MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Computer and Peripheral Devices

Compiled by Dr. Jennifer W, PhD, PMP® for Online Training

 Objectives
At the end of this section, you should be able to:
• Define the meaning of peripheral devices
• Explain different classes of input and output devices
• Distinguish between soft copy outputs and hard copy
outputs
• Discuss examples and considerations examined when
choosing devices used in secondary storage.
Computer and its Peripherals
 Peripheral Devices: input devices
The term peripherals refers to all hardware devices that are attached to the computer and are controlled by the
computer system.
• Peripherals can be classified into input devices and output devices.
• Some can be both an input device and an output device

Input Devices:
An input device is a piece of equipment that enables data or instructions to be entered into a computer.
Can be done by pressing keys on the Keyboard to send signals, selecting commands on the screen or clicking
with mouse, pressing finger on touch screen, speaking through microphone, sending image through digital
camera, scanning printer data through scanner.
• Examples:
– Keyboard, Mouse, joystick, Pointing devices like trackball, touch screen, Scanning devices—imaging
systems, bar-code readers, mark- and character- recognition devices, fax machines, Audio-input
devices, Web cameras and video input, and photographic input (digital cameras), Voice-recognition
systems, sensors, radio-frequency identification devices, and human-biology input devices
 Peripheral Devices: input devices
• Scanning devices: Bar-code readers, Mark-recognition and character-recognition devices
– Magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR) reads the strange-looking numbers printed at the bottom of cheques.
MTCR characters, which are printed with magnetized ink, are read by MICR equipment, producing a digitized
signal. The bank's reader/sorter machine employs this signal to sort cheques.
– Optical mark recognition (OMR) uses a device that reads pencil marks and converts them into computer-usable
form. The best-known example is the OMR technology used to read the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
– Optical character recognition (OCR) uses a device that reads preprinted characters in a particular font (typeface
design) and converts them to digital code. OCR characters appear on utility bills and price tags on department-
store merchandise; for example, the wand reader is a common OCR scanning device.

MICR OCR
Examples
 Peripheral Devices: Output devices
OUTPUT DEVICES
• Output devices take information within your computer and present it to you in a form that you can
understand Main output devices
• Included are: first, softcopy output—display screens; second, hardcopy output—printers; and, third, other
output—sound, voice, animation, and video.
• MONITORS: The monitor or visual display unit (VDU) is the most significant output device. Desktop displays
use a cathode ray tube (CRT) or flat panel-LCD Monitor

• SPEAKER: A speaker is a device that produces computer output in form of sound.

• PROJECTORS: A multimedia projector is a compact, high resolution, full-color projector capable of
projecting text, images, video and audio content.
 Peripheral Devices: Output devices
PRINTERS:
• Printer classification:
– Impact :An impact printer forms characters or images by striking a mechanism
such as a print hammer or wheel against an inked ribbon, leaving an image on
paper. E.g. Dot Matrix, Daisy wheel, Drum printer
– Non-impact: Nonimpact printers are faster and quieter than impact printers
because they have fewer moving parts. E.g. Laser, thermal printer and Ink Jet
Types:
• Laser – Expensive, used mostly in medium to large organizations
• Ink Jet – Typically found in small businesses
• Dot Matrix – Found mostly in large organizations for printing process reports and
large volumes of data.
 Peripheral Devices: Output devices
• Other printers:
– Thermal printers: use colored waxes and heat to produce images by
burning dots onto special paper. They are expensive, and they require
expensive paper. Used by those who require high quality printing
– Plotters: A plotter is a specialized output device designed to produce high-
quality graphics in a variety of colors. Plotters are used to create hardcopy
items such as maps, architectural drawings, and three-dimensional
illustrations, which are usually too large for regular printers.

Printer Speed – measured in Pages Per Minute (PPM) while Quality – measured in
Dots Per Inch (DPI). The higher the DPI the better the print quality.
Examples: Printers
 Peripheral Devices: Output devices
Factors to consider when buying a printer:
• Image Quality: Depending on your target market, your image quality
requirements may differ. ...
• Size & Speed: The size of the printer will depend on what image sizes you
wish to offer. E.g. Pages per minute?
• Media Handling: Make a list of everything you currently print on. E.g.
Envelop, labels, Multiple copies, Paper size?
• Ease of Use: Setup and operating
• Cost: Paper, ink and Ribbons? Does it need special paper?
• Support: Does it come good warranty and telephone technical support
 Peripheral Devices: Primary Storage
Primary memory, also known as main storage or memory, is the area in a computer in which data is stored for quick access
by the computer‘s processor. Primary storage is volatile and can be contrasted with non-volatile secondary storage, also
known as auxiliary storage.
 Peripheral Devices: Secondary Storage
SECONDARY STORAGE:
Secondary storage devices refers to storage devices that are not constantly accessible by a computer system. They are either
plugged in or inserted into the computer in order to be accessed by the system. E.g. Hard drive, CDs, DVDs

Category:
– Direct Access Storage Devices (DASDs)-Magnetic Disks Hard disks (high capacity, low cost per bit) Floppy disks (low
capacity, slow, cheap) – Optical Disks CD-ROM = (Compact disc, read-only memory)
– Serial Devices – Magnetic tapes (very fast sequential access)

Types: Magnetic Memory, Optical memory, Solid state memory

– Magnetic Memory: Floppy disks, External hard disk drive, Magnetic tape
– Optical memory: Use laser beams to read and write e.g. CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW
– Solid state(no moving part) memory: Pen drive (USB drives; Key drives; and Memory sticks), Memory Cards

•
,
Examples: Secondary Devices
 Peripheral Devices: Secondary Storage
Choosing a secondary storage device
• Manner of access supported by the device - is it direct or sequential and what does the
operation need?
• Secondary storage medium storage capacity - how large is it and what does the application
need?
• Durability: medium and data retention - if data were to be stored for long time, would it still
retain it?
• Speed of access - data transfer rate. How fast can data be accessed and transferred to RAM?
• Availability of technical, hardware and software support - from suppliers
• Cost of the device acquisition and maintenance
• Data stored amenability to edit - can the data be edited, and is it necessary for the kind of
data stored or the data are ready for archival storage?
 Computer System
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
• The CU and ALU are jointly known as CPU.
• Brain of the computer.
• Perform data processing operations and also Control the working of the entire system
• Composed of Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) & Control Unit(CU)
– Arithmetic and Logic Unit ( ALU )
• Place where the actual execution of the instructions take place during the processing operations. Does
all the calculations.
• It consists of circuits that perform arithmetic as well as logical operations
– Control Unit
• It act as a central nervous system for the other components of the computer, manages and
coordinates the entire computer system.
• It get information from the main memory and issues signal to control every other units of the system.
 Computer Processor
CPU architecture designed by John Von Neumann in 1945.
 Consideration when buying a Computer
• Usability • Brand/manufacturer
• Processor • Hard Disk
• RAM • Warranty
• Price
• Operating system
• Size
• Peripherals
 Question?

In which category do you find Webcam and microphone?

 Summary
• Computer components and their function
• Peripheral devices: Input, output, storage
• Identify and evaluate key criteria for purchasing
decisions
 Exercise
• Discuss the trends in computing, the input, storage
and output devices
• Describe the activities in hardware and software
acquisition
• Describe the hardware components of a computer
• What should one consider when purchasing a
computer?