Chapter 6, 7, & 8

Computer Hardware

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The System Unit

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Speed, capacity, and flexibility determine the power of microcomputers.

Knowledge of a computer’s power allows you to make good buying decisions and to determine if your current system will run new applications.

Competent end users need to understand the basic principles of how microcomputers are put together. These principles will be covered in this chapter.

Introduction

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System Unit

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• Desktop System Units

• Media Center System Units

• Notebook System Units

• Tablet PC System Units

• Handheld Computer System Units

System Unit Types

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• Connects all components• Allows communication between devices • Main board or motherboard• Circuit board

electronic components– Sockets– Slots– Bus lines

System Board

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• Central Processing Unit (CPU)• Two Basic Components

– Control unit– Arithmetic-logic unit (ALU)

Microprocessor Chips

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• Chip capacities are expressed in word sizes • Two Recent Significant Developments

– 64-bit processors• Have become standard for most of

today’s desktop and laptop computers– Multi-Core Chips

• Can provide two separate and independent CPUs

• Parallel processing

Microprocessor Chips

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• Holding area for data, instructions, and information

• Memory is contained on chips connected to the system board

• Types of memory chips– RAM – ROM– Flash

Memory

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• Random Access Memory (RAM) chips hold the program and data– Cache memory or RAM cache– Flash RAM or flash memory

• Other types of RAM– DRAM– SDRAM– DDR– Direct RDRAM

RAM

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• Read-only memory (ROM) chips are not volatile and cannot be changed by the user

• CPU can read, or retrieve data and programs but the computer cannot write

• Contain special instructions– Needed to start a computer– Give keyboard keys their special capabilities– Put characters on screen

ROM

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• Flash memory offers a combination of the features of RAM and ROM.

• Flash memory is used for a wide of range of applications.

• If changes are made to the computer system, these changes are reflected in flash memory.

Flash

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• Allow for new devices to be added– Open architecture– Slots provide for expansion

• Expansion cards are also called …– Plug-in boards– Controller cards– Adapter cards– Interface cards

Expansion Slots and Cards

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• Graphics cards• Sound cards• Modem cards• Network interface cards (NIC)• PC cards and Express cards• TV tuner cards

Commonly Used Expansion Cards

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• Set of specific hardware and software standards developed by Intel, Microsoft, and others

• Creating devices that are able to configure themselves when installed

Plug and Play

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• Connect parts of the CPU to each other • Data roadway for traveling bits

– Measured as bus width– More lanes, faster traffic

• Two basic categories– System buses– Expansion buses

Bus Lines

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Ports

• Socket for connecting external devices • Ports can connect directly to the system board or

they can connect to cards that are inserted into slots on the system board

• Three Types– Standard Ports– Legacy Ports – Specialized Ports

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• Four common ports– VGA– USB ports– FireWire ports– Ethernet ports

Standard Ports

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• Serial ports

• Parallel ports

• Keyboard and mouse ports • Game ports

• Infrared data association (IrDA)

Legacy Ports

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• Three specialized ports– Musical Instrument digital interface (MIDI)– Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format (S/PDIF)– High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)

Specialized Ports

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• Used to connect exterior devices to the system unit via the ports

• One end of the cable is attached to the device and the other end has a connector that is attached to a matching connector on the port

Cables

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• Computers require direct current (DC)• DC power provided by converting alternating

current (AC) from wall outlets or batteries • Desktop computers use power supply units• Notebooks and handhelds use AC adapters

Power Supply

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Input & Output

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• Do you ever wonder how information gets into your computer and comes out in a form you can use? – Input devices convert what we understand

into what the system unit can process– Output devices convert what the system unit

has processed into a form that we can understand

– Input and output devices are the focus of this chapter

Introduction

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• Any data or instructions used by a computer• Input devices

– Hardware• Keyboards• Pointing devices• Scanning devices• Other devices

– Translates data into a form that the system unit can process

What is Input?

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• Mice– Mechanical– Optical – Cordless

or wireless

• Three similar devices to mice– Trackball– Touch pads– Pointing stick

Pointing Devices (Page 1 of 2)

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• Joystick

• Touch Screen

– Multi-touch screen

• Stylus

Pointing Devices (Page 2 of 2)

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• Optical scanners– Flatbed scanners– Document scanners – Portable scanners

• Card Readers– Magnetic card readers– Radio Frequency card readers

Scanning Devices

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• Digital cameras– Images recorded digitally on a disk – Images can be downloaded to a computer

• Digital video cameras– Records motion digitally – Can take still images as well– WebCams

• Specialized digital video cameras• Broadcast

images over the Internet

Image Capturing Devices

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Audio-Input Devices

• Voice recognition systems– Use a microphone, a

sound card, and special software

– Users can operate computers and create documents using voice commands

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• Processed data or information• Types of output

– Text– Graphics/Photos– Audio & video

• Output devices– Monitors– Printers– Other Devices

What is Output?

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• Known as screens or display screens• Output referred to as soft copy • Features

– Resolution/pixels– Dot pitch– Refresh rate– Size

Monitors (Page 1 of 2)

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• Cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors• Flat-panel monitors

– Require less power to operate– Portable and thinner than CRTs

• Other monitors– E-books readers– Data projectors– High-definition television (HDTV)

Monitors (Page 2 of 2)

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• Translates information that has been processed by the system unit

• Output referred to as hard copy• Features

– Resolution– Color capability– Speed– Memory

Printers (Page 1 of 2)

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• Ink-jet printer • Laser printer

– Personal laser printers

– Shared laser printers • Thermal printer• Other printers

– Dot-matrix printers– Plotters– Photo printers– Portable printers

Printers (Page 2 of 2)

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• Translates audio information from the computer into sounds that people can understand

• Common devices– Speakers– Headphones

• Digital Music Players– iPod– iRiver

Audio-Output Devices

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• Fax machines• Multifunctional Devices (MFD)• Internet telephones

– Known as Internet telephony– IP telephony– Voice-over IP (VoIP)– Three approaches

Combination Input and Output Devices

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Secondary Storage

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Data storage has expanded from text and numeric files to include digital music files, photographic files, video files, and much more.

These new types of files require secondary storage devices with much greater capacity than floppy disks.

In this chapter, you will learn about the many types of secondary storage devices including their capabilities and limitations.

Introduction

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Storage

• Primary storage– Volatile storage– Temporary

storage

• Secondary storage– Nonvolatile storage– Permanent storage

• Secondary storage characteristics – Media– Capacity– Storage devices– Access speed

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Secondary Storage Devices

• Provides permanent or nonvolatile storage

• Data and programs can be retained after the computer has been shut off

• Most desktop microcomputer systems have hard and optical disk drives

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• Use thicker, metallic platters for storage• Faster than a floppy diskette• Large capacity• Sensitive instruments • There are three types of hard disks:

– Internal Hard Disk– External Hard Disks– Digital Versatile Discs

• Performance Enhancements

Hard Disks

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Materials that Cause a Head Crash

• Head crash is a disaster for a hard disk

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• Located inside system unit

• Designated as the C drive

• Advantages over other removable

media

– Capacity

– Access speed

Internal Hard Disk

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• Removable hard disks

• Used to complement internal

hard disk

• Capacities of 20 to 500 GB

External Hard Disks

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PC Card Hard Disks

Hard-disk cartridge

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• Solid –state drives (SSDs)• Flash memory cards

– Widely used in notebook computers– Used to record MP3 music files

• USB Drives – Flash drives– Very compact– Capacity from 1 GB to 256 GB

Solid-State Storage

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• Hold over 50 gigabytes of data• Attributes

– Lands

– Pits

• Three types– Compact Disc (CD)

– Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)

– Hi-Def Disc

Optical Disks

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• Optical format• From 650 MB to 1 GB capacity• Rotation speeds vary • Three basic types

– Read only: CD-ROM– Write once: CD-R– Rewriteable: CD-RW

Compact Disc

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• DVD stands for digital versatile disk or digital video disk

• DVD-ROM

• DVD+R and DVD-R

• DVD+RW, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM

Digital Versatile Disks

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• Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc (DVD)• Similar to CDs, but can store more data• Three basic types

– Read only: DVD-ROM– Write once: DVD+R; DVD-R– Rewritable: DVD+RW; DVD-RW; DVD-RAM

Digital Versatile Disc

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• Next generation of optical disc• Far greater capacity than DVDs• Three basic types

– Read only– Write once– Rewriteable

• Two competing hi def formats– HD DVD– Blu-Ray

High-Definition Disc

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• Online storage services

• Floppy disks

• Magnetic tape

Other Types of Secondary Storage

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