HID FARGO HDPii User Guide User Manual
Page 297

HDPii High Definition Card Printer/Encoder User Guide L001130 Rev 1.4
297
BIOS (Basic 
Input/Output System) 
The part of the operating system in a computer that handles 
communication between the PC Board and its peripherals. 
Typically residing in chip-based, non-volatile memory. 
Bit
An abbreviation for binary digital. Each bit is an element of 
information that can have two states: off and on. 
Bit map
A graphic produced by an array of pixel elements with the color 
hue, brightness and saturation information stored in bits. The 
more bits, the more values and thus the greater variety. 1 bit color 
is black and white, 8-bit color produces 256 shades of gray and 
24-bit color can produce 16.7 million colors. 
Board
A term used for the circuit Board, a hard mylar plate made of 
many layers, that holds the electronic circuit elements and wire 
traces. 
Boot-up
A series of operations that the Printer runs through when power is 
first applied including a series of initializing, status testing and a 
diagnostics program to ensure a ready state. 
Buffer
A block of memory, in the Printer or PC, that holds print files until 
the processor is ready to print them. 
Cable
A set of conductors wrapped together and often concealed within 
insulation, used for signal transfer from one device to another, 
with connectors on either end that allows the cable to be 
removed. 
Cache
A type of memory Buffer to store data temporarily, used to hold 
information that is most often exchanged between controller and 
peripheral, to expedite data transfer. 
Calibrating
A procedure to adjust an electro-mechanical device so that it 
operates within established parameters. 
Cleaning Roller
High tack Rollers positioned just after the input hopper to lift 
debris off the card as it rolls over it. A clean card surface improves 
print quality. 
CD (Compact Disc)
A 4.75 inch (12 cm) optical disk that stores data, written too and 
read from using a laser. 
DMA (Direct Memory 
Access) 
Channels designated within the Windows operating environment 
that are used for dedicated high-speed communication between 
the PC and the Printer port. 
Centronics
A parallel communications interface that has become the 
standard for connections to Printers, designed by the Centronics 
Corp. 
