Explanation to Host Devices

[RobertoTech]

Hi! I'm new here but I was just wondering if I could get some help. I recently got some help on an audio issue with some customer support. She called my computer a, "host device" which I didn't understand. Basically, what exactly is a host device? I'm just curious because I'd like to use the term if it's easier to understand in some situations as well as just to learn something.

[Votivee]

The host device would be whatever device is outputting the audio, or the "source". 

 

For example: if you were listening to music off your phone, your phone would be the host device.

[minibois]

Many computer protocols (like USB) work with a 'host client' structure 

You could explain this as a 'master slave' relation too.

 

One device just plays along with the other device. For example when we're taking about a laptop and a mouse, the mouse is a client (one of many clients) and the laptop (or the USB controller.. depending on how you want to look at it) is the host.

 

In a client host setup, there is typically one host, but there can be many clients (like your mouse, keyboard, soundcard, etc ).

 

Host usually refers to the decide, other devices connect to and see as a 'boss' of some sorts. So in online games/websites a client to server relation means the server that runs the game/site and the client is the person playing the game/visiting the site.