t um en Student Workbook Do c Unit 2783 (V6) Sa mp le Demonstrate knowledge of the components of personal computer systems Easy to follow Step-by-step instructions Covers Unit Standard Criteria A Cheryl Price Publication Unit Standard 2783 (Version 6) Demonstrate knowledge of the components of personal computer systems This book covers the course outline for the following New Zealand Qualifications Authority Unit Standard: Unit Standard 2783 - GENERIC COMPUTING (Level 3, Credit 3) Demonstrate knowledge of the components of personal computer systems (Version 6) All topics in this Unit Standard are included in the Student Workbook. Cheryl Price T.Dip.WP, T.Dip.T. Do c Product Code: USB2783v6SW-0213 um en t © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited, February 2013 Disclaimer PO Box 187 Matakana Auckland 0948 Sa mp le All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Cherylprice.co.nz Limited. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Web address: www.cherylprice.co.nz Published in New Zealand Phone: (09) 422 7230 Mobile: 021 715566 Fax: (09) 422 7236 Table of Contents Sa mp le Do c um e nt Data versus Information ................................................................................................................... 1 Digital versus Analogue ................................................................................................................... 2 Bits and Bytes .............................................................................................................................. 3 Counting with Binary Numbers ................................................................................................... 3 ASCII ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Unicode ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes . . . and Terabytes................................................................... 5 The Processing Cycle ....................................................................................................................... 5 Input ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Processing .................................................................................................................................... 5 Storage ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Output .......................................................................................................................................... 6 What are Peripherals? ...................................................................................................................... 7 Input Devices ................................................................................................................................... 7 Keyboard...................................................................................................................................... 7 Standard keyboard ................................................................................................................... 7 Natural keyboard (split or angled keyboard) ........................................................................... 7 Multimedia keyboard ............................................................................................................... 8 Mouse .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Traditional trackball mouse ..................................................................................................... 8 Optical mouse .......................................................................................................................... 8 Wireless mouse ........................................................................................................................ 9 Trackball ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Touchscreen ................................................................................................................................. 9 Scanner ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Flatbed scanners .................................................................................................................... 10 Handheld scanners ................................................................................................................. 10 Scanner/printer/copier ........................................................................................................... 10 Microphone ................................................................................................................................ 11 Storage Devices ............................................................................................................................. 11 Reading and Writing .................................................................................................................. 11 The Hard Drive .......................................................................................................................... 12 Hard Drive construction ........................................................................................................ 12 External and removable hard drives ...................................................................................... 12 USB/Portable hard drives ...................................................................................................... 13 Floppy Disks .............................................................................................................................. 13 Form and capacity ................................................................................................................. 13 Formatting and Write Protecting ........................................................................................... 13 Floppies' many uses ............................................................................................................... 14 Optical Discs .............................................................................................................................. 14 Compact Discs ....................................................................................................................... 14 Writable compact discs .......................................................................................................... 15 DVDs ......................................................................................................................................... 15 Writable DVDs ...................................................................................................................... 15 Combination Disc Readers/Writers ....................................................................................... 16 Disc speeds ............................................................................................................................ 16 Blu-ray Discs ............................................................................................................................. 16 Tape ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Backup ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Compression and encryption ................................................................................................. 17 i Sa mp le Do c um e nt Types of backup..................................................................................................................... 18 Output Devices............................................................................................................................... 18 The Monitor ............................................................................................................................... 18 LCD monitors ........................................................................................................................ 19 CRT monitors ........................................................................................................................ 19 Monitor facts .............................................................................................................................. 20 Refresh rate ............................................................................................................................ 20 Pixels and Dot pitch ............................................................................................................... 20 Display Resolution ................................................................................................................ 20 Monitor standards .................................................................................................................. 21 Colour Depth/Bit Depth ............................................................................................................. 22 The Graphics Card ..................................................................................................................... 22 Onboard Video........................................................................................................................... 23 3D Graphics ............................................................................................................................... 23 Sound ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Sound card ............................................................................................................................. 23 Standards ............................................................................................................................... 24 Speakers/Headphones ............................................................................................................ 24 Printers ........................................................................................................................................... 24 Laser Printers ......................................................................................................................... 24 Ink-Jet Printers....................................................................................................................... 25 Dot Matrix Printers ................................................................................................................ 25 Fonts ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Resolution .............................................................................................................................. 26 Screen Resolution .................................................................................................................. 26 Printer Resolution .................................................................................................................. 26 Unprintable Region................................................................................................................ 26 Memory ................................................................................................................................. 27 Communication – The Modem ...................................................................................................... 27 Dialup Modems.......................................................................................................................... 27 Broadband Modems ................................................................................................................... 28 Digital Subscriber Line modems ........................................................................................... 28 Cable modems ....................................................................................................................... 28 Modem Types ............................................................................................................................ 28 Networking .................................................................................................................................... 29 Networking Hardware................................................................................................................ 30 Hub ........................................................................................................................................ 30 Bridge .................................................................................................................................... 31 Switch .................................................................................................................................... 31 Router .................................................................................................................................... 31 Network Interface Card ......................................................................................................... 31 P2P and Client/Server Networks ............................................................................................... 32 Peer-To-Peer .......................................................................................................................... 32 Client-Server .......................................................................................................................... 32 Network Topology ......................................................................................................................... 33 Bus Topology............................................................................................................................. 33 Ring Topology ........................................................................................................................... 33 Token Ring ............................................................................................................................ 33 Star Topology ............................................................................................................................ 34 Combined Topologies ................................................................................................................ 34 Cabling ........................................................................................................................................... 35 Twisted Pair ............................................................................................................................... 35 Coaxial ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Fibre-Optic Cabling ................................................................................................................... 36 ii Sa mp le Do c um e nt Processing Hardware ..................................................................................................................... 37 The System Unit ........................................................................................................................ 37 Power Supply ............................................................................................................................. 37 Motherboard............................................................................................................................... 37 Expansion cards ..................................................................................................................... 38 Onboard features.................................................................................................................... 39 Ports ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Central Processing Unit ................................................................................................................. 41 Control Unit ............................................................................................................................... 41 Bus ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) .................................................................................................... 41 Registers .................................................................................................................................... 42 Instruction Register................................................................................................................ 42 Accumulator .......................................................................................................................... 42 Program Counter.................................................................................................................... 42 Floating Point Unit ................................................................................................................ 42 Interrupts .................................................................................................................................... 42 Cooling ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Buses .............................................................................................................................................. 43 Types of Buses ........................................................................................................................... 43 Address Bus ........................................................................................................................... 43 Control Bus ............................................................................................................................ 44 Data Bus ................................................................................................................................ 44 External Data Bus .................................................................................................................. 44 Power Bus .............................................................................................................................. 44 Expansion Bus ....................................................................................................................... 44 Memory .......................................................................................................................................... 45 Random Access Memory (RAM) .............................................................................................. 45 RAM, CPU, and data flow..................................................................................................... 46 RAM on your motherboard ................................................................................................... 46 ROM .......................................................................................................................................... 47 BIOS .......................................................................................................................................... 47 CMOS ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Virtual Memory ......................................................................................................................... 48 Cache ......................................................................................................................................... 48 Fetch and Execute .......................................................................................................................... 49 The Four Stages of the Cycle..................................................................................................... 49 Fetch ...................................................................................................................................... 49 Decode ................................................................................................................................... 49 Execute .................................................................................................................................. 49 Store ....................................................................................................................................... 50 Communication between Components .......................................................................................... 50 Clock frequencies ...................................................................................................................... 51 Bus speed ................................................................................................................................... 51 CPU speed ................................................................................................................................. 51 Bit rate ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Computer Specifications ................................................................................................................ 52 Software ......................................................................................................................................... 53 System Software ........................................................................................................................ 53 The Operating System ............................................................................................................... 53 Modularisation ....................................................................................................................... 54 System utilities ...................................................................................................................... 54 Operating System Types ............................................................................................................ 55 Single user versus multi-user ................................................................................................. 55 iii Sa mp le Do c um e nt Single tasking versus multitasking ........................................................................................ 55 Single processing versus multiprocessing ............................................................................. 56 GUI versus command line ..................................................................................................... 56 Running Multiple Operating Systems........................................................................................ 57 Software Compatibility .............................................................................................................. 57 Common Functions ........................................................................................................................ 57 Operating System Examples .......................................................................................................... 58 Microsoft.................................................................................................................................... 58 DOS ....................................................................................................................................... 58 Windows 1.0-3.11.................................................................................................................. 59 OS/2 ....................................................................................................................................... 60 Windows 95, 98, Me.............................................................................................................. 60 Windows NT and 2000 .......................................................................................................... 62 Windows XP .......................................................................................................................... 62 Windows Vista ...................................................................................................................... 63 Windows 7 ............................................................................................................................. 64 Windows 8 ............................................................................................................................. 65 Apple.......................................................................................................................................... 66 'Classic' Mac OS .................................................................................................................... 66 Mac OS X .............................................................................................................................. 66 Other .......................................................................................................................................... 67 UNIX ..................................................................................................................................... 67 Linux ...................................................................................................................................... 68 Application Software ..................................................................................................................... 70 Hardware Support ...................................................................................................................... 71 System Requirements ................................................................................................................ 71 Application Interaction .............................................................................................................. 72 Data Translation Utilities ........................................................................................................... 72 Software Creation .......................................................................................................................... 73 Development Environments ...................................................................................................... 73 Levels of Programming Languages ........................................................................................... 74 Compilers, Interpreters and Assemblers – Language Translation Utilities ............................... 74 File Formats and Utilities............................................................................................................... 75 File Formats ............................................................................................................................... 75 File Conversion .......................................................................................................................... 75 File Conversion Processes ......................................................................................................... 75 File Conversion Utility Programs .............................................................................................. 76 Interaction between Hardware, Software, Data and Information .................................................. 77 Inputting Data ............................................................................................................................ 77 Processing and Storage .............................................................................................................. 77 Outputting Information .............................................................................................................. 78 iv Data versus Information The terms data and information are often used to mean the same thing. When it c omes to computers, however, it's best to distinguish between the two. Data is the plural of the word datum, which means a single piece of evidence. In computing terms, data are the raw facts that are entered into a computer for processing. Data are used to represent a fact, figure, or idea in a way that a computer can understand and work with. Although the word "data" was originally used only as a plural, it is now used in place of "datum" to also indicate a single piece of evidence. Do c um en t Information results from the processing of data by the computer. Information is presented in some understandable way to the computer user. Data is abstract and unusable in its raw form to the average computer user. It exists in the computer as a co llection of electrical signals. Information, however, is meaningful to the computer user. Information is always presented in a way that a person can understand, for example, on an output device such as a monitor, or on a printed page. Information comes out mp le Data goes in Sa Data is entered into the computer using an input device. These hardware devices provide a way for people to "talk" to a computer in the computer's language. For example, when you type on a keyboard you are sending signals to the computer that correspond to the letters you are pressing. The combination of all those keystrokes, as well as mouse clicks and other actions using input devices, can all result in a single document, like a business report. There are many types of input devices that enable people to input data into the computer. They include: • Keyboards • Mice • Trackballs • Touchpads • Tablets • Scanners • Digital cameras • Webcams • Microphones • Touch screens • Barcode readers • Digital music instruments Note Hardware is the generic term used to describe any part of the computer you can physically touch. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 1 Processed data is delivered by the computer to the user as information through one or more output devices. Like input devices, output devices bridge the gap between the computer and human user—just in the opposite direction. They make what the computer is doing meaningful and useful to the user. The business report the user typed using input devices can then be displayed on an output device such as a monitor or a printer. Output devices include: • Monitors • Printers • Plotters • Speakers • Headphones Digital versus Analogue um en t Understanding how computers work also requires some understanding of the difference between digital and analogue signals. An analogue signal is continuous. Data is obtained from an analogue signal by measuring small changes over time in this continuous signal. A good example of an analogue signal is a sound wave through the air. The human ear distinguishes differences in sound by registering the changes in the sound wave's frequency. A phonograph is an example of an analogue device. mp A digital signal is a sequence of 0s and 1s: le Do c A digital signal, however, is not continuous; it is discrete, or made up of individual elements. Digital signals are sent using the binary number system of 0 and 1. Digital systems are rare in the natural world, but computers rely on them. A computer is a digital device; its hardware and software work with data in digital form. The 0 in a computer refers to an "off" electrical state; a 1 means "on." An MP3 player is another example of a digital device. Sa An analogue signal is a continuous Let's look at an example of analogue and digital devices that perform the same function but in different ways. The traditional clock (right) is an analogue instrument because the hands move continually around its face. The hands of the traditional clock are controlled by the continuous movements of tiny mechanisms inside it. A digital clock, however, represents time in discrete increments, such as hours, minutes, seconds, and divisions of seconds. Instead of the mechanisms of a traditional clock, the digital watch has a digital processor. The digital signal is pulsed so quickly that the digital clock seems to present the time as smoothly as a traditional, analogue one. 2 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Bits and Bytes Now let's look at how computers speak this digital language of 1s and 0s. The smallest unit of data communications for a co mputer is called a bit, which is short for "binary digit." In computers, a bit of data is represented by the presence or absence of an electrical signal. If an 110110110101 electrical signal is present, the bit is represented 010111000111 011010010101 by a 1. If there is no signal, the bit is represented 010001110101 by a 0. 001001101001 um en t Taking this information, we can see that two bits of information would have four possible combinations: 00, 01, 10 , and 11. Three bits would allow eight possible combinations: 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 10 1, 110, and 111. Seven bits, or a sequence of seven 0s and 1s, would have 128 possible combinations. This is the same as 2 to the 7th power, or 27. Do c Eight bits make up a byte. The bits in a byte follow a particular order understandable by the computer. Historically, a byte contained the minimum number of bits required to encode an alphabetic character in a computer. Today, with the adoption of many non-Western languages into the computing world, a byte is not always sufficient to represent a character. Counting with Binary Numbers mp le How do you represent numbers in a binary, or base 2, system? As humans, we usually count with a decimal, or base 10, system. Each place in a decimal or binary number has a value. For example, the decimal number 4,517 has a 7 in the ones place, a 1 in the tens place, a 5 in the hundreds place, and a 4 in the thousands place. Here is the decimal number 4,690,489 with all of its decimal places named. Number 6 Sa Place 4 Place as a power of 10. 9 0 4 8 9 Millions Hundredthousands Tenthousands Thousands Hundreds Tens Ones 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 We can do the same thing for a binary number. Here is the binary number 10101101 with all of its places named. Number 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 Place 128s 64s 32s 16s 8s 4s 2s 1s Place as a power of 2. 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 3 The first column, starting on the right, represents multiples of 1. The second row represents 2, then 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 i n the subsequent columns. Notice that in both tables the exponent increases by 1 each time you move to the left. By using the values in the table, we can convert a b inary number to a d ecimal. The binary number 10101101 would therefore represent one multiple of 128, zero of 64, one of 32, zero of 16, one of 8, one of 4, zero of two, and 1 of 1. Adding these multiples together, we get: 128 + 32 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 173. um en t Now let's use the table above to convert the decimal number 7 to binary. The highest binary number that "works" is in the 4s place, so we put a 1 there. We have 3 remaining, so we put a 1 in the 2s place and another 1 in the 1s place. The decimal number 7 is 1112 in binary. Notice the small "2" in the answer? That indicates the number is binary, or base 2. (We could put a small "10" next to a decimal number if there were some question about the number system being used. Otherwise, decimal is assumed.) This shows us how to convert a binary number to base 10 and vice versa, but remember that computers don't need to convert when working with data. As strange as binary math may seem to us, computers are quite comfortable with it! Do c ASCII le ASCII stands for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It was developed by the American Standards Association in 1968. ASCII was one of the early attempts to provide a common way for computers to exchange data in a language they all could understand. mp ASCII is a code, or character set, which uses binary numbers to represent the characters and symbols of a language, such as English. Standard ASCII characters are 7 bits in size and are written in one group of three numbers and a second group of four. The English capital letter A, for example, is rendered in ASCII as 100 0001. Sa ASCII is still widely used because it is understandable by any computer, but other character sets have been developed which use 8 or more bits to represent characters. This has become necessary to represent characters in non-English languages, as well as special symbols for math and science. Unicode ASCII is gradually being superseded by a new computing industry standard called Unicode. Unicode provides more than 100,000 c haracter representations in dozens of languages, with the potential for even more. In addition to providing coding for non-Western languages, Unicode accommodates right-to-left scripts such as Hebrew and Arabic. Development of Unicode is overseen by the Unicode Consortium, a non-profit organization. 4 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Unicode was created in the late 1980s. It originally used 16 bits to represent each character, meaning it could represent more than 65,000 (216) unique characters. The emphasis at the time was on representing only modern languages, rather than also preserving older ones. In 1996, however, Unicode's scheme was changed so that it could represent more than 1 m illion characters. Kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes . . . and Terabytes t The byte is also the foundation of understanding size in the computer world. Hard drives, memory, documents, images, and many other objects are measured in bytes—or more likely, kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes. um en Notice that each of these words consists of the word "byte" with a prefix indicating "how many." Just as 1,000 m etres is a kilometre and 1,000 grams is a kilogram, 1,000 b ytes is a kilobyte, shown with the notation KB. For example, 500 ki lobytes is usually written "500 KB." (A kilobyte is more accurately 1,024 bytes, or 210 bytes. Remember that computers think in base 2, not decimal.) Do c A megabyte (MB) is 1 million bytes and a gigabyte (GB) is 1 billion bytes. Today hard drives of 1 trillion bytes, or a terabyte (TB), are becoming common. Computer technology has come a long way since the floppy disk, which contained only 1.44MB of storage space. The Processing Cycle le A computer is constantly processing data while it is running. There are four main actions undertaken during this process, in which data goes in and processed information comes out: mp • Input • Processing • Storage • Output Sa Input Raw data is entered into the computer using input devices such as keyboards. Processing Data processing is performed by the central processing unit or CPU. The CPU is a key component found in the system unit (contained in the computer’s case). The CPU interacts with other parts of the system unit to process the raw data and turn it into meaningful information. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 5 Data is processed by the computer using computer programs called software. Programs are sets of instructions that tell a computer what to do with data after it has been inputted. The processing being performed by a computer includes a range of activities, such as: • Verifying the accuracy of inputted data. • Performing any calculations required. • Consolidating separate pieces of data into a cohesive whole. Computer programs are called software because, unlike hardware, they cannot be touched physically. t Note um en Storage Before and after being processed, data is stored in one of a variety of locations in the system unit. Data which is needed for current operations is stored in some type of memory. When the data is needed again for processing it is retrieved from memory and acted upon b y the processor. Data which is not currently needed for operations is stored on a medium like a disk drive. Do c The main storage device within the system unit is the hard disk drive (HDD). Most computers also have removable storage capabilities like compact disc drives and floppy drives, and some computer users have a personal flash drive that can be plugged into the computer's USB port. le Output mp Output is the process of making information available to the computer user. Information can be presented in many ways, such as an image on a screen, a sound made through speakers, or a document printed on paper. Sa Important note: When a completed document is stored in a storage device such as a h ard drive, it is still referred to as data (more specifically, as processed data). This is because information is user-driven; it only becomes information when the computer user views it on the screen or reads it on a printed document. The word "information" is only used for material which is meaningful to a human, not to the stored electronic data. Now that we have the basics, we can offer a definition of a computer: A computer is a programmable machine that receives input, stores and processes data, and provides output in a format that has meaning to the user. Revision 1 (See page 1 of Student Exercise Book) 6 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited What are Peripherals? Peripherals are hardware devices that are not part of the core processing computer, but which are attached to it. Some peripherals, such as a hard drive, can be attached inside the computer system unit (that is, inside the computer's case). These are referred to as integrated peripherals. Other peripherals, such as the keyboard, mouse, and printer, are attached to the outside of the computer system unit. Input Devices um en t Input devices, as the name suggests, are used to input data into the computer for processing. Keyboard Do c The computer keyboard is the most commonly used computer input device. The computer keyboard borrows its layout of letter keys from the traditional typewriter. It also has additional keys, such as Ctrl, Alt, and the Function keys, which are of use in a computing context. Keyboards allow you to communicate with the computer and to enter or edit data. They are used to enter characters or perform functions that give instructions to a computer program. le The keyboard contains a small microprocessor and a sensor grid upon w hich the keys rest. When a key is pressed, the sensor grid detects it and sends a message to the keyboard's microprocessor. The microprocessor then sends a message to the computer, telling it which key has been pressed. The software that is being used then interprets the keystroke. mp There are various types and designs of keyboards available. Standard keyboard Sa The standard keyboard has all the keys positioned in straight rows. This version is most similar to the traditional typewriter. Natural keyboard (split or angled keyboard) Natural keyboards, also called split keyboards, are designed in a curve, with the keyboard split into two halves—one for the keys struck by the left hand, and one for the right. These are meant to encourage a natural hand, wrist, and forearm position. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 7 Multimedia keyboard Multimedia keyboards have additional function buttons that are used to issue instructions to the software. These extra keys provide additional functionality for quick access to often-used software, for gaming, and for Internet access. Mouse um en t A mouse is an input device used to select and access features within a software program. When a mouse is moved, a pointer, or some other symbol determined by the software, also moves across the monitor screen. This lets the user position the pointer, or in the case of a word processing program, the cursor, exactly where it is needed. Then an action can be taken, such as typing text or launching a software application. Do c The mouse also has buttons, which are used to perform actions. The traditional PC mouse has two buttons at the top of the mouse. The left button is used to select items and perform operations. The right button is used to display a so-called context sensitive menu. The menu that appears when you click the right button depends upon the software being used. Before 2005, the mouse used with Apple Macintosh computers had only one button. Some mice also have a scroll wheel, usually set between the two buttons. This wheel allows the user to scroll up and down the screen and through documents. In some cases, the scroll wheel can also be clicked, and so functions like a third button. le There are several different mouse types available. mp Traditional trackball mouse Sa With a traditional, trackball mouse, a ball located on its underside moves when the mouse is moved. The movement of the ball is transferred to two sets of rollers that are touching it. The movement of the rollers is registered by the software and is used to calculate the amount and direction of movement of the pointer on t he screen. Trackball mice work best on specially designed mouse pads, which provide a suitable surface for the ball to glide over. Optical mouse In an optical mouse, the trackball is replaced with a light-emitting diode (LED) and an optical sensor. The movement and location of the mouse is detected by changes in reflected light. An optical mouse can be used successfully on a wide range of surfaces; it does not require a mouse pad. Optical mice tend to be more robust than trackball mice as they do not have moving parts. The optical technology is also more accurate in detecting mouse movements. 8 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Wireless mouse As the name suggests, wireless mice are not connected to the system unit with a cable. Instead, radio waves or infrared beams are used to communicate with the computer. The mouse is powered by rechargeable batteries. The wireless mouse offers the flexibility of being able to move the mouse independently of the system unit. However, there is a limit to the range at which the signals will work, and the mouse batteries need to be replaced when they run out. t Trackball um en Trackballs are used to perform the same functions as a mouse. The ball is spun by the thumb to move the pointer to a location on the screen that allows the user to select an object or access features within a software program. Do c The same working principles of a mouse apply to a trackball. The ball's movements result in the movement of rollers inside the trackball. The rollers are used to calculate the cursor movement on screen. Trackballs also have some configuration of buttons, also like a mouse. mp Touchscreen le Laptop computers often have a built-in trackball. Large trackballs are often used as a teaching aid for children or by people with disabilities. Sa Some types of computers let you use the monitor itself for input, instead of a mouse and keyboard. These monitors are called touchscreens and they are popular on computers in public places and on tablet PCs. Touchscreen monitors have a flat screen that responds to the touch of a finger, a stylus, or a digital pen. The screen may also display a software keyboard to take the place of a hardware one. Some newer touchscreens even have a multi-touch capability that lets you perform actions with two fingers at once. Touchscreens use many different technologies. One of the most popular is the resistive touchscreen. It is made up of two flexible sheets of plastic coated with a material that is sensitive to the touch. These sheets are separated by a gap of air. When the user presses on the screen, the two sheets touch at that point. This creates an electrical connection which can be received by the computer. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 9 Scanner A scanner is used to convert a paper document into a digital form that a computer can then process. Modern scanners can work with documents that contain text or images, in black and white or in colour. The scanner software often contains functions for editing images or "reading" text. The ability to read text from a scanned document and convert it into a document file is called Optical Character Recognition (OCR). um en t There are many kinds of scanners, but they all contain a light and a scanning element. These are passed over the document, recording a digitized image of it. The captured image is then sent to the computer and can be manipulated by software. Flatbed scanners Do c A flatbed scanner is a scanner that sits on a desk. This type of scanner has a glass pane upon which the document is placed, face down, either by hand or by a document feeder. (Document feeders allow the easy scanning of multipage documents.) The light and scanning element are then passed under the glass to create an image of the document. Handheld scanners mp le A handheld scanner can be used in the hand and on any size document. The scanner is placed on top of the page and turned on, and is then dragged down the page at a slow and constant speed. If an image is large, parts of the picture will need to be scanned in separate stages and then "stitched" together using software. Scanner/printer/copier Sa Many scanners available today combine the input functionality of a scanner with the output functionality of a printer and a photocopier. These versatile machines, often called multifunction devices, are now becoming invaluable in both the home and small office. 10 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Microphone A microphone allows you to record sound directly into your computer. The analogue sound signal is digitized and turned into a digital sound file, which can then be played back and edited using special software. It is also possible to set up a computer to function like a telephone, with the microphone and speakers replacing the telephone handset. This is called computer telephony integration. Headsets incorporating both headphones and a microphone are available for this use. um en t Microphones are becoming more popular with the development of accurate speech recognition software. This type of software allows you to give spoken commands to the computer. Speech recognition software needs to be "trained" to be able to understand the user's speech patterns. Speech recognition software is particularly useful for people with physical disabilities that prevent them from using a keyboard. Do c There are many different types of microphone, each using different technologies. All of them are designed to pick up sound waves, which are collected by a diaphragm. These waves are then converted into electrical signals that can be manipulated by software. Exercise 1 (See page 2 of Student Exercise Book) le Storage Devices Sa mp Storage devices are used to store data so that it can be processed by the computer. Data storage is one of two types: volatile and non-volatile. Volatile storage relies on electric power always being available. Without power, the data can no longer be stored. An example of volatile storage is the computer's random-access memory, or RAM. We will discuss RAM in a l ater section. Non-volatile storage does not rely on a continual power supply. An example of nonvolatile storage is a disk drive. Data can be retrieved from a connected storage device at any time for processing. There are many types of storage devices available using widely different technologies. Some reside inside the system unit while others are external to it and are joined to the computer through a connection called a port. Reading and Writing Read: When data is accessed from a storage device, it is being read. Write: When data is added to a storage device, it is being written. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 11 The Hard Drive The hard drive, also known as the hard disk drive (abbreviated HDD), is the main data storage area in most modern computers. A single computer may have a single hard drive or one primary hard drive and one or more secondary hard drives. The primary hard drive (named C:) is used to store the operating system and other basic data needed to start up (or boot) and run the most basic computer functions. The primary and secondary drives contain all of the programs installed on the computer, as well as files created and stored by the user. um en t The storage capacity of a hard drive is usually measured in gigabytes (GB), although terabytesize (TB) hard drives are now widely available in new PCs. New desktop PCs are generally fitted with hard drives of between 100GB and 750GB. Hard Drive construction Do c The components of a standard hard drive are contained inside a rectangular metal case. Inside the case is a series of round, flat disks called platters, which are coated on each side with a material that allows them to store data in a series of magnetic patterns. These platters are mounted at the centre onto a spindle, which in turn is driven by a spindle motor. Hard drives are usually 3.5 inches in diameter for desktop PCs or 2.5 inches in laptops and other portables. mp le The data on t he disks is read by electromagnetic read/write heads, with one below and one above each platter. The read/write heads are mounted on t he ends of slider arms, which are connected to a device called an actuator. External and removable hard drives Sa External and removable hard disk drives work in essentially the same way as those connected more permanently inside the computer case. External and removable hard drives have the advantage of portability; they can be disconnected or removed, carried to a different computer, and then reconnected. An external hard drive consists or the hard drive itself, which is usually of the same form as an internal hard drive, and an enclosure. The enclosure consists of a case to protect the hard drive plus electronics that allow it to be connected to the computer via a cable. Most modern external hard drives are connected to a computer via a USB port. The data transfer rate to an external hard drive is slower than to an internally connected disk drive. A removable hard drive fits into a special slot inside the computer case. It can be removed for portability or security purposes. 12 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited USB/Portable hard drives As we noted, external and removable hard drives can be disconnected and carried to a different location, making them portable. An even more portable storage solution is the USB flash drive. These aren't disk drives in the sense of a hard disk as described above. USB flash drives instead use a form of non-volatile flash memory to store data and programs and draw their power from the USB connection. um en t USB drives can be very small—down to the size of a key—and thus are highly portable. They plug into any computer with a USB port. USB drives can hold several gigabytes of data. Today USB drives have taken on the same tasks that floppy disks were previously used for. They have thousands of times the capacity of floppies, however, and are more reliable due to their lack of moving parts. They are the most common portable storage devices nowadays. Floppy Disks mp le Do c The floppy disk drive (or FDD) was one of the original removable storage options for computer users. Although new computers are rarely built with floppy disk drives, you may still run across them in some settings. Floppy disks in their various forms were a standard means of carrying data from one computer to another from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s. They have now been replaced by cheaper, faster, and higher capacity devices like USB drives, CDs, DVDs, and memory cards. Form and capacity Sa The modern floppy disk is 3.5 inches square and provides 1.44 MB of data capacity. Why are they called floppy disks when they aren't really "floppy" at all? The disk that holds data is made of a flexible plastic material encased in a hard plastic shell. Earlier floppy disks, such as the 8-inch variety, didn't have this hard shell, so it was truly "floppy" all the way. Formatting and Write Protecting Most floppies come already formatted. If not, simply insert the floppy into the drive and follow the instructions for your operating system. For a Windows PC, right-click the A: drive and choose Format from the pop-up menu. You can also prevent a floppy from being accidentally overwritten with other data. To do so, move up the small tab in the upper-right of the disk case so that the small window is open. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 13 Floppies' many uses Floppies were used for many purposes other than the transferring of files. The earliest computers contained the entire operating system on a floppy. Before the advent of the CD, floppies were also the medium used to sell software. A word processing program, for example, might be delivered on s ix or more floppies, which had to be inserted one after the other to install the program. Computer system administrators often carried floppies containing diagnostic tools they could use to troubleshoot a computer. t Despite the disappearance of the floppy, its presence lives on i n the naming scheme for computer drives. By default, the primary hard drive is labelled C:, with A: and B: being reserved for floppy drives that are no longer present. um en Optical Discs As computers became more powerful and able to work with larger amounts of data, the need arose for a more capable removable storage system. In addition to holding only 1.44 M B of data, the data transfer rate from a floppy to the other computer components was too slow. Compact discs and digital video discs, both forms of optical media, came to the rescue. Do c Compact Discs le Compact discs were invented in 1982, but these original discs held only digital audio. Compact discs designed to hold computer data were invented a few years later in 1985. These discs are called CD-ROMs. The "ROM" part of CD-ROM stands for "read-only memory." Data could be ready from these first CDs but could not be written upon them by the user. This is different from the floppy and hard drive, which were read/write devices. mp Standard CD-ROMs hold up to about 700 MB of data, which was about 480 times the amount a floppy could hold. This made them suitable for delivering large amounts of data, especially data files like images, video, and sound. In addition to holding data, CD-ROMs are used to distribute software. Sa A compact disc is 12 cm in diameter, 1.2 mm thick, and made of injection-moulded polycarbonate plastic. The discs have a 15 mm hole at the centre. Data is arranged in a spiral pattern, starting at the centre of the disc and working around to the outside. This spiral track contains billions of pits, with spaces between them called lands, which are read by a laser. The layer containing the data is coated with a thin layer of aluminium or gold, and then by a further protective lacquer outer layer. The CD drive reads the CD-ROM with a laser that passes over the spiral of pits and lands. The variable sizes of the bumps and pits reflect light differently; data is read by registering these changes. The reflected light is converted into a high-frequency signal and encoded into readable data. 14 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Writable compact discs Writable compact discs, called CD-Rs (for Compact Disc-Recordable), became available in 1988. These discs could be written to only once, unlike hard drives and floppies, which could be written to many times. The first equipment created that could write compact discs was very big and expensive. Early models cost tens of thousands of U.S. dollars and were the sizes of cabinets. The discs were expensive, too. Blank CD-Rs for recording were around US$40 in 1991. Now CD writers are quite cheap and are standard equipment with all new computer systems. Blank CD-Rs are also very inexpensive. CD writers installed in computers write the data one track at a time, while writers for commercial use—for example, making thousands of copies of a music CD—stamp the data onto the disc surface in a single step. You can record a music CD-R with a computer, and that CD can then be played on most music CD players. A recorded CD-RW disc, however, cannot be played on most music CD players. Do c Note um en t Rewritable compact discs, called CD-RWs (for Compact Disc-ReWritable), became available in 1997. Data can be written to CD-RW discs many times, erased, and then written to again. CD-RW discs are more expensive than CD-R disks, which has limited their popularity in most settings. DVDs mp le The DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) was invented in 1995. A DVD looks like a compact disc but has a much higher data capacity. DVDs most popular initial use was for showing recorded movies. In most areas of the world, the DVD has replaced videotape for consumers wanting to view movies at home. DVDs can also be used for data storage and software packaging in the same way as CDs. DVDs come in several types, with data capacity from 4.7 GB up to about 17 GB. Sa The surface upon which data is written on a DVD is only half as thick as that of a compact disc. The pits and lands are also much closer together, and the laser that reads the disk has a much shorter wavelength than a CD reader's. These features are what allow the standard DVD to hold so much more data than a CD. Dual-layer DVDs (DVD-DL) provide about than 8.5 G B of data capacity, compared to the standard DVD's 4.7 GB. Dual-layer DVDs have two, distinct layers of data on the disc. DVD drives that support dual-layer discs shine the laser reader through the first layer to access the data on the layer underneath. Writable DVDs The development of DVDs followed the same path as compact discs. The first discs were read only and were written at a factory. A writable version of the disc and needed hardware came later. Also like CDs, the cost of writable discs and the drives started high but now are inexpensive and are standard components in most new computers. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 15 Unlike CDs, however, two different technologies exist for writable DVDs. These are denoted by a – (minus) or a + (plus) sign. So there are DVD-R and DVD+R writable discs and hardware. The rewritable DVDs are likewise labelled DVD-RW and DVD+RW. There are also rewritable dual layer discs that are written the same except with the letters DL at the end. Modern DVD writers can handle both technologies, so there is rarely any problem with compatibility. Combination Disc Readers/Writers t It's no longer necessary to own separate disc drives for CDs and DVDs. Most modern optical disc drives can read and write the full gamut of DVD and CD types. A list of Supported Formats for a modern drive will look like this: um en DVD-ROM, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM (ver.2), CD-ROM (mode 1 and mode 2), CD-ROM/XA (mode 2, form 1 and form 2), Photo CD (single and multiple sessions), CD Extra, CD-TEXT, CD-I (FMV), VIDEO CD, DVD-Video, CD-Audio, CD-R, and CD-RW. Disc speeds Do c The speed of an optical disc device is defined as the multiple of a b ase rate of data transfer speed. Speeds vary depending upon the operation being performed, such as reading, writing, or rewriting. Read speeds are the fastest, writing second-fastest, and rewriting slowest. The base rate of a CD drive is 150 KB per second. So a CD drive with a read speed of 1x is transferring data at that speed. A drive with a read speed of 48x is transferring data at 48 x 150, or 7200 KB per second. Blu-ray Discs mp le The base rate of a DVD drive is about 1.4 M B per second. You can figure the speed of the drive using the same method as above. A DVD drive that writes at 24x is writing data at about 33.6 MB per second. Sa Blu-ray discs are the latest advancement in optical disc technology. A dual-layer Blu-ray disc can hold 50 to 100 GB of data. They have been used mainly to show high-definition movies. Adoption of Blu-ray was slow, however, compared to DVDs. This was in part because of the cost of the discs and the hardware required. A high-definition television is needed to properly display movies on Blu-ray discs. Tape Tape is an external storage medium which is most commonly used by corporations for backing up and archiving large amounts of data. Data is copied from the hard disk and transferred onto magnetic tape enclosed inside a case. Tapes are ideal for archiving large amounts of because they are cheap and reliable. 16 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Tape stores data in a different manner than a hard disk, optical disc, and flash memory. Tape stores data in a sequence. If you need a piece of data from the end of a tape, you have to wind the tape to that point to access it. Other kinds of storage provide random access; when you want a particular piece of data from a disk, you can go directly to it without having to go through other data first. This is why tapes are mostly used for archiving; getting data off of them is much slower than from a random-access device. Exercise 2 (See page 3 of Student Exercise Book) t Backup um en Data backup involves the duplication of locally stored data. This is done to avoid loss of information in the event of the following situations: A file may accidentally be deleted or overwritten by a user. • Computer hardware, particularly hard drives can malfunction. • Malware, such as a computer virus, can delete or corrupt data. • A fire, flood, or other event may damage the computer. • Computers, especially laptops, can be stolen, causing all data to be lost. le Do c • Sa mp When data has been backed up, it can be restored with little to no work lost. The type of backup you use depends upon the value of your data. Businesses typically back up data to an offsite location, that is, not in the same location as the computer being backed up. D ata is backed up to a server, a kind of computer that distributed data and services to a network. Now if a disaster should strike or if the computer is stolen, the data is still safe and can be restored from the server. Individuals who feel their data is not as crucial may choose to use onsite backup. Data can be backed up t o a variety of media, including hard drives, optical drives, and tape. An alternative to buying your own backup hardware is to use on online backup service, such as Mozy or Carbonite. With these services, you install software on your computer that performs an offsite backup while the computer is on. Initial backups take quite awhile if you have a lot of data, but subsequent backups are much quicker. You need a broadband Internet connection to use these services. Compression and encryption Data that is backed up is usually compressed onto the storage media. This means the files are stored in such a way that they take up less space on the storage media than they did originally. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 17 In the event of lost data, the compressed backup data is restored by decompressing the data onto the hardware desired. Data may also be encrypted before it is backed up. Encrypted data is processed in a way so that no one can use it without knowing the password key it was encrypted with. This prevents non-authorized personnel from using data stolen while in transit to a backup location or from backup hardware. Types of backup There are three basic types of backup. Unstructured and partial backups are the most common manual back-up methods, especially for individuals. Specific files and directories are selected and then written to backup media using a software program or by simple copying. This can result in a collection of discs that aren't well documented, making restoration of data difficult. • A full backup backs up all of the files on the system which, if lost, would cause hardship for the user. This is the most complete backup method, but it takes a long time and uses a lot of storage space. Because of this, full backups are almost always used together with incremental backups. • Incremental backups are used in conjunction with an initial, full backup. After the full backup, an incremental backup only backs up files that have changed since the last backup. Using incremental backups means you need to do a full backup only once. Output Devices le Do c um en t • Input and output devices are sometimes referred to collectively as I/O devices. Sa Note mp An output device is any piece of computer hardware that displays the processed data as information to the user in a way he or she can understand. Output devices present information in a variety of different forms. The Monitor The monitor, also called the visual display unit or simply the screen, is the primary visual output of the computer, where the data being processed by the computer is displayed. 18 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Monitor sizes are given as the length of the diagonal line from a bottom corner to the opposite top corner. Most modern monitors are at least 17 inches, with 19-inch and larger monitors becoming common. In addition, many computer monitors are sold now in a widescreen format, as opposed the squarer format formerly popular. Along with the computer's graphics card, the quality of monitor is the main factor in determining image quality from a computer. (The role of the video card is discussed later.) LCD monitors um en t The LCD display monitor is becoming more and more popular as a replacement for the older, cathode ray tube technology previously used. LCD stands for liquid crystal display. Monitors using this technology are much more compact, lighter, use less electricity, and now cheaper than CRTs, and generally provide a sharper image. LCD monitors need to be viewed from directly in front because its images will distort or change colour if viewed at an angle. Do c LCD monitors use the light modulating properties of liquid crystals to function. Each pixel on the screen is composed of these crystals and arrayed in front of a light source to produce images. Whereas the CRT works on the principle of emitting light, LCDs work on the principle of blocking it. LCD, as the name suggests, uses crystals which become liquefied and change their orientation when an electrical current is applied to them. CRT monitors mp le The LCD screen contains two pieces of polarized glass with the liquid crystals between them. When the crystals have an electrical charge applied them, they change shape, varying the amount of light that can pass through them. Varying in the amount of light allowed through controls the display of images on the screen. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors work on the same principles as an old-style television set. The "tube" in the name is a vacuum tube, a technology which goes back decades. In a CRT monitor, the graphics card sends data via a cable to three electron "guns" at the back of the monitor. The guns, one for red, one for green, and one for blue, fire a controlled stream of electrons at the phosphorus lining on the inside of the tube. The electron streams are fired in rows of pixels from left to right and top to bottom. As they are struck by the beams, the phosphors emit light. The colour and brightness of each pixel is dependent upon the intensity of the individual electron beam from each gun. The size of the CRT's tube, especially in larger monitors, makes it heavy and unwieldy compared to an LCD monitor. Sa 15” © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 19 Monitor facts Refresh rate A monitor’s refresh rate refers to the rate of speed at which a m onitor screen image is refreshed or redrawn. The refresh rate is expressed in hertz, a general measurement of periodic events expressed in cycles. In the case of monitors, if the refresh rate is 60 Hz, the screen will refresh itself 60 times per second. CRT monitors should be set to refresh the screen at a speed fast enough so that there is no noticeable flickering. A refresh rate of below 60 Hz will result in a n oticeable flicker that can lead to eye fatigue. Generally, a refresh rate of 72 Hz is sufficient. The capabilities of the video card, in addition to the monitor, determine what refresh rates are available. um en t Pixels and Dot pitch The word "pixel" is short for "picture element." As we mentioned, monitors work by creating a large number of pixels which, when viewed together, create on-screen images. Original Image Close-up, showing pixels Do c Monitors use the raster method for displaying images. Each image on a screen is composed of many pixels of varying colour and brightness. The resulting image is called a bitmap. However, the pixel is not simply a little square, and it is not necessarily the smallest part of the image. Each pixel is further divided into red, green, and blue dots. If the screen is set to its maximum resolution, the pixel size will equal that of one dot pitch. Sa mp le Dot pitch is a complex measurement, but it generally equals the physical distance between two adjacent "dots," whether a pixel or sub-pixel, on the screen. Dot pitch is one measurement of the quality of monitors, with the lower the number the better the quality. Generally, the smaller the dot pitch, the sharper and more detailed the image will be. Companies measure dot pitch in different ways, however, so be aware of what the number actually means. groups of phosphors – usually between 0.25 and 0.4 mm), but if it is set to a lower resolution each pixel will comprise a number of dots. Display Resolution The display resolution of a screen is the measurement of the number of pixels displayed on the screen at a time. This measurement determines the fineness or coarseness of an image. Choice of a display resolution depends upon m any factors, especially the graphics card and the monitor's size, shape, and capabilities. Most monitors use a 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning that the number of pixels across the width is 4x and the number of pixels vertically is 3x. Screen resolutions have improved along with computer display technology. Older, 15-inch monitors may have a best resolution of 800 b y 600 pixels. Today, with monitors of 17 i nches and more, 1024 x 768 is considered the minimum. A 20-inch widescreen monitor (with a 16:9 aspect ratio) can offer resolutions of 1600 x 900, while a 22-inch monitor can go up to 1920 x 1080. 20 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited A higher resolution is not always better; the detail of on-screen objects increases, but they also become smaller. Users need to find a happy medium between image detail and readability. Monitor standards The monitor standard combines with the specifications of the video card to determine such things as the potential screen resolution and the number of colours that can be displayed on the screen. Colour Graphics Array (CGA) Enhanced Graphics Array (EGA) um en t CGA was the graphics standard used for the very first IBM computers from 1981, us ing 16 colours for fixed text and 4 colours (white, black, purple, and cyan) for graphics at a maximum resolution of 320 x 200 pixels. Video Graphics Array (VGA) Do c Introduced in 1984, gr aphics chips build on t he EGA standard generated a digital signal for colour and brightness, and therefore were not able to drive a modern, analog signal (VGA) monitor. Sixteen colours were supported for both text and graphics in a resolution of 640 x 350 pixels. The VGA graphics standard was introduced in 1987. VGA supports pixel address abilities of up to 640 x 480 resolution and 16-bit colour (256 colours). VGA was the first analog standard, with a refresh rate of 60 Hz or higher. le Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA) mp SVGA, although not an official standard, is a widely used, enhanced version of VGA. Resolutions of 800 x 600, 1,024 x 768, and higher are supported. Colour depths of 256 to 16.7 million are supported. Extended Graphics Array (XGA) Sa The XGA and XGA+ standards supported a resolution initially of 800 x 600 at high colour, or 65,536 colours. Later it supported 1,024 x 768 resolution at 256 colours, and then up to 1152 x 864. Super Extended Graphics Array (SXGA) The SXGA standard supports a resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 a t high colour. It is the most common native resolution of 17-inch and 19-inch LCD monitors. SXGA+ extended the resolution to 1400 x 1050. SXGA has a slightly different aspect ratio of 5:4, compared to earlier standards' 4:3 ratio. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 21 High Definition (HD) The HD standard is used primarily to refer to televisions rather than computer monitors. Most computer monitors are already capable of HD or higher resolutions over VGA, DVI, or HDMI connections. HD has a vertical resolution of 720 lines, compared to a standard television's 480 or 576 vertical lines. The HD standard has an aspect ratio of 16:9, compared to the 4:3 ratio of standard computer monitors. This makes it suitable for showing theatrical movies, which use the wider aspect. Colour Depth/Bit Depth um en t The colour depth (also called the bit depth) is the amount of information stored about a pixel’s colour. The higher the number of bits that are used to describe the colours of a pixel, the finer the colour detail shown on the screen. Bit depth Number of colours displayed Name of colour depth 4 bit 24 or 16 Standard VGA 8 bit 28 or 256 16 bit 216 or 65,000 24 bit 224 or 16.8 million 256 Colour Mode Do c High Colour The Graphics Card True Colour Sa mp le Just as important as the monitor in enabling the display of graphics is the graphics card, or graphics adapter. The graphics card is responsible for creating the picture displayed by the monitor. It takes the visual output from the computer in digital form and converts it to an analogue signal. The signal is sent to the monitor, which uses it to create the pixels that form an image. In the early days of the PC, the visual output was mostly simple text, so the CPU did all of the video processing. However, with high colour graphics and higher resolutions, today’s accelerated video cards function more as a highly specialised processor for the visual output. In fact, graphics cards have become so powerful that many require their own cooling devices, such as fans, to dissipate the heat they create. 22 US2783 v6 © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited Onboard Video In an effort to save expense, some motherboard manufacturers incorporate the video "card" into the motherboard. Using a system known as Unified Memory Architecture, the video chip set is integrated into the motherboard (the main computer circuit board). Traditionally, this resulted in inferior video performance; however modern video chips are now offering video quality equal to that produced by middle-range graphics cards. Onboard video (and audio) are popular in business settings where the superior graphics performance provided by the latest technology isn't necessary. 3D Graphics Do c um en t Standard video cards support only two-dimensions: height and width, or x and y axes. In recent years, video technology has advanced to include the third dimension of depth (the z axis). This is mainly due to the demand for greater realism, more finely-detailed graphics, and higher screen refresh rates needed in applications such as gaming. The demands of these programs started slowing down the machines they were installed on, requiring more and more advanced graphics cards with 3D capabilities. Sound mp le Far from just displaying text, today's computers are expected to shine in all areas of multimedia: text, images, video, and sound. Because of this, new computers all contain some kind of audio capabilities. Whereas the first computers relied solely on the tiny speaker built into the case, they now offer full stereo. Sa Sound became important with the advent of multimedia CD-ROMs. These days it is common for websites, games, and other programs to include sound. To be able to listen to these sounds you need to have a sound card and speakers. To be able to record sounds yourself you will need a microphone as well. Sound card The sound card is an integrated peripheral used to manipulate sounds. Sound files are stored on the computer in digital format, just like other data. A sound card has a digital-to-analogue converter that converts the digital data into an analogue format that a s peaker can use. The output signal is connected to speakers, an amplifier, headphones, or other device. The sound card is also used to go in the other direction, from analogue to digital. A microphone plugged into a sound card creates and analogue signal that the sound card converts into digital data. © Cherylprice.co.nz Limited US2783 v6 23
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