Ses sio n

3
Input, Output, Memory and
Storage Devices of a Computer System
pahinOjectires
A Computer System Overview

A Memory in a Computer System

AStorage Devices
A Input Devices
A Output Devices

3.1 Introduction
Every system is so designed that it takes some input and produces some output. Computer
system is not exception. It can input from various types of input devices and produce output
in different forms.
In this session you shall learn about various input devices and output devices along with
memory and storage devices.

B.2 Computer System - An Overview

Betore we start talking about various types of hardware, let us recall what a computer system
is. Have a look at Fig. 3.1 that summarises a computer system. This session shall deal with
Hardware part of a computer system.
As Fig. 3.1 illustrates, Hardware of a computer system broadly comprises of the following:
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Memory
Primary Memory (Internal Memory)
xROM (Read Only Memory)
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Secondary Memory (Secondary/Auxiliary Memory)
x All storage devices like hard-disk, CD, DVD, pen drive etc.

InputDevices
Output Devices
All about the above mentioned hardware types is being covered in coming sections

A.87
 Session 3 INPUT OUIPUT, MEMORY AND STORAGE DEVICES OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM
A.89

3.3 Memory in a Computer System

CPU needs to have some place where it can hold instructions and data during proces
And once processing is over, it needs a place where it can store the result permanenty
Thus there are broadly tuo types of memories in a computer system
that holds
(Main Memory o r Primary Memory or Internal Memory. The memory
data and instructions during processing. It is temporary memory
that
(7) Auxiliary Menmory or Secondary Memory or External Memory. The
memory

can store data files for later use i.t., permanently.

3.3.1 Units of Memory

A binary
Computers store and process data/information in the form of binary numbers.
and is
number is either a 0 (representing OFF/low-voltage) or a 1 (representing ON/hi-voltage),
known as bit, which is short form for binary digit.
A bit is the smallest unit of memory. A bigger unit is a byte, which is a group of 8 bits. But byte

is also a very small memory unit.

There are bigger units of memory also. Let us have a look at all units of memory.

Table 3.1 Units of Computer Memory Measurements

Unit Short Name Full Name

Bit Bit Binary Digit

8 Bits 1 Byte Byte
20 i.e., 1024 Bytes 1 KB Kilo Byte

210 i.e., 1024 KB 1 MB Mega Byte

230 i.e., 1024 MB 1 GB Giga Byte
20 i.e., 1024 GB 1 TB Terra Byte

210 i.e., 1024 TB 1 PB Peta Byte

20 i.e., 1024 PB 1 EB Exa Byte

3.3.2 Main (Primary) Memory

and data
have main/internal memory to store programs
So, you know that all computers
now
also has tuo sub types :
while computer is running. The main memory
2. RAM (Random Access Memory)
1. ROM (Read Only Memory)
1. Read Only Memony (ROM)
stored remains fixed i.e., it cannot be changed. So,
ROM can
In this memory, information once
or written onto. Generally, ROM
contains a set of
only be read and used; it cannot be changed
what to do when a computer is tumed on.
start-up instructions i.e.,

2. Random Access Memory (RAM)

i.e., Random
be read from as well as written to is called RAM
The internal memory that can with computer,
talk about computer memory in connection
Access Memory. When people

they usually mean the RAM.

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 A.90 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-IX

d o m access memory (RAM) is volatile i.e., its contents are lost when power is turned
Decause of RAM's
following limitations, auxiliary menmory 1s
necu
Limitations of RAM
(i) Limited
storage capacity
Volatile in nature i.c., its contents get removed when
PY
1gure 3.2 shows
RAM, ROM and CPU on the motherboard is
a board which
hosts otlher
(nt
NOTE
components of a computer) Both RAM and ROM are
referred to as Immediate

Extreme Access Storage (IAS)

because CPU can access

CPU
nitnimmmn the data
compared
so
to
quickly
data in
backing storage (the
RAM secondary memory).
(Volatile) ROM snmumuruoneaes

(non-Volatile)
The CPU is attached to two
kinds of memories
RAM, which is volatile and ROM,
which is non-volatile
P

Figure 3.2 CPU with RAM and ROM

Major difference between RAM and ROM memories

table.
can be compiled in the form ot
following
Table 3.2 Differences between RAM and ROM
RAM ROM
FullName Random Access Memory
Read-only memory
Definition RAM is a form of data
be accessed
storage that can ROM is also a form of data
storage that generally
randomly at any time, in any stores hardwired instructions
(instructions stored as
order by CPU. form of circuit) for the
Alterations computer
to start initially.
RAM contents can be changed or altered ROM cannot be easily altered or
as and when required. reprogrammed.
Use RAM allows the computer to read data ROM stores the
quickly to run applications. program required to initially
boot the computer or reboot the
computer.
Operations supported It allows reading and writing. It only allows reading.
Volatility RAM is volatile i.e., its contents are lost It is non-volatile i.e., its contents
when the device is powered off. are retained
even
when the device is
powered off.
Size Larger than ROM ; can be up to some Smaller but
Giga Bytes (GBs). large enough to hold basic instruc-
tions; is up
to some Mega Bytes (MBs).
Speed RAM chips can read data faster than ROM. ROM is slower as compared to
RAM.
Small programs called firmware are often stored in ROM and
they
contain instructions the computer
can use in performing some
basic operations required to operate hardware devices.
ofthe most
Session 3 INPUT, OUTPUT, MEMORY
AND STORAGE DEVICES OF A COMPUTER SOIE A.91
3.3.3 Storage Devices
(Secondary Memory Devices)
Since primary memory has a limited storage cavacitv
devices are used to store
and is not permanent, secondary stord8
large amount of data permanently. There are various typEs
secondary devices available these
days.
O
1. Hard Disks
The hard disk
memories store information on one or more circular platters (or aiskS) O
magnetie material which are
continually spinning, Information is recorded on the surtace or
rotating disks by magnetic heads tiny
as
magnetic spots.
2. Compact Disks (CDs)
The
compact disks or CDs are optical media. The CDs are relatively cheap and have a storage
capacity of upto 700 MB.

3. DVDs
DVD is optical storage device that looks the same as a compact disc but is able to hold
an

about 15 times as much information and transfer it to the computer about 20 times as fast as a
CD-ROM. A DVD, also called a Super Density disk (SD), can hold upto 17 gigabytes of data
or four hours of movies on a
side.

4. Pen/Thumb Drives Flash Memories

Flash 'solid state' memory i.e., it has no
is a
moving parts unlike magnetic
storage devices, nor does it make use of lasers - unlike optical drives.
Instead, it works in a similar way to RAM. The key difference is that data is
retained in Flash memory even when the power is switched off.
Pen drives with storage capacities of upto 256 GB are available nowadays.

5. Blu-Ray disc
Blu-ray is the successor to DVD.
The blue laser can write more data compared to red laser of
DVDs. As a consequence, a Blu-ray dise can store much
more data in the same 12 centimetre space.
These days Blu-ray discs of capacity 25 GB, 50 GB are
commonly available.

6. Memory Stick
A memory stick is a type of removable memory card that
you connect to a computer or other piece of electronic SanDisk
equipment to copy and store information. Typically,
MEMORY STICK PRO Duo
Memory Sticks are used as storage media for a portable
in a form that can easily be removed for access by a
device,
personal computer eg, in digital cameras, smartphones, 132GB MaGicGAe

portable PlayStations etc.

camcorders, music players or

The memory sticks of today can store data in Gigabytes; their capacities vary from 4 GBs to
128 GBs.

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 A.92 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-IX

Table 3.3
ferences between Primary Memory and Secondary Memory

Primary Storage Secondary Storage

emory s directly connected to and accessed Not directly connect to a CPU
by a
computer's CPU
Memory is volatile
(RAM) Non volatile (RDM)
Direct acessby CPU Indirect access by CPU
Faster data access Slower data access

Used for
processing data Used for storing data
Small size
Large size

3.4 Input Devices

he
input unit is responsible for accepting input i.e., data
and instructions from the user. This work is accomplished
with the help of input devices.
The Keyboard

P Keyboard is a typewriter like device which is used to type in

the letters, digits and commands.
A
R The Mouse
NOTE
he mouse is pointing device that points to a position on : Do you know that mouse
computer screen. Mouse controls movement of was invented by Douglas
called pointer (also Engelbart of Stanford
mouse
pointer) on screen.
Research Centre in 1963?
Microphone (Mic)
A mic converts the sound
received into computer's format,
which is called
digitized
sound or digital audio.
A mic can work if your
computer has a
special hardware known
as sound card.

Scanner
A scanner is a device similar to a
photocopier. A scanner creates an electronic form of the
printed image, which can later be
manipulated, changed and modified according to the
requirements.

Barcode Reader
A barcode reader is used to read barcodes which
can be found
on products in shops. The barcode uses
lasers to identify the
position and thickness of the bars.

Light Pen
A light-sensitive input device shaped ike a
pen, used to draw on the
make menu selections. computer screen or to
Session 3 INPUT, OUIPUI, MEMORY AND
STORAGE DEVICES A.93
OF A COMPUTER STDt

3.5 Output Devices

the outpit unit is respomsible for producing the oulput in user readable form. Various output

devices like monitor (also called VDU i.e., Visual Display Unit), printer, ptoter, speures
make the output unit of a
computer.
Monitors
Monitor (or "sereen") is the most common form of output from a
computer. it displays intormation in a similar way to that shown on
a television sereen. The picture on a monitor is made
up of thousands
of tiny coloured dots called pixels.
Printers
A most convenient and useful method by which the computer can
deliver intormation is by means of printed characters. The device which
makes it possible is a printer.

Speakers
Speakers receive the sound in form of electric curren from the sound
card and then convert it to sound format.

Projector
A projector is an output device that can take the display of a
computer screen and project a large version of it onto a flat
surface. Projectors are often used in meetings and presen-
tations to help make sure everyone in the room can view the
presentation.

3.6 Peripheral Devices

A peripheral device is any external device that provides input and output for the computer.
So the input devices and output device that you have read about so far are in fact peripheral
devices. For example, a keyboard and mouse are input peripherals, while a monitor and

printer are output peripherals.

A computer peripheral is a device that is connected to a

computer but is not part of the core computer architecture. DEF.

device refers to device external to
Generally, a peripheral a A peripheral device is
the computer case. That is, you connect a peripheral device to any external device that
the computer expand
to functionality of the system. So
the provides input and output
and all other for the computer.
printers, projectors, bar code readers, scanners ouwauumsauaar

and devices you have read so far, are all

output
input
peripheral devices.

3.6.1 Peripheral Devices Ports

Ports are used to connect external devices to the computer. These are the connecting points of
various devices to the computer. There exist several types of ports like serial port, parallel
port, USB port.

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 A.94 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-IX

1. Serial Poris

As the it
name suggests, the serial port transfers dala serianya
at a time.

e r a l ports come in the form of 9-pin or 25-pin nmale connecttor.

2. Parallel Ports
port, these 8-bits
are
serial
time. Unlike the
can Send or receive a byte (8-bit) at a
female connector.
dsmitted parallel to each other in the form of
Parallol norts come 25-pin
arallel ports are popularly used to connect printer, scannet,
wwww
wnter, 2ip drive, external hard disk drive, tape backup drive, etc.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) Ports

female connectors, the USB
Spare the user botheration of 8-pin, 25-pin, male,
standardized, easy-to-use way to
ha b
c tdesigned. gives you
a variety of devices
ltsingle, a
to a computer. These devices include printers,

camera, web cameras, speakers, telephones, zip

Scanners, mice, joystick, digital devices, etc.
drives, network connections, scientific data acquisition
4. Ethernet Port (RJ 45 Port)
In Etherrnet
port (aka jack or socket) is an opening on compurer
P network equipment that Ethernet cables plug into. Their purpOSe
A
ISAnto connect wired network hardware in an Ethernet network.
Ethernet port accepts a cable that has an RJ-45 connector.
T 5. HDMI port
A HDMI i.e., High Definition Multimedia Interface is an all-digital wwwwnn

connector that can carry

high-definition video and several digital
audio channels all on the one cable.

Table 3.4 Different Ports and Cables

Cable Port Cable Port

USB USB RJ45 RJ45 H

Ethernet Ethernet

Micro-A USB Micro-A USB HDMI (High-Definition HDMI

Multimedia Interface

3.7 Internal and External Computer Hardware

Electronic parts that make up a computer are called hardware. The hardware parts can be
external or internal.

External Hardware are the physical parts that are OUTSIDE the computer case e.g.,
keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, speakers, scanner etc.
Internal Hardware are the physical parts that are INSIDE the computer case e.g,
motherboard, CPU, etc.
 Session INPUT, OUIPUT, MEMORY AND STORAGE DEVICES OF A COMPUTER SYSIEM
A.95
Most common external hardware
devices are shown in following
diagram
External hardware devices connect to a computer system through special type of connections
(called ports) and connectors.
External hardware devices are also called Peripheral devices. That is, keyboard, mouse,
printer, scanner etc., are peripheral devices.

Keyboard Motherboard
Monitor Mouse
CPU
Power supply
Pen dnve
External Microphone
hardware Internal
haroware
Speakers RAM
Scanner

Ports
Modem Printer Hard drive

External Hardware Devices. Internal Hardware Devices.

Internal hardware parts are inside the computer case. Most common ones are shown in
diagram on the right above.
Most important and most crucial internal
hardware is motherboard.
urabie

Motherboard
-Processor
As the name indicates, this is the electronic center
piece of the computer, everything else connects to
RAM
the motherboard.
The motherboard connects the various parts of a
SATA 2
computer system together. Here are some of the Power supply
typical parts
A power connector to distribute power to the CPU and other components. (A power
supply or SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply))
Slots for the system's main memory, typically in the form of special type of chips called
DRAM chips.

VS650 /
VENGEANCE

Various ports and connectors

Motherboard also has multiple connecting points from where you can connect external
hardware with your computer. The ports and connectors are visible from the back of your
desktop computer case.
Peripherals are the devices that you attach to a computer from outside. The back of your
desktop PC shows different ports and connectors to attach different peripherals.

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 A.96 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-IXx

heck Point

Multiple Choice Questions

1 The part of a computer that allows the user to view information on a screen.

(a) Mouse () RAM () CPU (d) Moitor

This part sends signals to other parts of the computer to tell them what to do.

(a) CPU (6) Keyboard () Mouse (d) Hard disk

This memory is for short tem storage and is lost when the computer is turned off.
() ROM (6)CPU () Hard disk (d) RAM
4 This part allows the user to hear information from the computer
(a) Monitor () Software () Input (d) Speaker
Another name for all the parts of a computer.
(a) Process (b) Hardware (c) Monitor (d) Software
6 This part stores data, programs, settings, and the operating system while the computer is off. While

it is on, it spins inside the computer reading and writing data.

(a) CPU (b) ROM c) RAM Yd)Hard Disk

Fill in the Blanks

A There are two basic types of disk-drives: H a i disk-drives and flash drives.
R S. Printed copy is often called
la Cobu
9 The CPU is made up of two smaller components: the L U o r Qand the 0 O
or_
10. The binary system uses the symbols L and
11. The digits of the binary system are called
12 A unit of eight bit memory cell groups is called a e
13 A KB in computer terminology is equal to 0 2 b y t e s .
14. The most familiar output device for the microcomputer is the O
15. The four functional components of a digital computer are: input device,
output device.
Meand
16. Internal storage is also called main emo
17. Instructions to computerare given through_nbt,O O
18. Calculations made in computer with the
are
help of its AD
19. The term bit stands for
oM. dgB
20. A unit of measure equal to approximately Ybillion bytes is called a _ u G

LET US REVISE

Input unit (various input deVices) is responsible for input phase i.e., it takes input from the user and forwards it
for processing.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for carrying out the processing.