COMPUTER

HARDWARE
Objectives:
 List the key hardware components of a computer
and the four basic operations of the central
processing unit.
 Describe how power is measured for computers.
 Describe common computer input, output, and
storage devices.
 Discuss the history of computers.
Objectives:
 Describe the three classes of computers and key
functionalities of each class.
 Describe computer network/communications
devices and functionality.
What is a HARDWARE?
 Defined as all the physical components of the
machine itself.
 The computer systems are composed of many
different component parts that enable the user to
communicate with the computer, and with other
computers to produce work.
What is a HARDWARE?
 Computers are now pervasive throughout the
healthcare industry. Their applications are expected
to continue to expand and thereby improve the
quality of health care while at the same time
reducing some costs.
COMPUTER
HARDWARE
FUNDAMENTALS
System Unit (“The Box”)
 Contains the motherboard.
 Motherboard – is a thin, flat sheet made of a firm,
nonconducting material on which the internal
components. The board is made of a dielectric or
nonconducting plastic material.
Four Basic Components of a
Computer:
 CPU (Central Processing Unit)
 Input Controllers/Devices
 Output Controllers/Devices
 Storage Media
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 Is the “brains” of the computer. It consists of at
least one arithmetic and logic unit, a control unit,
and a memory.
 The arithmetic and logic unit controls mathematical
functions.
 The control unit carries out the machine language
functions like fetch, execute, decode and store
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 The memory includes the locations of the
computer’s internal or main working storage. It
consists of registers, RAM, and cache.
Memory
 Two Types of Memory:
 Read Only Memory
 A form of permanent storage. Data and programs can only
be read by the computer, and cannot be erased or altered.
 Random Access Memory
 Refers to working memory used for primary storage. It is
volatile and used as temporary storage.
Storage Media
 Hard Drive – a peripheral that has very high speed
and high density.
 Diskettes -
 CD-ROMS
 USB Disk
COMPUTER POWER
Bits and Bytes
 The terms bits and bytes refer to how the machine
stores information at the lowest, or “closest to
machine registers and memory” level.
 Computers do not process information as words or
numbers, they handle it by bytes.
Bits and Bytes
Bits and Bytes
 A “bit” (binary digit) is a unit in the binary
numbering system. Binary means two, so a bit can
assume one of two positions. on/off switch – on
equals the value 1 and off equals the value 0.
Computer Speed
 The CPU speed is measured in cycles per second
which are called the clock speed of the computer.
One million per second is called one megahertz
(MHz).
 In general, the higher the clock speed possessed by
the CPU, the faster and the more powerful the
computer.
DESCRIPTIVE TERMS
USED IN COMPUTING
Descriptive Terms Used in Computing
 The computer is automatic because it is self-
instructed.
 The computer electronic because it uses
microelectronic components etched on silicon chips
for its security.
 Computers are general-purpose machines, because
the user can program, them to process all types of
problems and can solve any problem.
Descriptive Terms Used in Computing
 The computer is also characterized by its speed,
reliability due to silicon circuitry and its ability to
store large amounts of data that can be retrieved
quickly.
HISTORY OF
COMPUTERS
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
 Colossus Mark 1 – the first true digital computer.
Built in 1943, with funds from the US Military and
used airplane design.
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
 World War II Military Computers were very
different from today’s computers.
 They were big.
 Less power than an ordinary desktop computer.
 Few operations they could perform.
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
 ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Computer)
 The first vacuum tube computer developed by Eckert
and Mauchly.
 UNIVAC 1
 First large scale computer system.
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)

ENIAC UNIVAC
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
 The UNIVAC and other first generation computers
used vacuum tubes in their design.
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
 Function of a vacuum tube:
 Amplification of electrical signals
 Electronic switch (controls the flow of electrons to turn
circuits on or off)
 Saves temporary memory
 Regenerates signal to maintain signal integrity over long
distances
 Generates specific frequencies so that the computer can
function properly
 Input and output control
History of Computers
(The First Generation Computers)
History of Computers
(The 2nd Generation Computers)
 Introduced in the late 1950’s.
 Used transistors instead of

vacuum tubes.
History of Computers
(The 2nd Generation Computers)
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, leading to
smaller, more reliable computers.
• Assembly language and early programming
languages were developed.
• IBM introduced the first commercially successful
mainframe computers during this era.
• The advent of magnetic core memory improved
storage capabilities.
History of Computers
(The 3rd Generation Computers)
 Introduced in the mid-1960s.
 These used microminiature, solid state components.
History of Computers
(The 3rd Generation Computers)
• Integrated circuits allowed multiple transistors and
other components to be combined on a single chip.
• The development of microprocessors, such as the
Intel 4004, marked the beginning of the personal
computer era.
• Time-sharing operating systems and high-level
programming languages like BASIC and FORTRAN
became prevalent.
• The introduction of minicomputers and early
mainframes continued.
History of Computers
(The 4th Generation Computers)
• The development and widespread use of microprocessors on a
single chip characterized this generation.
• Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) and the mouse were
introduced, enhancing user interaction.
• Advancements in semiconductor technology, storage devices,
and networking expanded the capabilities of computers.
• The development of the World Wide Web (WWW) in the
1990s revolutionized information access and communication.
• Mobile computing, smartphones, and cloud computing are
prominent in the latter part of this generation.
The Four Generations of Digital
Computing
 The First generation (1951 -1958)
 The vacuum tubes
 The Second generation (1959 – 1963)
 Transistors
 The Third generation (1964 – 1979)
 Integrated Circuits
 The Fourth generation (1979 – present)
 Microprocessors
CLASSES OF
COMPUTERS
Analog Computers
 Operates on continuous physical or electrical
magnitudes, measuring ongoing continuous analog,
quantities such as voltage, current, temperature and
pressure.
 Examples:
 Heart monitors and fetal monitors
Analog Computers
Digital Computers
 Operates on discrete discontinuous numerical digits
using the binary numbering system.
 Example:
 Charting and decision support.
Digital Computers
Hybrid Computers
 Contains features of both the analog and the digital
computers.
 Used for specific applications, such as complex
signal processing and other engineering-oriented
applications.
 Examples:
 Physiologic monitors
COMMON HARDWARE
PERIPHERALS
Common Hardware Peripherals
 Keyboard:
 Section of keys:
 Typewriter keys / alphanumeric keys
 Function keys
 Numeric keypad
 Cursor keys / Arrow keys
 Toggle keys
 Special operations keys
Common Hardware Peripherals
 Keyboard:
Common Hardware Peripherals
 Monitor
 Mouse and Trackball
 Floppy Disks/Diskettes and CD-ROMS
 Touch Pad and Mouse Button
 Light Pen/Touch Screen
 Optical Character Recognition
 Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition
Common Hardware Peripherals
 Voice Synthesizer
 Imaging
 Digital Versatile Disk
 Printers
 Modems
BASIC OF COMPUTER
NETWORK HARDWARE
Basic Of Computer Network
Hardware
 The most important components of a network
hardware are the ff:
 NIC (Network Interface Card)
 Cabling
 Server
 The most important concept of network hardware
are the ff:
 Topology
 Architecture
Basic Of Computer Network
Hardware
 NIC – a computer circuit board or card that is
installed in a computer so that it can be connected
to a network.
 Communication Medium (Cabling) – actual transfer
of data from one site to the other takes place.
Choice of communication medium is based on the
following: distance, amount of data transfer, how
often the transfer is needed and availability.
Basic Of Computer Network
Hardware
 Architecture – refers to an overall physical
structure, peripherals, interconnections within the
computer, and its system software, especially the
operating system.
 Topology – defines how the network in LAN are
interconnected within a physical area and describes
their physical interconnection.