Input, Output, and Storage

Input Devices
Input device captures information and translates it into a form that can be processed and used by other parts of your computer.

Keyboards Pointing devices Game controllers Scanners Styluses Microphones Digital cameras Web cams

Input Devices
The keyboard is the most common input device. It is the most commonly used means by which people can communicate with a computer. It converts letters, numbers & other characters into electrical signals that are in machine readable form. It consists of a standard typewriter layout (the QWERTY keyboard) having alphabets from A to Z and some special symbols, a numeric keypad having numbers 0 to 9 and mathematical signs, some additional keys like control key, function keys, cursor keys Types of keyboards include:

Wireless Portable keyboards for PDAs

Types of Input Devices

Pointing Devices

Pointing devices are mainly used to choose and enter commands or Pointing devices control the position of the cursor or pointer on the display screen Pointing devices tend to have PS/2 connectors or USB connectors

PS/2 connector fits into a PS/2 port, which a small round socket with small holes that fit the pins on the connector USB connectors fit into USB ports, and these are small rectangular openings on the back or front of your computer, or even on your keyboard or monitor

Pointing Devices
Various pointing devices are available

Types of pointing devices:

Mouse

Mechanical mouse Optical mouse Wireless mouse

Trackball Touchpad Pointing stick

Mouse
The most popular pointing input device used to transfer data or instructions into the computer by simply clicking on its buttons once or twice. The mouse cursor moves with the movement of your arm.
Single Click: Selects an object Double Click: Opening an object

Trackball
A pointing input device use to move the cursor. It is similar as of mouse but the ball is situated outside. This is like an upside-down mouse where the user rolls the wheel in the direction they want the pointer to go. They are often used with video games.

Touchpad
A touch pad is a device for pointing (controlling input positioning) on a computer display screen. It is an alternative to the mouse. Originally incorporated in laptop computers, touch pads are also being made for use with desktop computers. A touch pad works by sensing the user's finger movement and downward pressure.

Pointing stick
A pointing stick is a miniaturized isometric joystick embedded in the center of some laptop keyboards, used to move the on-screen cursor. The pointing stick can be used in lieu of a mouse, or in addition to it. Left and right mouse buttons are located directly beneath the spacebar on models equipped with a pointing stick. The stick itself resembles the nub of an eraser, and sits between the G and H keys of a QWERTY keyboard.

Game Controller

Game controllers are used mainly to play games

Types of gaming devices

Gamepads Joysticks

Gaming wheels

Specialized Input Devices

Other types of input devices include:

Scanners
Styluses Microphones Digital cameras Web cams

Scanner
Scanner is a light sensitive device that helps you copy or capture images, photos, and artwork that exist on paper. Types of scanners include:

Flatbed Handheld

Fax machine
A fax machine or facsimile transmission machine scan an image and sends it as electronic signals over telephone lines to a receiving fax machine, which re- creates the image on paper.

Types of Fax Machines

Dedicated Fax Machines Fax Modems

Mark Recognition & Character Recognition Devices

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Device (MICR) Optical Mark Recognition Device (OMR) / Mark Reader Optical Character Recognition Device (OCR) / Character Reader Optical Bar Recognition Device (OBR) / Bar Code Reader

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Device (MICR)

These devices read strange looking numbers printed at the bottom of the checks. MICR characters are printed with magnetized ink. When this character is read by MICR device , it produce a digitized signal Example : They are used by banks to verify checks

Optical Mark Recognition Device (OMR) / Mark Reader

These devices read hand-drawn pencil marks such as small circles or rectangles from the paper. A person places these marks on a form, such as a test, survey or questionnaire answer sheets. This scanner detects marked area on the document because it is more reflective than un-marked surface. Example: They are commonly used to check Aptitude Tests (Entry-test) or SAT & ILETS tests

Optical Character Recognition Device (OCR) / Character Reader

An input scanning device used to read and recognize characters. It matches the patterns read with the patterns stored in its memory

Bar Recognition Device (OBR) /Bar Code Reader

Device that reads or scans the pattern of lines that form a bar code. Bar codes, also known as product codes are printed on retail products as a series of thick and thin black bars and spaces arranged to represent data, such as the name of the manufacturer and the type of product.

Styluses

Stylus is an input device consisting of a thin stick that uses pressure to enter information or to click and point Styluses are used with:
PDAs Tablet

PCs Graphics tablets

Microphones

Microphones are used to input audio Three main types of microphones are:

Desktop microphones Headsets Directional microphones

Speech recognition is increasingly being included in application software

Digital Cameras

Digital cameras are used to:

Download images to a computer Post pictures to the Web Produce videos

Resolution is measured in megapixels Higher the resolution, better the image quality, but the more expensive the camera

Web Cams

Web cam is a video camera that can be used to take images for uploading to the Web

BIOMETRIC INPUT DEVICES /SYSTEMS

Bio Metric Systems uniquely recognize human identity based upon one/ more physical behavioral traits Biometric authentication means technology that measure and analyze human physical & behavioral characteristics for authentication purpose.
Physical characteristics includes: Figure print Eye retinas Irises Facial pattern Hand measurements Behavioral characteristics Signature, voice, typing pattern

Output Devices
A device that produces result or output of the input data. It converts data from computer readable form into human readable form. OR Devices that give out information and program that people can read after being processed by computer are called output devices. Main output devices: Monitors Printers Speakers

 Hardcopy Output Device An output device that produces output or result on paper, transparencies, hard papers or any carry able paper-type material is known as hardcopy output device. Example: Printer, Plotter etc. Softcopy Output Device An output device that produces output or results on computer screen, which is basically non carry able, is known as softcopy output device. Example: Monitor. Voice Output Device These devices convert digital data in the form of sounds. Example: speakers, amplifiers

Monitors
CRTs Flat-panel displays
Gas plasma LCD (liquid crystal display)

Monitors come in two basic types. CRTs (or cathode ray tubes) are the monitors that look like TV sets. Very heavy Fragile Uses a lot of power. Flat-panel displays are thin, lightweight monitors and take up much less space than CRTs. Use comparatively little power Can run on a notebook battery Not as fragile as CRT monitors

 Flat-panel displays
Gas plasma LCD (liquid crystal display)
Gas plasma displays shine light through gas to make an image LCD (liquid crystal display) screens shine light through a layer of crystalline liquid to make an image.
LCDs are the most usual type of flat panel screens for computers

Screen Talk
Screen size measured as a diagonal line across the screen from corner to opposite corner Pixels (or picture element) dots that make up the image on your screen Resolution the number of pixels displayed on the screen (the higher the resolution, the closer together the dots) Refresh rate the speed with which a monitor redraws the image of the screen, and is measured in hertz

Printer
An output device that produces output or result on paper, transparencies or cards etc is known as printer. A printer is to be attached and installed on a computer system in order to work. Impact
Dot Matrix Printer Daisy Wheel Printer Chain Printer

Non-Impact Printer
Inkjet Printer Laser Printer Thermal Printer

Types
Impact Printers
These printers use a moving hammer with a printing head. It forms characters and images by striking a ribbon by the hammer and transfers dots of ink on to the paper. These printers make noise while printing, thats why they are also known as Noisy Printers.

Non Impact Printers

These printers use electro photographic method like the photocopy machine. They form characters or images by a beam of light. These printers do not make noises while printing that is why they are also known as Silent Printers.

Dot Matrix Printer

Dot-matrix printers are printers that write characters and form graphic images using one or two columns of tiny dots on a print head. The quality of the print depends upon the number of dots produced. Dot matrix printers are popular printers used with microcomputers, because the printers are highly reliable and inexpensive

Daisy Wheel Printer

It produces characters with the help of a round like device known as Daisy Wheel. A small hammer strikes the character against a ribbon, printing it onto the paper. Daisy-Wheel Printer are slower and less reliable than dotmatrix printers.

Chain Printer
A printer that uses a chain as its printing mechanism. This chain spins horizontally around a set of hammers, as soon as the ribbon comes in front of the hammer having desired character; the hammer hits and prints the character on to the paper. This printer is not commonly found around microcomputers, because it is a very expensive, high-speed machine designed originally for mainframes and minicomputers. Chain printers are very reliable and can speed up to 3000 lines per minute

Chain Printer

Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are the most popular type of printers. Great for color as well as black and white printouts. Inkjet printers make images by forcing ink droplets through nozzles. The top speed of an inkjet is about 7 ppm (pages per minute).

Laser Printers
Laser printers usually generate better quality output than inkjets, but theyre also more expensive especially the color ones. A laser printer forms images using an electrostatic process the same way a photo copier works. Laser printers print between 3 and 30 pages per minute depending on type. Black-only laser printers have one toner cartridge. Color laser printers require four, which increase the cost of cartridge replacement considerably

Thermal Printer
They use colored waxes & heat to produce images, by burning dots onto special paper. These printers produce expensive & highest quality color printing. These printers are slow & require special wax paper for printing.

Printers
Resolution of a printer is the number of dots per inch (dpi) it produces. Higher the resolution, better the image, and usually the more costly the printer

Printers

Multifunction printer:

Scan, copy, fax, and print Can be either inkjet or laser

Cost less than buying individual units

Take up less desk space

Plotter
A plotter is a specialized printer designed to produce high quality graphics in variety of colors. It is printer like device used to print large size documents or images. It is a special-purpose output device that draws images with ink pens. That is, the plotter is a graphics printer for making sophisticated graphs, charts, maps, and threedimensional graphics as well as high-quality colored documents. Example: To print a banner or large size posters, plotters are used.

Speakers

A speaker is a device that produces computer output as sound Speakers are common devices in computer systems Examples include:

Built-in speaker Two-device set speakers Surround sound speakers

ICan: Use a Computer Without Neck and Shoulder Pain

Computer work can lead to physical problems Ergonomics deals with reducing discomfort Should sit up straight at your computer

Using Your Computer: Ergonomics and Health

Position your screen about the length of your arm away so that you look slightly down at it Your elbows, knees, and hips should form right angles Your back should be at a right angle to the floor Rest your eyes by looking away from the screen frequently

Using Your Computer: Ergonomics and Health

Stretch your shoulders, back, arms, and wrists at least every 30 minutes Stretch your hands downward and backward frequently Always listen to your body when it tells you that youre uncomfortable and do something about it

Storage Devices

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Storage Devices

Storage device stores information to be recalled and used at a later time Storage device consists of: Storage medium Storage device Three major technology types for information storage: Magnetic Optical or laser Flash memory

 A storage device is a bit of hardware that is used to access a storage medium. The storage medium is the actual place where data is stored. E.g. A DVD-ROM drive is a storage device. The DVD is the storage medium (it is placed into the drive to be read/written). In this case the storage medium is removable. Sometime the storage medium is permanently stored inside the storage device. E.g... A hard-drive is a storage device. The magnetic coated disc that is (permanently) inside the drive is the storage medium A USB memory stick is a storage device. The flash memory chip that is (permanently) inside the device is the storage medium

Secondary Storage
storage, is all data storage that is not currently in a computer's primary storage or memory. Some times called external storage. The purpose of storage device is to hold data-even when the computer is turned off. In a personal computer, secondary storage typically consists of storage on the hard disk and on any removable media, if present, such as a CD or DVD

Storage Medium Terms

Byte Kilobyte (KB) Megabytes (MB) Gigabytes (GB) Terabytes (TB) Petabyte (PB) Exabyte (EB)
= 8 bits 1 Thousand Bytes 1 Million Bytes 1 Billion Bytes 1 Trillion Bytes 1 quadrillion Bytes 1 quintillion Bytes

Magnetic and Optical Storage

p. 5.142 & 5.144 Fig. 5.13 & 5.16

DVD-R
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Magnetic Storage Devices: Internal Magnetic Hard Disk

Magnetic storage devices can be either internal or external

Internal magnetic hard disks are fixed inside the system unit External magnetic hard disks are portable

Magnetic Storage Devices: Internal Magnetic Hard Disk

Internal hard disk is a magnetic storage device with
One or more thin platters that store information sealed inside the disk drive.

Magnetic storage devices all work on the same basic principal a thin layer of magnetic iron oxide compound coats either metal or plastic and is magnetized to represent information Read/write heads access the information on the disk surface The heads read information while copying it from the storage medium to RAM and write it when copying it from RAM to the storage medium.

 Your hard disk is where you store your operating system and application software long-term. When you start up your system, the operating system instructions are copied from your hard disk into memory. When you launch an application, a copy of the software goes into memory so that the CPU can execute the instructions.
The CPU cant carry out software instructions directly from any storage device; they must go into memory first.
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Magnetic Storage Devices: External Magnetic Hard Disk

External hard disks are magnetic storage media which are portable storage units that you can connect to your computer as necessary
Great for backup storage devices Ability to transport your hard disk from one computer to another

2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies

Floppy Disks and Zip Disks

Removable magnetic storage media come in two basic types:
Traditional floppy disks Zip disks

These storage media are useful for:

Storing files for backup or security purposes Transferring files from one computer to another

Removable Magnetic Storage: Floppy Disk

Floppy disk Housed inside a hard plastic casing Thin, flexible plastic disk 3.5 inch floppy disks also called floppies, diskettes, floppy disks Holds about 1.44 megabytes of information

Removable Magnetic Storage: Zip Disk

High capacity plastic platter disk
Called removable hard disks Provide a higher storage capacity than floppy disks
Example - Zip disk with capacity of 100MB, 250MB, and 750MB

2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies

Partitioning and File system

Partitioning: Enables you to logically divide the physical capacity of a single drive into separate areas, called partitions or logical drives Used to:
Install more than one operating system Create a recovery partition Create a new logical drive for data

Optical Storage
CDs DVDs Both are optical storage and have three formats: Read-only Write-once Read-and-write Optical storage comes in two capacities a CD holds up to a maximum of about 800 MB. a DVD holds from 4.7 GB to 17 GB depending on whether it uses both sides and whether the side(s) have one or two layers available for storage

Optical Storage Media

Read-Only
CD-ROM DVD-ROM

Fully Read-andWrite
CD-RW DVD-RW

One-Time Writable
CD-R DVD-R

Read-Only Optical Storage Media - read-only means you cant write to it or change it. CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) is an optical or laser disc whose information cannot be changed once it has been created. DVD-ROM is an optical storage medium whose information cant be changed, but which has a larger capacity than a CD-ROM.

One-Time Writable Optical Storage Media

CD-R (compact disc recordable) is an optical disc to which you can write information once. DVD-R (DVD recordable) is an optical disc to which you can write one time only and which has a higher capacity than a CD. Fully Read-and-Write Optical Storage Media CD-RW (compact disc rewritable) is a compact disc storage medium that allows you to save, change, and delete files. DVD-RW is an optical storage medium that allows you to save, change, and delete files but which has a larger capacity than a CD-RW.

Flash Memory Cards

Flash memory cards have high-capacity storage laminated inside a small piece of plastic Flash flash memory cards do not need a drive with moving parts to operate

Flash Memory Card Readers

Some devices have flash memory slots into which you slide your flash memory card Other devices can use an external flash memory card reader in order to transfer information A flash memory drive is a flash memory storage medium for a computer that is small enough to fit in your pocket and usually plugs directly into a USB port

2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies