PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is a computer bus used for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. It is the most popular local I/O bus used in today. PCI provides a shared data path between the CPU and peripheral controllers in every computer models, from laptops to mainframes. Developed by the Intel Corporation, PCI first appeared in computers in 1993 and co-existed with the ISA bus for several years. It soon displaced the ISA and VESA local bus and became the standard expansion bus used in PCs. Today, most computers have only PCI slots and one AGP slot for a display adapter.
PCI supports both 32-bit and 64-bit data paths and can run at clock speeds of 33MHz or 66MHz. When implemented at 32 bits and 33 MHz, PCI yields a throughput rate of 133 MBps. PCI also has the ability to support bus mastering. The PCI specification covers the physical size of the bus, including wire spacing, bus timing, electrical characteristics, and protocols. The specification can be purchased from the PCISIG also known as the PCI Special Interest Group....
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