COMPUTER
• A computer is an electronic machine,
operating under the control of instructions
stored in its own memory, that can be
programmed to accept data (input), process
it into useful information (output), and
store it away in a secondary storage device
(store) for safekeeping or later reuse. The
processing of input into output is directed by
the software but performed by the hardware
COMPUTER
• Computer system hardware
components include devices that
perform the functions of input,
processing, data storage; output
and communication.
COMPUTER PROCESS
INPUT
PROCESSING
OUTPUT
STORAGE
COMMUNICATION
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EV IC
T D
P U
IN Input devices allow you to enter data or
commands in A form that the computer can
use; they send the data or commands to the
processing unit. Commonly used input
devices include keyboard, mouse,
microphone, scanner, digital camera, and PC
camera.
C ES
EVI
T D
TP U
OU
Output devices show people the
processed data-- information --in
understandable and useful form. Four
commonly used output devices are printer,
monitor, speakers, and a portable media
player. Input/output devices are playing an
increasingly significant role in our lives. The
number and variety of input/output devices
are expanding.
ES
E V IC
G D
SI N
C ES
P RO Processing devices. Processing devices are
the computer electronic circuitry housed in
the system unit. The processor, formally
known as the central processing unit (CPU),
has electronic circuitry that manipulates
input data into the information people want.
ES
E V IC
G D
SI N
C ES
P RO Computer instructions are actually are executed
in the central processing unit. Memory is a series of
electronic elements that temporarily holds data
and program instructions while they are being
processed by the CPU. Both the processor and
memory consist of chips. A chip is an electronic
device that contains many microscopic pathways
designed to carry electrical current.
ES
EV IC
E D
R AG
STO Storage usually means secondary
storage that can store data and
programs outside the computer itself.
Storage devices hold data, information,
and programs permanently. Common
storage devices include a hard disk,
USB flash drives, cds, dvds, and memory
cards.
Click icon to add picture
Click icon to add picture
I C E
DEV
I O N
I C AT
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M M
Communications devices provide connections
CObetween the computer and communications
networks and enable computer users to
communicate and to exchange data, information,
and programs with other computers.
Communications devices transmit these items
over transmission media such as cables,
telephone lines, satellites, and cellular radio. A
widely used communications device is A modem.
We communicate with computers through input/output
devices. Input devices translate our data and
communications into a form that the computer can
understand. The computer then processes these data,
and an output device translates them back into a form
we can understand. The central processing unit
manipulates data and controls the other parts of the
computer system. Memory (primary storage) temporarily
stores data and program instructions during processing,
while secondary storage feeds data and instructions into
the central processor and stores data for future use.
Computer Hardware
Components
MOTHERBOARD
The motherboard is the computer's central
communications backbone connectivity point
through which all components and external
peripherals connect. The motherboard is the
main printed circuit board in a computer.
Also called the mainboard, the motherboard
holds important components, including the
CPU, RAM, power supply, graphics card and
sound card.
CPU
The CPU (central processing
unit) is responsible for
processing most of the
computer's data, turning
input into
output.
RAM
The hardware in a computer where the OS, application programs
and data that are being used are kept so the device's processor can
quickly reach them. As the main memory of a computer, RAM (Random
Access Memory) is much faster to read from and write to than other
types of storage, including a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD)
and optical drive. RAM is volatile, meaning that data remains in RAM if
the computer is on, but it's lost when the computer is turned off. The OS
and other files are reloaded into RAM, usually from an SSD or HDD,
when the computer is rebooted.
DISPLAY SCREEN / TOUCH
SCREEN
A display screen may be an external
monitor, or it may be built into the
computer. A touchscreen display is
sensitive to pressure. As such, a user
interacts with the device by touching
pictures or words on the screen.
HDD
A nonvolatile memory (NVM)
hardware device, an HDD (hard disk
drive) stores OS files, application
problems, media and other documents.
The HDD can store data permanently
even in the event of a power failure.
SSD
A type of nonvolatile storage device that stores
persistent data on solid- state flash memory. An
SSD (solid state drive) consists of a flash controller
and NAND flash memory Unlike an HDD, an SSD
doesn't have any moving parts. SSDs use flash-
based memory, which is significantly faster than
traditional mechanical hard disks. Since they're
nonmechanical, SSDs use less power, which
means longer battery life when they're built into
laptop computers.
Comparative illustration inside the SSD & HDD
GRAPHIC CARDS
Responsible for rendering
graphics in a computer and
projecting information onto a
screen, a graphics card aims
to remove the processing
strain from the processor or
RAM.
POWER SUPPLY
Power supply unit: The power supply converts the
power from the outlet into usable power for the other
components inside the computer. Typically, more power
is needed to run more complex systems. For example, a
desktop computer with a high-end motherboard, a
custom liquid cooling loop and dual GPUs will need a
higher wattage computer power supply than a system
that is not so complex.
Memory and
Storage Sizes
While performing a processing operation, a processor
needs a place to temporarily store instructions to be
executed and the data to be used with those instructions.
Memory is also known as primary storage or internal
storage. This role of memory to store both data and
programs is known as the stored program concept. The
size of memory is measured by the number of bytes
available for use. A kilobyte of memory is equal to exactly
1,024 bytes. To make storage definitions easier to identify,
computer users often round a kilobyte down to 1,000
bytes. A megabyte (MB) is equal to approximately 1 million
bytes. A gigabyte (GB) equals approximately 1 billion
bytes. A terabyte (TB) is equal to approximately 1 trillion
bytes.
The system unit contains two types of
memory: volatile and nonvolatile. The
contents of volatile memory are lost when
the computer power is turned off. In
nonvolatile memory, the combination of
circuit states is fixed, and therefore the
contents of nonvolatile memory are not lost
when power is removed from the computer.
Computer Peripherals
Computer Peripherals
A peripheral device, also
sometimes called an auxiliary
device, is any connected device,
internal or external, that provides a
computer with additional
functionality.
MOUSE
A mouse is an input device that uses "point and
click" technology to interact with a computer.
Modern mice usually have two buttons, the left
button and right button, with a scroll wheel in
between the two. The device was named a
"mouse" because the inventors thought that the
wire that connects the device to the computer
resembled a mouse tail. Nowadays, mice often
connect to the computer using wireless
technology.
KEYBOARD
Keyboard are the most common input device. The user
enters letters, numbers, and other symbols to give the
computer with information and instruction. Using a
keyboard to enter a lot of information is called typing.
The keyboard works through push buttons or mechanical
switches, known as "keys", being pressed, and the
resulting signal being sent to the computer. In the past,
keyboards used to connect to the computer via a DIN
connector, but nowadays they are more likely to connect
via a USB port, or be wireless.
WEB CAM
These input devices are video cameras that connect to a
computer. They can be external or built-in. Webcams are
most often used to enable people to see each other when
communicating over the internet, or for recording video
blogs, or other videos. As well as computers, webcams
can also be built into mobile phones. The first webcam
was developed in 1991 at the University of Cambridge
and pointed at a coffee pot so that researchers from
around the Computer Science Department wouldn’t make
a journey, only to discover it was empty.
MICROPHONE
Microphone are audio input devices. The microphone
feeds a sound signal to the computer, where it can be
recorded, or streamed across the internet. Microphones
are often built into laptops, webcams and mobile phones
nowadays. The earliest microphones were telephone
transmitters invented in the latter half of the 19th
century. Various designs were tried, but the first to have
reasonable sound quality were (loose-contact) carbon
microphones that were developed independently by David
Edward Hughes in England, and Emile Berliner and
Thomas Edison in the US
MONITOR
The most common output device, monitors enable users
to interact with a
computer more easily. The monitor essentially displays a
signal sent by the computer in a visual format. Monitors
look similar to televisions in outward appearance, but
typically have a higher display resolution than televisions,
enabling greater visual detail, plus they lack a tuner to
change channels. As with televisions, modern computer
monitors use flat screen technology and have fallen in
price in recent years.
SPEAKER
A computer speaker is another common type of
output device. They typically come in pairs to provide
stereo sound and sometimes with a subwoofer unit too in
order to enhance bass frequency. Computer speakers
usually have built-in amplifiers and therefore require a
power supply, either from the mains, batteries, or via a
USB port. In the past, speakers normally received their
audio signal via a 3.5 mm jack plug, but it's increasingly
common nowadays for computer speakers to be wireless
and use Bluetooth technology. Altec Lansing claim to have
produced the first commercially available computer
speakers in 1990.
PROJECTOR
Projectors are optical output devices that
enable a roomful of people to see visuals
generated by a single computer. As their name
suggests, projectors "project" still or moving
images onto a screen, blank wall, or other surface.
Digital projectors first came onto the market in
the early 2000's and have now almost completely
replaced older, pre-digital models. They are
typically used for presentations, watching movies,
or as a teaching aid, and usually connect to the
computer via the HDMI port
PRINTER
Printer are another common form of output device.
They are used to generate hard copies of electronic data
stored on a computer, most often text or images onto
paper. The first electronic printer to be invented was
the EP-101, released by the Japanese company Epson in
1968. Inkjet and laser printers are two of the most
common types of printer found today, with modern
printers connecting to the computer via the USB port or
WI-FI. The rise of other technologies such as email and
data storage devices have somewhat diminished the
importance of printers in recent years.
FLASHDRIVE
Also called a thumb drive, gig stick, flash stick, pen
drive, USB stick, jump drive, flash-drive, memory stick, or
USB memory, the USB flash drive is a data storage device
that consists of flash memory with an integrated USB
interface. Small and light, USB storage drives are usually
removable and rewritable. Since their appearance in the
year 2000, these storage devices have gradually
increased their storage capacity, while falling in price.
They are commonly used for transporting and transferring
information and are durable, thanks to a lack of moving
parts
EXTERNAL HDD
External hard drives are input/output storage
devices that usually connect to a computer via USB. They
hold relatively large amounts of data and plug and play
drive functionality enables them to be easily used with a
variety of different computers. There are two categories of
external hard drives: portable and desktop. Portable
external drives are more compact, usually powered by
USB and designed for transportation, whereas the desktop
version is usually larger and needs external power bricks
for power.
Ports and Connectors
EXTERNAL HDD
External hard drives are input/output storage
devices that usually connect to a computer via USB. They
hold relatively large amounts of data and plug and play
drive functionality enables them to be easily used with a
variety of different computers. There are two categories of
external hard drives: portable and desktop. Portable
external drives are more compact, usually powered by
USB and designed for transportation, whereas the desktop
version is usually larger and needs external power bricks
for power.
Serial port is a type of interface that connects a
device to the system unit by transmitting data one
bit at a time.
Parallel ports allow the parallel transmission of
data; that is, several bits are transmitted
simultaneously.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are used in
high-speed device interfaces.
FireWire ports, also called IEEE 1394 port, are
similar to the USB port and can connect multiple
types of devices.
END OF LESSON
HANDS-ON
ACTIVITY
Using MS Word, illustrate the
computer process and explain
how the computer process
works. List down the different
peripherals needed in each
process.
