Computer Systems VI

Outputs

Output Devices

Devices that allows data to be used

by an end user

Printers
VDU (Screens Visual Display Units)
Speakers
Others

Printers

Measured by resolution of Dots Per Inch

(DPI)
There are three main types

Laser
Inkjet
Dot Matrix

Printer Types

Lasers
High resolution
Cost $100 - $4000 for colour

Ink Jets
Squirts ink onto the page
Medium to High Resolution
$50 $1000 (A3) but Ink
Expensive

Printer Types II

Impact or Dot Matrix

Similar to type-writer but dots
Poor resolution
Allow carbon copies to be made

The letter A

Used to create wage slips / order forms

Visual Display Units (Screens)

Crucial but often overlooked

Used all the time
Needs to be good

Visual Display Units (Screens)

Measured via
Size (15, 17, 19, 21, etc)
Number of Colours (e.g. 16.7 million)
Resolution

pixels across by pixels down

800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024,
x 1200 pixels

Refresh Rate / Response Time

12ms 2ms

1920

Visual Display Units

Two main types

CRT Cathode Ray Tube

Same as old TVs
Bulky but cheap
Use lots of energy
LCD Liquid Crystal Display
Flat screen
Low energy usage
Getting cheaper
Slower than CRT ???

Graphics (Video) Card

Processors dont control screens directly

Need a graphics adaptor (or card)
Adaptor looks after the screen so the
processor can concentrate on programs /
data

3D

Games need better graphics cards

Nvidia and ATI release new chipsets
Latest?? Probably not!

ATI 5870 ??
Nvidia GeForce GTX280

x2 cards?

Multiple Cards

Nvidia SLI vs ATI CrossFire

Allows multiple graphic cards to run
on a PC

Sound Card / Speakers

PCs originally had very poor sound outputs

Beeep!

To allow complex sounds to be played

through speakers a sound card is needed

Sound Card

Plus extras

Sample sound (Input?)

Joystick port (Input?)
Firewire (In /Out?)
Remote control (Input?)
Midi (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) (In/Out?)

Any Questions

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