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Learning Objectives Understand the history and evolution of computer hardware.

Chapter 3
Computer Hardware

Identify the major types and uses of microcomputer, midrange, and mainframe computer systems. Outline the major technologies and uses of computer peripherals for input, output, and storage.

3-2 McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives Identify and give examples of the components and functions of a computer system. Identify the computer systems and peripherals you would acquire or recommend for a business of your choice, and explain the reasons for your selection.

Early Computing 1880s

Punched cards turned sensors On or Off

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Early Computing 1946

ENIAC First Digital computer - programmable Used vacuum tubes Would fill room 39 ft by 39 ft

Waves of Computing
First Generation - Prior to 1950
Vacuum tubes

Second Generation - Late 1950s

Transistors & integrated circuits Jack Kilby 200,000 to 250,000 calculations per second

Third Generation - Mid-1960s

Integrated circuitry and miniaturization

Fourth Generation - 1971

Late 1950s
Transistors replaced vacuum tubes Smaller, faster, cooler

Further miniaturization Multiprogramming and virtual storage

Fifth Generation - 1980s

Millions of calculations per second
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Age of Microcomputers 1975

MITS introduced ALTAIR 8800.

Age of Microcomputers 1977

Commodore and Radio Shack

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Age of Microcomputers 1979

Apple computer, fastest selling Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak

Age of Microcomputers 1982

IBM introduced the PC Changed the market

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Categories of Computer Systems

Information Appliances Hand-held microcomputer devices Known as personal digital assistants (PDAs)
Web-enabled Touch screens, handwriting recognition, keypads Access email or the Web Exchange data with desktop PCs or servers Latest entrant is the BlackBerry

PDAs include
Video-game consoles Cellular and PCS phones Telephone-based home email appliances
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iPhone 4

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Midrange Systems High-end network servers

Large-scale processing of business applications

Mainframe Computer Systems Large, fast, powerful computer systems

Large primary storage capacity High transaction processing Handles complex computations

Not as powerful as mainframes

Less expensive to buy, operate, and maintain

Often used to manage

Large Internet websites Corporate intranets and extranets Integrated, enterprise-wide applications

Widely used as superservers for

Large client/server networks High-volume Internet websites Becoming popular computing platform for Electronic commerce applications Data mining and warehousing

Used as front-end servers

Assist mainframes with telecommunications and networks
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Supercomputer Systems Extremely powerful systems

Scientific, engineering, and business applications Massive numeric computations

Corporate PC Criteria Solid performance, reasonable price Operating system ready Connectivity
Network interface cards Wireless capabilities

Markets include
Government research agencies Large universities Major corporations

Uses parallel processing

Billions to trillions of operations per second (gigaflops and teraflops) Costs $5 to $50 million
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Computer System Concept

Computer Processing Speeds Commonly called clock speed Early computers

Milliseconds (thousandths of a second) Microseconds (millionths of a second)

Current computers
Nanoseconds (billionth of a second) Picoseconds (trillionth of a second)

Program instruction processing speeds

Megahertz Gigahertz
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(millions of cycles per second) (billions of cycles per second)

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Computer Hardware Devices

Input Technologies Keyboard

Input devices Output devices Storage devices Processing devices Communication devices

Graphical User Interface (GUI) Electronic Mouse Trackball Pointing stick Touchpad Touch screen

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Pen-Based Computing Used in Tablet PCs and PDAs

Pressure-sensitive layer, similar to touch screen, under liquid crystal display screen Software digitizes handwriting, hand printing, and hand drawing

Speech Recognition Software Digitize, analyze, and classify speech and sound patterns
Compares to sound patterns in its vocabulary Passes recognized words to the application software

Speaker-independent voice recognition systems

Recognizes words from never heard voice Voice-messaging computers

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Optical Scanning Converts text or graphics to digital Document management library system Scanners Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Reads characters and codes Optical scanning wands

Other Input Technologies Magnetic Stripe on credit cards Smart Cards Digital Cameras Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

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Output Technologies Video Displays

Cathode-ray tube (CRT) Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) Plasma displays

Storage Devices Primary storage

Random Access Memory (RAM) Read Only Memory (ROM)

Printed Output
Dot matrix Character printers Inkjet printers spray ink Laser printers Electrostatic process Similar to a photocopying machine
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Secondary storage
Optical disks Magnetic disks tape

Types of Semiconductor Memory Random Access Memory (RAM)

Most widely used primary storage medium Volatile memory Read/write memory

Optical Disks Drive

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Permanent storage Can be read, but not overwritten Frequently used programs burnt into chips during manufacturing process Called firmware
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Direct Access Magnetic Disk Used for secondary storage

Fast access and high capacity Reasonable cost

Magnetic Tape Secondary storage

Tape reels, cassettes, and cartridges Used in robotic, automated drive assemblies Archival and backup storage Lower-cost storage solution

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Storage Tradeoffs

Using Binary Code to Calculate

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Representing Characters in Bytes

Storage Capacity Measurement Kilobyte (KB): 1000 bytes Megabyte (MB): one million bytes (1000 KB) Gigabyte (GB): one billion bytes (1000 MB) Terabyte (TB): one trillion bytes (1000 GB) Petabyte (PB): one quadrillion bytes (1000 TB)

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Flash Drives Jump drive, travel drive, pen drive etc.

Small chips thousands of transistors Stores data virtually unlimited periods without power Easily transported and highly durable Storage capacity of up to 20 GB
New 1 TB

Processing Devices
The central processing unit (CPU) is the heart and brain of the computer. This one component, or "chip," is responsible for all primary number crunching and data management. When we refer to the CPU, we are usually speaking of the processor. However, the CPU requires several other components that support it with the management of data to operate. These components, when working in harmony, make up the primary elements of the PC we know today.

Plugs into any USB port

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Motherboard The large circuit board found inside the computer. Without it, a computer is just a metal box.

Chip set
A group of computer chips or integrated circuits (ICs) that, when working together, manage and control the computer system. This set includes the CPU and other chips that control the flow of data throughout the system.

Data bus
A group of parallel conductors (circuit traces) found on the motherboard and used by the CPU to send and receive data from all the devices in the computer.
Address bus A group of parallel conductors (circuit traces) found on the motherboard and used by the CPU to "address" memory locations. Determines which information is sent to, or received from, the data bus. Expansion slots Specialized sockets that allow additional devices called expansion cards or, less commonly, circuit boards, to be attached to the motherboard. Used to expand or customize a computer, they are extensions of the computer's bus system.

RAM
Stores temporary information (in the form of data bits) that the CPU and software need to keep running.

Communication devices
Efficient data communication must be:
Accurate Timely Cost effective

Communication devices
Communication media the material used to transmit data and includes cables, fibre-optic cables, radio waves and satellite links. Communication Devices the parts of the computer that facilitate communication by using the above media.

Data communication allows users to transmit and receive data and information. This information is used to identify and solve problems and to make informed choices.

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Telecommunications Network Model

Network Interface
a device that allows otherwise incompatible items to be connected. It is sometimes an external device with its own power supply that is plugged into the computer. Eg. Modems, network cards and wireless cards.

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Communications media (wired) Carry signals over a communications path between devices
Twisted-Pair Wire (dial-up connections)
2 strands of insulated copper wire twisted around each other Twisting reduces interference (crosstalk) from electrical signals Data rates are 1 128 megabits per second (slow)

Communications media (wired)

Fiber-optic cable
Dozens or hundreds of thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit pulses of light, not electricity Can transmit up to 2 gigabits per second (very fast) Have lower error rate than twisted-pair or coax More expensive than twisted-pair or coax Lighter and more durable than twisted-pair or coax More difficult to tap into than twisted-pair or coax
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Coaxial Cable
Insulated copper wire wrapped in a metal shield and then in an external plastic cover Used for cable TV and cable Internet electric signals Carries voice and data up to 200 megabits per second (fast)

Communications media (wireless)

Bluetooth
It allows the computer to communicate wirelessly with other devices that have the hardware necessary to send and receive Bluetooth signals.

Communications media (wireless)

WIFI
Wi-Fi is the name of a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. Many devices can use Wi-Fi, e.g. personal computers, video-game consoles, smartphones, some digital cameras, tablet computers and digital audio players. These can connect to a network resource such as the Internet via a wireless network access point. Such an access point (or hotspot) has a range of about 20 meters (65 feet) indoors and a greater range outdoors. Hotspot coverage can comprise an area as small as a single room with walls that block radio waves, or as large as many square miles achieved by using multiple overlapping access points.

WAP(wireless application protocol)

Wireless handheld devices such as cellphones uses WAP for connecting wireless users to the Web.

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Communications media (wireless)

General Wi-Fi Network

Microwave
Superhigh-frequency radio transmit voice and data at 45 megabits per second Requires line-of-sight transmitters and receivers More than of todays telephones systems use microwave

Satellite
Microwave relay stations in orbit around the earth Basis for Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Cover broad service area

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Microwave and Satellite

Predictions for the Future Biological memories Health remedies Longer life spans Virtual activities Memory recall

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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) One of the newest and fastest growing storage technologies
System for tagging and identifying moving objects
Merchandise, postal packages, casino chips, pets

Tag 1 inch square Chips half the size of a grain of sand

Passive chips derive power from reader signal Active chips are self-powered

Privacy Issues

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