Input and output devices

Input devices are used to put data into the computer: A processor does something with
the information given by the input device.
Output devices are used to tell someone or something the results that the processor
came up with.
The backing storage keeps all the data and the software that is used

Processor (main memory)

Output device

Input device

Storage device

 Categories of input devices

Manual input devices: these are devices used by people to enter data into the computer
themselves.
Direct data entry:(DDE) devices: Such as optical mark readers or a bar code reader,
which enable data to be entered directly, without having a human to input it manually

 Types of manual input devices

 Audio input
 Keying input
 Pointing input
 Photo video input

 Examples;
 Keyboards:These are input devices used to enter fixed values, into the computer
system
 Pointing devices, such as a mouse, a touchpad, or a tracker ball
 Joystick or driving wheel
 Touchscreen
 Scanners
  Remote control
 Digital cameras, including webcam, video camera
 Microphone
 Graphics tablet
 Voice recorders
 Auto cables
 Web cams, digital cams, CCTV cams, video cams

 Keyboards and keypads

 Keyboards:These are input devices used to enter fixed values, into the computer system
 Qwerty keyboard: this is the most common type of key board, used to type letters,
numbers, and punctuation into a computer
 Concept keyboards: unlike qwerty keyboards,these allow the user to to decide what
each of the keys stand for and they can be changed as necessary. They are used when
the user has a difficulty using normal keyboards so they use a concept one so they can
define their keys
 Numeric keypads: most qwerty keyboards have a section on the right with a group of
keys representing digits from 0-9 arranged in a rectangle. They are used mostly by
shoppers to input their PIN numbers when they pay for something by card.

 Pointing devices

 Mice: a mouse is a device that allows you to move the pointer on the screen and to
make choices by clicking the mouse buttons. A typical mouse has a ball underneath. As
the mouse is pushed around the desk, the ball is detected and sent to the computer,
which makes the pointer move.
o Advantages;

They provide a fast method of input

They are intuitive to use because they simply involve pointing at things
o Disadvantages;
Mice can easily be damaged or vandalized
The blind cant use it
Mice need a flat surface to move around on

 Touchpads: a mouse is sometimes not a good way to control the pointer. A computer
has a touchpad so incase of lack of a flat surface, one can use a touch pad. It is a
flat area that controls the pointer. Most touchpads have the left and right click
function that let you do other stuff.
 Tracker balls: these are upside down like a mechanical mouse. The ball is rolled
around directly by the user rather than being moved by the whole mouse being
pushed. It can also be used by disabled people and its stationary and it doesn’t need
a surface to be moved around on. It can be built into a machine and it cant get as
damaged like a mouse. Although it can be difficult to use in some applications.
  Joysticks: this doe the same functions like a mouse. It can move any character in
any application. It makes controlling an aircraft simpler to understand. It controls
motorized movement. Although it is more difficult to use as a pointer unlike a mouse.
 Touchscreens:hese can be found on PCs, tablets, and smartphones. It is both an input and
output device. It can determine where the user inputs information that’s going to the
processor.
 Types of touchscreens
Resistive: which means it is sensitive to pressure from your finger. It is inexpensive and
you can you can use your finger or anything you can point with.
Capacitive: which means the screen is sensitive to your body’s electric field. It senses
your finger from a distance and you don’t need to touch it. They are more responsive
and you can use different gestures.

o Advantages of touch screens

They are diificult to vandalize

They are largely waterproof
They need no computer knowledge to be able to operate them
Fewer staff are needed because customers can use them.
Disadvantage: the disabled cant use them
 Graphic tablets: this is a very large touch pad that accepts input from a pen or stylus.
It uses motion detection technology it senses the pen and senses the information to
the computer. They are used for copying drawings to the computer because they just
need to trace over the drawing.
Advantage: the ease of drawing to the users satisfaction
Disadvantage: it can be difficult to rate the exact positon of the pen.

 Sensors

This is a device that collects data a sensor collects data all the time on its
own. All sensors measure some physical property that can have any value
within limits. A sensor doesn’t make a decision.
Advantages:

o They are more reliable than a human because they cant forgrt to take
readings
o They don’t take inaccurate readings
o It can go anywhere where readings need to be taken.

Disadvantages:
o They need a power source.
 Temperature sensors: they read the temperature of their surroundings and
send readings to the processor. They control the temperature in green
houses, the heat reaction in a science experiment and more.
 Pressure sensors: they measure pressures and send to the processor. A
pressure pad could be put under a carpet for example, if somethind presses
the pad then the pressure is sent to the processor. The processor decides
whether the pressure is enough to be a human, then an alarm goes on. So in
that case the sensor couldn’t decide whether it was a human who stepped or
not.
 Light sensors: they measure the amount of light falling on them. It could be
put in a car to send the amount of light ot the processor, then it decides
whether it is dark and the light should go on.

 Inputting images: scanners and cameras

 Scanners: this is a device that shines light at a drawing or a photograph

and can interpret the reflected light so that the image can be stored in a
computer system. Most scanners have a flat sheet of glass on which a
hard copy is placed. One advantage is is that hard copies can be
changed into softcopy so that it can be edited. They are often used for
3 different types of input like; images from hard copy material, optical
character recognition(OCR)from hard copy text, optical mark reading
(OMR)from specially prepared hard copy forems. A disadvantage is they
can reduce the quality of the image

 Digital cameras take pictures using a series of sensors that are arranged
in a grid; when all of the individual pin-pricks of colour are put together
they make a picture. These little areas of colour are called pixels (‘picture
elements’). The more pixels that are used, the better the quality of the
picture. The camera records the pictures either in flash memory or on a
removable media card . This card can be used to upload the picture into
the computer; alternatively, most cameras can be connected to the
computer using a USB cable, or via WiFi, to upload the images directly.

 Video cameras and webcams Video cameras are used to make electronic
motion pictures. A video camera can be linked to a computer in order to
feed the video directly into the computer. Once stored in the computer, the
video can be edited directly and incorporated into websites or stored on a
portable storage medium. Video footage can also be taken using digital
cameras and mobile phones. Webcams are a special category of video
camera that have no storage capacity but are connected directly to a
computer. Laptops may have a webcam built in to the lid, just above the
screen. Another type of webcam can be plugged into a desktop computer
 and used that way. Webcams are dedicated devices so they can be left on
permanently if necessary. A disadvantage is that they need to be
connected to a computer because they have no storage.
 Inputting sounds and music

Microphones can be used to allow a computer to convert sounds into data

that it can handle. This can be used in a number of different applications, for
example in adding speech to a presentation that has been produced using a
piece of presentation software. Microphones also allow people’s speech to be
translated into text that can then be used by a word processor. Microphones
can be used by disabled people; they use them to input data when using a
more common input device is not possible for them. A disadvantage is that
the software used to translate the spoken word into text to be used in a word
processor can be unreliable and has to be trained.

MIDI keyboards A music or MIDI keyboard can act as an input device Midi
keyboard and interface It needs to be connected to the computer system
using a MIDI interface, a special type of interface that translates the signal
coming from the keyboard into electronic data that the computer can handle.
For example, when a key is pressed on the keyboard, the MIDI turns that
input into the pitch, duration and so on of the note, which can be used to
reproduce the note electronically.

The disadvantage of this form of input is that the useer needs to have musical
ability! However, storing MIDI data this way takes less space than storing
sound samples. This technology is widely used for digitally recording and
editing music. It also lets one musician play many instruments on the same
recording.

 Remote controls

Remote controls A remote control is a small, handheld device that can be

used to operate equipment such as a TV or stereo. It has a number of
buttons. When a button is pressed, the remote control sends an infrared
signal to the equipment. Each signal contains a code; there are enough
different codes to allow all the buttons to have their own code so that the
equipment knows what to do.

Their main advantage is convenience.

A disadvantage is that the signal can interfere with other equipment and can
be blocked by objects between the remote control and the equipment it
controls.

 Direct data entry

Most of the input devices discussed so far in this chapter have required a
person to enter the data using manual input devices, but there are other
methods that allow data to be entered directly, without human intervention.
These are direct data entry methods, used when large amounts of similar
data need to be entered, often in commercial or business applications.

 OCR and OMR

If you have a hard copy of a text document you can scan it into your
computer where you can use special software to turn it into text that can be
used by a word processor. This is known as optical character recognition
(OCR) because it attempts to recognise each character in the text. OCR
software compares the shape of each character with the shapes that it knows
and, when it is matched, the computer stores the fact that it is a letter ‘R’, for
example. This can make the input of data from hardcopy documents much
quicker than retyping them. OCR software can also be used to read data from
passports or identity cards directly into the computer.

A disadvantage is that the text produced is not always reliable, particularly if

the hard-copy original is unclear or has smudged text. A scanner can also be
used to scan a sheet of paper looking for marks on the paper, such as
answers to multiple-choice exam questions or even votes in an election.

This is known as optical mark recognition or optical mark reading (OMR).

OMR scanning aims to find the marks on the paper; it is not interested in their
shape, only where they are (see Figure 2.09). The advantage of this method
of input is that it is extremely fast because there is only a small amount of
data on a sheet and it is far more accurate than other methods for this type of
data. The disadvantages are that the sheets will not be read accurately
unless they are properly lined up, and that dirty marks on the paper might be
misinterpreted by the system as marks to be input.

 MICR

MICR stands for magnetic ink character recognition. This technology is used
by banks to add data to the bottom of bank cheques so that it can be read
into a computer quickly and accurately. The ink used to print the characters
has magnetic characteristics that can absorb and emit a magnetic signal.
When the cheque passes through a special scanner, the part of it with the
magnetic ink goes over a magnet to charge the ink before it goes on to the
MICR read head The read head reads the magnetic signal emitted by the
magnetic ink on the cheque because each character produces a unique
waveform. But have you noticed that the numbers can be read by humans as
well?
  Bar code readers

A bar code is a set of short parallel lines in contrasting colours, often black
and white. The dark lines are thick, medium or thin. If they are taken in pairs
of dark and pairs of light lines they can stand for the digits 0 to 9. These can
then be read as a code number.Bar codes are read by devices that shine a
laser at them and then read the reflection to tell how thick the lines are. Using
a bar code for data entry is much faster than using a keyboard. It is also more
accurate because a human can make mistakes. The information contained in
a bar code on a typical supermarket product is:

• country of origin number

• manufacturer number

• item number

• check digit.

NB; DISADVANTAGE; they can store computer viruses and it requires a

digital device to be used.

 RFID
The price of the item is NOT in the bar code. RFID ( Radio-Frequency
Identification), and an RFID reader will typically consist of a small chip and an
antenna. An RFID reader will take data from an RFID tag attached to an item
when it is within range. An RFID device has similar uses to a bar code or the
magnetic stripe on the back of a credit card in that once it is scanned it
provides a unique identifier for the object it is attached to. Almost anything
can have an RFID tag. RFID has three elements: a scanning antenna, a
decoder to interpret the data and the RFID tag itself which will have been
programmed with information.
An advantage of RFID is that the chips do not need to be positioned precisely
on the scanner like a barcode does because RFID devices work within a few
metres of the scanner. Sometimes the chips can clash: a reader collision is
when a signal from more than one reader reads the chip or tag; a tag collision
is when lots of tags are together in a very small space.

 Magnetic stripe readers

On credit cards, bank cards, library cards and hotel room card keys you may
see a black magnetic stripe (Figure 2.11). This cannot store much
information, but many tasks do not require very much. Imagine a hotel room
key card. When the guest checks in, the receptionist writes information onto
the stripe using a machine. The information includes a unique code for the
room so that when the user puts the card into the reader on the hotel room
door, the code is read and the door is unlocked.

An advantage of this compared to using an ordinary key is that if the card is

lost there is no way of identifying which room it is coded to open because all
the cards look the same.

A disadvantage is that the information can easily be read or altered by using a

small device that can be bought over the internet! A credit card, showing the
chip (on the front), and the magnetic stripe (on the back) Chip and PIN
readers Credit and debit cards have always had a magnetic stripe on the
back in order to store information that needs to be kept secret in order to
maintain the integrity of the card and the account. However, to make credit
and debit cards more secure, they now include a small circuit with a number
of computer devices all stored on a thin sliver of silicon, i.e. a chip. The chip
can be seen on the surface of the card. When making a payment using a chip
and PIN card, the user puts the card into an input device called a chip and
PIN reader, which reads the information stored in the chip . The most
important piece of information in the chip is the PIN.The user types the PIN
on the numeric keypad attached to the reader. That PIN is checked against
the PIN stored on the card’s chip, and if the two match then the payment goes
through.

An advantage of this technology is that the information held is secure

because the chip is difficult to read. A disadvantage is that people tend to be
careless when using their PIN.

 Smart card and contactless payment

Their use is usually limited to small purchases . FA smart card is a card that
can be preloaded with money. It is like a sandwich with a filling containing an
embedded microprocessor. The microprocessor replaces the magnetic stripe
that you see on a credit or debit card. For instance, if you used it to pay at
the till in a school café, it would speed up the process because all you have to
do is to swipe the card over the reader to pay and go.

 Output devices and their uses

Output devices comprise items such as monitors, printers and control

devices. Display screens (monitors) A monitor is a device that displays
information from the computer on a screen.

The main types are:

o Display output devices

o Printing output devices
o Audio output devices

Examples;

• CRT (cathode ray tube)

• TFT/LCD (thin film transistor)

• IPS/LCD (in-plane switching)

• LCD (liquid crystal display)

• touch screen.

CRT monitors

These are generally the cheapest form of monitor. They are also the oldest
type and are extremely bulky, which is why they have been superseded
almost entirely by TFT monitors. They work by firing a beam of electrons at a
fluorescent screen. These screens have a similar size display area, but the
TFT monitor is far thinner and lighter than the CRT monitor. One advantage
of CRT monitors is that you do not have to be directly in front of the screen to
be able to see what is on it.

TFT monitors

These use a different technology to CRT monitors. TFT monitors don’t use a
beam of electrons. Instead, they have a white light behind the screen that is
blocked by tiny coloured windows. When the window is opened, light shines
out. By opening and closing these tiny windows many times each second, the
monitor makes a sharp, coloured, moving image. This technology means that
the units can be very thin. Because they are so much smaller and lighter than
CRT monitors, TFT monitors can be easily and safely wall mounted. If they
need to be placed on a desk, they take up very little space. TFT monitors are
used in laptopcomputers and mobile phones; they produce far less glare on
the screen which makes them more restful on the eye. TFT is not significantly
different from LCD but a modern version of LCD giving it a much improved
image quality.

IPS/LCD monitors

It is helpful to note that LCD is the type of technology and IPS is the type of
panel being used in the LCD screen. Also that LED is the type of lighting
used. It is possible therefore to have an LCD screen with an IPS panel and
LED backlighting. IPS displays have good viewing angles and colour
reproduction, and they also have good contrast and black levels. A
disadvantage could be that their response times (the time it takes for them to
form an image on the screen) may be slower than other types of display.

 Multimedia projectors

These are devices that can project an image from a computer onto as large a
surface as is necessary . The only limit to the size of the projection is the
power or brightness of the light produced by the projector. In all other
respects the device is the same as an ordinary monitor screen. Multimedia
projector The device can be totally portable or fixed.
 Disadvantages are that it relies on a powerful and expensive bulb to provide
the pictures.

And the bulbs are fragile.

 Printers and plotters

Printers and plotters are output devices that produce characters and/or
graphics on paper and on other materials.

Types of printers;

 Laser printers: They work by using a laser to ‘draw’ the required outputs
onto a drum. This puts a positive electric charge on those parts of the
drum which have been hit by the laser. An ink powder (called toner) is
then sprayed on to the drum and it sticks where there is an electric
charge. This drum is then pressed against a piece of paper and the ink is
transferred to the paper. The paper is then heated by a ‘fuser’ so that the
toner binds to the paper, producing a printed copy. If there are four drums
with four different colours of toner then coloured printouts can be
produced. Laser printers are used when quality and speed of output are
important.
Disadvantages
 the toner is toxic and the cartridges that it comes in must be disposed of
carefully.
 laser printers’ reproduction of colour is not always as precise as it is with
an inkjet printer
 and laser printers tend to be more expensive to buy than inkjet printers.
 Inkjet printers

Inkjet printers Inkjet printers work by squirting ink at the page out of different
nozzles for different coloured ink. A stepper motor advances the paper while
the print head with the nozzles scans across. They produce high quality
output and are relatively inexpensive to buy.

One disadvantage of inkjet printers is that they often use water-soluble ink, so
if printouts get wet, the ink will run. This does not happen with printouts from
laser printers.
 Inkjet printers are commonly used in home computer systems and small
offices where most printing is of single copy outputs. They are also often used
in machines that print out photographs directly from digital cameras.

 Dot matrix printers

Dot matrix printers use a set of pins to press an inked ribbon against the
paper. Where the pin hits against the paper a coloured dot is left. These dots
can be arranged in patterns to produce the required output on the paper. Dot
matrix printers are slower than other types because the method used in
printing is mechanical. This also makes them very noisy. Wide format printer
For graphic arts use they are also important in order to output layouts, posters
and more. Individuals may also want to print out their photographs in a wide
format.

 Plotters

A plotter is an output device for printing vector graphics. A vector graphic,

unlike normal image formats , is not made up of pixels; vector graphics follow
a path with a start and end point that may create a line, square, triangle,
curve or other shapes. A plotter uses pens to draw the vectors, giving a hard
copy of the output that is sharp and clean and therefore ideal for being used
to print designs of ships, machines and more. Plotters used to be used with
applications such as computer aided design (CAD).

Types of plotters

 Flatbed plotters: these have the paper lying flat under the pens. The pen itself
is attached to a motor in a very similar way to the print head of an inkjet
printer.
 A drum plotter lies the paper on a drum that spins to drive the paper under the
pen while the pen itself moves across the drum. They are very similar in
principle to the flatbed plotter but take up less space. They can occasionally
still be found being used for applications where a different tool is used rather
than a pen, such as vinyl cutting for sign making
 Speakers

An important use of speakers is as an output device for some disabled

people. The speakers allow special software (a screen reader) to describe
aloud what is shown on the screen. Also, if a computer user has difficulty in
using a keyboard or mouse, then there is dictation software that can be used
as input, and input can be checked by listening to it being played back
through the speakers. Headphones and earpieces are personal speakers,
 and are often used in environments where other people should not hear the
sounds produced.

 Control devices

Control devices are used to change some physical value in response to a

command from a computer.

 Actuators : these are used in control applications and match up with sensors as
input devices because both sensors and actuators are automatic devices which do
not need any human involvement.
 Sensors: these and control devices together with the controlling computer make up a
control application.
 Heaters : these can be controlled by actuators. They are used in central heating
systems and to ensure that greenhouses do not fall below a certain preset
temperature.
 Motors: these can be used by a computer system to control elements of many
household devices from washing machines to DVD players or air conditioners. If a
device follows a set of specific rules, it can be controlled by a processor. Similarly, if
a device uses motors to carry out actions, those motors can be controlled by a
processor.
 Buzzers or beepers: these make a single sound and are often used to inform a user
that a particular thing has happened. For example, when the cooking time is up on a
microwave, the microwave may make a beeping noise. Such devices are usually
used in a quiet environment because they will then be heard clearly.
 Other devices use lights or lamps as signals to the user. If the device is controlled by
a processor then the light can be considered to be an output device.