No Missing Links - Selecting Your Computer Cables

Without the processor, a computer is but a simple collection of hardware tossed together in a mindless bundle inside the same box. Without the cables, none of the hardware could be connected, much less powered, and the computer would be of little use to anyone (except perhaps as an elaborate paperweight). At face value it would appear that the selection of cables is pretty simple, and usually pre-ordained by the factory design, but is this always the truth?

We all know that computers have a certain number of ports, yet we rarely consider that each port offers a connection point, usually via cable, of one piece of hardware to another. Take the PS/2 port, for example, which connects a mouse or keyboard to the computer. The cable may be flexible, have gold connectors, and be specially prepared with foil and braid shielding to reduce EMI/RFI interference, which may impair the mouse's operation.

Another port that demands a connecting cable is the VGA port. This port connects the computer to the monitor and allows the user to actually see the output. The cable needed to connect this device is a male to male extension and high resolution monitor cable with ferrite core to eliminate interference may be a good choice.

Yet, while the cables for most of the connections needed for printers, monitors, keyboards, etc. to the CPU is a fairly standardized affair, the more creative uses of cables are still a bit of a mystery to many a computer user. Consider the multimedia cable kits needed to hook up the average notebook computer to a television set in order to create a small home entertainment system. The cabling needed for this use includes an RCA (Composite Video) cable which offers direct connection ability to the RCA connector at the television itself. Also included in this kit would be an S-Video cable as a secondary backup, in case your television actually allows for the S-Video hook-up. The last cable in this kit is the S/PDIF digital audio cable which will serve as the connection for a digital audio device to ensure top quality sound.

Another creative use of cabling is the creation of a connection between a projector and a computer. A pure video signal must be transferred to create a sharp, highly defined, and natural looking image on a projector, which is quite a challenge. Cables used in this application are designed especially to eliminate signal degradation and video noise that very often lead to a fuzzy, poorly defined picture image, which will destroy the integrity of even the best picture presentation. These cables used for this application are constructed from UL 2919 certified 30 AWG materials with double shielded braid.

Obviously, cables need to be selected first and foremost for their proper connectivity. A cable with a serial port connector will be useless for a USB port and vice versa. Thus, in order to ensure adequate connection of all hardware, please be certain to refer often to the user's manual that came with your computer and any new peripherals you may purchase along the way. In addition to the foregoing, be sure to choose high-end cabling for new additions to the system you may wish to purchase at a later date. Cabling is not that expensive, and you truly will get what you pay for. Or course, many a component will already come pre-packaged with a cable or two, and many of these cables claim to be the best possible solution for connectivity, but is this truly the case? Usually, it is best to invest a little extra money and purchase another set of cables, to ensure the highest quality output (or input) possible. Please remember, it is not a useful endeavor to purchase a high end graphics card or sound card, and then skimp on the quality of the cable and not get the full benefit of the upgrade.

In closing, while most manuals will guide the user to the proper cable selection, the addition of peripherals will often require the user to do a little bit more research above and beyond the research required to select the best possible compatible peripheral.