INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BBA SEMESTER I

Unit – I

Introduction to Computers: Definition of computer, Characteristics and limitations of Computers,

Functional Block diagram of digital computers, Functions of Control Unit and ALU in CPU, Concept
of Primary memory (RAM & ROM) and secondary memory, Magnetic Hard disks, Magnetic Tapes,
Floppy disk, CD-ROM, Input / Output Devices.

Introduction to Computers:

Meaning of a Computer:
Computer is a machine that can solve problems by accepting data performing certain
operations and presenting the results of those operations under the direction of detailed
step-by-step instructions. Such a set of sequenced instructions, which cause a computer
to perform particular operations, is called a program. The term computer has been
derived from the word “COMPUTE” which means calculate.

Definition of a computer

Computer is an electronic device, used for performing calculations and controlling

operations that be either expressed in logical or numerical terms.
 It stores and process data in binary form according to instructions given to it in a
variable program.
 Computer need to be told exactly what to do and how to do to accomplish a task
 It is a combination of hardware and software
 Software is the set of instructions given to the computer to perform a task
 The physical parts that make up computer are called hardware, which are made
of circuits and transistors
The three main operations of computer are
1) Takes in data and instructions (input)
2) works with the data (processing)
3) puts out information (output)

Characteristics of a Computer:

The following are the main characteristics of a computer-

1. Speed: Computer is able to process the data and give the output in fractions of
seconds such that required information is available to the user on time and hence
enables him to take right decisions at the right time.
2. Accuracy: Computer is error free. There is no scope for inaccuracy in the results given
by the computer. Incorrect calculations, errors, mistake do not take place in a
computer system. If there errors they are due to the errors in the instructions given
by the programmer, inaccurate data, inconsistent data or defective programs as well
as defective system designs. Since the computer is capable of doing only what it is
instructed to do, fault instructions for data processing may lead to faulty results this
is known as GIGO (Garbage in Garbage Out)
3. Reliable: Today, computer is extensively used because of their reliability. The output
generated by the computer is very reliable to the extent that the input is reliable.
4. Storage capacity: Another important characteristic of a computer is that it has brain
of its own with brilliant memory. It can accept and store any information for a long
time. It stores large amount of data and can recall information instantly. The main
memory of the computer is relatively small and holds certain amount of information.
Therefore, the data is stored in secondary memory
5. Versatile: The computer performs three basic operations. It accepts information from
the user; secondly it performs the basic arithmetic operations and logical operations
and finally generates the desired output in the desired form.
6. Automatic (Programmable): Computer is a device, which is more than a calculator.
Once instructions are given to the system it works automatically without any human
intervention until the completion of program until it meets logical instruction to
terminate the job.
7. Diligent: A computer is a device, which is indefatigable (untiring) and therefore does
not feel tired nor gets distracted like a human being. All the instructions are
performed at same speed and accuracy
8. Recreation: In recent years, computers were used mainly for entertainment and
amusement, like computer games and other programs, computer animation gives life
and movement to inanimate objects. Multimedia too helped in popularizing the use
of computers.
9. Networking capacity: A computer can be connected with other computers. This
feature of connectivity with other computers leads to the evolution of computer
networking.
10. Compactness: Now-a-day’s size of computers has decreased o lot due to increased
technology. The laptop and Notebook computers can be taken outside.

Limitations of A Computer:
Like any modern technology computers is also not free from limitations-
 Computer is a machine and therefore it is only a device that needs human
skill to operate.
 It does not work on its own and needs set of instructions to be given.
 It does not have natural intelligence and hence has to be instructed about
every step in detail.
 It is not a decision maker and has to be programmed to take an action if some
conditions prevail.
 Finally, it does not learn by experience unlike intelligent human beings.

Elements of a Computer:
A computer consists of three basic elements/components such as hardware, software
and memory.

Hardware:
 The physical devices that make up a computer are referred to as hardware.
 It includes the tangible aspects of computers and can be touched such as mouse,
printers, monitor, microphone, scanner etc.
 Hardware is usually used for input and output purposes. It takes instructions from the
user from input devices such as mouse, key board etc and displays the output (after
processing) on the other hardware devices such as monitor, LCDs, scanner, printers
etc.

Software:
 The software of the computer includes operating system which executes all the
programs and instructions given by the user.
 The computer software itself is categorized into two
1. System Software
 It is collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the processing
capabilities of the computer itself. System software are generally prepared by
computer manufactures. These software products comprise of programs written in
low-level languages which interact with the hardware at a very basic level. System
software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users.
 Includes the software execution by the computer itself such as Windows and DOS.

2. Application Software
 Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need of a particular
environment.
 Application software may consist of a single program, such as a Microsoft's notepad
for writing and editing simple text. It may also consist of a collection of programs,
often called a software package, which work together to accomplish a task, such as a
spreadsheet package.

FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM OF COMPUTER:

• A Computer, like a human brain, receives data and instruction, stores them and
processes the data according to the instructions given to it.
• It receives data from input devices, stores them in memory and displays them
through on an output device
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
CPU is the component of computer system with the circuitry to control interpretation
and execution of instructions. It performs the process in parts of Input-Process-Output
cycle. The components of CPU are mounted (Fixed) on the main circuit board, called the
“motherboard”.
The various components of a Central Processing Unit are:
1. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU).
2. Control Unit.

Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)

 It is that part of CPU where actual data processing occurs.
 All mathematical operations (+, -, *, /) and all comparisons (>, <, =) take place in
this unit.
 In addition to arithmetic functions, the ALU also performs logic functions.
 A logic function is one where numbers or conditions are compared to each other.
 Circuits in the ALU are generally used to compare two numbers by subtracting
one from the other.
 The sign (negative or positive) and the value of the difference tell the processor
that the first number is equal to, less than, or greater than the second number.
 Alphabetic data may also be compared according to an assigned order sequence.
Control Unit
 It is a component of CPU that control and coordinates the flow of data between
different components of computer
 It interprets instructions it receives from memory and directs the sequence of
events necessary to execute the instruction.
 Control Unit uses a system clock, which synchronizes (manage) all tasks by
sending out electrical pulses.
 Clock speed (the number of pulses or clocks per second) is measured in
Megahertz (MHz) and is the main element in determining the speed of the
processor.
 Computer speed is also measured in the number of instructions completed per
second, or Millions of instructions per second (MIPS).

MEMORY
Memory is the most essential element of a computing system because without it
computer can’t perform simple tasks. Computer memory is a generic term for all of the
different types of data storage technology that a computer may use, including RAM,
ROM. There are two types of memory:
1. Primary Memory
2. Secondary Memory

1. PRIMARY MEMORY (MAIN MEMORY):

Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which computer is currently
working. It has limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off. It is generally
made up of semiconductor device. These memories are not as fast as registers. The data
and instruction required to be processed reside in main memory.
Primary storage or main memory stores three types of information for very brief periods
of time:

 Data to be processed by the CPU.

 Instructions for the CPU as to how to process the data.
 Operating system programs that manage various aspects of the
computer’s operation.
There are four main types of primary storage
1. Random access memory (RAM)
2. Read-only memory (ROM).
3. Cache memory and
4. Register

1. Random Access Memory(RAM):

This is that part of primary storage where data and program instructions are held
temporarily while being manipulated and executed. It is called Random Access Memory
because any of the locations on a chip can be randomly selected and used to directly
store and retrieve data and instructions. RAM is volatile i.e. it is depends on a steady
supply of electricity and when the power is shut off, everything stored is lost.
Access time in RAM is independent of the address i.e., each storage location
inside the memory is as easy to reach as other locations and takes the same amount of
time. Data in the RAM can be accessed randomly but it is very expensive. RAM chip may
be classified as:

• DRAM: DRAM stands for Dynamic RAM, and it is the most common type of RAM used
in computers. The oldest type is known as single data rate (SDR) DRAM, but newer
computers use faster dual data rate (DDR) DRAM. DDR comes in several versions
including DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4, which offer better performance and are more
energy efficient than DDR. However different versions are incompatible, so it is not
possible to mix DDR2 with DDR3 DRAM in a computer system. DRAM consists of a
transistor and a capacitor in each cell.

• SRAM: SRAM stands for Static RAM, and it is a particular type of RAM which is faster
than
DRAM, but more expensive and bulker, having six transistors in each cell. For those
reasons SRAM is generally only used as a data cache within a CPU itself or as RAM in
very high-end server systems. A small SRAM cache of the most imminently-needed
data can result in significant speed improvements in a system
2. Read Only Memory (ROM):
ROM stands for read-only memory, and the name stems from the fact that while data
can be read from this type of computer memory, data cannot normally be written to it.
It is a very fast type of computer memory which is usually installed close to the CPU on
the motherboard. ROM is a type of non-volatile memory, which means that the data
stored in ROM persists in the memory even when it receives no power – for example
when the computer is turned off. In that sense it is similar to secondary memory, which
is used for long term storage. The ROM usually contains "bootstrap code" which is the
basic set of instructions a computer needs to carry out to become aware of the operating
system stored in secondary memory, and to load parts of the operating system into
primary memory so that it can start up and become ready to use.

ROM is mainly of three types:

I. Programmable read only memory (PROM) allows a chip to be programmed by
the user for converting critical and lengthy operations into micro programs that
are fused into a chip. The user buys a blank PROM and enters the desired
contents using a PROM program. Inside the PROM chip there are small fuses
which are burnt open during programming. It can be programmed only once and
is not erasable. Once they are in a hardware form, they can be executed at a very
high speed and can’t be altered.
II. Erasable PROM (EPROM) can be erased and reprogrammed. The EPROM chip
has a small window on top allowing it to be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet
 light for duration of up to 40 minutes. After reprogramming the window is
covered to prevent new contents being erased
III. Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM) is programmed and erased electrically. It
can be erased and reprogrammed about ten thousand times. Both erasing and
programming take about 4 to 10 ms (milli second). In EEPROM, any location can
be selectively erased
and programmed. EEPROMs can be erased one byte at a time, rather than erasing
the entire chip. Hence, the process of re-programming is flexible but slow.

Difference between RAM and ROM:

3. Cache Memory:
Cache memory is typically integrated directly
with the CPU chip or placed on
a separate chip. Many processors also
have built-in specialized storage elements
that are used for specific processing and
control purposes. A computer
microprocessor can access more quickly than
it can access regular RAM.
The basic purpose of cache memory is to store program instructions that are frequently
re-referenced by software during operation. Fast access to these instructions increases
the overall speed of the software program.
 One element used during processing operations is a high speed Buffer Memory
(cache memory), which is both fast and expensive, as compared to primary storage. It is
a small amount of memory typically of 256 or 512 kilobytes.
L1 and L2 are levels of cache memory in a computer. L1 is "level-1" cache memory,
usually built onto the microprocessor chip itself. L2 (that is, level-2) cache memory is on
a separate chip that can be accessed more quickly than the larger "main" memory.

4. Registers
Registers are a special high-speed storage area within the CPU. All data must be
represented in a register before it can be processed. The register can contain the address
of a memory location where data is stored rather than the actual data itself. The number
of registers that a CPU has and the size of each (number of bits) help determine the power
and speed of a CPU.

The CPU contains a number of special-purpose registers

 Instruction Register (IR): The instruction register holds the instructions.
 Memory Data Register (MDR): The memory data register holds the piece of data.
 Memory Address Register (MAR): The memory address register holds the address.
 Program Counter Register (PC): The program counter holds the location of the next
instruction to be fetched from memory.
 Accumulator Register: It used as the default location to store any calculations
performed by
the arithmetic and logic unit.

2. SECONDARY MEMORY:
Secondary (Auxiliary) storage is the non-volatile memory that is stored externally to the
computer. A secondary medium usually used for the storage of large amount of data for
permanent or long-term storage of data or programs. While the secondary media can
hold much more data than primary storage, access to the data is slower.

The benefits of secondary storage are: Capacity, Reliability and Convenience

Different secondary storage media can be ranked according to the following criteria:
 Retrieval speed - The access time of a storage device is the time it takes to locate and
retrieve the stored data. A fast access time is preferable for any storage media.
 Storage capacity- A device’s storage capacity is the ability to store data. A large
storage capacity is desired.
 Cost per bit of capacity- Low cost is preferred.

Secondary storage media with all sizes of computers can be broadly categorized into:
1. Magnetic tape.
2. Magnetic disk.
3. Optical disk.

1. Magnetic tape:
Magnetic tape is a one-half or one-fourth inch ribbon of Mylar (a plastic like material)
coated with a thin layer of iron-oxide material. It is a medium that is often selected to
store large files that are sequentially accessed and processed. Its data density (the
number of characters that can be stored in a given physical space) is high and its transfer
rate (the speed with which data can be copied into processor storage) is fast.
Advantages:
 Low cost and ease of handling.
 High data density
Limitations of Magnetic Tape:
 Lack of direct access to records.
 Environmental problems-sensitivity to dust, humidity and
temperature levels.

2. Magnetic disk:
A magnetic disk is a Mylar or metallic platter on which electronic data are stored. Unlike
magnetic tapes, data on magnetic disks can also be read randomly. The data are recorded
as tiny invisible magnetic spots on its iron oxide coating.
It consists of two or more metal platters mounted on central spindle like a stack. Each
platter is covered with a magnetic coating, and the entire unit is encased in a sealed
chamber. The motor spins the platter and sets the read/write head on the disk to read
from or to write on to the disk. The top most layer of the top platter and bottom most
layer of the bottom platter is not used to storing a data as they may contain some dust
particles. These heads are fastened to an arm in a disk storage device so that they can be
moved quickly and directly to any disk location to store or retrieve data.
The surface of the magnetic disk is divided into number of invisible concentric circles
called “tracks”. The tracks are further subdivided into “sectors”, “blocks” etc. each its
own unique addresses to facilitate the location of data. Disk moves on a vertical rotating
spindle. Data on magnetic disks can be read randomly.
The access time for data stored on a magnetic disk is determined by two factors:
1. The seek time i.e. the time required for positioning read/write head over the
proper track.
2. The search time i.e. the time required for spinning the
required data under the head.
Magnetic disks come in various sizes. They can be portable or
permanently mounted in their storage devices, disk drives.
They can be made of rigid metal (Hard Disks) or flexible plastic
(Floppy Diskettes).
Advantages of Magnetic Disk
• Data records can be stored for both sequential and direct-accessing.
• High speed of access and update as no sorting of transactions.
• On-line disk records of several related files can be updated simultaneously by a
single input transaction.
Limitations of Magnetic Disk
• Risk of loss of data – Records may be lost in case of writing of new records or drive
failure. Therefore, special backup procedures are required for disk records
protection. This is not so in the case of magnetic tape records.
• Data insecurity – It is easier to maintain the security of magnetic tape files than
that of magnetic disk files.

3. Optical Technology:
Optical technology involves the use of laser beams highly concentrated beams of
light. It comes in the form of Optical laser disk, Optical card and Optical tape.

Optical Laser Disk: A common version of the optical disk is the CD-ROM
(compact disk, read–only memory). While not suited to applications where
data changes, they are very convenient for storing data that remains constant. CD-ROM
[Compact Disc Read Only Memory] is a Compact Disc contains data accessible by a
computer.
 The CD-ROM is also known as a laser disc, which is shiny metal like disk. The diameter
of the disk is 5.25 inches (or) 12 cm disk. Information of 650 MB can be stored, which
is equal to nearly 2, 50,000 pages of printed text.
 The data is recorded as deep holes on the disk surface or burning microscopic bits.
 CD-ROMs are popularly used to distribute computer software, including games and
multimedia applications, though any data can be stored.
 The CD-ROM s are pre-recorded disks used for storing a large amount of data (or)
information.
Optical Card: The Optical card, or laser card, is the size of a credit card and has an optical
laserencoded strip that can store approximately 2 megabytes of data. These cards have
many potential uses, most notably for storing credit records or medical histories.

Optical Tape: Optical tape is similar in appearance to magnetic tape, but data are stored
by optical laser techniques. Optical tapes, which are in cassette form, can store over 8
gigabytes each providing a total storage of about 1 terabyte (1,000 gigabytes). Like other
optical methods of data storage, optical tape is read only.

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD):

 A floppy disk is a magnetic storage medium for computer systems. The floppy disk is
composed of a thin, flexible magnetic disk sealed in a square plastic carrier. In order
to read and write data from a floppy disk, a computer system must have a floppy disk
drive (FDD).

 A floppy disk is also referred to simply as a floppy. Since the early days of personal
computing, floppy disks were widely used to distribute software, transfer files, and
create back-up copies of data. When hard drives were still very expensive, floppy
disks were also used to store the operating system of a computer.
 Floppy disks store much less data than a CD-ROM disk or USB flash drive. A normal
3½ inch disk can store 1.44 megabytes of data. This is usually enough for simple text
documents.

 A number of different types of floppy disks have been developed. The first floppy
disks were 8 inches (20 cm) across. In the late 1970s, floppy disks became smaller,
with the arrival of 5.25-inch (13.3-cm) models, and the final floppy disks, which
debuted in the 1980s, were 3.5 inches (9 cm) in diameter.
 Data were arranged on the surface of a disk in concentric tracks. The disk was inserted
in the computer’s floppy disk drive, an assembly of magnetic heads and a mechanical
device for rotating the disk for reading or writing purposes. A small electromagnet,
called a magnetic head, wrote a binary digit (1 or 0) onto the disk by magnetizing a
tiny spot on the disk in different directions and read digits by detecting the
magnetization direction of the spots.

Compact Disk (CD):

 A compact disc, or CD, is a thin circular piece of equipment that can be used to store
data, including graphics and music. It was developed in the late 1970s and was the
first mainstream way to digitally store music. The term "compact" refers to its size
relative to traditional phonograph records rather than other digital formats. Standard
CDs are 12 centimeters, or about 4.7 inches, in diameter.
 CDs are read using a laser and a light receptor that can capture the pattern of
reflections off the surface of the CD as it is rotated in a drive or audio player. Audio
CDs can store up to 74 minutes of music or other sounds, and a data CD can store
between 650 and 700 megabytes.
 A CD is usually around 12 centimeters (4.5 inches) in diameter and consists of a couple
of thin circular layers that are attached one on top of another.
 Most of a CD is composed of a plastic called polycarbonate. The bottom layer is a
polycarbonate layer where data is encoded by using tiny bumps on the surface. Above
this layer is a reflective layer, which is typically made of aluminum (gold is also used,
although quite rarely).

INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES:

The CPU provides the means for the fast and efficient processing of data into usable
information. For computer processing, data needs to be entered into the computer
(input) and the result of processing needs to be communicated to the user (output). Any
hardware item which is attached to the main unit of a computer that houses the CPU is
referred to as a Peripheral Device.

INPUT DEVICES:
An input device is a peripheral device through which data are entered and transformed
into machine-readable form. Let us have a look at various input devices available.
1. Keyboards

Standard keyboard is the most common and familiar input device. A typical computer
keyboard contains all letters, numbers, symbols of a regular typewriter, plus other keys.
Every key on the keyboard underneath it consists of a tiny chip called as keyboard
controller, when a key is pressed the controller places the code into the part of the
memory called keyboard buffer. The buffer temporarily holds the data till it is processed.
The signal the keyboard sends to the computer is called as interrupt. The keyboard sends
an interrupt request to the system software and the data is processed .

S.No. Keys Description

These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digits keys (0-9)
1 Typing Keys which generally give same layout as that of typewriters.
It is used to enter numeric data or cursor movement.
Generally, it consists of a set of 17 keys that are laid out in the
2 Numeric Keypad
same configuration used by most adding machine and
calculators.

The twelve functions keys are present on the keyboard. These

are arranged in a row along the top of the keyboard. Each
function key has unique meaning and is used for some specific
3 Function Keys purpose.

These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes four

directional arrow key. Control keys also include Home, End,
Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down, Control(Ctrl),
4 Control keys Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc).

Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as

Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print
5 Special Purpose Keys Screen.
2. Mouse
A mouse is a pointing device. It usually contains one or three buttons: as the user rolls it
on a flat surface, the mouse controls cursor movement on the screen. When the user
presses one of the buttons, the mouse either marks a place on
the screen or makes selections from data on the screen. It can
be used for many applications ranging from games to designing
products with graphics. It can be used as an alternative to
keyboard or it can be used in combination with a keyboard to
enhance input operations.
Advantages:
• Easy to use
• Not very expensive
• Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of keyboard.

3. Joystick
A joystick is a most popular input device used to play video games. A joystick uses a
level to control the position and speed with which the joystick is moved into digital
signals that are sent to the computer to control the cursor movement.
4. Track Ball
A track ball uses a hard sphere to control cursor movement. The ball
can be rotated by hand in any direction. The track ball translated the
sphere’s direction and speed of rotation into a digital signal, used to
control the cursor.

5. Touch Screen
A touch screen registers input when a finger or other object comes in
beams and ultrasonic acoustic waves. Infrared beams crisscross the
surface of the screen and when a light beam is broken, that location is
recorded.

6. Light Pen
A light pen is also a pointing device like mouse. It can be used to choose
a displayed menu option. The pen contains a photocell placed in a small
tube. As the user moves the tip of the pen over the surface of the screen,
it detects the light coming from a limited field of view. The light from the
screen causes the photocell to respond and this electric response is
transmitted to the process, which can identify the menu option that is
triggering the photocell. Light pen is useful for graphics work, especially for Computer
Aided Design (CAD) purposes.

7. Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) is an interpretation by computer of a line of
character written in special magnetic ink. These characters can be read by human eye as
well.
There are several advantages associated with the use of MICR:
• Checks may be roughly handled, folded, smeared, and stamped. But they
can still be read with a high degree of accuracy.
• People can easily read the magnetic ink characters.
The main limitation of MICR is that only the 10 digits and 4 special characters
needed for bank processing are used. No alphabetic characters are available.

8. Magnetic strips

They are thin bands of magnetically encoded data that are found at the back of usually,
Credit cards, Debit cards etc. the data stored on the card vary from application to
another. Data in the form of magnetic strips cannot be seen or interpreted by simply
looking at the card and so it can be highly sensitive or personal.

9. Optical Recognition / Scanners

Optical Recognition when a device scans a printed surface and translates the image the
scanner sees into a machine-readable format that is understandable by the computer.
Optical Recognition can be of the following types

i. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)

It uses mark sensing to scan and translate, based on its location,

which is a series of pen or pencil marks into a computer readable
form. For instance, the objective type multiple choice question
paper we get in the bank recruitment exam. A computerized optical mark reader scores
the tests by identifying the position of the mark ii. Optical Bar Recognition (OBR)

This is slightly more sophisticated type of optical recognition. An optical bar reader
recognizes and interprets bar codes or product codes which are arranged to represent
data, such as the name of the manufacturer, and the type of the product etc. on the basis
of the width of the lines. A scanner reads the bar code, and the computer then matches
the price and product.
iii. Optical character recognition (OCR)

This is most sophisticated type of optical recognition. An optical card

reader works in much the same way as a human eye. It recognizes
specially shaped numerical and alphabetic characters.

10. Microphone

A microphone can be attached to a computer to record sound (usually through a sound

card input or circuitry built into the motherboard). The sound is digitized—turned into
numbers that represent the original analog sound waves—and stored in the computer
for later processing and playback.

OUTPUT DEVICES:
An Output Device is a peripheral device that allows a computer to communicate
information to humans or another machine by accepting data from the computer and
transforming them into a usable form. The result of processing is also often referred as
output.
Output that can be understood by humans can be in the form two types: Hard copy &
Soft copy.
 Hard Copy is the output on paper and can be read immediately or stored
and read later. This is a relatively stable and permanent form of output.
 Soft Copy is usually a screen-displayed output. It is a transient form of
output and is lost when the computer is turned off.

1. Visual Display Unit (Monitor)

A monitor is a television like device used to display input data or information,
allowing users to view the results of processing. The combination of monitor with the
keyboard is called a terminal.
Quality of a monitor often judged as in terms of resolution, which is a measure of
the number of picture elements, or pixels, a screen, contains. A pixel is the smallest
increment of a display screen that can be controlled individually. The higher the number
of pixels, the clearer and sharper is the image. Screens for the monitor are of two types:

1. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT): On this type of screen, a data image can be produced
by moving an electron beam across a phosphor-coated screen. CRT has display
 screen 25 lines of 80 characters each. It is used in most desktop monitors. Some
CRT screens are monochrome (1 color) while other produce many color.
2. Flat Panel Display: To overcome the limitation of CRT like bulky in size, high power
consumption, flickering screen Flat panel display is used. The most common form
of flat panel display is the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), which produces images by
aligning molecular crystals and an LED display which uses an array of light-
emitting diodes as a video display. An LED panel is a small display, or a component
of a larger display.

2. Printer
Produces output usually in the form of text on a paper.
Printers are classified based on the contact between the printer head and the paper into
• Impact printers
• Non-Impact printers

Impact printers:
Impact Printers use a print head containing a number of metal pins which strike an inked
ribbon placed between the print head and the paper.

Dot Matrix Printer

It uses printer heads containing a 9-24 pins these pins produced pattern of dots on the
paper to form a character. Dot matrix printers are very popular as they are relatively
inexpensive and typically print at speed of 100-600 characters per second. These printers
can give us draft quality, standard quality and near letter quality prints
Daisy Wheel Printer: This printer gives us letter quality print but is slow, typically 25 to
55 characters per second. It is a circular printing element which has a plastic or metal
wheel on which the shape of each character stands out in relief. A hammer presses the
wheel against a ribbon, which in turn makes an ink stain in the shape of the character
on the paper. Daisy-wheel printers produce letter-quality print but cannot print
graphics.

Line Printers: The line printer is a form of high speed impact printer in which one line of
type is printed at a time. Print speeds of 600 to 1200 lines-per-minute (approximately 10
to 20 pages per minute. Types of line printers
• Drum Printer
• Chain Printer

Typical typeface of a drum printer with staggered characters.

A fixed font character set is engraved onto the periphery of a number of print wheels.
The wheels, joined to form a large drum (cylinder), spin at high speed and paper and an
inked ribbon is stepped (moved) past the print position. As the desired character for each
column passes the print position, a hammer strikes the paper from the rear and presses
the paper against the ribbon and the drum, causing the desired character to be recorded
on the continuous paper.

Non-Impact Printers:
Non-impact printers are much quieter than impact printers as their printing heads do not
strike the paper. The main types of non-impact printer are:
1. Thermal Printer
Characters are formed by heated elements being placed in contact with
special heat sensitive paper forming darkened dots when the elements reach a critical
temperature. 2. Laser Printer
When speed and quality are required and cost is no factor a laser printer is the
solution. They produce images on paper by directing a laser beam at a minor, which
bounces the beam on to a drum. The laser leaves a negative charge on the drum to
which positively charged black toner powder will stick. As the paper rolls by the
drum, the toner is transferred to the paper. Laser printer uses
buffer to store an entire page at a time that is why they print very fast at rate of
approximately 21,000 lines or 437 pages per minute.

3. Ink-Jet Printer
 Ink-Jet printer forms character on paper by spraying ink from tiny nozzles
through an electrical field that arranges the charged ink particles into characters at
the rate of approximately 250 characters per second. The ink is absorbed into the
paper and dries instantly. Various colors of ink can be used. Although this might sound
like a messy way of printing, ink-jet printers are reliable, but expensive.

3. Plotter
A Plotter reproduces drawings using pen that are attached to
movable arms. The pens are directed across the surface of a
stationary piece of paper. High quality bar graphs, pie charts created
with a plotter give a very good quality product.
4. Sound Card and Speakers
A sound card captures sounds and changes them into
digital binary numbers that are stored as files in your
computer.

When outputting sounds the sound card

reverses the process and changes binary
data held in the sound files into analogue signals that
are used control the speakers attached to the
computer. Speakers convert analogue audio signals into the equivalent air vibrations in
order to
make audible sound. A pair of speakers plugs into the computer’s sound card.

5. Projector

Projector may refer to:

• Image projector, a device that projects an image on a surface 3D projection, a method
of mapping three dimensional points to a two-dimensional plane.
• Video projector, a device that projects a video signal from computer, home theater
system etc.
• Movie projector, a device that projects moving pictures from a filmstrip Slide
projector.