(D-SUBminiature connectors) A family of plugs and sockets widely used in communications and computer devices. For example, the common analog VGA interface for monitors uses a D-sub 15-pin plug and socket.
Also called "DB connectors," D-sub connectors come with 9, 15, 25, 37 and 50 pins. The D-sub defines the physical structure of the connector, not the purpose of each line.
Not Always DB Either
Although the common designations for D-sub connectors are "DB connectors," the international DIN 41625 standard defines them using the letter D followed by A through E, with DB-25 being the only actual "DB" connector. The DIN designations are in parentheses in the illustration below.
DB-25
The female DB-25 connector was widely used in the past for the printer port on a PC (see printer cable). The male DB-25 was also the second serial port (COM2) on the PC when serial ports were popular. It is still widely used for various RS-232 communications devices.
DB-9 (DE-9)
The male DB-9 connector (officially the DE-9) was typically used for the first serial port on earlier PCs (COM1) as well as other communications devices. See serial port.
DB-15 (DA-15 and DE-15)
Two DB-15 connectors are widely used. The larger, two-row female DA-15 is the game port on a PC, and the smaller, three-row, female high-density DE-15 is the VGA port. See plugs & sockets.
D-Sub Connectors
D-sub connectors, or DB connectors, are widely used to hook up computer and communications devices.
Also called "DB connectors," D-sub connectors come with 9, 15, 25, 37 and 50 pins. The D-sub defines the physical structure of the connector, not the purpose of each line.
Not Always DB Either
Although the common designations for D-sub connectors are "DB connectors," the international DIN 41625 standard defines them using the letter D followed by A through E, with DB-25 being the only actual "DB" connector. The DIN designations are in parentheses in the illustration below.
DB-25
The female DB-25 connector was widely used in the past for the printer port on a PC (see printer cable). The male DB-25 was also the second serial port (COM2) on the PC when serial ports were popular. It is still widely used for various RS-232 communications devices.
DB-9 (DE-9)
The male DB-9 connector (officially the DE-9) was typically used for the first serial port on earlier PCs (COM1) as well as other communications devices. See serial port.
DB-15 (DA-15 and DE-15)
Two DB-15 connectors are widely used. The larger, two-row female DA-15 is the game port on a PC, and the smaller, three-row, female high-density DE-15 is the VGA port. See plugs & sockets.
D-Sub Connectors
D-sub connectors, or DB connectors, are widely used to hook up computer and communications devices.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Digital SLR camera accessories
- OK shootLoved the picture of the camera holster!Presumably this Tombstone resident was going for a shoot at the OK Corral?HolsterBlackrapid's R Strap is another way to keep a camera or two to hand.The holster here looks to reduce the camera's tendency to bounce around as you're moving. If you...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-02
- Ultrasone Edition 8
- We've reviewed a number of Ultrasone headphones over the years--everything from iPod-inspired iCans to the luxurious HFI-2200s. But the new Edition 8s are, in so many ways, a very different Ultrasone. First, the Edition 8s have, according to Ultrasone, a completely original design that doesn't share any parts with...
- Product reviews 2009-10-21
- Sennheiser HD 800
- Model changes at the upper end of Sennheiser's headphone line don't happen very often. The previous flagship--the still available HD 650s--were introduced in 2003, and remain in the line. Their predecessor, the HD 600s, came out more than a decade ago, and are still popular with audiophiles. I've reviewed both,...
- Product reviews 2009-10-15
- JVC debuts its first mini-HD camcorder: the PICSIO GC-FM1
- Should Flip be worried about yet another entry into the mini-HD camcorder market? JVC announced today the release of the PICSIO GC-FM1, its first mini HD digital camcorder. The new gadget, built with 4x digital zoom, shoots 8-megapixel stills and 1080p Full HD video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, storing movies...
- Blog posts 2009-10-13
- Can a laptop ever be too thin?
- Ralph Lauren is on the receiving end of a blogosphere backlash today over an apparent Photoshop job gone awry. It turns out there is such a thing as too thin. I mention this because yesterday both Dell and Sony introduced new laptops that give new meaning to ultra-thin. The trend...
- Blog posts 2009-10-08
- Light Peak fiber optic connector to replace Firewire, USB, monitor cables
- A new interconnect technology called Light Peak is being developed by Apple as a potential replacement for FireWire, USB and traditional monitor cables. Engadget reports that Apple brought the technology to Intel and asked them to create it. According to documents we've seen and conversations we've had, Apple had...
- Blog posts 2009-09-28
- USB 'SuperSpeed' 3.0 logos to appear on certified devices
- In 3 Years, Apple Will Take Credit For ItOne of my FanBoy friends, who died a couple years ago, swore that Apple invented the USB. Not really any different than Apple's commercial advertising now.Oh well, give me more speed, no matter what !Sweet...been waiting for USB 3.0 to hit the...
- Discussion threads 2009-09-02
- Mimo UM-720S
- If the Nanovision Mimo UM-720S had a much lower price point, I'd be willing to recommend it. As it stands at $230, it's simply not worth it. The 7-inch minidisplay that act as an ancillary screen to your main screen, has narrow viewing angles, a confusing setup process, and a...
- Product reviews 2009-08-31
- What should the next MacBook look like? Cost?
- Wasn't the idea for the 13" MacBook Pro going to replace this?Here Apple seemed to be heading to killing the plastic MacBook. Originally the 13" UniBody MacBook was just "MacBook" then later they added a "Pro" to the name (which made sense, as it was so like the existing MacBook...
- Discussion threads 2009-08-26
- Justifying non-removable batteries
- Apple got the ire of its users when it released the original iPhone with a fixed, non-removable battery. The mainstream media and blogosphere myself included barbecued Apple for the omission as everything from flat out stupid to a fatal blow to the success of the device. We see how far...
- Blog posts 2009-07-13
- Sony Handycam HDR-XR100
- Photos:Sony Handycam HDR-XR100Though it's not the least expensive model in Sony's AVCHD camcorder lineup--the Handycam HDR-CX100 fills that spot--the hard-drive-based HDR-XR100 looks, feels, and performs as if it should be. Boxy looking, in a boring two-tone silver and black plastic, the XR100 isn't nearly as attractive as the CX100, and...
- Product reviews 2009-07-08
- NEC's 43 in., 31:10 curved monitor commands $8,000 price tag
- If money is no object and total immersion is your goal, NEC's CRV43 -- a 43 in. curved display with a 2880 by 900 pixel resolution -- is paramount to your setup. The downside? Besides another month to wait (it's due in July),...
- Blog posts 2009-06-04
- Dressing up your camera
- Dressing up your cameraOP/Tech USAI like what OP/Tech USA has to offer -http://www.optechusa.com/ - and no, I don't work for them. I have their EZ Comfort strap made of neoprene and it is *very* comfortable around my neck - especially for my big old Nikon D-70s. What I...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-04
- Panasonic HDC-HS250
- Photos: Panasonic HDC-HS250Panasonic's trio of top-of-the-prosumer-line HD camcorders--the flash-based HDC-TM300, and hard-drive-based HDC-HS300 and HDC-HS250--in many ways vastly improve over older models like the HS100 and SD100. Panasonic jettisoned most of what I disliked about those models, including the too-low-resolution CMOS sensors, connector placement, and how the manual controls function,...
- Product reviews 2009-06-01
- What's new: HDMI 1.4
- What's new: HDMI 1.4What about...Devices? Will these new cables work with existing units via firmware updates if you can get them or do I have to beg my wife for new devices?... again! :)Doesn't seem too excitingWhat about gigabit ethernet? This seems a bit dated.The support for higher resolutions is...
- Discussion threads 2009-05-28
- SATA Revision 3.0 paves way for 6Gb/s devices
- SATA Revision 3.0 paves way for 6Gb/s devicesSATA Connectors *are* crap - agreed.Unbelievable that the old molex 4-pin power connector was better than the new one. I never had a molex pop out, but I've have several SATA power connectors disconnect, especially in fold-together desktops like Dells and small form...
- Discussion threads 2009-05-28
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
- Photos:Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1Camera manufacturers seem to have chosen megazooms as their latest battlefield--and thankfully, the fight isn't just about who's got the biggest lens. In this case, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 incorporates several technologies from the Alpha DSLR products, including a 1/2.4-inch 10-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor (for 9-megapixel images) and...
- Product reviews 2009-04-30
- 2nd generation Android phones battle it out with iPhone
- By the end of this summer, users will have three Android powered cell phone models to chose from instead of just one. Joining the venerable HTC Dream (aka the T-Mobile G1) will be the HTC Magic May and the Samsung I7500 June. The...
- Blog posts 2009-04-28
- So, who wants a 1,250W PSU?
- So, who wants a 1,250W PSU?Don't some of these supplies need special power connectorsThat are not usually found in a regular home? Heck, one person I was reading about said that anything above 1000W maximum draw in most homes, even very new homes, would need a special dedicated circuit hooked...
- Discussion threads 2009-03-09
- HP Pavilion Elite m9500y
- Sold exclusively at Best Buy, the HP Pavilion Elite m9500y is a preconfigured desktop PCs with a respectable array of midrange components--$939 nets you a 2.4GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR2 memory, 750GB of storage space, and a competitive Nvidia GeForce graphics card with ample opportunity for expansion on the...
- Product reviews 2009-02-19
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
- The best support in the Linux business
-
If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd better have the best support known to business. Novell was rated the top provider of Linux technical support.
- Learn more >>
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
SmartPlanet
- Thought-provoking progressive ideas on diverse topics that intersect with technology, business, and life, and matter to the world at large. Visit SmartPlanet
- More from IBM
-
- How to Drive Better Business Outcomes with Exceptional Web Experiences Download the eBook
- Driving Business Agility through SOA Connectivity & Integration Read the White Paper from IBM
- Linking Decisions and Information for Organizational Performance Read the Tom Davenport study
