AC '97 Feature List:

• 16-bit full-duplex stereo audio Codec (DAC and ADC)
• AC' 97 1.x compliant indicates fixed 48K sampling rate operation (non-extended feature set)
• AC' 97 2.1 compliant indicates extended audio feature set (optional variable rate, multichannel, etc.)
• AC' 97 2.2 compliant indicates extended audio, enhanced riser audio support, and optional S/PDIF)
• 48-pin QFP package and pinout
• 4 analog line-level stereo inputs; 2 analog line-level mono inputs
• MIC inputs with 20 dB boost, programmable gain, and AEC reference capability
• Dedicated stereo output (LINE_OUT)
• Additional stereo output (AUX_OUT) configurable as line level, optional headphone, or optional 4-channel output
• Mono output for speakerphone
• Optional 18-bit or 20-bit DAC and ADC resolution
• Optional output tone and loudness controls
• Optional 3D stereo output enhancement
• Optional 3rd ADC input channel for dedicated voice input
• Optional integrated S/PDIF transmitter for digital output
• Comprehensive Power Management capability

• Analog stereo output (LINE_OUT) transmitted to amplified stereo PC speaker array via stereo mini-jack.
• Amplified analog stereo headphone output (HP_OUT) transmitted to headphones or headset via stereo mini-jack.
• Discrete analog 4-channel output (LINE_OUT plus 4CH_OUT) transmitted to Front and Surround amplified stereo PC speaker arrays via dual stereo mini-jacks.
• Analog matrix-encoded Surround output (Dolby ProLogic) transmitted via stereo line level output jack (LNLVL_OUT) to consumers A/V equipment that drives a home theater multi-speaker array.
• Digital 5.1 channel output (Dolby Digital, AC-3) transmitted via S/PDIF (SPDIF_OUT) to digital ready consumer A/V equipment which drives a home theater multi-speaker array.

  The seventh generation SCSI I/O Bus Interface has recently hit the market. This specification is called Ultra320 and has maximum transfer rate 320MB/second.  This is twice as fast as the previous Ultra160 standard and also provides other features to improve reliability, performance, and ease of use.  Of course Ultra320 is backwards compatible with previous SCSI standards/device and there are Ultra320 RAID Controllers for super-fast and reliable fault-tolerant data storage.

  Ultra320 is not just the next level in the SCSI standard, but a necessary step for the future growth of storage technology and storage subsystems.  With 10K-RPM and 15K-RPM SCSI Hard drives providing extremely fast read/write data access and burst data speeds, a faster SCSI Bus interface is needed when using multiple drives (remember that SCSI drives share the same cable/bus per controller, so when using multiple drives bottlenecks can occur).  The increased bandwidth of Ultra320 is a solution to this problem.  It is also the perfect for the high-volume demands of applications such as databases, streaming digital audio and video, video editing, corporate network servers, and RAID configurations.  See chart below for details on Ultra320's advanced features.

Ultra320 Products

Ultra320 PCI Cards: Adaptec has 64 bit PCI Ultra 320 RAID cards, low-profile Ultra320 RAID and ZCR (Zero-Channel RAID) cards on the market.  Click Here for Adaptec Ultra320 Product Info  

To download service pack one you can either use your Windows Update feature built into Windows XP, or you can go to Microsoft and download the full version for network installations directly from them at: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/default.asp

The inconvenience of bulky, difficult ATA cables are about to be a thing of the past. Motherboard manufacturers have began adding Serial ATA ports to their boards, Controller card companies are pumping out add-in cards so that those of us who have those old fashion IDE connectors can play along too. We have gathered a list of frequently asked questions about Serial ATA in the hopes that you will better understand and be ready for the transition as it progresses.

What is the benefit of using Serial ATA?
Users will benefit by being able to easily upgrade their storage devices. Configuration of Serial ATA devices will be much simpler, with many of today’s requirements on jumper and settings no longer needed. Serial ATA cables are much thinner and longer than standard IDE cable that we use today. The use of Serial ATA cables will make it easier to install cabling and will prevent the blockage of air flow in systems.

Will Serial ATA cost more?
The cost of Serial ATA technology will be the same as today’s Parallel ATA technology.

Will Serial ATA be compatible with today’s PCs?
Serial ATA electronics and connectors are different from Parallel ATA, however the technology is software compatible and OS transparent. Adapters will be available to allow forward- and backward-compatibility of hard disks on PC systems.

Besides Hard Disks, what other components can use Serial ATA?
Serial ATA supports all ATA and ATAPI devices, including CDs, DVDs, tapes devices, high capacity removable devices, zip drives, and CDRW’s.

Will Microsoft products support Serial ATA?
Serial ATA is software compatible with Parallel ATA and requires no changes to Microsoft operating systems, or any other OS as well.

What is .net?

Microsoft .NET is a set of software technologies which connect information, people, systems, and devices. Using XML Web services, new levels of integration between applications and devices over the internet or intranets are possible.
 

• From what site was the assembly obtained?
  Assemblies are the building blocks of .NET Framework applications. They form the fundamental unit of deployment, version control, reuse, activation scoping, and security authorization. An application's assemblies are downloaded to the client from a Web site.
• From what URL was the assembly obtained?
  The security policy requires the specific address from which the assembly was downloaded.
• From what zone was the assembly obtained?
  Zones are descriptions of security criteria, such as Internet, intranet, local machine, and so forth, based on the location of the code.
• What's the strong name of the assembly?
  The strong name is a cryptographically strong identifier provided by the author of the assembly. While it does not provide any authentication of the author, it uniquely identifies the assembly and ensures that it has not been tampered with.

From the answers received to these questions, the security policy is appropriately modified and permissions are granted to the assembly. The evidence requested can be obtained from multiple different sources including the common language runtime, the browser, Microsoft ASP.NET, or the shell.
 

One example of this process would be using the stock in your warehouse. A customer comes to your store and purchases a product. Normally you would sell this product to the customer and hand his invoice to your billing clerk. When supplies run low, you do a warehouse inventory and order the parts that you happen to be short on. With .NET, when you place the order for the customer, the item is automatically deducted from the stocking inventory, if the remaining stock is below your usual stock, .NET can order more stock of the item for you. After the items order is placed, the item is automatically added to the customers billing account and can be billed automatically if your accounting software is set up to do so. When applications talk to applications, your life gets simpler.