In
computer hardware
Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer, such as the central processing unit (CPU), random-access memory (RAM), motherboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound card, and computer case. It includes external devices ...
, a controller may refer to:
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Memory controller
A memory controller, also known as memory chip controller (MCC) or a memory controller unit (MCU), is a digital circuit that manages the flow of data going to and from a computer's main memory. When a memory controller is integrated into anothe ...
, a unit that manages access to memory
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Game controller
A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device or Input/Output Device, input/output device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game. Input devices that have been classified as ...
, a device by which the user controls the operation of the computer
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Host controller
In computer hardware a host controller, host adapter or host bus adapter (HBA) connects a computer system bus which acts as the host system to other computer network, network and computer storage, storage devices. The terms are primarily used ...
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Sound controller
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Network controller
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Graphics controller
A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics accelerator, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA, video adapter, display adapter, or colloquially GPU) is a computer expansion card that generates a feed of graphics output to a displa ...
or
video display controller
A video display controller (VDC), also called a display engine or display interface, is an integrated circuit which is the main component in a video-signal generator, a device responsible for the production of a TV video signal in a computing ...
* SCSI
host bus adapter
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Parallel port
In computing, a parallel port is a type of interface found on early computers ( personal and otherwise) for connecting peripherals. The name refers to the way the data is sent; parallel ports send multiple bits of data at once (paralle ...
controller
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Microcontroller
A microcontroller (MC, uC, or μC) or microcontroller unit (MCU) is a small computer on a single integrated circuit. A microcontroller contains one or more CPUs (processor cores) along with memory and programmable input/output peripherals. Pro ...
unit (MCU)
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Keyboard controller
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Programmable Interrupt Controller
In computing, a programmable interrupt controller (PIC) is an integrated circuit that helps a microprocessor (or CPU) handle interrupt requests (IRQs) coming from multiple different sources (like external I/O devices) which may occur simultane ...
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Northbridge (computing)
In computing, a northbridge (also host bridge, or memory controller hub) is a microchip that comprises the core logic chipset architecture on motherboards to handle high-performance tasks, especially for older personal computers. It is connecte ...
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Southbridge (computing)
In computing, a southbridge is a component of a traditional two-part chipset architecture on motherboards, historically used in personal computers. It works alongside the northbridge to manage communications between the central processing unit ...
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Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter
A universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART ) is a peripheral device for asynchronous serial communication in which the data format and transmission speeds are configurable. It sends data bits one by one, from the least significant to t ...
(UART) communications controller chip
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Peripheral DMA controller
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Disk controller
A disk controller is a controller circuit that enables a CPU to communicate with a hard disk, floppy disk or other kind of disk drive. It also provides an interface between the disk drive and the bus connecting it to the rest of the system.{ ...
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Floppy disk controller
A floppy-disk controller (FDC) is a hardware component that directs and controls reading from and writing to a computer's floppy disk drive (FDD). It has evolved from a discrete set of components on one or more circuit boards to a special-purpo ...
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Disk array controller
A disk array controller is a device that manages the physical disk drives and presents them to the computer as logical units. It often implements hardware RAID, thus it is sometimes referred to as RAID controller. It also often provides additio ...
, also known as a RAID controller, a type of storage controller
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Flash controller
A flash memory controller (or flash controller) manages data stored on flash memory (usually NAND flash) and communicates with a computer or electronic device. Flash memory controllers can be designed for operating in low duty-cycle environments ...
, or SSD controller, which manages flash memory
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Terminal Access Controller
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IBM 2821 Control Unit, used to attach card readers, punches and line printers to IBM System/360 and IBM System/370 computers
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IBM 270x
270x is a generic name for a family of IBM non-programmable communications controllers used with System/360 and System/370 computers.
The family consisted of the following devices:
* IBM 2701 Data Adapter Unit
* IBM 2702 Transmission Control
* I ...
and
IBM 37xx
IBM 37xx (or 37x5) is a family of IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA) programmable communications controllers used mainly in mainframe environments.
All members of the family ran one of three IBM-supplied programs.
*''Emulation Program'' ( ...
, used for telecommunications
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IBM 3271, 3272, 3271, and 3174, used to attach terminals (display devices)
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MIDI controller
A MIDI controller is any hardware or software that generates and transmits Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data to MIDI-enabled devices, typically to trigger sounds and control parameters of an electronic music performance. They mos ...
*
Programmable logic controller
A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity that ...
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