COMPUTER HARDWARE

• Computer hardware refers to the physical

computer devices, such as the CPU, motherboard,
memory, disk drives, video monitor, printer,
scanner, etc.

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 Different types of computer Hardware
For us to understand the topic of computer hardware
we need to group them into two categories. These
are:-
(i) Internal hardware
(ii) External hardware
We will start by looking at the external hardware first
and after that we will get to the internal hardware.

The external hardware are devices that we connect

to the outside ports of a computer such as a
keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor, scanner and
many others.
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External Ports of a Computer

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 EXTERNAL COMPUTER HARDWARE
External hardware of a computer is divided into two
groups. These groups are:-
(i) Input Devices
(ii) Output Devices

Input Devices
Input devices are those that are used to enter or
put data into the computer. There are several
input devices that are used in computers. Let us
look at the common ones used in most of our
offices. 4
 Input Devices
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Scanner
• Light pens or Stylus
• Barcode reader
• Biometric devices
• Touch Screens

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 Uses of Input Devices
• Keyboard:- A piece of equipment that provides a basic means of input
much like a standard typewriter keyboard with the addition of several
specialized function keys.

• Mouse:- A mouse is a pointing and input device used to move the pointer
on the screen, choose commands, press buttons, select text, create
drawings, and so on.

• Scanner:- A device that can be attached to your computer (either through

the parallel port, USB, or SCSI) that reads a printed page or photograph
and converts it into a graphic image for use on the computer. Scanners can
be a great way to do things like copy a newspaper article into your
computer for future reference, or scan a photo of a new baby to put on an
announcement card you're creating with one of your applications.

• Pen light or Stylus:- The PDA uses a stylus to “tap” selections on menus
and to enter characters instead of a keyboard.

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• Bar code reader:- Bar code readers are used in a variety of point-
of-sale retail, library, industrial, medical, and other environments
to track inventory.

• Biometric Devices:- A biometric device is used to prevent access to

a computer or other electronic device by anyone other than the
authorized user. It does so by comparing the fingerprint or other
biometric marker of the prospective user to the information stored
by the authorized user during initial setup. Some keyboards and
laptop computers include built-in fingerprint readers, and some
vendors also produce USB-based fingerprint readers

• Touch Screens:- Touch screen (or touchscreen) monitors enable

the user to transfer data into the computer by pressing onscreen
icons. Touch screen monitors are very popular in public-access and
point-of-sale installations.

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 Output Devices
Output devices are those that are used to
present processed data or information to a
computer user. There are several output
devices that are used in computers. These
are:-
• Monitors (Screens)
• Printers
• Projectors
• Speakers
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 Uses of output devices
• Monitors (Screens). There are two types of monitors that you will find in
offices or homes today. These are CRT and LCD monitors.
a) CRT Monitors. Cathode ray tube (CRT) displays are now fading in
popularity but are still in widespread use on older systems. CRTs use a
picture tube that is similar to the picture tube in a tube-based TV set. The
narrow end of the tube contains an electron gun that projects three
electron beams (red, blue, green) toward the wide end, which is coated
with phosphors that glow when they are hit by the electron beams. Just
before the phosphor coating, a metal plate called a shadow mask is used
to divide the image created by the electron guns into red, green, and blue
pixels or stripes that form the image.
b) LCD Monitors. LCD displays use liquid crystal cells to polarize light passing
through the display to create the image shown on the monitor. In color LCD
displays, liquid crystal cells are grouped into three cells for each pixel: one
each for red, green, and blue light. Compared to CRT monitors, LCDs are
much lighter, require much less power, emit less heat, and use much less
desk space.

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• Printers:- Printers are important output devices. They output hard
copy versions of files stored on the computer, such as documents,
spreadsheets, and web pages. Printers can connect to a computer’s
USB or parallel port, or they can connect directly to the network.
Newer printers can interface with USB memory sticks, memory
cards, and digital cameras. Some printers are known as
multifunction devices because of their ability to print, fax, copy, and
scan documents. The main types of printers used are laserjet,
inkjet, thermal, and impact printers.

• Projectors:- Projectors can be used in place of a primary display or

can be used as a clone of the primary display to permit computer
information and graphics to be displayed on a projection screen or a
wall.

• Speakers:- Speakers are output devices that produce sound.

Computers speakers connect to a green port on the sound card of a
computer.

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 INTERNAL COMPUTER HARDWARE
• Internal computer hardware are those electronic chips
that are enclosed into a system case. We can only see
them when the system case is opened. Internal
hardware includes the following:-

a. Motherboard
b. Processor (CPU)
c. Memory (RAM)
d. Hard disk drives
e. CD/DVD drives
f. Expansion card
g. Power Supply
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 MOTHERBOARDS
The main circuit board containing the primary components of a computer system. This board
contains the processor, main memory, support circuitry, and bus controller and connector. Other
boards, including expansion memory and input/output boards, may attach to the motherboard
via the bus connector. Motherboards have existed in different form factors eg AT, ATX, BTX, NLX
and other proprietary form factors. The common type like the one shown below is an ATX form
factor.

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 Processor (CPU)
The processor or Central Processing Unit (CPU) is a unit of a computer
system which fetches, decodes and executes programmed instructions
and maintains the status of results as the program is executed. It is the
brain of a computer doing all the calculations and computations. The
CPU, often called the “processor”, is located on the motherboard or
main circuit board of the computer. It is small in size and has several
million transistors in an integrated-circuit package that can easily fit into
the palm of one’s hand.

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 (RAM) MEMORY
RAM (Random Access Memory) is used for the computer’s workspace and is usually
temporary as a user works on the computer. This is why you have to save your files
before you quit a program or turn the power off. ROM (Read Only Memory) memory
holds its contents permanently and is not used for user data. RAM and hard disk space
should not be confused. RAM is temporary, active storage while the hard disk offers
semi-permanent storage and holds inactive, “saved” files. Adding more memory to a
computer will often increase the computer’s performance, since more data will be
available much faster. There are different types of RAM you will find these are:-
SDRAM, DDR1-SDRAM, DDR2-SDRAM etc

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 HARD DRIVES
A hard disk drive contains one or more fixed, rigid disks or platters,
permanently sealed inside it. Hard disks have fast access speed and
high capacity, now greater than 120 GB. Often referred to as the
“hard drive”. They are used to store data and information on a
computer. They are measured in gigabytes (GB) and come in two
technology types PATA and SATA.

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 DVD/CD DRIVES
A CD drive is an electromechanical device that reads and writes (rewriters) data on
CDs (Compact Discs). Most CD-ROM drives have a PATA IDE interface, although modern
PCs are connected with SATA interface for their disk drive. Data is read through a small
laser that is focused on the surface of the CD-ROM through optical mirrors in the
read/write head. A spindle and drive motor revolve the CD-ROM, so all data, which is
stored in spirals from the center, can be read. CD-ROM drives vary in the access time
to locate a track on the CD-ROM and the seek time to move the read/write head. A
standard CD disk can hold the maximum of 700MB of data.

A DVD drive is an electromechanical device that reads and writes (rewriters) data on
DVDs. A DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or (Digital Video Disc) is a disk format that can hold
computer data, music, or full-length movies. DVD discs work only with a DVD drive or
player and cannot be played in standard CD players or CD-ROM drives. CD (Compact
Disc) Many of the newest desktop and portable computers now come with DVD
drives. DVD’s are the next generation of the VHS video cassette tape. DVD’s use video
compression to achieve the maximum amount of storage capacity, from 4.7 GB to 17
GB, and provide movie-theater sound with Dolby digital surround sound. Recordable
DVD drives have recently been introduced that allow everyone to create “home
movie” DVD’s.
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EXPANSION SLOTS
An expansion slot is a socket in a computer, designed to hold expansion boards or cards and
connect them to the system bus (data pathway). Expansion slots are a means of adding or
enhancing the computer’s features and capabilities. In desktop computers expansion slots are in
different types. These are PCI, PCI Express and AGP. In laptop and other portable computers,
expansion slots come in the form of PCMCIA slots designed to accept PC Card. These slots allow
cards of different features to be fitted on computers. An example is a situation where your
computer’s video port on the motherboard gets damaged. You will not have to throw away the
computer no but simply install an AGP card on the AGP slot of the mothered and on with your
work.

Common expansion cards in computers.

• PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnection) A card that fits into a PCI local bus to add
functionality to a PC. Examples of the types of PCI cards available include TV tuner cards, video
adapters, and network interface cards.
• PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnection) Express is an improvement on PCI and is the one
common in new systems today. They work just like PCI cards.
• AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) A high-performance bus specification designed for fast, high-
quality display of 3-D and video images. Developed by Intel Corporation, AGP uses a dedicated
point-to-point connection between the graphics controller and main system memory. This
connection enables AGP-capable display adapters and compatible chip sets to transfer video data
directly between system memory and adapter memory, to display images more quickly and
smoothly than they can be displayed when the information must be transferred over the system’s
primary (PCI) bus.
• PCMCIA is an acronym for Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. A group
of manufacturers and vendors formed to promote a common standard for PC Card–based
peripherals and the slot designed to hold them, primarily on laptop, palmtop, and other portable
computers, as well as for intelligent electronic devices. PCMCIA is also the name of the standard
for PC Cards. 18
EXPANSION SLOTS AND CARDS

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 POWER SUPPLIES
Power issues are largely ignored by most computer users, but a properly
working power supply is the foundation to correct operation of the system.
When the power supply stops working, the computer stops working, and
when a power supply stops functioning properly—even slightly—all sorts of
computer problems can take place. From unexpected system reboots to
data corruption, from unrecognized bus powered USB devices to system
overheating, a bad power supply is bad news. The power supply is vital to
the health of the computer. So, if your computer is acting “sick,” you should
test the power supply to see if it’s the cause. To keep the power supply
working properly, use surge suppression and battery backup (UPS) units.
The power supply is really misnamed: It is actually a power converter that
changes high-voltage alternating current (AC) to low-voltage direct current
(DC). There are lots of wire coils and other components inside the power
supply that do the work, and during the conversion process, a great deal of
heat is produced. Most power supplies include one or two fans to dissipate
the heat created by the operation of the power supply; however, a few
power supplies designed for silent operation use passive heat sink
technology instead of fans. On power supplies that include fans, fans also
help to cool the rest of the computer. Figure 5-1 shows a typical desktop
computer’s power supply.

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