Guru
Introduction
In the computer system, buildings grow fast and large variety gadgets work together to provide input/output abilities or high level data processing and storage requirements. In order to understand how computer systems work and cooperate with users, one should have a basic knowledge of types of devices in these systems. This blog will discuss the major types of devices that are part and parcel computer systems, their functions and roles in modern-day computing.
Input Devices
- Information is entered into a computer through input devices. An input device converts input information into suitable binary form acceptable to a computer. The commonly used input device is a keyboard. Several input devices which do not require typing of input information have been developed, for example, mouse, joystick, light pen, graphic tablet, touch screen and trackballs.Each of these allows users to select one of the items or images displayed on the screen.
- Therefore, these devices are called pointing devices. The required input is fed to the computer when control button is pressed. In industrial control electrical signals representing physical or electrical quantities such as temperature, pressure, force, current, voltage, frequency, etc.are entered a computer for their measurement and control. The sensors,transducers and data acquisition system act as input devices.
- Nowadays voice input systems have also been developed. A microphone is used as an input device. In many applications, computers with vision are required, for example, robots, computer-based security system, etc. The input systems for this type of computers use optical system, semiconductor devices sensitive to light, devices based on ultrasonic waves, etc.
- Such input devices produce digital signals corresponding to images,pictures etc. A multimedia computer accepts input in the form of text,images, graphics and voice.
Output Devices
- The output devices receive results and other information from the computer and provide them to users. The computer sends information to an output device in the binary form. An output device converts it into a suitable form convenient to users such as printed form, display on a screen, voice output, etc. In some applications the computer’s output may also be converted by an output unit in the form which can be used as an input to other devices, equipment, machines, etc.
- This is particularly true in industrial applications. The commonly used output devices are CRT screen and printers. Other output devices are LEDs (light emitting diodes), LCDs (liquid crystal displays), plasma displays, plotters, microfilm, microfiche,speaker or telephone system, etc.
- The display screen is also called monitor or CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display. Two types of display units are available: monochrome and colour monitor. Monochrome monitor displays texts in a single colour: blue, white, yellow or amber.A colour monitor displays text or graphics in multicolour. It may be desired in art/graphics applications. For graphics display,
screens of higher resolutions are required. To provide higher resolution, screens contain more number of pixels to display text or images.
Storage devices
Storage devices save and reap data for long term use or intermittent purpose within the framework of computer systems.These devices include:
- Hard Disk Drives (HDDs): HDDs store and retrieve data through rotating magnetic disks; these devices provide large capacity storages for operating systems, applications and user files.
- Solid State Drives (SSDs): Solid state drives utilise flash memory in their operation and digitally store data electronically granting him much higher read / write speeds as wells more endurance than magnetic hard disks.
- USB Flash Drives: The USB flash drives offer a portable storage option which allows data to be transferred and stored between different computer systems.
- Memory Cards: It means these kinds of memory are very small and removable devices which we use in digital cameras, smartphones as well as other mobile stuff that often move from place to another with us.
- Optical Discs: Due to the use of laser, optical discs such as CDs and DVD are utilizable in distributing software through their properties that allow carrying out this type of activity feature.
Conclusion
Diversity of devices within computer systems could readily depict the multi-dimensional nature of modern computing whereby a variety of applications and requirements as seems to be demanded can apply quite comfortably. Human computer interaction devices like the input/output device both facilitate introduction and reception of information from a human to processor, storage Processing or output is also essential as otherwise there would be no way in which data could have been either stored for future use or used immediately to process accounts reprocess some critical surveys. The knowledge of the categories and functions for a variety devices allows users to make appropriate choices regarding vehicles selection, as well as configuring computer systems according to their needs.