CHAPTER-02

INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES

 2.1 INPUT DEVICES

An input device is used to feed data and

instructions into the computer. In the absence
of an input device, a computer would have
only been a display device. In this section, we
will read about some of the widely used input
devices.
 2.1.1 Keyboard
The keyboard is the main input device for
computer. Computer keyboard look very
similar to the keyboard of typewriter, with
some additional keys.
Using a keyboard, the user can type a document,
access menus, play games, and perform
numerous other tasks. Most keyboards have
between 80 and 110 keys, which include the
following:
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a) Typing Keys: These include the letters of the alphabet. The layout
of a keyboard is known as QWERTY for its first six letters. The
QWERTY pattern has been a standard right from the time
computer keyboards were introduced.
b) Numeric Keys: These include a set of 17 keys, arranged in the
same configuration found on calculators to speed up data entry of
numbers. When the Num Lock key is set to on, the user can type
number, dot, or input the symbols /,*,-,+. When Num Lock key is
set to off, the numeric keys can be used to move the cursor on the
screen.
c) Function Keys: These are used by applications and operating
systems to input specific commands. They are often placed on the
top of the keyboard in a single row (F1, F2, F3……F12). Function
keys can be programmed so that their functionality varies from one
program to another.
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d) Control keys: These are used to handle/control of the cursor and the screen. Four
arrow keys are arranged in an inverted T-type fashion between the typing and the
numeric keys. In addition , there are other cursor keys, such as:
▪ Home and End to move the cursor to the beginning and end of the current line,
respectively.
▪ Page Up and Page Down to move to the previous and the next pages, respectively.
▪ Insert to enter a character between two existing characters.
▪ Delete t delete a character at the cursor position
Other common control keys on the keyboard include control (Ctrl), Alternate (Alt),
Escape (Esc), Pause, the Windows or Start key (Microsoft Windows logo) etc.

ADVANTAGE
The keyboard is easy to use and cheap.
DISADVANTAGE
The keyboard cannot be used to draw figures.
 2.1.2 Pointing Devices
A pointing input device enables the users to easily control
the movement of the pointer to select items on a display
screen, to select commands from commands menu, to
draw graphs, etc. Some examples of pointing devices
include:
1. Mouse,
2. Trackball,
3. Touchpad,
4. Joystick etc.

Let’s discuss in short:

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1. Mouse: The mouse is an input device that was
invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1963. The mouse
has tow buttons and a scroll wheel. It can be held in
the hand and easily moved, without lifting, along a
hard flat surface to move the cursor to her desired
location- up, down, left, or right. Once the mouse is
placed at the appropriate position, the user may
perform the following operations:
I. Pointing
II. Clicking
III. Dragging
IV. Scrolling
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2. Trackball: A trackball is a pointing device that is used to
control the position of the cursor on the screen. It is usually
used in note-book computers, where it is placed on the
keyboard.
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3.Touchpad: A touchpad is a small, flat, rectangular
stationary pointing device with a sensitive surface
of 1.5-2 square inches. Touchpads are widely used
in laptops and are in build on the laptop
keyboards. They can also be attached to a PC or
be used with personal digital assistants (PDAs)
and iPods.
The working of a touchpad is similar to that of a
mouse or a trackball. The pressure of the finger
on the surface leads to a capacitance effect, which
is detected by the sensors.
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4. Joystick: A joystick is a cursor control device widely used in
computer games and computer aided design (CAD)/computer
aided manufacturing (CAM) applications.
 2.1.3 Audio Input Devices
Audio devices are used to either capture or create
sound. They enable computers to accept music,
speech, or sound effects for recording or
editing. Microphones and CD players are
examples of two widely used audio input
devices.
 2.1.4 Video Input Devices
Video input devices are used to capture video from the outside
world into the computer. Here, the term video means moving
picture along with sound (as in television). Digital camera and
web camera are popular examples of video input devices.
 2.1.5 Scanner
Scanner is an input device used for data entry
from the source document into the computer
system. A scanner only sends information to
the computer and cannot receive information
from the computer like a printer (which is an
output device).
 2.2 OUTPUT DEVICES
Any device that outputs/gives information from a
computer can be called an output device. Basically,
output devices are electro-mechanical devices that
accept digital data from the computer and convert them
into human-understandable language. Widely used
output devices may include:
1. Monitor
2. Speakers
3. Projectors
4. Printers
Let’s discuss in short:
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1. Monitor: A monitor is a piece of computer
hardware that displays the texts, videos and
graphics information generated by a computer.
Monitors are similar to TVs but usually display
information at a much higher resolution. There
are three variants of monitors:
A. Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor
B. Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor
C. Plasma monitor
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2. Speakers: Speakers are used to connect to a
computer to generate sound, which are one of
the most common output devices. With the
computer speaker, the computer's sound card
creates a signal that is used to produce sound.
The primary objective of speakers is to offer
audio output for the listener.
Speakers can be of different sizes and shapes,
and with different powers and sound quality.
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3. Projectors: A projector is a device that takes an image
from a video source and projects it onto a screen or
another surface. Projectors are used for a wide range of
applications, varying from home theater systems for
projecting movies and television programmes onto a
screen much larger than even the biggest available
television, to organizations for projecting information
and presentations onto screens large enough for rooms
filed with many people.
Projectors also allow users to change/adjust some features
of the image such as brightness, sharpness, and color
settings, similar to the features available in a standard
television.
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4. Printer: A printer is a device that takes the
text and graphics information obtained from a
computer and prints it on to a paper. Printers
are available in the market in various sizes,
speeds, and costs. Usually more expensive
printers are used for higher-resolution color
printing.
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Types of Printers

a) Laser Printers.
b) Solid Ink Printers.
c) LED Printers.
d) Business Inkjet Printers.
e) Home Inkjet Printers.
f) Multifunction Printers.
g) Dot Matrix Printers.
h) 3D Printers.
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