Adapter
Anadapteroradaptor[1]is a device that converts attributes of one electrical device or system to those of an otherwise incompatible device or system. Some modifypowerorsignalattributes, while others merely adapt the physical form of oneconnectorto another.
Travel adapters
[edit]Many countries with ties to Europe use 230-volt, 50 Hz ACmains electricity,using a variety ofpower plugs and sockets.Difficulty arises when moving an electrical device between countries that use different sockets. Apassiveelectric power adapter, sometimes called atravel plugortravel adapter,allows using a plug from one region with a foreign socket. Asother countries supply 120-volt, 60 Hz AC,using a travel adapter in a country with a different supply poses a safety hazard if the connected device does not support both input voltages.
AC-to-DC adapters
[edit]
An AC-to-DCpower supplyadapts electricity from household mains voltage (either 120 or 230 voltsAC) to low-voltageDCsuitable for poweringconsumer electronics.Small, detached power supplies for consumer electronics are calledAC adapters,or variouslypower bricks,wall warts,orchargers.
Computer adapters
[edit]Ahost controllerconnects a computer to a peripheral device, such as a storage device, network, or human interface device. As a host controller can also be viewed as bridging the protocols used on thebusesbetween peripheral and computer, and internally to the computer, it is also called ahost bus adapter.Likewise, specific types may be called adapters: a network interface controller may be called anetwork adapter,and a graphics card adisplay adapter.
Adapters (sometimes calleddongles) allow connecting a peripheral device with one plug to a different jack on the computer. They are often used to connect modern devices to alegacy porton an old system, or legacy devices to a modern port. Such adapters may be entirelypassive,or contain active circuitry.
A common type is aUSB adapter.
One kind ofserial portadapter enables connections between25-contactandnine-contactconnectors,[2]but does not affect electrical power- and signalling-related attributes.
Software adapters
[edit]In software, an adapter is a piece of code that complies with an interface of an existing component while actually using another implementation.
See also
[edit]
- AC power plugs and sockets
- Dongle(includes all sorts of adapters)
- Power strip
- Repurposing
References
[edit]- ^Both spellings are used in both British and American English."Macmillan English Dictionary".Macmillan Publishers Limited. 2010.Retrieved2010-04-14.
adapternoun [countable]/əˈdæptə(r)/oradaptoran object that allows you to connect two pieces of equipment of different types or sizes a. British an object that allows you to connect several pieces of electrical equipment to one electricity supply b. an object that allows you to use electrical equipment in countries where there is a different type of electricity supply from your own
- ^Andrews, Jean (2007).A+ guide to managing and maintaining your PC(6th ed.). Boston, Mass.: Thomson Course Technology. p.395.ISBN978-0-619-21758-7.
serial port adapter 25 9.