[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]
Plug and Play technology makes it possible for computer hardware and attached devices work together automatically. With Plug and Play, a user can simply attach a new device and begin working without restarting the computer, even while the computer is running. Plug and Play technology is implemented in hardware, in operating systems, and in support software such as drivers and basic input/output systems (BIOS).
With Plug and Play technology, users can easily add new capabilities to their computers, such as sound or fax, without concerning themselves with technical details or problems. For users of mobile computers who frequently change configurations with docking stations and have intermittent network connections and so on, Plug and Play technology easily manages their changing hardware configurations. For all users, Plug and Play reduces the time wasted on technical problems and increases productivity and satisfaction with computers.
A variety of Plug and Play technologies currently exist, including BIOS, ISA, small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated drive electronics (IDE) CD-ROM, LPT, Component Object Model (COM), Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and Plug and Play drivers. Specifications are available for many of these technologies. However, in a nutshell, each hardware device supporting Plug and Play must:
For Broadcast Architecture, there are several hardware units that can reside on a video card, receiver card, or motherboard. Cards can also combine one or more functions usually provided by separate units. For example, a video card may expose separate functions for super Video Graphics Array (SVGA), MPEG-2, and video tuning.
Cards that include one or more functions should identify themselves as multiple-function cards. This identification allows device drivers to be created for a single subfunction independent of location, rather than a monolithic driver being created for each card.
Separate functional components that should support Plug and Play include but are not limited to:
Detailed Plug and Play information can be found on the Internet on the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server ftp.microsoft.com in the directory developr/drg/plug-and-play, and in CompuServe's PLUGPLAY forum.