parallel port

n (Computer Science) computing (on a computer) a socket that can be used for connecting devices that send and receive data at more than one bit at a time; often used for connecting printers

Thesaurus

Noun

parallel port - an interface between a computer and a printer where the computer sends multiple bits of information to the printer simultaneouslyparallel interfaceinterface, port - (computer science) computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals)

parallel port

[′par·ə‚lel ‚pȯrt] (electronics) parallel interface

parallel port

(hardware)An interface from a computer system where data istransferred in or out in parallel, that is, on more than onewire. A parallel port carries one bit on each wire thusmultiplying the transfer rate obtainable over a single wire.There will usually be some control signals on the port as wellto say when data is ready to be sent or received.

The commonest kind of parallel port is a printer port, e.g. aCentronics port which transfers eight bits at a time. Disksare also connected via special parallel ports, e.g. SCSI orIDE.

parallel port

(1) A hardware interface that transfers one or more bytes simultaneously. See parallel interface.

(2) A socket on a computer used to connect a printer or other device via a parallel interface (eight data bits transferring simultaneously). In the past, the parallel port was widely used for printers and occasionally for connecting other devices externally, but was superseded by USB.

Although some business printers may still offer parallel ports, consumer-based printers and new computers have only USB. However, parallel port devices can be hooked up to new computers with a USB-to-parallel adapter cable.

It Goes Back to the 1970s
The Centronics Data Computer Corporation, a subsidiary of Wang Laboratories in the 1970s, introduced a parallel port for printers. It was adapted for the IBM PC in 1981 and enhanced and standardized by the IEEE in 1994 (see IEEE 1284). The port first appeared on plug-in cards, but was later built into the motherboard. See Centronics interface.

In Transition

As USB ports (left) began to proliferate, the parallel and serial ports (right) were included for a while, but eventually gave way entirely to USB.

In Transition

As USB ports (left) began to proliferate, the parallel and serial ports (right) were included for a while, but eventually gave way entirely to USB.

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Synonyms for parallel port

noun an interface between a computer and a printer where the computer sends multiple bits of information to the printer simultaneously

Synonyms

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