UNIT-3

COMPUTER SYSTEM HARDWARE

 UNIT-3
COMPUTER SYSTEM HARDWARE
INSIDE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
 MEMORY USED IN
COMPUTER
Memory is the hardware component used in computer system that
stores or keeps data, information, instructions, and program
temporary as well as permanently.
Categories of Memory
1. Primary Memory
2. Secondary Memory
 Memory

Primary Secondary
Memory Memory
Register Cache Magnetic Optical Magnetic
RAM ROM
Array Memory Tape Memory Disk

PROM Level 1 Hard disk

SRAM CD-ROM
Cache

CD-R Floppy
DRAM EPROM Level 2 Disk
Cache or(WORM)

EEPROM CD-RW

DVD

55
Blu-ray
disk
SRAM DRAM

It stands for Static Random Access Memory It stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory

It stores data as voltage. It stores data as a charge.

It is expensive and faster than DRAM It is cheaper but slower than DRAM

It uses multiple transistors,6 for each memory cell It uses transistors and capacitors that retain charge to
indicate a bit.

It doesn’t lose any voltage so refreshing is not much It loses charges slowly from the cell of DRAM so it need
necessary. to refreshed constantly.

It packs up a lot of bits.so, it is denser. It sore many less bits overall. So, it is less denser.

Cache memory used in computer is SRAM Main memory(i.e. RAM) used in computer is DRAM
Primary Memory Secondary Memory
It is main memory directly accessible by CPU or It is not accessible directly by the CPU
processor.

It is accessed by using address bus and data buses It is accessed by using Input/Output channels.
by CPU

It is volatile memory except ROM. All secondary memory are non-volatile memory.

It stores the program under execution. It stores the program which is currently non
executing.

It is faster and has lower access time in It is slower in compared to primary and has higher
comparison to secondary memory time access.

It is expensive and has low storage capacity. It is cheaper than primary and have high capacity
for storing large amoun of data.

It is main memory of computer It is backup storage of computer.

E.g. RAM, ROM, etc. E.g. Magnetic disk, Optical disk, Tape,etc 57
 FLOPPY DISK
FLOPPY DISK IS A REMOVABLE ROUND,
FLAT PIECE OF MYLAR PLASTIC, COATED
WITH MAGNETIC MATERIAL(IRON-OXIDE).
IT IS A SOFT MAGNETIC DISK ,RATHER IT
IS THIN PIECE OF FLEXIBLE SO IT IS
CALLED FLOPPY DISK. IT IS REMOVABLE
STORAGE DEVICE CAN BE REMOVED
FROM FLOPPY DISK DRIVE UNLIKE HARD
DISK. FLOPPY DISKS IS MAINLY USED FOR
MOVING FILES BETWEEN COMPUTERS,
LOADING NEW PROGRAMS AND BACKING
UP DATA OR PROGRAM.
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 OPTICAL DISK
AN OPTICAL MEMORY OR DISK IS A NON-
VOLATILE RANDOM ACCESS STORAGE MEDIA
MADE UP OF GLASS OR PLASTIC AND
IMPRESSED WITH A SERIES OF SPIRAL GROUP
IN FLAT SURFACE. AN OPTICAL STORAGE MEDIA
CONSISTS OF A FLAT ROUND PORTABLE METAL
DISKS, WHICH IS COATED WITH AN ALUMINUM
THAT IS HIGHLY REFLECTIVE. INFORMATION IS
WRITTEN TO OR READ FROM OPTICAL DISK
USING LASER BEAM OR LIGHT. ONLY THE
SURFACE IS USE TO STORE DATA. DATA ARE
STORED IN THE FORMS OF LANDS AND PITS.
TYPES OF OPTICAL DISKS
1. CD(COMPACT DISKS)
2. DVD(DIGITAL VERSATILE DISK) 59
 Flash Memory
Flash Memory is a special type of memory which uses EEPROM(electronically erasable
programmable read-only memory) chip technology that holds data and information
without power. It is type of non-volatile that can be erased electronically and
reprogrammed, similarly to EEPROM. It allows user to access file randomly.

SD Card
A memory card is a type of storage device that is used for storing media and data files. It
provides a permanent and non-volatile medium to store data and files from the attached
device. Memory cards are commonly used in small, portable devices, such as cameras
and Mobile phones, MP3 player ,etc.

Magneto-optical storage

A magneto-optical drive is a kind of optical disc drive capable of writing and rewriting
data upon a magneto-optical disc. MO drives read optically and write magnetically. The
MO disk is coated with a uniformly magnetized at first. Data recording and erasing was
achieved by heating magneto-optical layer’s material and then using a magnetic field to
write the new data.
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 ➢ INPUT UNIT
the input unit is a device that is used to feed data and instructions into the
computer. the input unit can be entered either by typing on the keyboard or
by using point and click devices. input devices present data to the
processing unit in machine readable form . keyboard and mouse are
commonly used as input devices. It is formed by the input devices attached
to the computer.
 ❖ INPUT DEVICES
• the devices that are used to enter data and instruction into the computer are called input
devices.in old computers , the punch card readers , paper tape readers were used as
input devices . now-a-days , the most commonly used input devices are keyboard and
mouse.
• input is any data and instructions entered in computer in the form of signals . the input
into the computer can be entered;
• through keyboard
• by selecting commands on the screen and then clicking with mouse
• by pressing finger on a touch screen
• by speaking into microphone
• by sending image through digital camera
• by scanning data printed on paper through scanner etc….
❖keyboard
• the keyboard is the most commonly used input device. it is used to feed data and
instructions into a computer . a keyboard contains keys for each alphabetic
characters , digits and special characters . the data and instructions are feed into
the computer by pressing the related keys on the keyboard.
• keyboard with personal computer typically have from 101 to 105 keys but on
laptop and many other handheld computers , the keyboard is built into the top of
the system unit ,usually these keyboards are smaller in size and have fewer keys
such as 84 keys.

❖mouse
• mouse is a pointing input device.it is most commonly used pointing device in
personal computer. A Moving a mouse along a flat surface can move the cursor to
different items on the screen . Items can be moved or selected by pushing the
mouse buttons (called clicking Today's mouse have two buttons, the left button
and right button, with a scroll wheel in between the two. Today, many computer
mouse use wireless technology and have no wire
❖track ball
• A trackball is an input device used to enter motion data into
computers or other electronic devices. It serves the same
purpose as a mouse , but is designed with a moveable ball on the
top, which can be rolled in any direction. Instead of moving the
whole device, you simply roll the moveable ball on top of the
trackball unit with your hand to generate motion input.
• Trackballs designed for computers generally serve as mouse
replacements and are primarily used to move the cursor on the
screen. Like mice, computer trackball devices also include
buttons, which can serve as left-click and right-click buttons, and
may also be used to enter other commands.
❖touchpad
• A touch pad is a device for pointing (controlling input
positioning) on a computer display screen. It is an
alternative to the mouse. Originally incorporated in
laptop computers touch pads are also being made for
use with desktop computers. A touch pad works by
sensing the user's finger movement and downward
pressure.
❖joystick
• A joystick is an input device that is commonly used to
control gaming application includes a base and a stick
that can be move to the left or right direction, also, it
can be rotated in different amounts to handle the
movement of the cursor in a computer device. With the
help of maneuvering a lever on the joystick, the
movement of a pointer or cursor is controlled. They
consist of extra buttons for additional function and,
sometimes, used in graphics applications.
❖light pen
• It is a light sensitive pen-like input device and is used to select
objects directly on the computer screen. It is used for making
drawing, graphics and for menu selection. Figures and
drawings can be made by moving the pen on computer
screen.
• The pen contains a photocell in a small tube. When the pen is
moved on the screen, light from the screen at the location of
pen causes the photocell to respond. The electric response is
transmitted to the computer that can identify the position on
screen at which the light pen is pointing.
❖digitizer
• A digitizer tablet is a peripheral device that allows
users to draw on a computer screen. Tablets are
typically used by artists working with graphics
software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
Tablets allow for much more precise control than a
mouse or trackball does by using a stylus like a pen.
• A digitizer tablet is also known as a graphics tablet.
❖microphone
• A microphone is a device that translates sound
vibrations in the air into electronic signals or scribes
them to a recording medium. Microphones enable
many types of audio recording devices for
purposes including communications of many kinds, as
well as music and speech recording.
❖digital camera
• A digital camera is an input device that
captures images (and sometimes video)
digitally. Digital cameras use an image
sensor chip to capture the image . to store
directly in computer in digital form.
❖digital scanner
• A scanner is an input device because it sends data to the
computer. It converts physical media like paper or a
picture to a digital format and sends it to your computer.
Information always flows from the scanner into the
computer. The main reason that a scanner is an input
device is that the flow of information works its way from
the outside world ‘inward’ towards the computer.
❖magnetic ink character
recognition (MICR)
• m I c r is similar to o c r but used magnetic instead of
optical. it is used by banking organization for faster
processing of large volume of cheque handled
everyday. a bank has cheque containing magnetic strip
of banks identification code 9 name ,branch ,branch
code etc. account number and cheque number pre-
printed by special ink 9magnetic ink)containing
magnetic particles on it by using characters from a
special character set . m I c r is a direct entry methods
in banks .it is used to automatically read number on
cheque.
❖BAR CODE READERS(BCR)
• A Barcode reader or Barcode scanner is an electronic input
device which is able to scan and decode barcodes These
devices use optical technology such as infrared light Some
readers use an integrated decoder, others have one unit for
reading the barcode, and another one to decode the barcode. A
barcode reader, also called a price scanner or point-of-sale (
POS ) scanner, is a hand-held or stationary input device used to
capture and read information contained in a bar code . A
barcode reader consists of a scanner , a decoder (either built-in
or external), and a cable used to connect the reader with a
computer. Because a barcode reader merely captures and
translates the barcode into numbers and/or letters, the data
must be sent to a computer so that a software application can
make sense of the data.
❖optical character reader
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) uses a device that reads
special characters (alphabetic and numeric)and converts them
into a computer-usable form. OCR technology recognizes
characters on a source document using the optical properties
of the equipment and media. OCR improves the accuracy of
data collection and reduces the time required by human
workers to enter the data.
❖optical mark reader(omr)
• Optical Mark reading (OMR) is a method of entering data into
a computer system. Optical Mark Readers reads pencil or pen
marks made in pre-defined positions on paper forms as
responses to questions or tick list prompts. The OMR data entry
system contains the information to convert the presence or
absence of marks into a computer data file.
• The OMR technology could be used if data is to be collected
from a large number of sources simultaneously, a large volume
of data must be collected and processed in a short period of
time, information mainly comprises the selection of categories
or "tick box" answers to multiple- choice question.
•
 ❑ OUTPUT UNIT

• An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment

which converts information into a human-perceptible form or,
historically, into a physical machine-readable form for use with
other non-computerized equipment. It can be text, graphics, tactile,
audio, or video.
 ❑ OUTPUT DEVICES
• The processed data into a useful form is called output . the computer process the given input
data and gives the output . therefore, devices that are used to get output from a computer in a
readable form are called output devices.

• output is normally classified as

• softcopy output
• hardcopy output
❑softcopy output
❑Softcopy output is an output that is not produced on a paper or some materials which
can not be touched or carried for being shown to others. They are temporary in nature
and vanish after use. For e.g. output display by a monitor is a softcopy output.

❑hardcopy output
❑Hard copy output devices are devices that provide output on printed
paper or other permanent media that is human readable. Examples of
devices that produce hard copy are printers, plotters.
❑monitor
• a monitor is a popular and most commonly used output device. the monitor consists
of a screen and the electronic components that produce the output on the screen
temporarily. the output received on the screen is softcopy output . most monitor in
the personal computers displays texts ,graphics , and video information . monitors
can be divided in following
• CRT(Cathode Ray tube),
• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display),
• touch screen monitors
• LED ( Light Emitting Diode),monitors
• and Plasma Monitor
❖CRT monitors
A CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor is an analog display
device that creates a visible image on the screen by
directing three electrons beams over millions of
phosphor dots to make them light up.

❖LCD monitors
LCD monitors are also called flat monitors.it uses liquid
crystal display instead of cathode ray tube to produce
output on ta screen. is a flat panel display technology
commonly used in TVs and computer monitors. It is also
used in screens for mobile devices, such as laptops,
tablets, LCD displays don't just look different than bulky
CRT monitors, the way they operate is significantly
different as welland smartphones.
• TOUCH SCREEN MONITOR
• A touch screen is a display device that allows the user to interact with a
computer using their finger or stylus . They're a useful alternative to a mouse or
keyboard for navigating a GUI (graphical user interface). Touch screens are
used on a variety of devices, such as a computer and laptop displays,
smartphones, tablets, cash registers. Some touch screens use a grid of infrared
beams to sense the presence of a finger instead of utilizing touch-sensitive
input.

• LED monitor
• An LED monitor is an advanced LCD screen that uses light-emitting diodes to
display images, as opposed to the cathode ray tubes used in older-style
monitors. The technology is used by many flat-panel monitors.
• These types of computer monitors are ideal for gaming, multimedia
applications, and even office work. They're also perfect for playing games at
night
• PLASMA MONITOR
• A plasma display is a type of flat panel display that uses
plasma, an electrically charged ionized gas, to
illuminate each pixel in order to produce a display
output. It is commonly used in large TV displays of 30
inches and higher. Plasma displays are often brighter
than LCD displays and also have a wider color gamut,
with black levels almost equaling "dark room" levels.
Difference between LCD and CRT monitors
• speakers
• Speakers are used to connect to a computer
to generate sound, which are one of the most
common output devices. Some speakers are
designed to connect with any kind of sound
system . The electromagnetic waves are
converted into sound waves through the
speaker as they are transducers.
❑hard copy output
• printers; A printer is an external hardware output device that
takes the electronic data stored on a computer or other device and
generates a hard copy.
❖IMPACT PRINTER; An impact printer is a type of printer
that works by direct contact of an ink ribbon with paper. A
metal or plastic head strikes the ink ribbon, whereby the
ribbon is pressed against the paper and the desired character
(letter, digit, dot, line) impression is printed on the sheet. Dot
matrix, daisy-wheel and ball printers are some commonly used
types of impact printers.
❑DOT MATRIX PRINTER; A dot matrix printer is an
impact printer that prints using a fixed number of pins or
wires. Typically the pins or wires are arranged in one or
several vertical columns. The pins strike an ink-coated
ribbon and force contact between the ribbon and the paper,
so that each pin makes a small dot on the paper. The
combination of these dots forms a dot matrix image . They
were also known as serial dot matrix printers.
❑DAISY WHEEL PRINTERS; A daisy wheel
is a printing element that, when seen from the
side, looks faintly like the flower of a daisy. To
print, the wheel is rotated until the correct
character faces the paper; a hammer strikes
the character against an ink-coated ribbon
and paper. The daisy wheel is mounted on a
carriage that types the characters in lines.
 LINE PRINTERS

• Line printer prints the whole line of text at a time.these printer are
very fast.the fastest can print3000 lines of text per minute. The line
printers may be chain or brand type.the mechanism use large
spinning print drum.as a drum is rotated over the paper
surface,electromechanical hammers behind the paper push the
paper onto the surface of drum.marking the paper withthe shape of
the character on the drum .
 NON IMPACT PRINTERS

• Non impact printers doesn’t use hammering action.nom impact printers are very quite
but cannot print multiple copies using carbon paper.printing quality and speed is better
than the impact printers.This type of printers can be used in any organizations.the cost of
printers are varies from low to high according to its quality. And manufacturing company.
❑INK JET PRINTERS; Inkjet
printing is a type of computer
printing that recreates a digital
image by propelling droplets of
ink onto paper and plastic
substrates. Inkjet printers were
the most commonly used type of
printer in 2008.
❖ LASER PRINTER; Laser printing is an
electrostatic digital printing process. It produces high-quality
text and graphics (and moderate-quality photographs) by
repeatedly passing a laser beam back and forth over a
negatively-charged cylinder called a "drum" to define a
differentially-charged image . The drum then selectively collects
electrically-charged powdered ink (toner ), and transfers the
image to paper, which is then heated to permanently fuse the
text, imagery, or both.
❖THERMAL PRINTER; thermal printer is a
printer that makes use of heat in order to produce the image on
paper.

• Due to quality of print, speed, and technological advances it has

become increasingly popular and is mostly used in airline,
banking, entertainment, retail, grocery, and healthcare
industries. Thermal printing does not make use of ink or toner
unlike many other printing forms but largely depends on
thermal papers for producing the images.They are also quiet
popular in creating labels owing to speed of printing.
❖plotter , A plotter is a computer hardware device
much like a printer that is used for printing vector
graphics. Instead of toner, plotters use a pen, pencil,
marker, or another writing tool to draw multiple,
continuous lines onto paper rather than a series of dots
like a traditional printer. Though once widely used for
computer-aided design, these devices have more or less
been phased out by wide-format printers. Plotters
produce a hard copy of schematics and other similar
applications.