WINDOWS 1002000 PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE KIT [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Overview of Hardware Support

Windows 2000 Professional supports a broader set of hardware than any version of Windows NT. Windows 2000 supports more than 7,000 devices, including expanded support for many devices not previously supported by Windows NT 4.0. Windows 2000 Professional also features new and enhanced support for a variety of devices, such as digital audio devices, DVD, Human Interface Devices (HIDs), still-image devices, and video capture devices.

Windows 2000 Professional provides support for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) and the IEEE 1394 bus.

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an external bus that supports Plug and Play installation. With USB, you can connect and disconnect devices without shutting down or restarting your computer. You can use a single USB port to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, including speakers, telephones, CD-ROM drives, joysticks, tape drives, keyboards, scanners, and cameras.

IEEE 1394 is a high-speed, Plug and Play-capable bus that is designed to complement USB. It functions as a bridge to bring computers and consumer electronics together. For example, you can use a digital VCR both for viewing movies and for storing computer data. Because of the very high data transfer rates that IEEE 1394 can handle, it is ideal for storing, printing, and high-resolution scanning; for consumer audio and video components; and for portable devices.

Comparison of Hardware Features

Table C.1 compares the hardware features of Windows 2000 Professional with older Windows platforms.

Table C.1 Hardware Feature Comparison