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PCI bus in brief

Short answer

PCI is a 32/64-bit, 33/66 MHz local bus with multiplexed address/data lines, supporting plug-and-play, bus mastering, and burst transfers. Peak bandwidth is 132 MB/s (32-bit, 33 MHz) up to 528 MB/s (64-bit, 66 MHz). It connects to the CPU through a host bridge and replaced ISA.

Write a short note on PCI Bus.

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is a high-speed local bus developed by Intel for connecting peripheral cards to the processor of a PC.

  • Data bus 32 bit (extendable to 64 bit); clock 33 MHz (or 66 MHz). Peak bandwidth: 32 bit x 33 MHz = 132 MB/s, and 528 MB/s for 64 bit at 66 MHz.
  • Multiplexed address/data lines (AD0-AD31) reduce pin count.
  • Plug and play: configuration space lets the BIOS assign addresses and interrupts automatically.
  • Bus mastering and burst transfers; connected to the CPU through a host bridge, independent of the processor type.
  • Supports 5 V/3.3 V cards; replaced ISA, and later extended by PCI Express.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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