Hardware components

of the computer system

 Hardware Devices
Hardware devices are classified as:
⚫ Input

⚫ Processing

⚫ Output

⚫ Storage
 Input Devices
⚫ An input device is the hardware that is used
to enter data into a computer system. They
may be classified as:
⚫ Keyboarding - Keyboard
⚫ Pointing - Mouse, Light Pen, Touchpad, Touch screen
⚫ Graphics Tablet, Trackball, Touchpad Joystick,
Pointing Stick
⚫ Source data entry - MICR, OMR, OCR, Scanner, Barcode Scanner,
Magnetic stripe Reader
⚫ Multimedia - Microphone, Digital Camera, Web Camera
⚫ Terminals - POS - (Point of Sale); ATM- (Automated Teller
Machine)
⚫ Biometrics - Fingerprint Reader, voice, face and signature
recognition systems,
 Input Devices Cont’d
▪ Input device captures data and sends it to a
computer system.

▪ They convert physical movement, such as key

pressing, or environmental data, such as
temperature, sound or light into electrical signals.

▪ There are two classes of input device: manual and

automatic.
 Manual Input Devices
▪ A manual input device requires a human hand to
control it…
Keyboard
Mouse

Camera

Scanner
 Manual Input Devices
▪ A manual input device requires a human hand to
control it…

Tracker ball

Joystick Graphics tablet

 Manual Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages

The most common People are familiar Incorrect use or

input device with keyboards, so over-use can cause
they don’t need to RSI
You press keys to
input data into the be trained Many people cannot
computer Skilled typists can type and look at the
work very quickly screen at the same
Keyboard The most common time, so typing can
type of keyboard A lot of different
be time consuming
is the QWERTY keyboards are
keyboard available, e.g.
ergonomic
They are very
reliable and cheap
 Manual Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages

A graphics tablet User can get much Large models are

consists of a pad more control, very expensive
and a special pen similar to the
Need a large desk
It allows artists and natural way of area
graphic designers drawing
Graphics Holding a pen for a
Tablet to draw naturally Advanced models long time is more
as though they detect subtle
tiring than holding
were drawing changes in
a mouse
on paper pressure, to
enable thicker
The image is
instantly converted lines to be drawn
to digital data The user can zoom
in to an area of
the drawing for
higher accuracy
 Manual Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Most common Combines well Prolonged use can
pointing device with a keyboard lead to RSI
Mouse Used to point and Fast and accurate Need a flat surface
click on icons or Most people are to use them
menus skilled at using a For an optical
mouse, so no mouse, the laser
training is needed does not work well
on all surfaces
A track ball is User can get great Some people find
Track ball basically an upside pointing accuracy, that the thumb
down ball mouse. without moving gets painful with
The user runs the hand prolonged use
their thumb over Useful where desk Ball can get
the ball to control space is limited greasy and dirty
the on-screen
pointer
 Manual Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Originally They give a more Some people find
Joystick designed for realistic gaming them difficult to
pilots to control experience when operate, especially
aeroplanes playing games in 3-d
Used to control such as flight environments
simulators
wheelchairs and
for playing games Many different
types available

Used to convert Even cheap Pictures can use a

printed images or scanners produce lot of memory
Scanner text into a file of quality images The quality of the
digital data Any printed image final image is
There are two can be inserted dependent on the
types: handheld into a document original image
and flatbed Images can be Issues of copyright
edited before use protection
 Manual Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Used for taking You can preview When the drive is
still images which the image before full, images need
Digital can be uploaded pressing the to be uploaded to
Camera to a computer for shutter button a computer or
permanent No film needed or deleted
storage
development costs High resolution
camera does not
Unwanted images guarantee good
can be deleted images
A pointing device, Portable - built Takes practice to
Touchpad built into a laptop into the laptop master
or for convenience
Don’t need to Some people find
Fingerpad carry extra them very fiddly
equipment around Fingers need to be
Small movements clean and free of
needed to move grease
the cursor
 Automatic Input Devices
▪ An automatic input device inputs data without the
need for human intervention (once the device has
been set up), e.g. MICR, OMR, barcode reader,
webcam, microphone, sensor.
Microphone
Barcode reader

Webcam
 Automatic Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Banks print Very quick and Expensive to
important data on accurate produce and print
the bottom of processing of data magnetic ink, and
cheques using – very low error the reader is also
magnetic ink rate. Humans expensive
could not achieve
This ink is then Banks are the
MICR read by a computer the same accuracy main user – very
Magnetic Very secure as any few other
Ink attempt to change applications
Character the numbers on a
Recognition cheque will be
ignored as the
reader only
recognises
magnetic ink in
the same font
 Automatic Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Used when you Very fast method Sometimes
OMR mark the numbers of reading data, incomplete marks
Optical
with a pencil on which reduces are not read
Mark
a lottery ticket queuing time for correctly
Recognition
Also used to mark lottery tickets Only pre-prepared
multiple choice examMore accurate forms can be
papers, and than human scanned into the
paper-based school data entry computer
registers
Uses a scanner to Quicker than Sometimes it is
scan text, then typing in the text not very accurate
OCR
software converts
Optical Latest software Documents need
the text into a word
Character can recognise to be proof-read
processor file tables and even after scanning
Recognition
Used to read post handwriting Only worth doing
codes, as part of
Reduces the cost for large amounts
the sorting process
of posting a letter of text
 Automatic Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Used to identify Very quick and All barcodes need
products in shops accurate way to to be programmed
Barcode
The code is read by enter data – suits into the computer
Readers a barcode scanner
busy shops in advance
which identifies the Prices changes are The reader may
product name, made on the not be able to read
manufacturer and database, not the the barcode on
country of origin barcode – more wrinkled packaging
flexible system

Magnetic Found on the back Simple, cheap and Magnetic stripe

Stripe of bank cards and effective can get scratched
Reader store loyalty cards The data on the Not much data can
The stripe holds card can be be stored
information, such altered if needed Thieves can read
as the account data on cards then
‘Chip n’ Pin’ has
number and the PIN increased security use the cards
themselves
 Automatic Input Devices
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Used to input Very cheap piece Computer can
sound into the of equipment misread voice
Microphone computer instructions due to
Helpful for people
natural variations
Used to give the with additional
computer needs or for busy in people’s voices
commands, or to people who need Generally, the
dictate letters very quick letters sound quality from
directly to a word a PC microphone is
processor poor
Used to input Very cheap piece The image quality
Webcam moving images of equipment from most
into the computer webcams is poor
Enables people to
for use in online see each other The moving
communication picture tends to
whilst they chat
flicker due to
current limitations
in data transfer
Output Devices
 Output Devices

⚫ An output device is a peripheral that translates

information processed by the computer into a
form which the user can understand. The user
could be a person, machine or another process.
⚫ Output exists in two (2) forms:
⚫ softcopy
⚫ hardcopy
 Types of Output

Softcopy Hardcopy
⚫ Softcopy refers to ⚫ Hardcopy is a
temporary output. permanent form in
Softcopy devices printed media.
include:
Hardcopy devices
⚫ headset/earphone include:
⚫ Speaker
⚫ Printer
⚫ Monitor
⚫ Plotter
⚫ Multimedia
Projector ⚫ Multifunction
device
 Output Devices

▪ Output devices are used to convert electrical

signals from a computer system into…

✔ Sound (speakers or headphones)

✔ Images & Text (screen or printer)
✔ Movement (actuator, electric motor)
 Types of Output Devices

Monitor Speakers Printer

Headphones

Plotter
 Output Devices

Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages

Thin Film Transistor Take up very little Easy to damage
TFT monitors are more space
Colour contrast on
Monitor commonly known Run very quietly cheaper models is
as flat screens or and produce little not as good as
LCD screens
heat CRT monitors
Use about a third You may get
of the energy of ‘dead’ pixels
a CRT monitor

Cathode Ray Tube Robust and Large, bulky and

CRT is very old difficult to damage unsightly
Monitor technology.
Reliable Can be heavy
Almost completely
replaced by flat Last for a very Produce a lot of
screen monitors long time heat
Old technology
 Output Devices

Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages

When connected to Can help blind Speakers are not
a computer through people use the useful in a network
a sound card, computer room, as everyone
music can be A presentation can would disturb each
Speakers played other
& be more powerful
Headphones Gives feedback to with sound Headphones can be
user during general Games are a lot uncomfortable with
computer use more involving extended use
and realistic
with sound
These are specialist Very high quality Slower than
Plotter printers that can printouts normal printers
produce high
Almost any size Expensive to
quality printouts paper can be used purchase and run
on large pieces
of paper
 Printers
There are 3 main types of printer…
Device Uses Advantages Disadvantages
Inkjet General purpose Cheap to buy Ink cartridges can be
use for family or Latest models very expensive
home office
can be very fast Print quality not
always very good

Laser Business use for Quality printing More expensive to

letters, Good for large buy than inkjets
stationery and areas of colour Toner cartridges
images
Quiet & Quick are expensive

Business use Can make a Noisy and rather

Dot Matrix
for duplicate carbon copy old-fashioned
documents Can print on technology
continuous Poor quality and only
rolls of paper prints in black ink