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dip switch

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dip switch

a device for dipping car headlights
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

DIP switch

[′dip ‚swich]
(computer science)
A unit with several small rocker-type switches that plugs into a dual in-line package (DIP) on a printed circuit board.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

DIP switch

(Dual In-line Package switch) A set of tiny toggle switches built into a dual in-line package (DIP), which is mounted directly on a circuit board. The tip of a pen or pencil is used to flip the switch on or off (close or open the circuit). A bit cumbersome to flip, DIP switches used to be more popular than they are today. See DIP, jumper and switch.


Switches on a DIP
Mostly replaced by programmable chips and a software control panel, DIP switches provide an inexpensive way to select hardware options. However, they require opening the case and figuring out which switch to open or close.
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