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Home , Adapter (computing), Video card

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Graphics Adapters (Videocards)

The graphics is an extension card that is used in a to enable the user to view graphical 1 information that has been sent from the computer to a such as a monitor.

Graphics cards are found in 2 formats in

Dedicated card which has its own memory and Graphics on the card. These types of card now generally require extra power to be supplied from the power supply On modern computers they generally will fit into a PCIe slot on the mother board. This slot has a number of different formats so you need to ensure that you buy the correct . The video card can be brought with different amounts of ram and Processors. What you get depends on how much you are prepared to pay!

The second type of video card is one that is built into the . This type generally uses a portion of the systems ram. This type is being phased out with the Graphic processing unit beginning to be included in the (CPU)using an accelerated processing unit(APU). On board video is generally used in cheaper or more basic computers. As these 2 types of on-board video use system resources such as ram or processing capacity from the CPU they may slow down the computer.

Modern Video cards will normally have a number of different output ports on the back these may include 2 DVI VGA HDMI Digital Port SVideo and on some cards more than one interface can be used to run multiple monitors. On modern computers they generally will fit into a PCIe slot on the mother board

Image from http://www.rakuten.com/th/pny-graphic-video-card.html

This card has VGA HDMI and DVI and has a PCIe x 16 interface

• VGA stands for which is analog based and is design mainly for CRT monitors 3 there may be some issues with electrical noise and image distortion at higher resolutions • DVI stands for is digital based and is intended for LCD displays It avoids electrical noise and image distortion and can pay High Definition video. • HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface It is similar to DVI but allows also a sound signal to be sent as well

Data generally flows mainly from the CPU through the graphics card to the monitor, little is sent back the 4 other way unless there is a touch screen.

Upgrading the graphics card 5 1. Before you buy a graphics card, make sure that your computers 's power supply is up to the task.. Check the manufacturer's specs for minimum power requirements before you take the plunge. Modern video cards may require and extra power from the power supply. 2. Check that the card will fit into your computer. Graphics boards have become longer over the years, and the space in older cases may be a little tight. Also check that the motherboard has the right interface for your new graphics card Hint use the manuals that came with your computer and the to help find the information needed in 1 and 2 3. It is suggested that you download the latest driver for the new graphics card. Don't install it yet. This will ensure that when you install the device drivers that are the most recent 4. Uninstall the older graphics drivers. Even if you're installing a GPU of the same brand as before, removing the older drivers prior to installing the new card is a good idea. 5. Power down the system. 6. Carefully remove any power connectors from the old graphics card If fitted . Also remove the screws that attach the connector bracket to the case. 7. Make sure that any cables or wiring that surrounds the card is out of the way. Sometimes , large CPU heat sinks can interfere with physical card removal or installation, if so you may need to remove the heat sink. Make sure to detach the monitor cable from the old graphics card's outside connector, too. .8. Some have a little latch that locks the graphics card into its slot. You may have to hold this latch down (or aside) while removing the card with your other hand. 9. If the new card requires power connectors you may want to attach these first if the space inside the case is too tight 10. Install the new graphics board, making sure that no small wires or other things are overhanging the PCI Express slot. If the card seems difficult to push down, check to see whether the connector bracket is sliding in properly. The card should slide in without using excessive force. 11. Once the card is firmly in place, replace the connector-bracket screws. 12. Reattach the monitor cable. If you've been using a VGA cable, and your monitor has a digital input (DVI, HDMI), now is a good time to switch to digital inputs with the right cable. 13. Double-check to confirm that the graphics card's power connectors (If needed) are in place. Additionally, verify that no small wires or cables will interfere with any of the cooling fans. 14. Power up the PC. Check that all the fans are spinning. If you hear any rattling, it indicates that something is rubbing against the fans; power down and check to make sure that no fans have become blocked. 15. Once the system is powered up and running normally, install the latest drivers for the graphics card. One more reboot, and if necessary change the settings for the graphics drivers so that you have a display that you like. 16. Close up the case.