Megahertz (MHz)
Abbreviation for megahertz. One MHz represents one million cycles per second. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, is measured in megahertz. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 200 MHz executes 200 million cycles per second. Each computer instruction requires a fixed number of cycles, so the clock speed determines how many instructions per second the microprocessor can execute. To a large degree, this controls how powerful the microprocessor is. Another chief factor in determining a microprocessor’s power is its data width (that is, how many bits it can manipulate at one time).
In addition to microprocessors, the speeds of buses and interfaces are also measured in MHz.
Read Also:
- MIB
Short for Management Information Base, a database of objects that can be monitored by a network management system. Both SNMP and RMONuse standardized MIB formats that allows any SNMP and RMON tools to monitor any device defined by a MIB.
- MICR
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition is a character recognition system that uses special ink and characters. When a document that contains this ink needs to be read, it passes through a machine, which magnetizes the ink and then translates the magnetic information into characters. MICR technology is used by banks. Numbers and characters found on the […]
- MICROMV
A Sony videotape recording format used in digital camcorders. MICROMV uses a tape smaller than the Digital8 or DV cassette by about 70 percent. The MICROMV format is a 12Mbps 720×480 MPEG-2 video format.
- MIDI
Pronounced middy, an acronym for musical instrument digital interface, a standard adopted by the electronic music industry for controlling devices, such as synthesizers and sound cards, that emit music. At minimum, a MIDI representation of a sound includes values for the note’s pitch, length, and volume. It can also include additional characteristics, such as attack […]
- MIDL
Short for Microsoft Interface Definition Language, MIDL defines interfaces between client and server programs. Microsoft includes the MIDL compiler with the Platform SDK to enable developers to create the interface definition language (IDL) files and application configuration files (ACF) required for remote procedure call interfaces and COM/DCOM interfaces. MIDL also supports the generation of type […]