COMPUTER HARDWARE

COMPUTER HARDWAREHardware is any physical part of the computer that you can touch, see and pickup.Peripheral DevicesAny external device attached to the system unit is called a computer peripheral.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER HARDWAREInput devicesOutput devicesProcessing devicesStorage devicesCommunication devicesCOMPUTER INPUT DEVICESComputer input refers to any data and instructions entered into a computer for processing.

Computer input devices are components/devices that allow a user to enter/feed data and instructions into a computer for processing.

The two types of computer input are:DataCommands

EXAMPLES OF INPUT DEVICES1) COMPUTER KEYBOARDA keyboard is an input device that contains keys that allow users to enter data and instructions into a computer.

A keyboard is an input device that initials programmed routines.

2) COMPUTER MOUSEA mouse is an input device that allows the entering of data and instructions into a computer by controlling a pointer on the screen which the user has to move on a smooth flat surface.

A mouse is used to select, point, move and drag items on the computer screen.

3)TOUCHPAD/TRACK PADA touchpad is a pointing device found on most laptops.

A touch pad is a small, flat, rectangular pointing device that is sensitive to pressure and motion.

A touch pad works by sensing the user's finger movement and downward pressure.

4) TRACKBALL/TRACKER BALLA trackball is a stationary input device with a ball mechanism on its top.A trackball is used to control the pointer on the screen by rotating a ball with your thumb. As the ball rotates, it moves a pointer on the screen and one can click its buttons to execute the selected command. Tracker balls are often used by people with limited movement (disabled) or by the very young since they are easier to use than a mouse.

5) TOUCH SCREENA touch screen is an input device that permits entering and selecting of commands and data by touching the surface of a sensitive video display device with a finger or pointer.

Touch screens are commonly used at restaurants, automated teller machines for easy access to bank accounts; and information centers.

6) STYLUS AND GRAPHICS TABLETA graphics tablet is a flat, rectangular, electronic board on which a stylus writes or draws. A stylus is a pen like pointing device that uses pressure to write and draw lines. As the stylus moves on the tablet, its drawing is directly reflected on the screen. The graphics tablet and stylus are mainly used for computer aided design and drafting by architects, mapmakers, artists and designers.

7) JOYSTICK/JOYPADA Joystick is a pointing device commonly used for computer games with a vertical lever mounted on a base to control the position of a cursor.

The user controls game actions by varying the pressure, speed and direction of the joystick.

Additional controls such as buttons and triggers are used to specify commands or initiate specific actions.

8) LIGHT PENA light pen is an input device that uses a light-sensitive detector to select and move objects on a display screen.

A light pen is a handheld pen-like pointing device that has a light sensitive point to select options on the screen.

9) POINTING STICKA Pointing stick is located in the middle of the keyboard and to control the pointer, you direct the stick with your finger.

Most pointing sticks are pressure-sensitive, so the pointer moves faster when more pressure is applied.

10) SCANNERA scanner is a device that can read text or illustrations printed on paper and change the information into a form the computer can use.

Scanners convert images of text, drawings and photos into a digital form for processing.

A scanner is a light sensing input device that converts printed text and graphics into digital form for computer use.

11) DIGITAL CAMERADigital cameras record images digitally on a disk rather than on a film and the images are transferred or downloaded onto the computer.

Most digital cameras do not directly input data into a computer but store images on memory cards.

The images can later be transferred to a computer for more processing.

12) DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAA digital video camera is device that captures moving images, or video.

Most video cameras do not directly input data into a computer the captured movies are stored on video-tape or memory cards and later transferred to a computer.

Digital Video cameras record motion digitally on a disk and have the capability to take still images as well.

13) WECAMA web camera is a very basic video camera used to feed live video into a computer. The video data from a web cam is low quality compared to a full video camera. Usually a web cam is clipped to the top of a monitor, but many laptops now have web cams built into the edge of the screen. Web cameras capture images and send them to a computer over the Internet.

14) MICROPHONEA microphone is an input device that allows a user to input voice or sound to a computer.

15) PC CAMERAA PC camera allows home users to record, edit and capture video and still images and to make phone calls on the Internet.

16) MAGNETIC STRIP READERMagnetic strips readers are used to read information contained in the magnetic strips on cards.This is usually done by swiping the card through a slot on the reader.

17) MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION (MICR) READERMagnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) is a technology that allows details from bank cheques to be read into a computer quickly and accurately. The cheque number and bank account number are printed at the bottom of each bank cheque in special magnetic ink using a special font. MICR is used by banks to automatically read those unusual numbers on the bottom of cheques and deposit slips.

18) OPTICAL MARK RECOGNITION (OMR) READEROptical Mark Recognition (OMR) is a technology that allows the data from a multiple choice type form to be read quickly and accurately into a computer. OMR readers are scanning devices that read pencil marks and convert them into computer usable form before entering them into the computer. OMR readers are used to read JAB forms.

19) OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION (OCR) READERSOCR devices read special pre printed characters and convert them in a form which can be understood by the computer.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) readers convert images of text into an actual text file that can then be edited.

20) BARCODE READERSBarcode readers are devices that interpret vertical zebra stripped marks seen on most manufactured retail products into digital form before passing them into the computer for processing.

21) VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEMSVoice recognition systems provide the computer with the capability to distinguish spoken words.

Note that voice recognition implies only that the computer can take dictation, not that it understands what is being said.

22) SENSOR AND REMOTE SENSOR A sensor is a device that converts a real-world property (e.g. temperature) into data that a computer can process.

A sensor and remote sensor is an input device that can detect external changes in an environment.

23) ELECTRONIC WHITEBOARDThe interactive whiteboard is a presentation tool like no other. It is touch-sensitive.

The instructor can then control everything from the front of the room.

Instructors can use their finger as a mouse and close the presentation to open a video or get on the Internet or a host of many other activities.

24) MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) deviceMIDI devices can be used to create, record and play back musical compositions.

MIDI is a standard that allows musical instruments to connect to the system unit.

25) TERMINALA terminal is any device that sends data and instructions to a computer.