WHAT IS OUTPUT?
Output is data that has been processed into useful form. That is, computers
process data (input) into information (output).
An output device is any hardware component that conveys information to one or
more people. Commonly used output devices include display devices; printers;
speakers, headphones and earbuds; data projectors; and interactive whiteboards.
FOUR TYPES OF OUTPUT:
Text
Graphics
Audio
Video
DISPLAY DEVICES
A display device is an output device that visually conveys text, graphics, and
video information.
LCD MONITORS AND LCD SCREENS
An LCD monitor is a desktop monitor that uses a liquid crystal display to produce
images. These monitors produce sharp, flicker-free images. LCD monitors have a
small footprint; that is, they do not take up much desk space.
Most are widescreen, which are wider than they are tall. You measure a monitor
the same way you measure a television, that is, diagonally from one corner to the
other.
LCD Technology and Quality
A liquid crystal display (LCD) uses a liquid compound to present information on a
display device. Computer LCDs typically contain fluorescent tubes that emit light
waves toward the liquid-crystal cells, which are sandwiched between two sheets of
material.
Ports and LCD Monitors
A cable on a monitor plug in a port on the system unit.
A plasma monitor is a display device that uses gas plasma technology, which
sandwiches a layer of gas between two glass plates.
A CRT monitor is a desktop monitor that contains a cathode-ray tube. A cathode-
ray tube (CRT) is a large, sealed glass tube. The front of the tube is the screen. A
CRT’s viewable size is the diagonal measurement of the actual viewing area
provided by the screen in the CRT monitor. A 21-inch monitor, for example, may
have a viewable size of 20 inches.
PRINTERS
A printer is an output device that produces text and graphics on a physical medium
such as paper. Many different types and styles of printers exist with varying speeds,
capabilities, and printing methods.
A nonimpact printer forms characters and graphics on a piece of paper without
actually striking the paper. Some nonimpact printers spray ink, while others use
heat or pressure to create images. Commonly used nonimpact printers are ink-jet
printers, photo printers, laser printers, thermal printers, mobile printers, plotters,
and large-format printers.
Ink-jet printer
is a type of nonimpact printer that forms characters and graphics by
spraying tiny drops of liquid ink onto a piece of paper.
Photo Printer
is a color printer that produces photo-lab-quality pictures.
Laser printer
is a high-speed, high-quality nonimpact printer (Figure 5-38). Laser
printers for personal computers ordinarily use individual sheets of paper stored in
one or more removable trays that slide in the printer case.
A multifunction peripheral, also called an all-in-one device, is a single device that
looks like a printer or copy machine but provides the functionality of a printer,
scanner, copy machine, and perhaps a fax machine.
A thermal printer generates images by pushing electrically heated pins against
heat-sensitive paper.
A mobile printer is a small, lightweight, battery-powered printer that allows a
mobile user to print from a notebook computer, or smart phone or other mobile
device while traveling.
Plotters are sophisticated printers used to produce high-quality drawings such as
blueprints, maps, and circuit diagrams.
A large-format printer creates photo-realistic-quality color prints. Graphic artists
use these high-cost, high-performance printers for signs, posters, and other
professional quality displays.
An impact printer forms characters and graphics on a piece of paper by striking a
mechanism against an inked ribbon that physically contacts the paper.
OTHER OUTPUT DEVICES
An audio output device is a component of a computer that produces music,
speech, or other sounds, such as beeps. Three commonly used audio output devices
are speakers, headphones, and earbuds.
Voice output occurs when you hear a person’s voice or when the computer talks to
you through the speakers on the computer.
A data projector is a device that takes the text and images displaying on a
computer screen and projects them on a larger screen so that an audience can see
the image clearly.
An interactive whiteboard is a touch-sensitive device, resembling a dry-erase
board, that displays the image on a connected computer screen.
SPECIAL FEATURES
DIGITAL VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
Digital video technology allows you to input, edit, manage, publish, and share your
videos using a personal computer.
Steps involved in the process of using digital video technology:
1. Select a Video Camera
2. Record a Video
3. Transfer and Manage Videos
4. Edit a Video
5. Distribute the Video
