Module 1a - Hardware

MODULE 1 2019 SEPT 28
Computer Fundamentals - Hardware
COMPUTERS
ST JAGO HIGH SCHOOL 1 of 47

BUSINESS EDUCATION/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPT
COMPUTER
A computer is an electronic machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions
called a program. A computer is an electronic machine which accepts input, processes it and
provides output.
 Input : data and instructions from a user or the environment

 Output: feedback or results of processing
COMPUTER SYSTEM
The term computer system refers to all the hardware equipment together with all the software
that make them work.
Computer systems were designed to perform four basic operations: Input, Processing, Output
and Storage.
PERIPHERAL DEVICES
A peripheral device is an internal or external device that connects directly to a computer but
does not contribute to the computer's primary function, such as computing. It helps end users
access and use the functionalities of a computer.
A peripheral device provides input/output (I/O) functions for a computer and serves as an
auxiliary computer device without computing-intensive functionality. Peripheral devices
connect with a computer through several I/O interfaces, such as communications (COM),
Universal Serial Bus (USB) and serial ports.
Peripheral devices include the following:
 Mouse
 Keyboard
 Printer
 Webcam
 Printer
 Scanner
 External drives
USER
A person who uses computers for work or entertainment or communication or business


Input
INPUT DEVICES
To enter data and instructions into the computer an input device is needed.
An input device is any hardware component that allows users to enter data or instructions
(programs, commands and user response) into a computer. Depending on the application and
your requirements, the input devices selected may vary.
TEXT DATA INPUT
The Keyboard
This is still the most commonly used input device.

The keyboard contains keys that the user presses to enter
data into a computer. All computer keyboards have
a typing area that includes the letters of the
alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks and other
basic keys.
It is made up of buttons called 'keys'. The keys are

arranged into sections:
 Alphabet keys
 Function or F keys (F1, F2, F3)
 Numeric keys (one set above the alphabet keys and a numeric keypad on the right)
 Arrow keys
 Command keys (insert, delete, home, end,
page up/down)

Most keyboards are called 'QWERTY' keyboards. This name comes from the first six letters
on the top row of the alphabet keys.
Using a keyboard for too long can lead to health problems such as repetitive strain injury (RSI).
To try to overcome this, different styles of keyboard have been developed, for example, the
ergonomic keyboard. They are supposed to put your hands into a much more natural position
than a normal keyboard.
ADVANTAGES
 Most common means of entering text additional keyboard.
 Relatively inexpensive
 Most computers come with a keyboard supplied
 People are used to using keyboards to enter data, they need very little training
 A skilled typist can enter data very quickly
 Specialist keyboards are available e.g. ergonomic, gaming keyboards
DISADVANTAGE
 Data entry can be time consuming
 Speed of input depends on the users experience
 Errors in transcription are common
 It is easy to make mistakes when typing in data
 If you cannot touch type, it can be time consuming to enter data
 Keyboards are not suitable for creating diagrams
 Disabled people often find keyboards difficult to use
 Excessive use can lead to health problems such as repetitive strain injury (R.S.I.)
Concept Keyboard
A concept keyboard is a manual input device.
Instead of the usual 'A-Z' keys that you have on a

traditional keyboard, a concept keyboard has pictures of
items instead. For example when you place your order in
a fast food shop, the till
usually has a concept
keyboard that has pictures
of burgers, chips, fizzy
drink etc. When the
person presses the picture,

the correct bill is worked out - no need for staff to remember prices.
A concept keyboard is a flat board that contains a grid of buttons. Each button can be
programmed to do whatever you want.
An overlay sheet with pictures or symbols is placed on the grid so that the user can tell what
pressing on different areas will do.
Concept keyboards are used when fast input is needed and are ideally suited to selecting from a
limited range of choices such as fast food restaurants. Checkout tills such as McDonalds use
symbols to make ordering faster and easier. Primary schools often use them with young
children. The overlay image could be a picture of a farmyard. Pressing on an animal would
cause the computer to make the right animal noise.
Concept keyboards are particularly useful for people who would find using an ordinary
keyboard difficult. It is also very handy in locations where an ordinary keyboard might be
damaged e.g. by spillage or dust.
Concept keyboards are excellent where there is a limited set of things to select and it needs to
be done fast e.g. fast food store, pub, skating and other recreation events.
ADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT KEYBOARDS

 Much faster for making non-text selections such as menu choices on the till of a fast-
food outlet.
 The keyboard is waterproof which can be useful where there is dirt or the risk of
splashes
DISADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT KEYBOARDS

 Poor for text or numeric input - although some keyboards do include a numeric keypad
so the operator can enter the amount sold.
 Limited to the options shown on the keyboard.

Number Pad or Numeric Keypad

A panel of key having number and numeric operation and used
in conjunction with a television set, electronic banking
machine, or other electronic device.
The arrangement of digits on

numeric keypads with the 7-8-9
keys two rows above the 1-2-3
keys is derived from calculators and cash registers. It is notably
different from the layout of telephone Touch-Tone keypads
which have the 1-2-3 keys on top and 7-8-9 keys on the third
row. This difference in layout can be confusing

POINTING DEVICES
This is an input device that allows a user to control the movement of the pointer or location of the
cursor on the screen. They are also known as cursor control devices.
Mouse
A mouse is a small handheld device pushed over a horizontal surface. It is a pointing device that
fits comfortably under the palm of your hand. With a mouse the user controls the movement of
the pointer or location of the cursor on the screen.
POINTER - In computing, a pointer or mouse pointer (as part of

a personal computer WIMP style of interaction) is a symbol or
graphical image on the computer monitor or other display
device that echoes movements of the pointing device, commonly
a mouse, touchpad, or stylus pen.
CURSOR - a movable, sometimes blinking, symbol that indicates the position on a display
screen where the next character entered from the keyboard will appear, or where user action is
needed.
Joystick
a vertical stick that moves the graphics cursor in the direction the stick
is pushed.

Light pen
A light pen resembles a pen with a wire attaching it to the computer system. When you point
at a position on the screen, the software can find the exact position
being indicated which you can select, activate and manipulate
items, just as with a mouse.
Trackball
A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball housed
in a socket containing sensors to detect rotation of the ball
about two axis, similar to an upside-down mouse: as the
user rolls the ball with a thumb, fingers, or palm the pointer
on the screen will also move. Tracker balls are commonly
used on CAD workstations for ease of use, where there may
be no desk space on which to use a mouse. Some are able to
clip onto the side of the keyboard and have buttons with the
same functionality as mouse buttons. There are also
wireless trackballs which offer a wider range of ergonomic
positions to the user.
Based on touching a surface
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet or digitizing tablet is a special tablet similar to a
touchpad, but controlled with a pen or stylus that is held and used
like a normal pen or pencil. The thumb usually controls the clicking
via a two-way button on the top of the pen, or by tapping on the
tablet's surface.
A cursor (also called a puck) is similar to a mouse, except that it has a window with cross hairs
for pinpoint placement, and it can have as many as 16 buttons. A pen (also called a stylus) looks
like a simple ballpoint pen but uses an electronic head instead of ink. The tablet contains
electronics that enable it to detect movement of the cursor or pen and translate the movements
into digital signals that it sends to the computer." This is different from a mouse because each
point on the tablet represents a point on the screen.

Stylus
A stylus is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen,
mobile device or graphics tablet.
The stylus is the primary input device for personal digital assistants
and smart phones that require accurate input, although devices
featuring multi-touch finger-input with capacitive touch screens are becoming more popular
than stylus-driven devices in the smart phone market.
Touchpad
A touchpad or track pad is a flat surface that can detect finger
contact. It is a stationary pointing device, commonly used on
laptop computers. At least one physical button normally
comes with the touchpad, but the user can also generate a
mouse click by tapping on the pad. Advanced features include
pressure sensitivity and special gestures such as scrolling by
moving one's finger along an edge.
Touch screen
A touch screen is a device embedded into the screen of the TV monitor, or system LCD
monitor screens of laptop computers. Users interact with the device by physically pressing
items shown on the screen, either with their fingers or some helping tool.
Modern touch screens could be used in conjunction

with stylus pointing devices, while those powered by
infrared do not require physical touch, but just
recognize the movement of hand and fingers in some
minimum range distance from the real screen.
Touch screens are becoming popular with the introduction of palmtop computers like those
sold by the Palm, Inc. hardware manufacturer, some high range classes of laptop computers,
mobile smart phone like HTC or the Apple Inc. iPhone, and the availability of standard touch
screen device drivers into the Symbian, Palm OS, Mac OS X, and Microsoft Windows
operating systems.

SOUND DATA ENTRY DEVICES
Voice data entry (VDE)

This system accepts the spoken word as input data or commands.
Microphone
Microphone (commonly called mic) used to record sounds and voices, to give
voice commands and for voice communication.
GRAPHICAL DATA ENTRY
Digital Camera
This is a camera that records images digitally and allows for the
quick transfer of picture data from the camera to the computer.
This uses light sensor to capture an image then converts it into

electrical charges. It then stores that image on a flash memory
card. Photos on a digital camera can be transferred to a
computer, where they can be edited then printed.
Webcam
A webcam is a type of video camera. It is usually quite small and
attached to a computer. Webcams allow you to have live chat with
someone over the internet; you can see them and they can see you.
Document Scanner
A scanner copies a document or picture and stores it in a computer. When you scan a
document, the data is saved as an image, so you cannot edit scanned text.

Hand-held scanner – reads in information while being dragged over it
Flatbed scanner – the printed material is laid flat upon the scanner’s surface and the
information is captured in a similar manner to that of a photocopy machine
Sheet-fed scanner – feeds the information in through rollers.

SOURCE DATA ENTRY DEVICES
OMR
Optical mark reader/recognition (OMR) – detects the position of a mark or marks on paper eg
shading in a multiple choice
OCR
Optical character reader/recognition (OCR) – the ability to read printed information into a
computer system e.g. scanned in texts
MICR
Magnetic ink character reader/recognition (MICR) – detects data printed using a special ink eg
cheques
MSR
Magnetic stripe reader (MSR) – scans information in the form of a magnetic stripe, usually on
the surface of a card such as a debit or credit card.

Barcode Reader (BCR)

Bar code reader – reads a pattern of bars representing the code number of the item on which it
is printed.
QR Scanner
QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode
(or two-dimensional barcode) first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. A barcode is
a machine-readable optical label that contains information about the item to which it is
attached.

SPECIALIZED INPUT DEVICES & ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Sensor
Sensor is one of input devices that collect specific data directly from the environment and
transmit it to a computer. It can be used to detect speed, movement, weight, pressure,
temperature, humidity, wind, current, fog, gas, smoke, light, shapes, images, earthquakes, and
others that beyond human limitations.
Biometric-Input Devices
Biometrics is the science of measuring individual body characteristics, then using then to
identify a person through a fingerprint, hand, eye, voice, or facial characteristics. For example,
laptop nowadays equip with biometric sensors that read user facial before allowing access to
networks. It also can be acts as safety precaution to avoid thief. Besides that, airport and
building security systems also use biometrics systems.

Remote Control
These use infrared light to transmit data signals. They are input devices because if you press a
button, it sends an infrared signal to a receiving device such as a television. The device takes in
the data and uses it to carry out a process.

Output Devices
OUTPUT DEVICE
These are used to translate information processed by the computer into a form that the user can
understand. Output is categorized as either hard copy or soft copy.
SOFT COPY – temporary and intangible output.
HARD COPY – a printed or tangible copy of computer output.
1. Speaker
2. Headsets, Earphones
3. Monitor
4. Projector
5. Printer
a) Impact printer
b) Non-impact printer
c) Line printer
d) Page printer
e) Inkjet printer
f) Laser printer
6. Plotter
7. Braille
Speakers
An electric device that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a
distance. Most computers are fitted with a small internal speaker which can produce beeping
sounds to alert you if you make an error.

Computers can also be fitted with a sound card (or chip) which will enable sound to be output
through external speakers. These usually produce a much higher quality sound than the internal
speaker.
ADVANTAGES
 Everyone in the room can hear the output from the computer.
 They can help create an atmosphere or ambiance to accompany a presentation
 They help blind people to use the computer because text can be converted into sound
DISADVANTAGES
 The output from speakers can disturb others who are trying to work
 High quality external speakers can be expensive
Monitor
A television like display for soft copy output in a computer system
RESOLUTION
This determines how clear and detailed the output on the screen can be. Pixel means
Pictures on a screen are made up of tiny dots (one dot = 1 pixel). The more picture elements
pixels per inch, the clearer and more detailed the graphic.
DPI - dots per inch
PPI - pixels per inch
COLOUR RGB – RED GREEN BLUE
The number of colours displayed can vary from 16 to

256 to 64000 to 16.7 million. The more colours, the smoother the graphics appear, especially
photos.

TYPES
Monitors can be CRT, LCD, or LED
LCD CRT
LED
LED

Printer
A device used to prepare hard-copy output.
a. Impact printer - a printer that uses pins or hammers that hit a ribbon to transfer
images to the paper
b. Non impact printer – a printer that uses chemicals, lasers or heat to form the images
on the paper.
c. Dot matrix printer – a printer that arranges printed dots to form characters and
images
d. Line printer – a printer that prints a line at a time
e. Page printer – a printer that prints a page at a time
f. Inkjet printer – a non-impact printer in which the print head contains injection
chambers that squirt ink droplets on the paper to form letters and images
g. Laser printer – a page printer that uses laser technology to produce images.
Once you’ve thought about what you’re looking to do with a printer, you’ll be able to decide on
what type of printer you’re after. The technology of printers can be broken down to two types –
impact and non-impact printers, which as you’d imagine do exactly what it says on the tin. But
the actual types can be broken down into two main categories:
 Non-impact
 Impact
DOT MATRIX PRINTERS
This kind of printer is seen as slightly old-fashioned these days but is very useful for printing out
large amounts of text. On the technical aspects of a Dot Matrix printer, there is generally a
vertical column of 48 small needles (or pins), each of which can be pushed forward, pressing an
ink ribbon against the paper. Compared to pretty much every other kind of printer available, the
Dot Matrix printer is very noisy.
LASER PRINTER
Laser printers are used in many workplaces because they are quiet, they print a large number of
sheets very quickly and they produce high quality documents.
They print in the same way as photocopiers. Powdered ink, called

'Toner', is fused onto paper by heat and pressure.
You can purchase a laser printer which prints black and white
copies only or you can pick a colour laser printer. Black and white
versions are relatively cheap to purchase and you only need to buy
one toner (which is also expensive). Colour laser printers are still a little too expensive for most

people to purchase for home use although many offices now have at least one colour laser
printer.
The Laser Printer is the most common printer in medium to large sized businesses. Laser
printers are very technical in the way they work. The printer uses static electricity as a kind of
‘temporary glue’. As the main component (a drum) revolves, the printer shines a laser beam to
certain points, drawing the image/text as a pattern of electrical charges.
The printer then coats the drum with toner (the black powder used to create the image) and
because the toner is charged positively, it clings to the areas of the drum which are negatively
discharged. Finally the drum rolls over a sheet of paper and then passes through a pair of heated
rollers called the fuser.
Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you
ADVANTAGES
 High quality printouts - better than ink-jet or dot-matrix

 Fast printouts - faster than ink-jet or dot-matrix
 Prints very quietly - quieter than ink-jet or dot-matrix
 Cost per page is low - cheaper than ink-jet or dot-matrix
DISADVANTAGES
 Most expensive printer type to buy, especially colour lasers

 Toner is more expensive than ink-jet cartridges
 Expensive to repair - lots of complex equipment inside
 Fairly bulky - larger than ink-jet printers
 Cannot use continuous or multi-part stationary to create carbon copies like you can
with a dot-matrix printer
INK-JET PRINTER
Similar to a Dot Matrix, an Inkjet printer places extremely small drops of ink onto the paper,
creating an image using a series of nozzles. But unlike the Dot Matrix, Ink Jet printers can
produce dots that are actually smaller than the diameter of a human hair!
Ink-jet printers have been popular for a long time because they are
relatively cheap to buy and most of them can combine both black and
white and colour printing at the same time.

These printers use cartridges which contain ink. They operate by heating the ink as it flows
through the nozzle. This is why the printouts often come out of an ink-jet printer still slightly
wet.
Colour ink-jet printers are ideal for use at home where only a few documents need to be printed
and the quality of the printout doesn't need to be perfect.
Ink Jets are by far the most common type of printer used today, mainly purchased by home users
and small businesses because of their cheap cost.
ADVANTAGES
 Cheap to buy - cheaper than a laser printer

 More compact than a laser printer
 Cartridges cost less to replace than toners
 Produce good quality printouts better than a dot-matrix but not as good as a laser
 Speed - faster than a dot-matrix but not as fast as a laser
DISADVANTAGES
 Noisier than a laser printer (but not as noisy as a dot-matrix)

 Colour printing can be extremely slow
 Cost of printouts per page are more expensive than a laser printer
 Cartridges need to be replaced more often than a laser printer
 Ink will smudge while it is still wet
 Colours can become saturated and often don't look the same as on the screen
 If not used for a while, the cartridges can dry out
PLOTTER
Plotters are a specialist type of printer which is able to draw high

quality images on very large pieces of paper, for example 3 foot
wide by 10 foot long.
They are used by engineers, architects and map-makers to draw

plans of buildings, diagrams of machines or large scale maps.
They can also be used for many other similar tasks.
A plotter differs from a printer in that it draws images using a

pen that can be lowered, raised and moved across the paper to
form continuous lines. The electronically controlled pen is
moved around the paper by computer controlled motors.

There are plotters now which are 'pen-less'. These are used for creating high density drawings
such as the one shown in the image above.
There are three different types of plotter:
Flatbed plotters - These hold the paper still while the pens move
Drum plotters - These roll the paper over a cylinder
Pinch-roller plotters - These are a mixture of the two types above
ADVANTAGES
 Drawings are of the same quality as if an expert drew them

 Larger sizes of paper can be used than most printers can manage
DISADVANTAGES
 Plotters are slower than printers because each line is drawn separately
 They are often more expensive than printers
 They do not produce very high quality text printouts
THERMAL WAX PRINTERS
These kind of printers use a ribbon with CMYK colour bands. The ribbon essentially passes in
front of a print head, which has lots of tiny heated pins. These cause the wax to melt onto the
paper where it hardens. Thermal wax printers are expensive and mostly used by publishing
companies and businesses or home users wanting to produce extremely high quality printouts.
Refreshable Braille display

A Refreshable Braille Display or Braille Terminal is an electro-mechanical device for displaying
braille characters, usually by means of round-tipped pins raised through holes in a flat surface.
Blind computer users who cannot use a computer monitor can use it to read text output.

Storage
Storage is the ability to hold data for later use.
Primary storage typically refers to random access memory (RAM) and any memory physically
close to the CPU, while secondary storage refers to the computer's hard drive and other
additional and long-term storage.
Are storage devices input and output devices?

NO. Although these devices do send and receive information, they are not considered an input
device or output device. It is more proper to refer to any device capable of storing and reading
information as a storage device, disk, disc, drive, or media.

PRIMARY STORAGE DEVICES

Primary storage, also known as main storage or main memory, is the area in a computer in which
data is stored for quick access by the computer's
processor. The terms random access memory (RAM) and
memory are often as synonyms for primary or main
storage.
Primary storage is volatile and can be contrasted with

non-volatile secondary storage, also known as auxiliary
storage.
Random access memory

RAM (random access memory) – these hold the temporary operating instructions for the
computer, its programs and the data. This is the place where the CPU receives the instructions
and data it needs to do its job. The advantage of RAM is that the computer can access data held
in RAM almost immediately. The disadvantage is that RAM is volatile – data held in RAM is
lost when a computer is turned off or malfunctions. There are many sizes of RAM such as
128MB, 256 MB, 512MB.
The type of RAM does not matter nearly as much as how much of it you've got, but using
plain old SDRAM memory today will slow you down. There are main types of RAM: SDRAM,
DDR and Rambus DRAM.
a) SRAM: Static random access memory uses multiple transistors, typically four to six, for
each memory cell but doesn't have a capacitor in each cell. It is used primarily for cache.
b) DRAM: Dynamic random access memory has memory cells with a paired transistor and
capacitor requiring constant refreshing.
c) SDRAM: Synchronous dynamic random access memory takes advantage of the burst
mode concept to greatly improve performance. It does this by staying on the row
containing the requested bit and moving rapidly through the columns, reading each bit
as it goes.
d) DDR SDRAM: Double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM is just like SDRAM
except that is has higher bandwidth, meaning greater speed. Maximum transfer rate to
L2 cache is approximately 1,064 MBps (for DDR SDRAM 133 MHZ).
e) RDRAM: Rambus dynamic random access memory is a radical departure from the
previous DRAM architecture. Designed by Rambus, RDRAM uses a Rambus in-line
memory module (RIMM), which is similar in size and pin configuration to a standard
DIMM. What makes RDRAM so different is its use of a special high-speed data bus
called the Rambus channel.

Read only memory

ROM (read only memory) – when a computer is made, basic input/output instructions are put
on ROM chips. These instructions can be read, but not changed, and are available every time
the computer is switched on.
a) PROM (programmable ROM) – The key difference from a standard ROM is that the
data is written into a ROM during manufacture, while with a PROM the data is
programmed into them after manufacture. Once programmed the data in them is
permanent and cannot be changed. PROMs are used in digital electronic devices to
store permanent data, usually low level programs such as firmware (microcode).
b) EPROM (erasable PROM) – is similar to PROM except that EPROM’s can be erased
and reprogrammed repeatedly. It is erased by a special ultraviolet light. To reprogram
an EPROM chip it has to be removed from the computer.
c) EEPROM (electrically EPROM) – is similar to EPROM chip except that it is erased by

applying electrical pulses to the chip making it possible to reprogram the chip without
removing it from the computer.
d) Flash Memory : Its an electrically erasable & programmable permanent type memory. It
uses one transistor memory all resulting in high packing density, low power
consumption, lower cost & higher reliability. Its used in all power, digital cameras, MP3
players etc.
Cache
CACHE is a special high speed memory designed to supply the processor with the most
frequently requested instructions and data. Instructions and data located in cache memory can
be accessed many times faster than instructions and data located in RAM and ROM.

SECONDARY STORAGE
STORAGE DEVICE – This is the computer’s hardware that records data to
and retrieves data from the storage medium. When a storage device place The usual name for a
new data on a storage medium it performs a write operation. When it storage device ends
finds/retrieves data already stored on the medium it performs what we call with “drive”
a read operation.
STORAGE MEDIA – These are the physical material on which data, instructions and information
are stored by the computer for future use.
There are different types of storage medium used to store data on a computer system, namely:
- MAGNETIC MEDIA (Magnetic Tape, Floppy Disk, Hard Disk)

- OPTICAL MEDIA (CD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, Blu-ray Disc)
- MINIATURE MOBILE STORAGE MEDIA /FLASH MEMORY (USB flash drive, Memory
Card)
Secondary storage devices can also be arranged into two main categories:
1. Direct Access Storage Device (DASD)

This is where any data can be accessed without reading any other data item first
2. Sequential Access Storage Device (SASD)

This is where all the data has to be read before the actual data that the user wishes to
access.

Comparative Table
Abbreviation Medium Device Medium Device Typical Typical Size Typical Notes
Type Category Capacity (footprint) Cost
(JM$)
HDD Hard disc Hard disk drive Magnetic DASD 500 GB (may Like a 6 inch 4000.00
be as small as tablet
10 GB or as
large as 4 TB)
Magnetic tape Magnetic tape Magnetic SASD 200 GB Like a 7 inch
drive tablet
FDD Floppy disk Floppy disk Magnetic DASD 1.44 MB 4 inch, flat 100.00
drive
CD Compact Disc Compact disk Optical DASD 700MB 5 inch 40.00 Yellow laser
drive
DVD Digital versatile DVD drive Optical DASD 4.5 – 17 GB 5 inch 90.00 Red laser
Disc
BD Blu-ray disc Optical disc Optical DASD 25 to 50 GB 5 inch 450.00 The laser is
drive blue
MiniDisc CD drive Optical DASD 1 GB 2.5 inch
UDO Ultra Density UDO drive Optical DASD 30 GB 5 inch
Optical
Thumb drive Flash DASD 1 GB - 64 GB Size of your 6000.00
memory thumb
SD Card Flash DASD 8 GB – 128GB Size of your 8000.00
memory fingernail
SSD Solid State Flash DASD 1TB (as much Like a 6 inch 30,000.00
Drive memory as 128 TB) tablet
ODD – Optical disc drive
Media & Devices
Floppy disk/diskette
Floppy disk/diskette – these are circular pieces of Mylar (thin polyester film;
it is a type of plastic) plastic that rotate within jackets. The two most common Disk is short
disks are 5 ¼ inch and 3 ½ inch (most common). This is a measure of the for “diskette”
diameter of the disk in diameter. This is a removable disk that can be used to
store and transfer information from one computer to another. The magnetic
disk is enclosed in a plastic casing to keep it safe. Inside the plastic casing, the disk has
concentric rings that hold data. Floppy disk is divided into tracks and sectors. Tracks are
concentric rings on a storage medium. A sector is a segment of a track on which data is stored.
The floppy disk can only hold 1.44 MB of data.
Hard disk
Hard disk – This is typically a stack of thin but rigid metal platters, which is fixed inside the
hard disk drive case. A lot of data can be stored on a hard disk. Hard disk can be internal or
external. The surface of the hard disk is divided into tracks and sectors by magnetic lines.
 A hard disk can contain a single disk or two or more disks stacked on a single spindle.

 There may be one read/write head per disk or, on more expensive disks; every track in
each disk may have its own read/write head, thereby reducing the time taken to access
information from the disk.
 Hard disks have a very high storage capacity of between 80 GB and 200 TB.
 Hard disk provides direct access which means that you can go directly to a piece of
information without having to access any other information.
 It spins much faster and holds much more data than the floppy disk.
 It can be located within the computer (internal) or in a portable case (external).
Optical disk
Optical disk - A storage medium that uses laser technology to store information onto it. Some
types of these are:
LASER means
 The most common optical discs are CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc LIGHT
 Each type of disc comes in a variety of formats listed below amplification by the
o R – recordable (i.e. CD-R, DVD-R, BD-R) stimulated emission
o RW -rewritable (i.e. CD-RW, DVD-RW, BD-RW) of radiation
o ROM –read only memory (i.e. CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, BD-
ROM)
 The data on ROM disc can only be read; you cannot delete or change it. These discs are
manufactured with content and are the types usually used to purchases games and
proprietary software.
 Once data has been stored to the RECORDABLE DISC it cannot be changed. They are
called WORM discs because you “write once and read many”
 Discs of type RW allow data to be erased and written to repeatedly
 DVD’s store data at a higher density by using a “narrower” beam of light.
 BD’s use an even narrower beam of light. So narrow if appears “blue” which contributed
to the name.
Flash memory & Solid State Storage Devices

This is one of the latest innovations and is used for easy and fast information storage. They
store large amounts of data, are low cost and electrically reprogrammable, i.e. the user can
write, modify or delete information stored to it.
 These are so called because an entire section of the microchip is erased at once or in a
flash
 Flash/Thumb Drive – Small portable device usually the size of your thumb and can
hold up to 64 GB of information. They connect to your computer via a USB port.

 Memory Card – These are commonly used in digital cameras, cell phones, photo
printers etc. They also come in different types which enables them to be used on
different devices such as SD cards (secure digital) mini and Micro SD cards
 SSD (solid-state drive) - An SSD (solid-state drive) is a type of nonvolatile storage
media that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory.
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a tape coated with a magnetic material on
which data can be stored. It is similar to the audio and video
cassettes but is smaller in size. These are normally used by
companies or organizations to back-up (copy) important data
held on hard disks. This minimizes the amount of data loss if
the computer system goes down.
 Magnetic tape is slower than direct

access storage.
 If records are stored alphabetically by
surname, they can be accessed only in
this order, so to retrieve a person’s
whose last name begins with M, all the
records from A-L must be read.

Terms associated with storage devices
READ/WRITE HEAD – This is what is used to record data on and retrieve data from the surface
of the magnetic media
ACCESS TIME – This is the time it takes to

locate and retrieve information from a storage
medium (access time = seek time + rotational
delay)
SEEK TIME – This is the time taken to move the head to a particular track
BUFFER – A temporary storage area where data waiting to be processed is held.

Terms associated with disc based storage

devices
TRACK – These are concentric rings on which

information is stored
SECTOR – A segment of a track
CYLINDER – A set of matched tracks on all platters for eg

track 3 on platter 1, track 3 on platter 2 and track 3 on
platter 3 makes up a cylinder.
ROTATIONAL DELAY – This is the time it takes the disk

to rotate to a particular sector.
RPM – Rotations per minute or revolutions per minute

Measurement of Storage Capacity

Because computers are bi-stable device they store information in the form of "1" and "0"s in
different types of storages such as memory, hard disk, USB drives etc.
The most common digital data storage unit is byte which is 8 bits.
For your information, computer data is expressed as bytes, kilobytes, megabytes as it is in the
metric system, but 1 kilobyte is 1024 bytes not 1000 bytes.
Data storage units are: byte(B), kilobyte (kB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB), terabyte (TB),
petabyte and exabyte.
The SMALLEST UNIT OF MEASUREMENT used for measuring data is a bit. A single bit can have
a value of either 0 or 1. It may contain a binary value (such as On/Off or True/False), but
nothing more. Therefore, a byte, or eight bits, is used as the fundamental unit of storage for
data. A byte can store 28 or 256 different values, which is sufficient to represent standard ASCII
characters, such as letters, numbers and symbols.
Since most files contain thousands of bytes, file sizes are often measured in kilobytes. Larger
files, such as images, videos, and audio files, contain millions of bytes and therefore are
measured in megabytes. Modern storage devices can store thousands of these files, which is
why storage capacity is typically measured in gigabytes or even terabytes.
NIBBLE
This is not a very commonly used term compared to bit and byte. It is the term given to a
group of four bits. Therefore two nibbles make a byte. Nibble is also spelled nybble.
The reason it is not very common is because most microprocessors use groups of 8 bits and
higher i.e. They use one or more bytes to process data. Not many devices make use of a nibble.
BIT - A binary digit ie 1 or 0. It is the smallest unit of measurement.
BYTE - A group of bits, usually 8, representing a single character. It is the smallest unit of
storage.

Unit Value Approximate Size Exact Value
bit (b) 0 or 1 1/8 of a byte

byte (B) 8 bits 1 byte
kilobyte (kB) 10001 bytes 1,000 bytes 1024 bytes

1024 kB, 1048576
megabyte (MB) 10002 bytes 1,000,000 bytes
bytes
1024 MB, 1073741824
gigabyte (GB) 10003 bytes 1,000,000,000 bytes
bytes
1024GB,
terabyte (TB) 10004 bytes 1,000,000,000,000 bytes
1099511627766 bytes
petabyte (PB) 10005 bytes 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
exabyte (EB) 10006 bytes 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
zettabyte (ZB) 10007 bytes 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
yottabyte (YB) 10008 bytes 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
NOTE: A lowercase "b" is used as an abbreviation for bits, while an uppercase "B" represents
bytes. This is an important distinction, since a byte is 8x as large as a bit.
For example, 100 kB (kilobytes) = 800 kb (kilobits).
These terms are for processors but are often confused with storage.
WORD
A collection of bits which can be addressed, transferred and manipulated as a single unit by the
CPU.
WORD SIZE
The number of bits in a word; the typical word sizes are 16, 32 and 64, with 64 being the most
common.
ADDRESS
A unique number designated to a particular location in primary or secondary storage for each
word of memory.

Local vs Cloud Storage
Local Storage
Local Storage includes physical hardware such as external
hard drives, flash drives, and CDs. As its name suggests, local
storage is kept nearby. Here are several pros and cons of using local storage.
PROS
 Inexpensive
 Easy to use
 The data is under your control
CONS
 Your data isn't accessible unless you have the

hardware with you
 External hard drives or CDs can fail or break
 Can be stolen
Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage refers to any program owned by a third party that allows you to upload your
data using the Internet. Some of the pros and cons are:
PROS
 All you need is an Internet connection to

access your data
 You don’t have to store your data in a
physical form
 Free versions are available for storing small
amounts of data
CONS
 If you want to store a lot of information,

you’ll probably have to pay for storage
 Third-party storage is vulnerable to theft and hardware failure
 Cloud storage requires an Internet connection for access

Assessment criteria Cloud Storage Local Storage

capacity Hugh Limited
cost Cost-effective / Cheap (no hardware Expensive (must by hardware –
needed) medium and device)
accessibility Easy, accessible access on any device You must be where the physical
with an internet connection. medium is and must have the
computer
Access time/speed Slower than local. Speed is limited by Access speed is often a lot faster
the internet speed. than cloud storage. Speed is
limited only by hardware.
security Dependent on the service provider Disconnecting the drives from the
network keeps your data safe from
attacks
scalability Easy to increase or decrease storage Requires physical change of
capacity as needed medium to increase capacity
Recoverability On-site disasters are not a problem, Susceptible to onsite disasters
everything is safe elsewhere
Control Dependent on the service provider. You Full control which means better
will never have 100% control control over who accesses data
Maintenance Maintenance, upgrades, and Maintenance, upgrades, and
troubleshooting are provided for you as troubleshooting require technical
issues arise skill
Key terms Accessible everywhere Found on one device
Endless storage Safe but easily destroyed
No backups needed Backups needed
Limited capacity
Cloud vs Local Storage Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJaQwDGO-o
https://www.pegasustechnologies.com/cloud-storage-vs-local-storage/
https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2012/july/local-storage-vs-cloud-storage

Processors
A processor is the logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that
drive a computer.
The term processor has generally replaced the term central processing unit (CPU). The
processor in a personal computer (PC) or embedded in small devices is often called
a microprocessor.
MAIN COMPONENTS
 CU
 ALU
 MU (memory unit)

The form, design and implementation of CPUs have changed over the course of their history,
but their fundamental operation remains almost unchanged. Principal components of a CPU
include the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) that performs arithmetic and logic
operations, processor registers that supply operands to the ALU and store the results of ALU
operations, and a control unit that fetches instructions from memory and "executes" them by
directing the coordinated operations of the ALU, registers and other components.
Central processing unit

The CPU is logical component of a computer system that interprets and executes program
instructions. It is also known as the brain of the computer.
CU - Control unit
The portion of the processor (CPU) that interprets program instructions directs internal
operations and directs the flow of input/output to or from the RAM.
ALU – arithmetic and logic unit

The portion of the processor (CPU) that performs arithmetic and logic operations.
Main memory
The memory area in which all programs and data are stored before they can be executed or
manipulated. RAM – random access memory is known as main memory.

Machine Cycle
a) Fetch
b) Decode
c) Execute
d) Store
This cycle of operations is known as the machine cycle.
Microprocessor
A microprocessor is a computer processor that incorporates the functions of a computer's
central processing unit (CPU) on a single integrated circuit (IC), or at most a few integrated
circuits.
The integration of a whole CPU onto a single chip or on a few chips greatly reduced the cost of
processing power. Integrated circuit processors are produced in large numbers by highly
automated processes resulting in a low per unit cost. Single-chip processors increase
reliability as there are many fewer electrical connections to fail. As microprocessor designs
get faster, the cost of manufacturing a chip (with smaller components built on a semiconductor
chip the same size) generally stays the same.
The speed of the processor is measures in GHz (gigahertz)
Common Processors
COMPANY: INTEL

 Intel Celeron
 Intel Atom
 Intel Xeon
 Intel Pentium
 Intel Core I3
 Intel Core I7
COMPANY: AMD
 AMD Sempron
 AMD Athlon
 AMD Turion
 AMD Phenom
 AMD Opteron
AMD is the name of the company. AMD Means Advanced Micro Devices.
Word
A collection of bits which can be addressed, transferred and manipulated as a single unit by the
CPU.
Word size
The number of bits in a word; the typical word sizes are 16, 32 and 64, with 64 being the most
common.
Address
A unique number designated to a particular location in primary or secondary storage for each
word of memory.

Functions of the basic components of the

computer

System Specification
A system specification (commonly called “system specs”) describes the operational and
performance requirements of a system, such as a computer. A buyer will use system
specifications to deduce information about the performance of a system.
Item Example Notes

Processor Intel® Core™ i5 Processor Intel and AMD are companies that
Intel® Pentium® Processor (Quad Core) make microprocessors.
Intel® Celeron® Processor (Dual Core)
AMD Phenom™ II processors
AMD Athlon™
AMD Sempron™
Visual Display AMD Radeon™ R7 M270 4GB DDR3

Adapter NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB
AMD Radeon R9 290X 4GB
Visual Display LG 32” LCD 32LF500B HD Display
Unit 17.3-inch HD+ (1600 x 900) Truelife LED-
Backlit Display
Other output Speakers
Printer
Primary / Text Keyboard
Input
Other Input Dell USB Optical Mouse
PS/2 Mouse
Microphone
Connectivity RJ45 /Ethernet Port / NIC
USB
HDMI
Audio In/Out
Intel® Centrino® Wireless-AC 3160 +
Bluetooth 4.0
Media Card (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
Memory (Primary 8GB DIMM (2x4GB) DDR3L 1600Mhz DIMM is the type of memory,
Storage/RAM) 8GB Single Channel DDR3 1600MHz (max 1600MHz is the speed
16GB)
Storage(Secondary 1TB 5400 rpm SATA Hard Drive RPM mean revolutions per minute
Storage) 1TB SATA hard disc (7200 RPM) and tell how fast the HHD can read
or write
SATA is the type of connector
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Professional English Microsoft is a company.
64bit The word size of the processor can
Microsoft Windows 8.1 usually be found here: the 64bit
Linux Unbuntu
Linux Knoppix
MacOS X

Optical Drive DVD RW Drive
Battery 9-cell Li-ion Battery (6 hrs) For laptop only. UPS may be
specified for desktop systems.
CARD
The expansion card (also adapter card) in computing is a circuit board that can be inserted into
an expansion slot on a motherboard to add functionality to a computer system.
Examples of Expansion Cards
 Modem
 Network card
 Sound card
 Video card
PORT
In computer hardware, a port serves as an interface between the computer and other computers
or peripheral devices. In computer terms, a port generally refers to the female part of
connection. Computer ports have many uses, to connect a monitor, webcam, speakers, or other
peripheral devices.
Electronically, hardware ports can almost always be divided into two groups based on the
signal transfer:
Serial ports send and receive one bit at a time via a single wire pair (Ground and +/-).
Parallel ports send multiple bits at the same time over several sets of wires.
Types of ports
 DVI (Digital Visual Interface)

 SATA
 PATA
 IEEE 1394 interface (FireWire)

 PS/1
 PS/2
 Serial
 VGA
 SCSI
 HDMI
 USB (universal serial bus)

SAMPLE SYSTEM 1
 Processor - dual core 2.4 GHz+ (i5 or i7 series Intel processor or equivalent AMD)
 RAM - 8 GB
 Hard Drive - 128 GB or larger solid state hard drive
 Graphics Card - any with DVI support - desktop only
 Wireless (for laptops) - 802.11ac (WPA2 support required)
 Monitor - 23" widescreen LCD with DVI support - desktop only
 Operating System - Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional with Service Pack 1 or
Apple OS X 10.10.3
 Warranty - 3 year warranty - desktop only
 Warranty - 4 year warranty with accidental damage protection - laptop only
 Backup Device - External hard drive, USB Flash Drive and/or DVD+/-RW drive
SAMPLE SYSTEM 2
 2.5GHz Intel Core i5

 4GB DDR3 RAM
 320GB 7200RPM SATA HDD or 256GB solid-state SATA HDD
 500GB or greater external HDD
 Dual-band 802.11 ac/g/n wireless card
 DVD -/+ RW drive
 LCD capable of 1920x1080 resolution
 2GB discrete graphics card
 Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (available from IST Software)
 3+ year warranty with next-business day onsite repair

SAMPLE SYSTEM 3
 Intel i5-3340M
 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz RAM
 320 GB 7200 rpm HDD
 DVD-RW Drive
 15.6" Display 1366x768
 Microsoft Windows 7 Pro(or other least expensive Microsoft Windows operating
system)
 Intel 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet NIC
 Intel 802.11 a/g/n Wireless NIC
 HD Audio
 2 External USB Ports
 66 Wh Li-Ion Battery
 Padded Carry Case appropriate for delivered model
 Appropriate American Power Conversions Notebook Surge Suppressor for delivered
model
 All appropriate cables included
 3 year parts and labor warranty on all components
SAMPLE SYSTEM 4
 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz

 2 TB 7200 rpm HDD
 AMD Athlon
 DVD-RW Drive
 17" Display 1366x768
 Microsoft Windows 7 Pro(or other least expensive Microsoft Windows operating
system)
 Intel 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet NIC
 Intel 802.11 g/n Wireless NIC
 HD Audio
 1 External USB Ports
 1 Firewire Port
 1 year parts and labor warranty on all components

USEFUL TERMS
FOOTPRINT – the physical size of a piece of hardware. How much space a piece of hardware
occupies.
RESOURCES
Input devices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM-OsjqZg_8
Optical disc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_disc
CPU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_processing_unit
Microprocessor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microprocessor
RAM : http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ram3.htm
https://pc.net/helpcenter/answers/primary_and_secondary_storage
https://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/primary-storage
https://pt.slideshare.net/guest30320a/input-output-and-storage-devices/2
http://ecomputernotes.com/fundamental/input-output-and-memory/primary-memory
VIDEO RESOURCES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDKBq-3HDUo


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MODULE 1 2019 SEPT 28

Computer Fundamentals - Hardware

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 Input : data and instructions from a user or the environment

Peripheral devices include the following:

A person who uses computers for work or entertainment or communication or business

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TEXT DATA INPUT

This is still the most commonly used input device.

It is made up of buttons called 'keys'. The keys are

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Instead of the usual 'A-Z' keys that you have on a

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ADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT KEYBOARDS

DISADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT KEYBOARDS

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Number Pad or Numeric Keypad

The arrangement of digits on

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POINTER - In computing, a pointer or mouse pointer (as part of

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Based on touching a surface

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Modern touch screens could be used in conjunction

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SOUND DATA ENTRY DEVICES

Voice data entry (VDE)

GRAPHICAL DATA ENTRY

This uses light sensor to capture an image then converts it into

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Hand-held scanner – reads in information while being dragged over it

Sheet-fed scanner – feeds the information in through rollers.

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SOURCE DATA ENTRY DEVICES

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Barcode Reader (BCR)

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SPECIALIZED INPUT DEVICES & ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

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SOFT COPY – temporary and intangible output.

HARD COPY – a printed or tangible copy of computer output.

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The number of colours displayed can vary from 16 to

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Monitors can be CRT, LCD, or LED

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DOT MATRIX PRINTERS

They print in the same way as photocopiers. Powdered ink, called

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 High quality printouts - better than ink-jet or dot-matrix

 Most expensive printer type to buy, especially colour lasers

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 Cheap to buy - cheaper than a laser printer

 Noisier than a laser printer (but not as noisy as a dot-matrix)

Plotters are a specialist type of printer which is able to draw high

They are used by engineers, architects and map-makers to draw

A plotter differs from a printer in that it draws images using a

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There are three different types of plotter:

Drum plotters - These roll the paper over a cylinder

Pinch-roller plotters - These are a mixture of the two types above

 Drawings are of the same quality as if an expert drew them