This book is compiled for all

BS/ADP disciplines. First 10

chapters (from page 1 to 205)
included in this book are
related to computer concepts
and other chapters are related
to the Windows 7, MS office
2010 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
Access), and InPage 2000 with
practical.
 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

Chapter 3
Input and Output Devices
Contents
• Input & Input Devices
• Output and Output Devices
Input & Input Devices
Chapter 3 - Input and Output Devices
 Input & Input Devices
in short just do some points of
• Anything given to the computer is called input each

• Data and instructions are given to the computer as input

• Input into the computer can be entered:
• through a keyboard (by typing characters)
• by selecting commands (icons) on the screen and then clicking with a mouse
• by pressing a finger on a touch screen
• by speaking into a microphone
• by sending the image through a digital camera
• by scanning data printed on paper through scanner etc.
 Input Devices
• Any hardware component used to enter data and instructions into the
computer or mobile device is called an input device
• It takes input (data or instructions) from user and converts it into a form that a
computer can understand and use
• Different input devices are used for entering data and instructions into a
computer
• Examples → keyboard, mouse, scanner, touchpad, trackball, joystick,
microphone, digital camera, etc.
 Keyboard
• Keyboard is the most commonly used input device
• It is mostly used to enter text and numeric type data into the computer
• Buttons on the keyboard are called keys
• Keyboard contains keys for all alphabetic characters, numeric digits, and
special characters
• It also contains some special keys known as function keys
• A standard keyboard contains more than 100-keys → QWERTY keyboard
• This is because first six leftmost keys on top row of alphabets are Q, W, E, R, T, and Y
 Keyboard
• A keyboard is connected to serial or USB port on system unit
• Some keyboards do not require cable to connect with computer
• These keyboards enter data into computer through wireless technology such
as radio waves (Bluetooth) or infrared light waves (IrDA)
• These types of keyboards are known as Cordless or Wireless keyboards
• Parts of Keyboard
• Function keys
• Main keyboard
• Numeric keys
• Additional keys
 Keyboard
• Function keys
• There are 12 function keys on the top of the keyboard that are labeled as
F1, F2, ……., F12
• These keys are used to perform some special functions
• Function of each function key depends upon the software being used on computer
• For example, in many software, function key F1 is used to get help about software
currently running on the computer
• Main Keyboard
• Main keyboard area is like a typewriter keypad
• It includes alphabetic character keys, numeric keys, and some special command keys
• Functions of command keys depend upon software being used on the computer
• Some of the most commonly used command keys are:
• Esc, Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Ctrl, Alt, Backspace, Enter
 Keyboard
• Numeric keys
• This part of keyboard consists of numeric keys and arithmetic operator keys
• These keys are usually located on the right of the keyboard
• These keys are similar to calculator keys
• This part of keyboard also has an extra Enter key and Num Lock key
• Num Lock key is used to activate or de-activate numeric keypad
• It is a toggle key
• Additional Keyboard
• Keyboards also have some additional keys
• Most of these keys are used to move cursor inside the document
• Arrow keys, Insert, Delete, Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, Windows
 Pointing Devices
• A pointing device is an input device that is used to control a pointer (cursor)
on the screen and to give commands to the computer
• A pointer represents a small symbol on the screen
• It usually appears on the screen in the Graphical User Interface (GUI)
• For example, an arrow appears on the screen in the Windows environment
• Location of the pointer on screen changes as a user moves pointing device
• Pointing device can be used to select text, graphics, or other objects and to
open a file/folder or run a program
• Similarly, we can perform many other functions very easily and quickly using a
pointing device
• For example, engineers use pointing devices to draw graphs or maps
• Examples → mouse, joystick, trackball, trackpad, light pen, etc.
 Pointing Devices
Mouse
• It is used to control cursor or pointer on the screen and to give commands to the
computer
• As a user moves a mouse, pointer on the screen also moves
• Mouse is connected with computer by a cable or wireless connection
• Usually, a mouse with a cable is connected to USB port on system unit
• Front of the mouse's casing contains one wheel and 2 or 3 buttons
• These buttons can be clicked or double clicked to perform different tasks
• For example, an object (icon) on the screen is selected by clicking left button of the
mouse
• Similarly, a program or folder is opened by double clicking left button of mouse
• Bottom of a mouse is flat and contains a mechanism that detects movement of
mouse
• Commands can be given to computer very easily and quickly
• Mouse also allows the user to create graphics such as lines, curves, and freehand
shapes, on the screen
 Pointing Devices
Mouse (Types of Mouse)
• Mechanical Mouse
• A mechanical mouse has a rubber or metal ball inside it and an electronic circuit containing sensors
• Ball rotates as mouse is rolled over a flat surface
• Movement of pointer depends on rotation of ball
• Nowadays, this type of mouse is rarely used
• Optical Mouse
• No ball inside it. It uses a device that emits and senses light to detect the movement of the mouse
• Some optical mouse devices use optical sensors, and other use laser to detect the mouse movement
• Nowadays, the optical mouse is commonly used in personal computers (PCs)
• Wireless or Cordless Mouse
• Not directly connected with computer
• It uses wireless technology, such as radio waves (Bluetooth) or infrared light waves (IrDA)
• It enters input signals into computer in a similar way as a cordless keyboard
• Air Mouse
• Air mouse is similar to a remote control
• It is a motion-sensing mouse
• It is used in presentations for running slide shows, controlling media, and other objects
• For example, raising mouse up might increase volume of media player
• Air mouse works in air by detecting the direction of hand motion
 Pointing Devices
Trackball
• It performs functions like a mouse but it is a stationary device
• It has a moveable ball on its top
• The ball is rotated or rolled with fingers (or the palm of the hand) to control
the movement of a pointer on the screen
• Like a mouse, a trackball also has buttons used to send commands to
computer
• However, a trackball has additional buttons whose functions vary depending
upon software
• Trackball is usually available with a laptop computer
• It is fixed on its keyboard
• A trackball is also available as a separate input device
• Some cordless trackballs are also available
• These are not directly connected to computer with a wire
 Pointing Devices
Touchpad
• A touchpad is a pressure-sensitive pointing input device
• It is also called trackpad
• Like a trackball, a touchpad is also a stationary device but it has no moving parts
• It is a small, flat surface (or sensitive pad) over which a user slides his/her fingertip
to move the pointer on the screen
• As a user slides his/her fingertip on flat surface of touchpad, pointer (or cursor)
moves on the screen
• Some touchpads have one or more buttons around the edge of the pad
• These buttons work like mouse buttons
• Some touchpads have no button
• On most touchpads, users can tap the pad’s surface to initiate mouse operations
such as clicking
• Touchpads are now commonly used with portable computers such as laptops and
are built-in on their keyboards
• We can also connect a touchpad to a personal computer
• Advanced keyboards also have a built-in touchpad
 Pointing Devices
Pointing Stick
• A pointing stick is a pressure-sensitive pointing device
• It looks like a pencil eraser
• It exists between the keys of keyboard
• It is used to control the movement of a pointer on the screen
• The pointer on the screen moves in the direction in which the pointing stick is
pushed
• A pointing stick input device is normally used with laptops
 Touch Screen
• A touch screen is a touch-sensitive display device
• Input is given to the computer directly by touching the screen with the user’s
fingertip or stylus
• Usually, touch screen is used to make a selection from a menu of choices
displayed on the screen
• Touch screens are commonly used in mobile computers and mobile devices
such as smartphones and tablets
• Some models of desktop computers and laptops also have touch screens
• Example → Automated Teller Machines (ATM) interface
• Today, most of the touch screens are multi-touch
• Multi Touch → Touch screens that can recognize multiple points of contact at the same
time
• It means that a multi-touch screen can take input from two or more fingers at the same
time
• For example, a user can use his/her two or more fingers to enlarge or rotate an image
on the screen
 Pen Input Devices
• Pen input devices look like pens
• These devices are used in some computing devices for giving input
• User touches a pen input device on a touch screen to write, draw, or make
selections
• Pen input devices are used by engineers and graphic designers
• Stylus
• Stylus is a small input device that looks like a ballpoint pen
• It is made of metal or plastic
• Stylus is used in many tablets, PDAs, smartphones, and other mobile devices
• Digital Pen
• Digital pen is similar to a stylus but it is slightly larger than the stylus
• It also provides more functionality than a stylus
• A digital pen is simply called a pen
• Usually, a digital pen is used with Tablet PC as an input device
 Joystick
• Joystick is a vertical handheld lever mounted on a base
• Lever can be moved in different directions to control the movement of object
(or pointer) on the screen
• Lever also includes two or more buttons → triggers
• A button is pressed to activate a certain event or action
• A joystick is basically used to play video games
• It is also used in some computer-aided design (CAD) systems
• A joystick can be attached to a personal computer or game console via a cable
 Digital Camera
• Captures (or takes) pictures and stores them in digital form
• Captured pictures are stored in its memory
• The number of pictures that a digital camera can store depends upon its
memory size
• Most digital cameras store pictures on flash memory or flash memory card or
memory stick etc.
• Usually, flash memory cards are used inside digital cameras to store pictures
• A digital camera also has an LCD for viewing the pictures
• Many digital cameras can also record moving videos with sound
• Today most of the smartphones and other mobile devices have built-in
cameras
• Usually, pictures/videos are downloaded from a digital camera to the
computer
+ Making photos is inexpensive and fast because it does not require any film processing
+ The pictures taken by the digital camera can directly be inserted into the documents
 Audio-Input & Audio-Input Devices
• Audio input → process of entering any sound into the computer
• It may include speech, music, or any other sound effects
• Sound is in the form of analog signals
• To enter sound into the computer, computer must have a sound card or
integrated sound capability which receives sound in analog form
• It converts analog signals of sound into digital form and stores it for further
processing and/or plays it back
• Devices that are used to enter/record sound (audio input) into the computer
→ audio input devices
• Example → microphone
• It can be an external peripheral device or it may be built in the computer/device or a
headset
• Audio-input device is plugged into a port on the sound card
 Scanner
• A scanner is a light-sensing input device
• It reads images and text printed on the paper and then translates into a form
(i.e. digital form) the computer can process
• Scanner uses laser technology to scan image on the printed paper and store it
into the computer
• Many scanners also include OCR software (Optical Character Recognition
software)
• This software can convert a scanned image of the document into a text file that can be
edited in a word processing application
• Types of Optical Scanners
• Flatbed Scanner
• Handheld Scanner
• Sheet-Fed Scanner
 Scanner
Flatbed Scanner
• Also known as an image scanner
• It scans a full image of the document at a time
• It works like a photocopy machine
• It contains glass on its top
• The document to be scanned is placed on the glass surface and a flip-up cover
is put over it
• Scanner reads the whole image/document at a time and sends it to computer
memory for storage
• Flatbed scanners are mostly used at home and small offices
 Scanner
Handheld Scanner
• Also called a pen scanner
• It is a small handheld scanning device
• It is used in the same way as we use a marker highlighter
• Handheld scanner is dragged over the image to be scanned
• Usually, a handheld scanner is used for scanning small images, text, numbers,
and bar codes
• For example, it can be used for scanning articles from magazines, newspapers,
and books
• Handheld scanners are available in different shapes and types
 Scanner
Sheet-fed Scanner
• A sheet-fed scanner is a type of scanner that scans only one piece of paper at
a time
• Paper is moved automatically through the scanner across a stationary scan
head
• Sheet-fed scanners can scan photos, letters, forms, business cards, and even
receipts
• Sheet-fed scanners are available in different shapes and types
Output and Output Devices
Chapter 3 - Input and Output Devices
 Output and Output Devices
• Data processed into a useful form is called output
• The form of output varies, depending on the hardware and software being used and
the requirements of the users
• Users can view output on a screen, or print it on the paper through a printer, or
store it on the disk in a file
• In case of audio output, it can listen through speakers, headphones, or earbuds
• Classification of Output
• Softcopy Output
• Output viewed on the display screen & output in the form of audio or video
• This kind of output is not tangible. It means that softcopy output cannot be touched
• Output stored in a file on a disk is also a form of softcopy
• Commonly used softcopy output devices → display screen and speaker (for audio output)
• Hardcopy Output
• Output printed on the paper
• It may be in the form of text and graphics
• Commonly used hardcopy output devices → printers and plotters
 Output Devices
• A hardware component that is used to receive the output from the computer
is called an output device
• It takes information from computer and converts it in a form that a user can
understand
• Commonly used output devices are monitors, printers, plotters, and speakers
 Monitors
• Monitor is a commonly used output device on personal computers
• Display device, also called a display device or simply display
• It is used as a softcopy output device
• It consists of a screen and different electronic components that display
information on the screen
• In a desktop computer, a monitor is a separate unit
• In mobile computers and devices, monitor is built into the top of the case
• Most of the monitors display text, graphics, and video in different colors →
color monitors
• Today, most of the personal computers use color monitors
• However, some monitors are monochrome
• Monochrome means that information appears in one color
• Today, monochrome monitors are rarely used
 Monitors
Features of Monitors
• Size
• Size of a monitor (display screen) is measured diagonally in inches
• From upper-right corner of the screen to the lower-left corner
• Display screens are available in various sizes
• Today, desktop computer screens are available from 17 to 30 inches, laptop screens
from 14 to 17 inches, and tablet screens from 7 to 10 inches
• Color
• Display screens can be either color or monochrome
• Color display screens show output in multiple colors
• Color display screens are also called RGB monitors
• RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue
• RGB display screen can create 256 different colors and thousands of variations of these
colors
• Today, most of the display screens show output in multiple colors
 Monitors
Features of Monitors
• Resolution
• Display screen is divided into small dots → called pixels
• Pixels are arranged horizontally and vertically
• Number of pixels on a screen is called its resolution
• For example, a monitor screen with a resolution of 1440  900 has 1440 pixels horizontally and 900
pixels vertically
• Monitor’s screen that has a large number of pixels has a high resolution
• Resolution refers to the sharpness and clearness of an image
• High-resolution monitors are always preferred to see video films as well as for designing
graphics
• Dot Pitch
• Distance between pixels on the monitor screen is called dot pitch or pixel pitch
• It is measured in millimeters
• Dot Pitch is another factor that is used to measure the image clarity on a monitor
• Smaller the distance between the pixels, higher will be the resolution of display screen
 Monitors
Video Card
• A video card enables a computer to display output on monitor screen
• A video card is also known as a video adapter, graphics card, display card,
video board, and video controller
• It is installed on motherboard
• A cable of the monitor plugs into a port on the video card
• Types of Graphic cards
• VGA (Video Graphics Array)
• It supports 16 to 256 colors, depending upon the screen resolution
• SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array)
• It has a higher resolution than VGA, It supports 256
• XGA (Extended Graphics Array)
• It supports up to 16.7 million colors
 Monitors
Types of Monitors
CRT Monitors
• CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube
• This monitor contains a cathode ray tube (CRT)
• Cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube
• Front of the tube is the screen on which output appears
• Back of the screen is coated with phosphor (chemical material that lights up
when an electron beam falls on it)
• Screen is organized into a grid of tiny dots of phosphor material
• Smallest number of phosphor dots that the electron gun can focus on is called
a pixel
• CRT monitor contains one or more electron guns
• A stream of bits defining the image of output is sent from the computer (from
the CPU) to the CRT, where the bits are converted into a beam of electrons
 Monitors
Types of Monitors
CRT Monitors
• Electron gun fires the beam of electrons
• Beam of electrons passes through focusing and deflection systems
• They direct beam towards specified points on the phosphor-coated screen
• When a beam of electrons hits the dots of phosphor, it lights up the selected
dots (pixels) and an image of output is generated on the screen
• In color CRT monitors, there are three electron guns; one for red color, second
for green color, and third for blue color (RGB)
• Other colors for output are generated with the combination of these three
colors
• A typical CRT monitor can display output in 256 to 65,536 colors
 Monitors
Types of Monitors
Flat-Panel Monitors
• A flat panel monitor is a lightweight display device
• It takes less desk space
• It also consumes less power than a CRT monitor
• However, it is expensive than the CRT monitor
• A flat panel monitor is made up of two plates of glass
• These plates contain a substance in between them
• This substance is activated in different ways
• The flat panel monitors are available in different sizes
• They are mostly used with laptops and mobile devices
• Examples of mobile devices that use flat panel monitors are digital cameras, tablet PCs, PDAs,
and mobile phones
• In these devices, they are built-in as small screens
• Size of the screen is from 2.5 to 4 inches
• Today, flat panel monitors are also commonly used with desktop computers
 Monitors
Types of Monitors
Flat-Panel Monitors
• Types of Flat-panel Monitors
• LCD Monitor
• LCD Screen
• LED Monitor
• OLED Monitor
• Gas Plasma Monitor
 Monitors
Types of Monitors (Flat-Panel Monitors)
LCD Monitor
• LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display
• LCD is a thin and light weight monitor
• It is made up of two glass plates
• These plates contain liquid crystal in between them
• Output image is formed by liquid crystal
• When an electric current passes through a liquid crystal, its molecules are lined up in
such a way that some light waves behind the screen is blocked while others passed
through
• In this way, an image is formed (or created) on the screen
• LCD monitor provides a sharper image than the CRT monitor and emits less radiation
• Today, LCD monitors are commonly used with desktop computers and portable
computers
• LCDs are also used in television sets
 Monitors
Types of Monitors (Flat-Panel Monitors)
LCD Screen
• LCD screen is used in mobile devices
• These devices have built-in LCD screens
• Most of the LCD screens are touch screens
• Examples of mobile devices that use LCD screens are smartphones (mobile
phones), PDAs, and digital cameras
 Monitors
Types of Monitors (Flat-Panel Monitors)
LED Monitor
• LED stands for Light Emitting Diode
• LED monitor is a light weight flat panel display unit
• It uses LEDs (light-emitting diodes) as pixels for displaying output
• It produces bright images, emits less radiations, more reliable, and consumes
less electric power than the LCD monitor
• Lifetime of the LED monitor is also longer than other types of monitors
• However, LED monitors are expensive than other types of monitors
• Screens in laptops and mobile devices often use LED technology
 Monitors
Types of Monitors (Flat-Panel Monitors)
OLED Monitor
• OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode
• OLED monitor is a type of flat-panel monitor
• It uses organic molecules that are self-illuminating and, thus, do not require a
backlight
• It consumes less power and produces brighter images than LED or LCD
monitors
 Monitors
Types of Monitors (Flat-Panel Monitors)
Gas Plasma Monitor
• A plasma monitor or display uses gas plasma technology
• It uses a layer of gas between two glass plates
• Gas emits ultraviolet light when an electric current is supplied
• This light causes the pixels on the screen to glow and form the image
• Gas plasma monitors offer large screen sizes up to 150 inches
• Display quality of these screens is also higher than the LCD monitor
• However, these monitors are expensive than the LCD monitor
• That is why gas plasma monitors are not commonly used
 Flat-Panel Monitor CRT Monitor
• Lightweight than a CRT monitor • Heavier than a flat panel monitor
• Commonly used in mobile computers • Used in some desktop computers
and devices • Consumes more electric power than a
• Consumes less electric power than a flat panel monitor
CRT monitor • Uses a cathode ray tube to display
• Uses liquid crystal or gas plasma output
technology to display output • Operates with electric power only
• Can operate with a charged battery • Less expensive than a flat panel
• More expensive than a CRT monitor monitor
• Takes less desk space than a CRT • Takes more desk space than a flat panel
monitor monitor
• Emits harmful radiation • Does not emit harmful radiation
 Printers
• Printers are the most commonly used output devices
• They are used to print documents (output) on the papers
• Output printed on the paper → hardcopy
• Hardcopy is also called as a printout
• Output may be in the form of characters, symbols, and graphics
• A printer is connected to a parallel port or a USB port of system unit by a cable
 Printers
Impact Printers
• A printer that produces output on paper by striking a print hammer or set of
pins against an inked ribbon is called an impact printer
• It works like a typewriter
• It uses an electro-mechanical technique to print output on the paper
• It can print characters and graphics on the paper
• Slower in printing and produce low-quality output
• Printing speed of these printers is measured in characters or lines per minute
• They also produce more noise during printing
• However, impact printers are less expensive
• Today impact printers are not commonly used
• Examples of impact printers are character printers (such as dot matrix printer
& daisy wheel printer) and line printer (such as chain printer and drum
printer)
 Printers
Impact Printers
Character Printers
• Printers that produce hardcopy by printing one character at a time are called
character printers
• In the past, character printers were very popular
• They were commonly used with personal computers to print the information
on paper
• Today, they are rarely used
• Examples
• Dot matrix printer
• Daisy wheel printer
 Printers
Impact Printers (Character Printers)
Dot Matrix Printer
• It makes a hardcopy by printing one character at a time
• Speed is measured by the number of characters it can print in one second
• Printing speed → from 300 to 1100 characters per second (cps) or more
• A dot matrix printer contains a print-head with a matrix of small pins arranged in
rows and columns (in the form of a matrix)
• Print-heads are available with 9, 18, or 24 pins
• This printer produces output on paper by striking pins (with a different combination
of pins) against an ink ribbon
• It forms the shape of output (characters or graphics) on paper by a number of dots
• Usually, a dot matrix printer uses 100 to 300 dots per inch (DPI) to print output
• Print-head that has more number of pins provides the best quality printout
• Less expensive
• Printout quality of these printers is not better
• They also produce more noise while printing output
 Printers
Impact Printers (Character Printers)
Daisy Wheel Printer
• Similar to a typewriter
• It has a print wheel with a series of petals
• This wheel is known as the daisy wheel
• Each petal of the daisy wheel contains a character at its end
• A motor rotates the wheel
• When the desired character reaches the print position on the paper, a
hammer strikes a petal against the ribbon
• Printing speed → in the range of 10 to 100 characters per second
• Slower than the dot-matrix printer
• However, its print quality is better than the dot matrix printer
 Printers
Impact Printers
Line Printers
• Very fast printer
• It prints a complete line of characters at a time
• Printing speed is measured in lines per minute (lpm) which is up to 3000 lines
per minute
• Line printers are normally used with mainframe and minicomputers
• Examples
• Chain printer
• Drum printer
 Printers
Impact Printers (Line Printers)
Chain Printer
• It contains characters in a chain that is wrapped around two pulleys
• It also has a ribbon and print hammers (one hammer for each print position)
• Chain rotates with very high speed by two pulleys to print the output
• One rotation is required to print a single line and then the page is moved
forward to print the next line
• Printing speed is from 300 to 2500 lines per minute (lpm)
• Example of a chain printer → IBM 1430 printer
 Printers
Impact Printers (Line Printers)
Drum Printer
• Similar to a chain printer
• It consists of a solid cylindrical drum
• Drum has complete characters set around the drum in lines
• Drum rotates at a very high speed
• One complete rotation of the drum is required to print one line
• All characters of the output line are not printed at the same time
• A line will be printed after completing one rotation of the drum
• Printing speed → from 300 to 2500 lines per minute (lpm)
 Printers
Non-Impact Printers
• A printer that produces output on paper without striking the paper is called a
non-impact printer
• Non-impact printers use electrostatic, inkjet, laser, and thermal technologies
for printing
• Non-impact printers are faster and produce high-quality output than impact
printers
• They produce no noise during printing
• These printers are costly than impact printers
• Examples → laser printer, ink-jet printer, thermal printer, and photo printer
 Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Laser Printer (Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation)
• A laser printer is the fastest and high-quality non-impact printer
• Laser printers are available in both black-and-white and color models
• Today, laser printers are commonly used for printing different types of documents
• Laser printer prints one page at a time → therefore called page printer
• A laser printer works like a photocopying machine
• It uses laser technology to print image of output on the paper
• It uses a LASER beam and ink powder called toner to transfer image on paper
• Laser printer has a special drum inside it
• First, image of output is created on drum, and then it is transferred from drum to
paper
• Information or output is printed in high-quality resolutions
• Resolution of the black-and-white laser printer is 1200 dpi (dpi means dots per inch
and these dots refer to microscopic dots)
• Similarly, resolution of the color printer is up to 2400 dpi
 Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Ink-Jet Printer
• It creates output on paper by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink
• It can print text and graphics in both black-and-white and color
• Printing speed is measured by number of pages per minute (ppm), it can print (it means that it is a
page printer)
• Most ink-jet printers can print 12 to 36 pages per minute
• However, they print graphics and colors at a slower rate
• Inkjet printer has a print-head that can spray very fine drops of ink
• It consists of cartridges filled with liquid ink (some of them contain black ink and others contain
color ink)
• Each cartridge has small nozzles in the form of a matrix
• Like a dot matrix printer, combination of nozzles is activated to form the shape of characters or
images on paper by spraying liquid ink through holes of nozzles
• Most inkjet printers have resolution ranging from 1200 to 4800 dpi (dot per inch)
• With an inkjet printer, a dot is a drop of ink
• Low price, slower, low print quality than laser printers
• However, faster and have high print quality than dot-matrix printers
 Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Thermal Printer
• It prints information on heat-sensitive paper by pushing electrically heated
pins
• Basic thermal printers are not very expensive but their print quality is low
• These printers are typically used to print receipts at ATMs and retail stores,
electronic tickets at airports, tokens at banks, and other public places
• Modern thermal printers have high print quality
• They are also faster than ink-jet and laser printers
 Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Photo Printer
• It is specially designed for printing high-quality photographs
• Also called a snapshot printer
• Typically, photo printers use ink-jet technology for printing photographs
• Many photo printers can print photos directly without a computer
• These printers have a built-in card slot
• These printers can print digital photos directly from a memory card
• Simply remove memory card from digital camera and insert it in printer’s card slot
• Then, push buttons on the printer to select the photo to be printed and other
options for printing the photo
• Some photo printers also have built-in LCD color screens
• User can view photos before printing them
 Impact Printers Non-Impact Printers
• Print output by directly striking the • Print output without striking the paper
print hammer or wheel against an inked with a print hammer
ribbon • Faster in printing
• Slower in printing • Have high print quality
• Have low print quality • More expensive
• Less expensive • Commonly used
• Rarely used • Produce low noise while printing output
• Produce more noise while printing • Use powdered ink or liquid ink for
output printing output
• Use an ink ribbon for printing output • Printing speed is measured in pages per
• Printing speed is measured in minute
characters or lines per minute
 Plotters
• A plotter is a special output device
• It is used for printing architectural drawings, building maps, and charts
• A plotter is typically used to print large graphs or maps such as construction
maps or engineering drawings
• Plotter is normally a very slow output device
• It works on the principle of holding a pen in hand and moving it on paper for
drawing lines
• Types of Plotters
• Flatbed Plotter
• Drum Plotter
 Printers
Flatbed Plotter
• A flatbed plotter is also known as a table plotter
• It plots on paper that is placed over a table-like surface
• Typically, plot size is equal to the area of a bed
• Bed size varies according to the need
• Flatbed plotter uses two robotic drawing arms, each of which holds a set of
pens
• Most of the flatbed plotters have one to four pens of different colors
• These pens move across the paper to draw charts or graphs on the paper
• Movement of these pens is controlled by the computer system
• Flatbed plotters are used in the design of cars, ships, aircraft, buildings,
highways, etc.
• Flatbed plotters are very slow in drawing or printing graphs
• Large and complicated drawing can take several hours to print
 Printers
Drum Plotter
• A drum plotter is also known as a roller plotter
• It consists of a drum or roller on which a paper (a large paper sheet) rotates
during printing
• Paper or sheet is fed to this plotter
• A drum plotter also consists of a mechanical device known as a robotic
drawing arm that holds a set of pens or pencils
• Drum rotates back and forth to draw (or print) the graph on the paper
• Robotic drawing arm also moves side to side as the paper is rolled back and
forth through the roller
• This work is done under the control of the computer
• These plotters are used to produce continuous output such as to record
earthquake readings.
 Audio Output Devices
• Output in the form of voice, music, or any other sound is called audio output
• Devices that are used to receive audio output (i.e. listen to music, speech, or other
sounds) from a computer or mobile device are called audio output devices
• Commonly used audio output devices are speakers, headphones, earphones or
earbuds, and headset
Speakers
• A speaker is used to receive audio output from the computer
• It produces softcopy output in the form of voice
• In some personal computers, speakers are built into the monitor
• Similarly, mobile computers and devices have integrated speakers (or internal
speakers)
• These speakers have a low-quality audio output
• An external sound speaker (or stereo speaker) can be attached to the computer or
mobile device for high-quality audio output
• It is connected to the computer through the sound card on the motherboard
• Speakers are available in different shapes and sizes
• Wireless speakers are also available
 Audio Output Devices
Headphones, Earbuds & Headset
• A speaker may create disturbance for others and also may create other privacy
problems
• For example, in a computer laboratory or office or any other crowded environment,
speakers might not be practical
• Headphones or earbuds are used for the solution of these problems
• Only the individual wearing the headphones or earbuds hears the sound from the
computer
• Headphones and earbuds (earbuds are also called earphones) are audio output
devices
• Difference is that headphones are placed outside the ears, whereas earbuds or
earphones are rest inside the ear canal
• An audio output device that functions as both headphones and a microphone is
called a headset
• It is often used for making telephone calls or participating in video conferences or web
conferences
• Many headsets communicate wirelessly with a computer or mobile device
• Wireless headsets are commonly used with smartphones
For more details, refers to

PM Series

Introduction to Computer

by
CM Aslam, Aqsa Aslam, Mussadiq Fida, & Mudassir
Ahmad

Publisher:Majeed Sons
22- Urdu Bazar, Lahore