What Is Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)?

Parallel ports are the lifeblood of personal computers. Without them, you'd have to go back to using typewriters, and who wants to do that? But what if your parallel port isn't up to snuff? That's where the Extended Capabilities Port comes in. The Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) is a parallel port for personal computers that supports bi-directional communication between computers and peripheral devices such as printers. It's basically like having an extra hand-built into your computer! ECPs can usually be classified into four different types: standard ECPs, enhanced ECPs, extended ECPs and even parallel ECPs. When it comes to parallel ports, there are two main types: SPP and EPP. You can think of the SPP port as the "original" parallel port, initially designed for communication between a computer and a printer.This first parallel port is also known as the standard port. It allowed data to flow in one direction only, so it was pretty slow compared to other types of parallel ports. The EPP port came later on and was created for devices that required bidirectional communication, such as mice or modems. These devices need to send data back and forth between the host device (your computer) and themselves frequently, so EPP ports are much faster than SPP ports. The EPP port is the future. It's faster, it's better, and it's here to stay. EPP ports were created in response to the need for new, more powerful devices. These include mice, modems, and other devices that frequently require bidirectional communication between your computer. Because these devices need to send data back and forth between the host device (your computer) and themselves often, EPP ports are much faster than SPP ports. The EPP port is the port that got hit by a bus, and the SPP port is the one who helped it up, brushed it off, and gave it a ride home.