Unit-1

Chapter-1

Hardware Concepts
• Mainly computer system consists of three parts,
that are central processing unit (CPU), Input Devices
, and Output Devices. The Central Processing Unit
(CPU) is divided into two parts again: arithmetic
logic unit (ALU) and the control unit (CU). The set of
instruction is in the form of raw data.
• Basic Operations of a Computer System
• Input
• Process
• Output
• Store
• Control
 Hardware concepts
• CPU
• Memory
• Input Devices
• Output Devices
 Central Processing Unit
• Central Processing Unit (CPU) consists of the
following features −
• CPU is considered as the brain of the computer.
• CPU performs all types of data processing
operations.
• It stores data, intermediate results, and instructions
(program).
• It controls the operation of all parts of the computer.
• CPU itself has following three components.
• Memory or Storage Unit
• Control Unit
• ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)
 Control unit
• A control unit or CU is circuitry that directs
operations within a computer's processor. It
lets the computer's logic unit, memory, and
both input and output devices know how to
respond to instructions received from a
program. Examples of devices that utilize
control units include CPUs and GPUs.
Control Processing Units(CPUs)
Graphics Processing Units(GPUs)
• A control unit works by receiving input information
that it converts into control signals, which are then
sent to the central processor. The computer's
processor then tells the attached hardware what
operations to carry out. The functions that a control
unit performs are dependent on the type of CPU, due
to the variance of architecture between different
manufacturers. The following diagram illustrates how
instructions from a program are processed.
• Functions of the Control Unit –
• It coordinates the sequence of data movements
into, out of, and between a processor’s many sub-
units.
• It interprets instructions.
• It controls data flow inside the processor.
• It receives external instructions or commands to
which it converts to sequence of control signals.
• It controls many execution units(i.e. ALU, data
buffers and registers) contained within a CPU.
• It also handles multiple tasks, such as fetching,
decoding, execution handling and storing results.
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

• Inside a computer, there is an Arithmetic Logic

Unit (ALU), which is capable of performing
logical operations (e.g. AND, OR, Ex-OR, Invert
etc.) in addition to the arithmetic operations
(e.g. Addition, Subtraction etc.). The control
unit supplies the data required by the ALU from
memory, or from input devices, and directs the
ALU to perform a specific operation based on
the instruction fetched from the memory. ALU
is the “calculator” portion of the computer.
An ALU can be designed by engineers to calculate many different
operations. When the operations become more and more
complex, then the ALU will also become more and more expensive
and also takes up more space in the CPU and dissipates more heat.
That is why engineers make the ALU powerful enough to ensure
that the CPU is also powerful and fast, but not so complex as to
become prohibitive in terms of cost and other disadvantages.
ALU is also known as an Integer Unit (IU). The arithmetic logic unit is that part of the

CPU that handles all the calculations the CPU may need. Most of these operations

are logical in nature. Depending on how the ALU is designed, it can make the CPU

more powerful, but it also consumes more energy and creates more heat.

Therefore, there must be a balance between how powerful and complex the ALU is

and how expensive the whole unit becomes. This is why faster CPUs are more

expensive, consume more power and dissipate more heat.

Different operation as carried out by ALU can be categorized as follows –
• logical operations − These include operations like AND, OR, NOT, XOR, NOR, NAND,
etc.
• Bit-Shifting Operations − This pertains to shifting the positions of the bits by a
certain number of places either towards the right or left, which is considered a
multiplication or division operations.
• Arithmetic operations − This refers to bit addition and subtraction. Although
multiplication and division are sometimes used, these operations are more
expensive to make. Multiplication and subtraction can also be done by repetitive
additions and subtractions respectively.
 Working of CPU
• Before an instruction can be executed, program instructions and data must
be placed into memory from an input device or a secondary storage device
(the process is further complicated by the fact that, as we noted earlier, the
data will probably make a temporary stop in a register). As Figure shows,
once the necessary data and instruction are in memory, the central
processing unit performs the following four steps for each instruction:
1.The control unit fetches (gets) the instruction from memory.
2. The control unit decodes the instruction (decides what it means) and directs
that the necessary data be moved from memory to the arithmetic/logic unit.
These first two steps together are called instruction time, or I-time.
3. The arithmetic/logic unit executes the arithmetic or logical instruction. That
is, the ALU is given control and performs the actual operation on the data.
4. The arithmetic/logic unit stores the result of this operation in memory or in a
register. Steps 3 and 4 together are called execution time, or E-time.
The control unit eventually directs memory to release the result to an output device or a
secondary storage device. The combination of I-time and E-time is called the machine
cycle. Figure shows an instruction going through the machine cycle.
 Clock speed
Each central processing unit has an internal clock that
produces pulses at a fixed rate to synchronize all
computer operations. A single machine-cycle
instruction may be made up of a substantial number
of sub-instructions, each of which must take at least
one clock cycle. Each type of central processing unit is
designed to understand a specific group of instructions
called the instruction set. One cycle is the time it takes
to perform one operation, such as moving a byte of
data from one memory location to another.
 Memory
Memory is the most essential element of a
computing system because without it computer
can’t perform simple tasks. Computer memory is
of two basic type – Primary memory(RAM and
ROM) and Secondary memory(hard drive,CD,etc.).
Random Access Memory (RAM) is primary-volatile
memory and Read Only Memory (ROM) is
primary-non-volatile memory.
 Random Access Memory (RAM)

• It is also called as read write memory or the main

memory or the primary memory.
• The programs and data that the CPU requires during
execution of a program are stored in this memory.
• It is a volatile memory as the data loses when the
power is turned off.
• RAM is further classified into two types- SRAM
(Static Random Access Memory) and DRAM
(Dynamic Random Access Memory).
 Read Only Memory (ROM)
• Stores crucial information essential to operate the system, like the
program essential to boot the computer.
• It is not volatile.
• Always retains its data.
• Used in embedded systems or where the programming needs no change.
• Used in calculators and peripheral devices.
• ROM is further classified into 4 types- ROM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM.
• Types of Read Only Memory (ROM) –
• PROM (Programmable read-only memory) – It can be programmed by
user. Once programmed, the data and instructions in it cannot be changed.
• EPROM (Erasable Programmable read only memory) – It can be
reprogrammed. To erase data from it, expose it to ultra violet light. To
reprogram it, erase all the previous data.
• EEPROM (Electrically erasable programmable read only memory) – The
data can be erased by applying electric field, no need of ultra violet light.
We can erase only portions of the chip.
 Cache Memory

Cache memory is a very high

speed semiconductor memory
which can speed up the CPU. It
acts as a buffer between the CPU
and the main memory. It is used
to hold those parts of data and
program which are most
frequently used by the CPU. The
parts of data and programs are
transferred from the disk to cache
memory by the operating system,
from where the CPU can access
them.
 Secondary Storage Devices
SecondaryStorage
Secondary StorageDevice
Device

Sequential
Sequential Direct
Direct
Access
AccessDevice
Device Access
AccessDevice
Device

Magnetic
Magnetic
Tape
Tape Magnetic Memory
Memory
Magnetic Optical
Disk Optical Storage
Storage
Disk Disk
Disk

Floppy Hard Flash Memory

Memory
Flash
Disk Disk Drive card
card
Drive

CD DVD
CD DVD
 Magnetic Tape memory
In magnetic tape only one side of the ribbon is used for
storing data. It is sequential memory which contains thin
plastic ribbon to store data and coated by magnetic
oxide. Data read/write speed is slower because of
sequential access. It is highly reliable which requires
magnetic tape drive writing and reading data.
 Floppy Disk

The picture shown on this page is

an example of a 3.5" & 5 ¼” floppy
diskette, one of the most
commonly used floppy diskettes,
capable of storing 1.44 MB of data.
To read and write to this diskette it
would be inserted into a
floppy drive.
A floppy disk is a magnetic media
and stores and reads data on the
floppy disk using a read head.
When a 3.5" floppy diskette is inserted
into the drive, the metal slide door is
opened and exposes the magnetic
disk in the floppy diskette. The
read/write head uses a magnetic
polarity of 0 or 1. Reading this as
binary data, the computer can
understand what the data is on the
platter. For the computer to write
Floppy Disk
information to the platter, the
read/write head aligns the magnetic
polarities, writing 0's and 1's that can
be read later.
 Hard Disk(HDD)

A magnetic disk is often referred to as a hard

disk. An HDD is a hard disk drive. The drive is a
mechanical device with many moving parts.
HDDs are sold as sealed units, so the disk
medium and drive mechanism are well
protected from contamination and wear and
tear. Data is represented on the disk surface (a
metal platter) by magnetised dots. Binary data
is represented through the two states of
'magnetised' and 'not-magnetised'.
The read-write process requires
the disk to spin at a high speed.
The speed of rotation is a
crucial factor in measuring the
rate of data access for a
magnetic disk. The faster the
disk spins, the quicker the data
can be retrieved. Standard
drives spin at 5,400 rpm
(revolutions per minute) and
7,200 rpm. Higher-specification
drives (well suited for use as
storage for servers) can spin at
15,000 rpm.
 Principles of operation

• The disk unit usually comprises one or more

metal platters with a magnetic coating. Each
platter is double-sided and the number of
platters will determine the total storage
capacity of the disk. Binary data is stored on
the platters as a series of polarised states.
Each polarised state represents 1 or 0.
Each platter is broken down
into a set of concentric
tracks and the tracks are
further broken down
into sectors. A contiguous
group of sectors is called
a cluster or allocation unit, and
this is the smallest unit of
storage that a file can occupy.
Small files may not take up the
whole cluster, so space is
wasted. Large files will occupy
many clusters.
To read and write data, the device has two
mechanical arms, one for each side of each
platter. At the end of the arm is a read-write
head with a tiny magnet. To reduce wear through
friction, the head does not actually touch the
platter; there is a very thin gap between the head
and the disk surface. The platters spin, typically
at a speed of 7,200 rpm (revolutions per minute).
The head sweeps across the tracks, while the
sectors pass underneath the head as the disk
rotates. This is important because it allows any
cluster to be accessed directly, without having to
read through the entire contents of the disk. This
differs from magnetic tapes (the form of
magnetic storage that disks replaced), which only
allow serial access.
 solid-state drive (SSD)
solid-state drive (SSD) is a solid-state storage device that
uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store
data. SSD are also known as solid-state disk although SSDs
do not have physical disks.
There are no moving mechanical components in SSD. This
makes them different from
conventional electromechanical drives such as hard disk
drives (HDDs) or floppy disks, which contain movable
read/write heads and spinning disks. SSDs are typically
more resistant to physical shock, run silently, have quicker
access time and lower latency compared to
electromechanical devices
 Optical disc

Alternatively referred to as a disc drive, optical media, optical

storage, Optical disc drive, and optical disk, an optical
disc is any media read using a laser assembly. The most
common types of optical media are Blu-ray, CDs, and DVDs.
Computers can read and write to CDs and DVDs using a CD
writer or DVD writer drive, and a Blu-ray is read with a Blu-
ray drive. Drives such as a CD-R and DVD-R drive that read
and write information to discs are known as MO (magneto-
optic).
There are three main types of optical media: CD, DVD, and
Blu-ray disc. CDs can store up to 700 megabytes (MB) of
data, and DVDs can store up to 8.4 GB of data. Blu-ray
discs, which are the newest type of optical media, can store
up to 50 GB of data.
 USB Drive
• Alternatively referred to as a USB flash drive, data
stick, pen drive, memory unit, keychain drive,
and thumb drive, a jump drive is a portable
storage device. It is often the size of a human thumb
(hence the name), and connects to a computer via a USB
port. Flash drives are an easy way to store and transfer
information between computers and range in sizes from
2 GB to 1 TB.
• Unlike a standard hard drive, the flash drive has no
movable parts; it contains only an integrated circuit
memory chip that is used to store data. Flash drives
usually have plastic or aluminium casings surrounding the
memory chip.
 Memory Card

A memory card is a type of storage device that is

used to store videos, photos, or other data files.
It offers a volatile and non-volatile medium to
store data from the inserted device. It is also
referred to as a flash memory. Commonly, it is
used in devices like phones, digital cameras,
laptops, digital camcorders, game consoles, MP3
players, printers, and more.
 Communication Bus
• The electrically conducting path along which data is transmitted
inside any digital electronic device. A Computer bus consists of a
set of parallel conductors, which may be conventional wires,
copper tracks on a PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, or microscopic
aluminum trails on the surface of a silicon chip. Each wire carries
just one bit, so the number of wires determines the largest data
WORD the bus can transmit: a bus with eight wires can carry
only 8- bit data words, and hence defines the device as an 8-bit
device.
• The bus is a communication channel.
• The characteristic of the bus is shared transmission media.
• The limitation of a bus is only one transmission at a time.
• A bus which is used to provide communication between the
major components of a computer is called a System bus.
 Different Types of Computer Buses

1. Address Bus:
Used to carry the address to memory and IO.
Unidirectional.
Based on width of a address bus we can determine the capacity of a main memory
2. Data Bus:
Used to carry the binary data between the CPU, memory and IO.
• Bidirectional.
• Based on the width of a data bus we can determine the word
length of a CPU.
• Based on the word length we can determine the performance of a
CPU.
3. Control Bus:
Used to carry the control signals and timing signals
• Control signals indicates type of operation.
• Timing Signals used to synchronize the memory and IO
operations with a CPU clock.
Types of computer buses
A bus is either a parallel or serial bus, and either an internal bus (local bus) or
an external bus (expansion bus).
Internal bus vs. external bus:
An internal bus enables the communication between internal components,
such as a video card and memory. An external bus is capable of
communicating with external components, such as a USB or SCSI device.
Parallel bus vs. serial bus:
A computer bus can transmit its data using either a parallel or serial method
of communication. With a parallel bus, data is transmitted several bits at a
time. However, with a serial bus, the data is transferred one bit at a time.
 Communication Ports
• A port is a physical docking point using which an
external device can be connected to the computer. It
can also be programmatic docking point through which
information flows from a program to the computer or
over the Internet.
A port has the following characteristics −
• External devices are connected to a computer using
cables and ports.
• Ports are slots on the motherboard into which a cable
of external device is plugged in.
• Examples of external devices attached via ports are the
mouse, keyboard, monitor, microphone, speakers, etc.
Let us now discuss a few important types of ports −
Serial Port
Used for external modems and older computer mouse
Two versions: 9 pin, 25 pin model
Data travels at 115 kilobits per second
Parallel Port
• Used for scanners and printers
• Also called printer port
• 25 pin model
PS/2 Port
• Used for old computer keyboard and mouse
• Also called mouse port
• Most of the old computers provide two PS/2 port, each for the mouse and keyboard

Universal Serial Bus (or USB) Port

• It can connect all kinds of external USB devices such as external hard disk, printer,
scanner, mouse, keyboard, etc.
• It was introduced in 1997.
• Most of the computers provide two USB ports as minimum.
• Data travels at 12 megabits per seconds.
VGA Port
• Connects monitor to a computer's video card.
• It has 15 holes.
• Similar to the serial port connector. However, serial port connector has pins,
VGA port has holes.
Power Connector
• Three-pronged plug.
• Connects to the computer's power cable that plugs into a power bar or wall
socket.
Firewire Port
• Transfers large amount of data at very fast speed.
• Connects camcorders and video equipment to the computer.
• Data travels at 400 to 800 megabits per seconds.
• Invented by Apple.
• It has three variants: 4-Pin FireWire 400 connector, 6-Pin FireWire 400
connector, and 9-Pin FireWire 800 connector.
Modem Port
• Connects a PC's modem to the telephone network
Ethernet Port
• Connects to a network and high speed Internet.
• Connects the network cable to a computer.
• This port resides on an Ethernet Card.
• Data travels at 10 megabits to 1000 megabits per seconds depending
upon the network bandwidth.
Game Port
• Connect a joystick to a PC
• Now replaced by USB
Digital Video Interface, DVI port
• Connects Flat panel LCD monitor to the computer's high-end video
graphic cards.
• Very popular among video card manufacturers.
Sockets
• Sockets connect the microphone and speakers to the sound card of the
computer.
 INPUT DEVICES
An input device is a piece of hardware used to provide data to
a computer used for interaction and control. It allows input of
raw data to the computer for processing.
1) Keyboard
The keyboard is a basic input device that is used to enter data
into a computer or any other electronic device by pressing
keys. It has different sets of keys for letters, numbers,
characters, and functions. Keyboards are connected to a
computer through USB or a Bluetooth device for wireless
communication.
2) Mouse
• The mouse is a hand-held input device which is used to move
cursor or pointer across the screen. It is designed to be used
on a flat surface and generally has left and right button and a
scroll wheel between them. Laptop computers come with a
touchpad that works as a mouse. It lets you control the
movement of cursor or pointer by moving your finger over the
touchpad. Some mouse comes with integrated features such
as extra buttons to perform different buttons.
• Early mouse had a roller ball integrated as a movement sensor
underneath the device. Modern mouse devices come with
optical technology that controls cursor movements by a visible
or invisible light beam. A mouse is connected to a computer
through different ports depending on the type of computer
and type of a mouse.
• Common types of the mouse:
• i) Trackball Mouse:
• It is a stationary input device that has
ball mechanism to move the pointer or
cursor on the screen. The ball is half
inserted in the device and can be easily
rolled with finger, thumb or the palm to
move the pointer on the screen. The
device has sensor to detect the
rotation of ball. It remains stationary;
you don't need to move it on the
operating surface. So, it is an ideal
device if you have limited desk space as
you don't need to move it like a mouse.
ii) Mechanical Mouse:
• It has a system of a ball and several rollers to
track its movement. It is a corded type of
mouse. A mechanical mouse can be used for
high performance. The drawback is that they
tend to get dust into the mechanics and thus
require regular cleaning.
iii) Optical Mouse:
An optical mouse uses optical electronics to track its
movement. It is more reliable than a mechanical
mouse and also requires less maintenance.
However, its performance is affected by the surface
on which it is operated. Plain non-glossy mouse mat
should be used for best results. The rough surface
may cause problems for the optical recognition
system, and the glossy surface may reflect the light
wrongly and thus may cause tracking issues.
iv) Cordless or Wireless Mouse:
• As the name suggests, this type of mouse
lacks cable and uses wireless technology such
as IrDA (infrared) or radio (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi)
to control the movement of the cursor. It is
used to improve the experience of using a
mouse. It uses batteries for its power supply.
 Joystick

A joystick is an input device that can be

used for controlling the movement of
the cursor or a pointer in a computer
device. The pointer/cursor movement
is controlled by maneuvering a lever
on the joystick. The input device is
mostly used for gaming applications
and, sometimes, in graphics
applications. A joystick also can be
helpful as an input device for people
with movement disabilities.
 Light pen

• A light pen is a light-sensitive pointing

input device commonly used to select or
otherwise modify text or data on a screen.
Used with a CRT monitor, these devices were
an early form of manipulating and
highlighting data on the screen
• Light pens were originally developed around
1955 and in the 1960s, they became more
commonly used with graphics terminals, like
the IBM 2250. In the 1980s, light pen usage
expanded to home computers, like the BBC
Micro computer. Some graphics cards also
included a connection for a light pen.
• Today, light pens are no longer used due to
the invention of touch screens.
 Graphics tablet
• A graphics tablet (also known as
a digitizer, drawing tablet, drawing
pad, digital drawing tablet, pen tablet,
or digital art board) is a computer
input device that enables a user to hand-
draw images, animations and graphics, with
a special pen-like stylus, similar to the way a
person draws images with a pencil and
paper. These tablets may also be used to
capture data or handwritten signatures. It
can also be used to trace an image from a
piece of paper that is taped or otherwise
secured to the tablet surface.
• The device consists of a flat surface upon
which the user may "draw" or trace an image
using the attached stylus, a pen-like drawing
apparatus
 Touch screen

A touch screen is a display device that

allows the user to interact with a
computer by using their finger or
stylus. They're a useful alternative
to a mouse or keyboard for
navigating a GUI (graphical user
interface). Touch screens are used
on a variety of devices, such as
computer and laptop displays,
smartphones, tablets, cash
registers, and information kiosks.
Some touch screens use a grid of
infrared beams to sense the
presence of a finger instead of
utilizing touch-sensitive input.
 Microphone

A microphone is an input device that was

developed by Emile Berliner in 1877. It is
used to convert sound waves into electric
waves or input the audio into computers.
It captures audio by converting sound
waves into an electrical signal, which may
be a digital or analog signal. This process
can be implemented by a computer or
other digital audio devices.
 Scanner

The scanner uses the pictures and pages of text as input. It scans the
picture or a document. The scanned picture or document then
converted into a digital format or file and is displayed on the
screen as an output. It uses optical character recognition
techniques to convert images into digital ones. Some of the
common types of scanners are as follows:
Types of Scanner:
i) Flatbed Scanner:
It has a glass pane and a moving optical CIS or CCD array. The
light illuminates the pane, and then the image is placed on the
glass pane. The light moves across the glass pane and scans the
document and thus produces its digital copy. You will need a
transparency adapter while scanning transparent slides.
Handheld Scanner:
It is a small manual scanning device which is
held by hand and is rolled over a flat image
that is to be scanned. The drawback in using
this device is that the hand should be steady
while scanning; otherwise, it may distort the
image. One of the commonly used handheld
scanners is the barcode scanner which you
would have seen in shopping stores.
:
 Sheetfed Scanner:
In this scanner, the document is inserted into
the slot provided in the scanner. The main
components of this scanner include the sheet-
feeder, scanning module, and calibration
sheet. The light does not move in this scanner.
Instead, the document moves through the
scanner. It is suitable for scanning single page
documents, not for thick objects like books,
magazines, etc.
 Drum Scanner
Drum scanner has a photomultiplier
tube (PMT) to scan images. It does not
have a charge-coupled device like a
flatbed scanner. The photomultiplier
tube is extremely sensitive to light. The
image is placed on a glass tube, and
the light moves across the image,
which produces a reflection of the
image which is captured by the PMT
and processed. These scanners have
high resolution and are suitable for
detailed scans.
 Photo Scanner
It is designed to scan photographs. It has
high resolution and color depth, which
are required for scanning photographs.
Some photo scanners come with in-built
software for cleaning and restoring old
photographs.
 Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed

text. OCR scans the text optically, character by
character, converts them into a machine
readable code, and stores the text on the
system memory.
 Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

• OMR is a special type of optical scanner used

to recognize the type of mark made by pen or
pencil. It is used where one out of a few
alternatives is to be selected and marked.
 Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

MICR input device is generally used in

banks as there are large number of
cheques to be processed every day.
The bank's code number and cheque
number are printed on the cheques
with a special type of ink that
contains particles of magnetic
material that are machine readable.
This reading process is called
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
(MICR). The main advantages of MICR
is that it is fast and less error prone.
 Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar

coded data (data in the form of light and dark lines).
Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods,
numbering the books, etc. It may be a handheld
scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner.
Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it
into an alphanumeric value, which is then fed to the
computer that the bar code reader is connected to.
 Digital camera
• It is a digital device as it captures images and records
videos digitally and then stores them on a memory
card. It is provided with an image sensor chip to
capture images, as opposed to film used by traditional
cameras. Besides this, a camera that is connected to
your computer can also be called a digital camera.
• It has photosensors to record light that enters the
camera through the lens. When the light strikes the
photosensors, each of the sensors returns the
electrical current, which is used to create the images.
 Webcam

Any camera which is connected to a computer is called a

webcam. The in-built camera provided on a computer
can also be considered a webcam. It is an input device as
it can take pictures, and can be used to record videos if
required. The pictures and videos are stored in the
computer memory and can be displayed on the screen if
required. Although it works almost the same as the
digital camera, it is different from a digital camera, as it
is designed to take compact digital photos that can be
uploaded easily on the webpages and shared with
others through the internet.
 Biometric Devices

Biometrics refers to a process in which a person

is identified through his or her biological
features such as fingerprints, eye cornea, face
structure, etc. It is done by using biometric
devices, which can be of different types based
on their scanning features and abilities, such
as:
i) Face Scanner: It is designed to identify a
person by scanning his or her face. It takes the
face measurements of a person. For example,
the distance between eyes, nose, and mouth,
etc., accordingly, it confirms the identity of a
person. Besides this, it is smart enough to
differentiate between a person's picture and
the real person.
 ii) Hand Scanner
The hand of a person can also be
used to verify his or her identity as
every person has a unique pattern
of veins in the palm, just like
fingerprints. This device takes
advantage of this feature; it
identifies a person by scanning the
palm of his hand. It uses infrared
light to scan veins' patterns and
blood flowing in them. Palm is
even more unique than
fingerprints.
 iii) Fingerprint Scanner

• It scans the fingerprints to identify people or for

biometric authentication. This device is developed,
keeping in mind the fact that no two persons in the
world can have the same fingerprints. It is widely used in
companies as a fingerprint attendance system to mark
the attendance of employees. This type of scanners
captures the pattern of valleys and ridges found on a
finger and store it in the memory or database. When you
press your finger on the given space, it verifies the
identity by using its pattern-matching software.
 iv) Retina or Iris Scanner
• It scans the retina or iris of a person's eye to confirm the
identity. This device is more secure than others as it is
next to impossible to copy the retina or iris. It works by
mapping the retina's blood vessel patterns of the eye.
The blood vessels of retina absorb light more easily as
well as can be identified with appropriate lighting.
• In this scan, a beam of low-energy infrared light falls on
the retina through the scanner's eyepiece. Then, the
software captures the network of blood vessels in the
retina and uses it to verify a person's identity.
 v) Voice Scanner
It records the voice of a person and digitizes it to
create a distinctive voice print or template. The
voiceprints are stored in the database, and are
used to verify the voice of a person to confirm
his or her identity. The person is required to
speak in the normal or same voice that was
used to create a voice template. It is not much
reliable as it can be misused using a tape
recording.
 Output Devices

• The output device displays the result of the

processing of raw data that is entered in the computer
through an input device. There are a number of
output devices that display output in different ways
such as text, images, hard copies, and audio or video.
• Some of the popular output devices are:
i. Monitors
ii. Printers
iii. Plotters
iv. Projectors
v. speakers
 Monitors

• Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display

Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a
computer. It forms images from tiny dots,
called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular
form. The sharpness of the image depends
upon the number of pixels.
There are two kinds of viewing screen used for
monitors.
• Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)
• Flat-Panel Display
 Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

• CRT monitors are based on the cathode ray tubes. They are
like vacuum tubes which produce images in the form of
video signals. Cathode rays tube produces a beam of
electrons through electron guns that strike on the inner
phosphorescent surface of the screen to produce images
on the screen. The monitor contains millions of
phosphorus dots of red, green and blue color. These dots
start to glow when struck by electron beams and this
phenomenon is called cathodoluminescence.
• The main components of a CRT monitor include the
electron gun assembly, deflection plate assembly,
fluorescent screen, glass envelope, and base. The front
(outer surface) of the screen onto which images are
produced is called the face plate. It is made up of fiber
optics.
• Although LCDs have replaced the CRT monitors, the CRT
monitors are still used by graphics professionals because of
their color quality.
 Flat-Panel Display Monitor

The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have

reduced volume, weight and power requirement in
comparison to the CRT. You can hang them on walls or wear
them on your wrists. Current uses of flat-panel displays include
calculators, video games, monitors, laptop computer, and
graphics display.
• The flat-panel display is divided into two categories −
• Emissive Displays − Emissive displays are devices that convert
electrical energy into light. For example, plasma panel and LED
(Light-Emitting Diodes).
• Non-Emissive Displays − Non-emissive displays use optical
effects to convert sunlight or light from some other source into
graphics patterns. For example, LCD (Liquid-Crystal Device).
 LCD Monitor

It is based on liquid crystal display technology which is used in

the screens of laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. An LCD screen
comprises two layers of polarized glass with a liquid crystal
solution between them. When the light passes through the first
layer, an electric current aligns the liquids crystals. The aligned
liquid crystals allow a varying level of light to pass through the
second layer to create images on the screen.
Modern LCDs use active-matrix technology and contain thin film
transistors (TFTs) with capacitors. This technology allows pixels to
retain their charge. So, they don?t make screen blurry when
images move fast on the screen as well as are more efficient than
passive-matrix displays.
 LED monitor

The LED monitor is an improved version of an

LCD monitor. It also has a flat panel display
and uses liquid crystal display technology like
the LCD monitors. The difference between
them lies in the source of light to backlight
the display. The LED monitor has many LED
panels, and each panel has several LEDs to
backlight the display, whereas the LCD
monitors use cold cathode fluorescent light
to backlight the display. Modern electronic
devices such as mobile phones, LED TVs,
laptop and computer screens, etc., use a LED
display as it not only produces more
brilliance and greater light intensity but also
consumes less power.
 Plasma Monitor

• The plasma monitor is also a flat panel display

that is based on plasma display technology. It
has small tiny cells between two glass panels.
These cells contain mixtures of noble gases and
a small amount of mercury. When voltage is
applied, the gas in the cells turns into a plasma
and emits ultraviolet light that creates images
on the screen, i.e., the screen is illuminated by a
tiny bit of plasma, a charged gas. Plasma displays
are brighter than liquid crystal displays (LCD)
and also offer a wide viewing angle than an LCD.
• Plasma monitors provide high resolutions of up
to 1920 X 1080, excellent contrast ratios, wide
viewing angle, a high refresh rate and more.
Thus, they offer a unique viewing experience
while watching action movies, sports games, and
 Printer
A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic
data stored on a computer or other device and generates a hard copy.
There are two types of printers −
• Impact Printers
• Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers
• Impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon, which
is then pressed on the paper.
Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following −
• Very low consumable costs
• Very noisy
• Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
• There is physical contact with the paper to produce an image
These printers are of two types −
• Character printers
• Line printers
Character Printers
• Character printers are the printers which print one
character at a time.
These are further divided into two types:
• Dot Matrix Printer(DMP)
• Daisy Wheel
Dot Matrix Printer
• In the market, one of the most popular printers is Dot
Matrix Printer. These printers are popular because of
their ease of printing and economical price. Each
character printed is in the form of pattern of dots and
head consists of a Matrix of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9,
9*7 or 9*9) which come out to form a character
which is why it is called Dot Matrix Printer.
Daisy Wheel
• Head is lying on a wheel and pins
corresponding to characters are like petals of
Daisy (flower) which is why it is called Daisy
Wheel Printer. These printers are generally
used for word-processing in offices that
require a few letters to be sent here and there
with very nice quality.
 Line Printers
• Line printers are the printers which print one
line at a time.

These are of two types −

Drum Printer
Chain Printer
Drum Printer
This printer is like a drum in shape hence it is called drum printer. The surface of the drum is
divided into a number of tracks. Total tracks are equal to the size of the paper, i.e. for a paper
width of 132 characters, drum will have 132 tracks. A character set is embossed on the track.
Different character sets available in the market are 48 character set, 64 and 96 characters set.
One rotation of drum prints one line. Drum printers are fast in speed and can print 300 to
2000 lines per minute.
Chain Printer
• In this printer, a chain of character sets is
used, hence it is called Chain Printer. A
standard character set may have 48, 64, or 96
characters.
 Non-impact Printers
Non-impact printers print the characters
without using the ribbon. These printers print
a complete page at a time, thus they are also
called as Page Printers.
These printers are of two types −
• Laser Printers
• Inkjet Printers
 Laser printers

• The laser printer is one of the common personal computer printers. It was
introduced in 1971, and after that it was developed at Xerox PARC by Gary
Starkweather. It uses the laser or non-impact photocopier technology to
print the text and images on the paper. Whenever it gets input to print
any document, a laser beam draws the document on the selenium-coated
drum with the help of electric charges.
• When the drum is charged, it is rolled in toner (dry ink powder). The ink
follows the image, which has charged on the drum. The ink is combined
with the paper, including heat and pressure, then transferred on a chunk
(piece) of paper.
• When the document is printed, the excess toner is collected, and an
electric charge is removed from the drum. Most of the laser printers are
capable of printing only in monochrome. The monochrome laser printer is
around ten times cheaper than a color laser printer.
 Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new
technology. They print characters by spraying small drops of ink onto
paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output with presentable
features.
They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many
styles of printing modes available. Color printing is also possible. Some
models of Inkjet printers can produce multiple copies of printing also.
There are many differences between a laser printer and inkjet printer, such
as:
• The laser printer contains dry ink, while an inkjet contains wet ink.
• An inkjet printer is approximately ten times more expensive than the laser
printer as it requires replacing the ink very frequently.
• If a paper is wet, the inkjet printer will print the document with blur, but
the laser printer will print clear. The inkjet printer is suitable for printing
fewer documents, while the laser printer has the ability to print more
documents.
 Plotter
A plotter is a hardware device or a printer, which was first invented
by Remington-Rand in 1953. It is developed to print vector graphics
and uses a pencil, pen, marker, or other writing tools for drawing
continuous lines instead of using ink or tonner. It is widely used to
print a hard copy of schematics and other similar applications.
There are several types of plotter given in the below list:
• Drum plotter: It is also known as roller plotter. It turns the paperback
and forth on a drum while pens move left and right. With the help of
combining these two directions, the line can be drawn in any
direction.
• Flatbed plotter: In flatbed plotter, a paper is placed
on a large horizontal surface. A traveling bar moves
across the surface and draws the lines.
• Electrostatic plotter: It draws on paper that is
charged negatively with positively charged ink or
tonner.
• Inkjet Plotter: It is a type of Pinch Roller Plotter,
which produces an image with the help of
showering little drops of ink on the paper.
• Cutting Plotter: It is a new generation device that
allows users to cut different shapes. It is mainly
used for advertising, sign-making, bill board, and
vehicle graphics.