Information and Communication

Technology

Dr. Safdar Nawaz Khan Marwat

Lecture 3

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 Input and Output Devices
➢ Input devices
❑ Enable user to enter commands and data
➢ Output devices
❑ Enable computer to communicate information to user

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 Display and Sound
➢ Monitors
➢ Video Cards
➢ Projectors
➢ Sound Systems

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 Monitors
➢ Most common output device
➢ Connected to video card
➢ Categorized by color output
❑ Monochrome
o One color with black background
❑ Grayscale
o Varying degrees of gray
❑ Color
o Display 16 to 16 million colors

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
❑ Once used to be a common type of monitor
❑ Electrons fired from the back
❑ Electrons excite phosphor to glow
❑ Phosphor is arranged in dots called pixels (picture elements)
o Unique address of each pixel
❑ Dot mask ensures proper pixel is lit
o Dot mask - sheet of metal perforated with holes

Source: http://computer.howstuffworks.com

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ CRT color
❑ Phosphor dots arranged in triads
❑ Red, green, and blue dots
❑ Three colors blend to make colors
❑ Varying the intensity creates new colors

Sources: http://www.oclc.org
http://www.tech-faq.com

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Liquid-crystal display (LCD)
❑ Special liquid-crystal used for image display
❑ Liquid-crystal is transparent normally
❑ Becomes opaque when charged with electricity
❑ May not be clearly visible in bright light
❑ Have limited viewing-angle
➢ Types
❑ Passive matrix LCD
❑ Active matrix LCD

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Passive matrix LCD
❑ Pixels arranged in a grid
❑ Pixels are activated indirectly
o Activation through ICs (transistors)
o Row and column are activated
❑ Animation can be blurry
o E.g. mouse pointer moved quickly would leave trail

Source: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Active matrix LCD
❑ Each pixel is activated directly
❑ Pixels have 4 thin film transistors (TFTs)
o One each for red, green, blue
o One for opaqueness
❑ Transistors arranged in a thin film
❑ Animation is crisp and clean

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ CRT vs. LCD (liquid-crystal display)
❑ Very large
o Appr. 16 inch deep vs. a few inches deep
❑ Very heavy
o Over 30 kg vs. below 5 kg
❑ Use a lot of electricity

Source: http://vgcollect.com

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Drawbacks of LCD
❑ More expensive than CRT
❑ Must sit directly in front of screen
❑ Can be more fragile than CRT

Source: http://www.safetysignsandnotices.co.uk

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Paper-white displays
❑ High contrast between fore and background
❑ Document designing
o E.g. newspaper and magazine composing

Source: http://blog.mytrendyphone.co.uk/amazon-launches-kindle-paperwhite-lending-library-in-uk

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Electro-luminescent displays (ELD)
❑ Similar to LCD
❑ Uses phosphor held between 2 insulator films to produce light
❑ Grid of wires outside insulators
o Cathodes and transparent anodes with glass
o Send current through film
❑ Light emitted from glass for viewer

Light

Source: http://www.indiana.edu/~hightech/fpd/papers/ELDs.html

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Plasma monitor
❑ Gas is excited to produce light
❑ Intensity controlled by voltage applied at various points
❑ Lost all market share now

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_display

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ LED monitor
❑ LED display uses light-emitting diodes
❑ Usually a small display, or a component of a larger display
❑ Brightness allows it to be used outdoors
❑ Sometimes used as form of lighting
o For illumination, task lighting, or stage lighting rather than display

Source: www.vegasledscreens.com/faq/48-what-is-a-led-screen.html and www.duurzaamsomeren.nl/led-verlichting

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ LED vs. LCD
❑ LED has better viewing angle
❑ LED has better brightness
❑ LED has better color information
❑ LED has better lifespan
❑ LED has greater depth (less wall mount friendly)
❑ LED is expensive

Source: http://www.vegasledscreens.com/faq/48-what-is-a-led-screen.html

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Monitors impacts user effectiveness
➢ Monitors should have
❑ Crisp text
❑ Clear graphics
❑ Adjustable controls
❑ Clear edges

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Size of monitor
❑ Measured in inches
❑ Measured diagonally
❑ Actual size
o Distance from corner to corner
❑ Viewable size
o Useable portion of the screen

Source: http://www.geekdashboard.com

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Resolution
❑ Number of pixels on the screen
❑ Higher number creates sharper images
❑ Higher number creates smaller images

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Refresh rate
❑ Number of times the screen is redrawn
❑ Modern equipment sets this automatically
❑ Improper settings can cause eyestrain

Source: https://gamingbuff.com/60hz-vs-120hz-vs-240hz-refresh-rates-monitors-explained

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 Monitors (cont.)
➢ Dot pitch
❑ Distance between the same color dots
❑ Ranges between .15 mm and .40 mm
❑ Smaller creates a finer picture
❑ Should be less than .22 for good quality

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_pitch#/media/File:CRT_mask_types_en-de.svg

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 Video Cards
➢ Device between the CPU and monitor
➢ Better cards result in better output
➢ Removes burden of drawing from CPU
➢ Have their own processor and RAM
➢ Modern cards have up to 32GB RAM
❑ E.g. Nvidia RTX 3060, AMD Radeon W6800X
➢ Modern cards capable of rendering 3D images

Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/nvidia-quadro-m6000-24gb

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 Human Factors
➢ Ergonomics related to monitors

➢ Eyestrain
❑ Fatigue of eyes
❑ Steps to avoid
o Choose a good monitor
o Place the monitor 2 – 3 feet away
o Center of screen below eye level
o Avoid reflected light

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 Human Factors (cont.)
➢ Electronic magnetic fields (EMF)
❑ Generated by all electronic devices
❑ EMF may be detrimental to health
❑ Steps to avoid
o Keep the computer at arms length
o Take frequent breaks
o Avoid CRT monitor

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 Data Projectors
➢ Replaced overhead and slide projectors
➢ Project image onto wall or screen

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overhead_projector
http://www.retrothing.com/2007/07/minolta-mini-35.html and
http://www.scannerplace.com.au/content/epson-eb-w12-wide-screen-data-projector-price

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 Data Projectors (cont.)
➢ LCD projectors
❑ Most common type of projector
❑ Small LCD screens for red, blue and green color
❑ Working principle
o Beam of light emitted from powerful light source
o Group of mirrors, each reflects a specified wavelength to separate colors
o Each colored beam passes a dedicated LCD
o All LCDs display same image in grayscale
o Three tinted versions of image recombined
❑ Require a darkened room

Source: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/lcd-projectors1.htm

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 Data Projectors (cont.)
➢ Digital Light Projectors
❑ A series of mirrors control display
o Each mirror represents a pixel
o Mirror size less than one-fifth the width of human hair
❑ Working principle
o Light shone onto each mirror
o Mirror switch on and off in response to light
o Reflected light directed either to lens or absorber (white or black pixel)
o Color wheel between light source and mirror for colors (many colors possible)
❑ May be used in lighted room

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Fl-0G124I

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 LED Projectors
➢ In both LCD and DLP projectors, the source of light is LED
❑ Instead of bulb

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 Sound Systems
➢ Integral part of computer experience
➢ Capable of recording and playback

➢ Sound card
❑ Device between the CPU and speakers
❑ Converts digital sounds to analog
❑ Can be connected to several devices
❑ Modern cards support Dolby Surround Sound
o Conventional stereo creates dimensional sound in front1
o Dolby delivers sound from sides, behind and above as well

Source: 1http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/surround-sound.html
https://us.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blaster-audigy-fx

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 Sound Systems (cont.)
➢ Headphones and headsets
❑ Headset = headphone + mic
❑ Replacement for speakers and microphones
❑ Offer privacy
❑ Does not annoy other people
❑ Outside noise not a factor
❑ Headsets have speakers and a microphone

Source: https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/product/stereo-headset-h111

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