computer (see image below) 2. DVI Cable: Connect one end to: computer monitor.Connect other end to: DVI port on computer (see image below)However there are 2 types of DVI, DVI-I and DVI-D. DVI-D does not have the extra pins around the long pin, this is also a pure digital signal over DVI-I. 3. HDMI Cable Connect one end to: computer monitor, television.Connect other end to: HDMI port on computer (see image below).Note: If you're hooking up a television to your computer, then we would recommend that you use a HDMI cable as your PC cable connection since it is able to transmit both display and sound - So you can not only use your TV screen as a monitor, but also make use of your TV speakers to play PC audio. 4. PS/2 Cable Connect one end to: PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse Connect other end to: PS/2 ports on computer (see image below) Purple PS/2 port: keyboard Green PS/2 port: mouse 5. Ethernet Cable Also known as RJ-45 cable Connect one end to: router, network switch Connect other end to: Ethernet port on computer (see image below) 6. 3.5mm Audio Cable Also known as phone connector (since 3.5mm jacks are often found on mobile phones too) Connect one end to: computer speakers, 3.5mm headphones, 3.5mm microphone Connect other end to: audio ports on computer (see image below use Green socket) Green audio port: computer speakers or headphones Pink audio port: microphone Blue audio port: MP3 player, CD player, DVD player, turntable, electric guitar etc (line-in port to play and record sounds from the above devices) 7. USB Cable For USB computer cable connections, there are two popular formats: USB 2.0 and the newer USB 3.0 How to tell USB 2.0 and 3.0 cables apart: USB 3.0 cables have a blue tip, and sometimes you can find a SS "Super Speed" label on it. Since USB was intended to be the cable connection to replace them all, surprise that the possible uses for a quite mind-blowing. For this computer we have listed its more common uses one computer it's no USB port are cable guide, below: Connect one end to: USB device Storage devices: USB flash drive, external hard drive, external optical drive Input devices: USB keyboard (wired and wireless), USB mouse (wired and wireless), webcam, scanner, gamepad Output devices: printer, all-in-one office machine, USB speaker Wireless adapters: network (Wi-Fi) adapter, bluetooth adapter, 3G adapter Data (and charging) cable for mobile devices such as mobile phone, tablet, MP3 player Connect other end to: USB ports on computer (see image below) How to tell USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports apart: USB 2.0 ports have black tips while USB 3.0 ports come with blue tips. See image below: USB 3.0 is backwards-compatible... meaning that you can connect a USB 2.0 device to a USB 3.0 port and vice versa (but the USB 3.0 devices hooked up to a USB 2.0 port will perform at lowered rates) There are also USB cables which connect new external backup drives (see below), these are described as USB-A to Micro-B 8. Computer Power Cord (Kettle Plug) Connect one end to: AC power socket Connect other end to: power supply unit (see image below), computer monitor Note: Always turn off your power supply unit (with the 1-0 switch at the back) before connecting a power cord to it. 9. ThunderBolt/USB-C Mostly seen on laptops and Apple Macs these cables are high speed and are capable of carrying Data, video and other information. There are 2 current types of Thunderbolt, the older version Thunderbolt 2 is seen below but this can also be confused with Mini Display ports as they look identical and only visual difference is the picture beside the port. Thunderbolt 2 (left) has a lightning symbol and carries Data and video. The Mini Display Port (right) will only carry Video. And Thunderbolt 3 also known as USB-C on Apple Macs. 10. Display Port Display Port is the best to use if you require a fast, high resolution image. The cable has better quality over HDMI and is the best option if you have this interface. How to Set Up a Computer New Just ordered a shiny new computer? Whether you're setting up a Windows desktop, a Mac or MacBook, or a Windows laptop, there are a few things you'll need to take care of before you start surfing the internet or playing your new games. Ensuring that your hardware is properly connected and that you have all the latest updates installed will help make your new computer experience the best it possibly can be. Setting up a Windows Desktop 1. 1 Unpack your components. Depending on where you purchased your computer and what options you selected, you may or may not have the following items: 2 Place the tower. Place your CPU tower near its intended location with enough room for all of the fans to move air. Towers typically have fans on the rear of the case, and sometimes have fans on the sides, front, and top. Avoid placing the tower between sets of drawers or inside of a cabinet. If you are using your computer as a home theater PC, make sure that its spot in the home theater cabinet has plenty of air on all sides, and that the cabinet is not enclosed. 3 Connect the monitor to the tower. Plug the monitor or TV into one of the monitor ports on the back of the tower. Most modern computers have an HDMI port, which is the easiest to connect. Monitors typically use DVI or HDMI connections, but some older ones use VGA. 4 Plug in the mouse and keyboard.Virtually all mice and keyboards plug in via USB. If you are setting up an exceptionally old PC, you may need to connect the mouse and keyboard via the PS/2 connectors. These are typically located at the top of the back of the tower, and are color coded to match the keyboard and mouse plugs. 5 Connect any speakers. Plug your speakers into the back of the computer using the color codes as guides. Ensure that all the channels are placed on the correct sides, and that the speakers are plugged into an outlet if necessary. 6. Plug the tower into an outlet. If you can, plug it into a surge protector or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). This will help protect the computer in the event of a power surge or power loss. 7 Turn on the computer. Press the Power button on the front of the computer to turn it on. If you bought the computer with an operating system such as Windows or Linux preinstalled, you will be guided through the first-time setup process for the operating system. Follow the prompts on the screen to enter your location and create your user account. If your computer did not come with an operating system preinstalled (this is rare), you will need to install it yourself. 8 Connect to a network. Before you can download any programs or start using the internet, you will need to connect your computer to a network. You can either connect wirelessly if you computer has a wireless network card, or you can connect to your router or modem via Ethernet. 9 Download any updates. Chances are that your installed operating system and programs have been updated since the computer was built. You may be prompted to download and install updates, which is essential for keeping your computer secure and stable. 10 Install your essential programs.Now that you are connected to the internet and Windows has been updated, you can start installing your essential programs. If you're upgrading computers, don't just install all the old programs you used to have installed. Instead, take some time to evaluate what you really need. Only installing the essentials will help keep your computer running smoother. 11 Personalize the computer. Once all the boring stuff is out of the way, you can start making your new computer yours. You can change your desktop background, install new cursors, change the fonts, or even completely change the way Windows is organized using special software. a. See this guide for details on completely customizing your Windows desktop. Setting up a desktop computer Step 1 Unpack the monitor and computer casefrom the box. Remove any plastic covering or protective tape. Place the monitor and computer case on a desk or work area. Be sure to place your computer case in an area that is well ventilated and has good air flow. This will help to prevent the computer from overheating. Step 2 Locate the monitor cable. There are several types of monitor cables, so the one for your computer may not look like the one in the image below. If you're having trouble finding your monitor cable, refer to the instruction manual for your computer. (If you have an all-in-one computer that's built into the monitor, you can skip to Step 4). Step 3 Connect one end of the cable to the monitor port on the back of the computer case and the other end to the monitor. If you're using a VGA cable like the one in the picture below, you'll want to tighten the screws on the monitor cable to secure it. Many computer cables will only fit a specific way. If the cable doesn't fit, don't force it or you might damage the connectors. Make sure the plug aligns with the port, then connect it. To figure out which cables belong in which ports, try our Connecting Cablesinteractive. Step 4 Unpack the keyboard and determine whether it uses a USB (rectangular) connector or a PS/2 (round) connector. If it uses a USB connector, plug it into any of the USB ports on the back of the computer. If it uses a PS/2 connector, plug it into the purple keyboard port on the back of the computer. Step 5 Unpack the mouse and determine whether it uses a USB or PS/2 connector. If it uses a USB connector, plug it into any of the USB ports on the back of the computer. If it uses a PS/2 connector, plug it into the greenmouse port on the back of the computer. If your keyboard has a USB port, you can connect your mouse to the keyboard instead of connecting it directly to your computer. If you have a wirelessmouse or keyboard, you may need to connect a Bluetooth dongle (USB adapter) to your computer. However, many computers have built-in Bluetooth, so an adapter may not be necessary. Step 6 If you have external speakers or headphones, you can connect them to your computer's audio port (either on the front or back of the computer case). Many computers have color-coded ports. Speakers or headphones connect to the green port, and microphones connect to the pink port. The blue port is the line in, which can be used with other types of devices. Some speakers, headphones, and microphones have USB connectors instead of the usual audio plug. These can be connected to any USB port. In addition, many computers have speakers or microphones built into the monitor. Step 7 Locate the two power supply cables that came with your computer. Plug the first power supply cable into the back of the computer case and then into a surge protector. Then, using the other cable, connect the monitor to the surge protector. You can also use an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), which acts as a surge protector and provides temporary power if there is a power outage. Step 8 Finally, plug the surge protector into a wall outlet. You may also need to turn on the surge protector if it has a power switch. If you don't have a surge protector, you can plug the computer directly into the wall. However, this is not recommended because electrical surges can damage your computer. Step 9 If you have a printer, scanner, webcam, or other peripherals, you can connect them at this point. Many peripherals are plug and play, which means they will be recognized by your computer as soon as they are plugged in. Other peripherals may include softwarethat needs to be installed before you can begin using them. Use the instructions included with the device to install it if necessary. Generally, peripherals are optional, and you can add new ones at any time; you don't have to add all peripherals during the initial setup of your computer. Setup complete! That's it—you've finished setting up your computer, so it's time to start using it! We'll talk more about how to use your computer over the next several lessons.