COMPUTER HARDWARE

(UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL PUNJAB, LAHORE)

 CHAPTER # 1

BASIC COMPUTER SERVICE

CONCEPTS
 In this chapter we will be covering following topics.
1) Micro-computer Electronic Components
2) The Physics of Electronics
3) Numbering Systems
4) Tools of the Trade
5) Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
6) Safety
7) Environmental Concerns
MICRO-COMPUTER ELECTRONIC
COMPONENTS
Analog vs. Digital

There are two basic types of signal we have in the modern day computers.
The Analog Signal and the Digital Signal.

The Analog Signals are continuous in nature and changes there values
with time while the Digital Signals are discrete in nature.

Digital Signal = Sampled + Quantified Analog Signal

* (Analog or Analogue both means the same)

Vacuum Tubes ---- The Old and Early Days

 The vacuum tube was nothing more than a switch.

 It was one of the first devices used for switching purposes.

 The information is stored in binary form in the computers

and these tubes provided with the very precise purpose.
 The earlier computers used cabinets of such vacuum tube
based switches to work.
 These vacuum tube switches had disadvantages like
heating and size and were soon replaced !!!
Transistors ------ Turn them ON

 Transistors serve the same purpose as the vacuum tubes

for the computers. They are much smaller in size, have
very less power consumption and heat dissipation.

 These transistors are semi conductor based devices and

help reducing the overall size of the earlier computers.
Resistors

 The resistors are commonly used in the computers.

 There are two types of resistors.

a) Fixed Resistors
b) Variable Resistors
Capacitors

 Capacitors are also commonly used in computers.

 They are used to store and release charge.

 They are used in power supplies and timing circuits.

Integrated Circuits

 After the transistors came the ICs or the Integrated

Circuits.
 There are several types of ICs , some of them are as
follows.
a) Dual Inline Package (DIP)
b) Quad Small Outline Package (QSOP)
c) Single Inline Package (SIP)
d) Pin Grid Array Package (PGA)