Computer Architecture - Motherboard

The motherboard is the main circuit board of a computer. It enables communication between all the computer's components, such as the CPU, Memory and others.

The Motherboard 'Bus'

The motherboard bus (or highways) is the communication system that transfers bits between components inside a computer.

Bus Architecture

The GIF image illustrates a parallel bus.

The bits are transferred through wires that are part of the bus architecture. There are two types of bus architectures:

• Parallel Bus - Transfers multiple bits of data simultaneously using multiple wires.
• Serial Bus - Transfers one bit of data at a time using a single wire.

Parallel Bus

The parallel bus transfers multiple bits of data simultaneously using multiple wires. For example, with 16 wires, you can transfer 16 bits of data.

In a parallel bus architecture, bits transfers quickly, but the wires must be short and closely spaced.

Multiplexer

The multiplexer combines multiple inputs into a single data stream, keeping the system compact and efficient.

Serial Bus

The serial bus transfers one bit of data at a time using a single wire, making it effective for long-distance transmission.