A Guide to Computer Cables and Connectors

HDMI Cables: High-Definition Multimedia Interface cables are one of the most common computer monitor cable types. They contain multiple shielded twisted pairs of wires that transmit audio and video signals. They also have a simple, user-friendly connector and are highly compatible with home theatre equipment. There are standard, high-speed, premium high-speed, and ultra-high-speed HDMI types offering different performance tiers.

Ethernet Cables: These are ubiquitous network cables for connecting devices to the internet or local area networks (LANs). They come in various numerical categories (like Cat 5, Cat6a) based on their speed and bandwidth. Ethernet cables easily connect using a spring-loaded clip, which you then depress to remove the cable.

USB Cables: Perhaps the most well-known computer cable, Universal Serial Bus cables are highly standardised, easily connected, and handle charging, data transfer, and peripheral connection. They too have subtypes like Type-A, Type-B, Mini-USB, Micro-USB, and Type-C (the new, small, symmetric, and high-performing type).

Fibre Optic Cables: An essential technology for long-distance telecommunications, they feature long, protected strands of plastic or glass and continuously reflect light pulses along the cable’s length. They handle high speeds and bandwidth, are highly durable and data-secure, and have no problems with electromagnetic interference.

SATA Cables: Serial Advanced Technology Attachment cables are used within computers as bus connections to link storage devices (hard drives, solid state drives) to host bus adapters such as motherboards. They allow ‘hot plugging,’ which is connecting or removing devices to or from a running computer, which then recognises the device without restarting.

VGA Cables: Video Graphics Array cables transmit analogue (wave-based) video signals at 480p resolution. They feature 15 pins across 3 rows and connect using two small screws. VGA cables were common among computer monitor cable types long before HDMI’s dominance.

DVI Cables: A more advanced and digital version of VGA, Digital Visual Interface cables bridged the journey to HDMI. DVI cables have a mixture of analogue and digital pins, fasten with small screws, and can handle 1080p, but lack HDMI’s quick-connect and audio capabilities.

DisplayPort Cables: Similar to HDMI, DisplayPort cables are easily connected computer audiovisual cables. They are used mostly for computers rather than home theatre devices. DisplayPort connections are trapezoid-shaped, use 20 pins, and can feature a locking mechanism for secure connections.

Aux Cables: The classic ‘headphone jack,’ auxiliary cables feature a 3.5mm male stereo connection at both ends. They send analogue audio signals from a source (like a mobile phone, computer, or music player) to a system with speakers (like a home stereo, car, or headphones).

Parallel Cables: Similar in function to (and largely supplanted by) USB cables, parallel cables are high-speed data cables that connect computers to each other and peripherals. They are mostly used for older, legacy equipment, though they can also connect directly to motherboards, disk drives, and external circuit boards. They come in a variety of multi-pin connectors.

Thunderbolt Cables: These are versatile cables with the same small, symmetric profile as USB-C. They support data transfer, video signals, and power delivery, and even interconnect multiple computing devices in a daisy-chain. The arrowed lightning bolt symbol on connectors and ports indicates Thunderbolt capability.

KVM Cables: ‘Keyboard, Video, and Mouse’ cable bundles allow sending these three signals to multiple computers at once using a KVM switch. They reduce cable clutter and the confusion of what connects to what. The individual cable types vary.

Serial Cables: These transfer data between computers in a serial communication method (one bit at a time), usually using the 9-pin RS-232 protocol. Serial cables originated in the 1960s, but Ethernet and USB cables have mostly supplanted them.

SCSI Cables: Small Computer System Interface cables are another multi-pin computer-peripheral data transfer cable USBs have nudged out. These ones can have high pin counts (up to 50) and come in sturdy, braided versions for high-vibration industrial environments.

DIN Cables: DIN cables (DIN being a German acronym) have round, multi-pin connectors that ensure easy connection in the right orientation without pin damage. They were commonly used for a long time for mice and keyboards before USB’s rise.