Scribd
Upload
39 views29 pages

What Are The Three Essential Components of A Modern Computer?

The three essential components of a modern computer are: 1. A central processing unit (CPU) that processes information 2. An input device like a keyboard to input information into the CPU 3. An output device like a monitor to output processed information from the CPU.

Uploaded by

Kashif Abbas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
39 views29 pages

What Are The Three Essential Components of A Modern Computer?

The three essential components of a modern computer are: 1. A central processing unit (CPU) that processes information 2. An input device like a keyboard to input information into the CPU 3. An output device like a monitor to output processed information from the CPU.

Uploaded by

Kashif Abbas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 29

Question

 What are the three essential


components of a modern computer?
– Be general or specific
Announcement
Definition of a Computer
 A computer is an device that receives
information (input), processes
information, and outputs information
 input/output device that processes
information
Computer Hardware
 Key parts of a computer
 Input vs. output
 Interconnection between parts
Essential Parts
 Box - Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 Monitor - main output device
 Keyboard - main input device
The Box (CPU)
 All processing goes through the box
 A simple input/output (I/O) device
 Ports on back for connection of input
and output devices
 Disk drives on front for storage I/O
Input vs. Output?
Classify the following as input or output

 Monitor  Digital Camera


 Keyboard  CD Writer/Burner
 CPU (The Box)  Hard Drive
 Floppy Drive  LCD Projector
 CD-ROM  Laser Pointer
 Printer  Network Card
 Scanner  Bluetooth Card
 Modem  Speakers
Monitor LCD
Printer

Legend
HD Output
Modem FD Input
Computer
CD-RW I/O
Read - Write

Scanner
Mouse Camera
Keyboard
Inside the Box
 Processor – e.g. Pentium IV
 Memory – e.g. 256 MB RAM
 Storage – e.g. Hard Drive, CD-RW
 Slots & Cards
 We will cover this on Monday
Input: Keyboards
 Standard keyboard - 101 key, letters,
number-pad, function keys
 Microsoft Natural Keyboard -
“Ergonomic” design, supposedly better
for wrists
 Wrist support is important
 The future?
Output: Types of Monitors
 Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) -
standard monitor,
inexpensive, good
resolution, good pixel size
 Flat Panel (Liquid Crystal
Display - LCD) – more
expensive, prices dropping
Buying a Monitor
 Size is most important factor
– Get a 17” CRT or 15” LCD or bigger
 Note 15” LCD is about the same as a 17” CRT
– 15” CRT cheaper but will seem very small
 Dot size advertised, not that big of a factor
 Viewable Area – 15.8” for a 17” CRT
 Maximum resolution – look for at least 1280 x
1024
Monitor LCD
Printer

Legend
HD Output
Modem FD Input
Computer
CD-RW I/O
Read - Write

Scanner
Mouse Camera
Keyboard
Input: Mice
 Standard Two-Button: Left
button for selecting, right
button for properties
 Wheeled Mouse - Wheel for
scrolling
 Trackball - Inverted mouse
 Touchpad - Touch/tap
sensitive
 “Eraser”/Joystick
Mice: Mechanics
 Most mice have a round ball
and rollers – rollers must be
cleaned
 Newer mice are OPTICAL,
using LED and sensor to
track movement
Input: Scanners
 Flatbed Scanners - Lay image flat on “copier”-
like glass panel. Scanning element moves
 Photo Scanners - Run a single photo through
a scanner - photo moves, scanning element
stays stationary
 What you pay for: resolution, color quality,
connectivity
 Speed: USB connection faster than Parallel
 All scanners on market sufficient for web
Input: Digital Cameras
 Camera without film
 Pixel resolution measures number of dots
 Pixel resolution is key: 640x480 vs. 1280x1024
(1.3 Megapixels) vs. 2048X1536 (3.3 Megapixels)
 Storage can be on flash memory cards, memory
sticks, floppy disks, internal, or no storage (web
cam)
 How to unload images is important
Question
 What is the common language in which
input and output devices communicate?
Answer
 Ones and Zeros.
 10001101010101010000101000101111
10010100101010101010010100110000
01010010101110011011111100010100
110 actually means something to a
computer
Output: Printers
 Inkjet Printers - Tiny dots of ink on
paper
– Can print high quality photos
– Ink is expensive!
 Laser Printers - Laser, plastic toner, and
heat; drawback: no color
 Color Laser Printers - ~$600 and up
 Dot Matrix Printers
Output - LCD Projectors
 Similar to monitors but project image
 New to computer market (last 5 years)
 Expensive, becoming cheaper every day
(some under $1000 now)
 For business and education, some people
getting them for home theatre systems
Two-way Communication:
Modem
 MOdulator / DEModualter = MO-DEM
 Converts digital computer signal to
analog telephone signal and vice versa
 Sends and receives information
 56K is current standard
 Connect speeds often slower than 56K
Cable Modems
 Cable Modems convert from cable interface to
Ethernet or USB interface.
 External, $50-$200 to buy
 Must subscribe to Broadband/ Cable Internet
Service through your cable provider
 Best way to go from home but expensive
($45/month)
 Cable provider has a monopoly so prices
won’t drop
DSL
 Digital Subscriber Line
– Works over phone line but doesn’t interfere
with phone calls
– The speed is much higher than a regular
modem (1.5 Mbps vs. 56 Kbps)
– Works better closer to phone company
– Not available everywhere
Network Cards
 Network cards allow connection to the
Internet via ETHERNET
 Wireless network cards require a
wireless router to connect
 Ethernet is FAST!
Storage Media
 Media refers to the objects on which
information is stored
 Singular of word is medium
 A CD is a medium for storage, a floppy
disk is a medium, …
Storage: Magnetic Media
 “Drive” Storage: magnetic film stores
1s and 0s
 Hard Drives - Internal, sealed platters
 Floppy Drive - One flexible platter
 Zip Drive – Very high capacity floppy
 Most rewritable storage is magnetic
Storage: Optical Media Read Only
 CD-ROM – 650MB or 700 MB, read only,
etched pits
 drives 32X etc. for speed relative to normal
 DVD - stands for Digital Versatile Disc, 4.7 Gb
(7X CD)
CD Burners – Optical Read/Write
 CD RW
– 48x/16x/52x means 48x maximum write
speed, 16x max. rewrite speed, and 52x
max. read speed
 Media: CD-R is cheapest, write once
 CD-RW – good medium for transporting
files

You might also like