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Conventions and Abbreviations
This developer note uses the following typographical conventions and abbreviations.
Typographical Conventions
Abbreviations
When unusual abbreviations appear in this developer note, the corresponding terms are also spelled out. Standard units of measure and other widely used abbreviations are not spelled out.
Here are the standard units of measure used in developer notes:
A | amperes | MB | megabytes |
dB | decibels | Mbps | megabits per second |
GB | gigabytes | Mbit | megabits |
Hz | hertz | MHz | megahertz |
KB | kilobytes | mm | millimeters |
kg | kilograms | ns | nanoseconds |
kHz | kilohertz | V | volts |
mA | milliamperes | VDC | volts direct current |
mAh | milliampere-hours |
Other abbreviations used in developer notes include these:
10Base-T | an Ethernet standard for data transmission at 10 Mbits per second |
100Base-T | an Ethernet standard for data transmission at 100 Mbits per second |
ADB | Apple Desktop Bus |
ADC | Apple Display Connector |
AGP | accelerated graphics port |
AIM | ATA Interface Module |
AP | access point, for a wireless LAN |
API | application programming interface |
ASIC | application-specific integrated circuit |
ATA | AT attachment |
ATAPI | AT Attachment Packet Interface |
CAS | column address strobe, a memory control signal |
CAV | constant angular velocity |
CD | compact disc |
CD-ROM | compact disc read-only memory |
CKE | clock enabled |
CLV | constant linear velocity |
CPU | central processing unit |
DAA | data access adapter (a telephone line interface) |
DAC | digital-to-analog converter |
DDC | display data channel |
DDR | double data rate, a type of SDRAM where data is clocked on rising and falling clock edges |
DFS | dynamic frequency switching |
DIMM | Dual Inline Memory Module |
DMA | direct memory access |
DPS | dynamic power step |
DSP | digital signal processor |
DSSS | direct-sequence spread-spectrum |
EDID | Extended Display Identification Data |
EDO | extended data out |
EDR | enhanced data rate |
EHCI | Enhanced Host Controller Interface —USB 2.0 protocol |
EIDE | enhanced integrated device electronics |
G4 | Generation 4, the fourth generation of PowerPC microprocessors |
GND | ground |
HFS | hierarchical file system |
HCRP | hardcopy cable replacement profiler |
HID | human interface device, a class of USB devices |
I2C | inter IC control bus (same as IIC) |
I2S | inter IC sound bus (same as IIS) |
IC | integrated circuit |
IDE | integrated device electronics |
IIC | inter IC control bus (same as I2C) |
IIS | inter IC sound bus (same as I2S) |
I/O | input and output |
ISM | industrial, scientific, and medicine |
ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
JEDEC | Joint Electron Device Engineering Council |
L1 | level 1 or first level, a type of CPU cache |
L2 | level 2 or second level, a type of CPU cache |
LAN | local area network |
LED | light emitting diode |
MAC | media access controller |
Mac OS | Macintosh Operating System |
modem | modulator-demodulator, a data communications interface for use with analog telephone lines |
NMI | nonmaskable interrupt |
NOP | no operation |
NTSC | National Television System Committee; the standard system used for broadcast TV in North America and Japan |
NV-RAM | nonvolatile random-access memory |
OFDM | orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing |
OHCI | Open Host Controller Interface —USB 1.1 protocol |
OS | operating system |
PAL | Phase Alternate Lines; the standard for broadcast TV in most of Europe, Africa, South America, and southern Asia |
PCAV | partial constant angular velocity (CLV at small radius, CAV at large radius) |
PCI | Peripheral Component Interconnect |
PHY | physical layer |
PLL | phase-locked loop |
POST | power-on self test |
RADIUS | Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service |
RAM | random-access memory |
RF | radio frequency |
rms | root mean square |
ROM | read-only memory |
SCC | Serial Communications Controller |
SCSI | Small Computer System Interface |
SDRAM | synchronous dynamic RAM |
SMS | Sudden Motion Sensor |
SNR | signal to noise ratio |
SO-DIMM | small outline dual inline memory module |
SPD | Serial Presence Detect, a feature of the SO-DIMM |
USB | Universal Serial Bus |
TMDS | transition minimized differential signalling |
TDM | target disk mode |
VCC | positive supply voltage (voltage for collectors) |
VESA | Video Electronics Standards Association |
VGA | video graphics adapter |
VPN | virtual private network |
WEP | Wired Equivalent Privacy |
Wi-Fi | Logo used by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance for certification of interoperability of 802.11 products |
WLAN | wireless LAN |
ZCLV | zone constant linear velocity |
Copyright © 2003, 2005 Apple Computer, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Updated: 2005-02-04