Nformation Technology Support Service: Level I
Nformation Technology Support Service: Level I
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SUPPORT SERVICE
Level I
Learning Guide # 1
Unit of Competence: Connect Hardware Peripherals
Introduction To computer
What is computer?
Computer: is electronic machine that perform that input, process, output and storage
Information.
Software - Computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling
computer Hardware what to do and how to do it
- It accepts keyboard or mouse inputs from users and displays the results of
Operating systems
Welcome
Welcome to the unit Connect Hardware Peripherals one of the elective units in the
Information Technology Level-I. This unit of competency is about connecting hardware
peripherals according to instructions.
Address: Assela Ethiopia
Learning Pathway
Following installation instructions supplied with peripheral devices
Installing and testing at least a keyboard, mouse, and printer, plus at least two
other external peripheral devices, one of which must be a storage device.
Applying Occupational Health and Safety guidelines for attaching and/or
removing devices and cables from a computer
Interpreting a variety of troubleshooting charts/diagrams/tables
Familiarisation with organizational hardware blueprint
This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the
Keyboard
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps in inputting data to the
computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although there are
some additional keys provided for performing additional functions.
Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108
keys are also available for Windows and Internet.
PS/2: is a type of port used by older computers for connecting input devices such as
keyboards and mice. The port was introduced with IBM's Personal System/2 computer in
1987 (which was abbreviated "PS/2"). In the following years, the PS/2 port became the
standard connection for keyboards and mice in all IBM compatible computers.
The PS/2 port has six pins and is roughly circular in shape. Since each PS/2 port is designed to
accept a specific input, the keyboard and mouse connections are typically color-coded. For
example, the keyboard port on the back of the computer is often purple, while the mouse port is
usually green. Similarly, the connector on the end of the keyboard cord is purple and the mouse
cord connector is green. This makes it easy for all users to know where to plug the cables into the
computer. The concept is similar to the color-coded composite audio/video connections on the
back of a TV, which use red, white, and yellow connectors.
While the PS/2 port enjoyed a good run for almost two decades, now most keyboards and mice
use USB connectors. Unlike PS/2 ports, USB devices can be plugged into any USB port or even
a USB hub and the computer will automatically determine what the device is. USB is also "hot
swappable," meaning the connections can be removed while the computer is running. If you
remove a PS/2 device while the computer is on, it may potentially cause damage to the hardware.
Therefore, if you are using a PS/2 device, it is best to turn off the computer before connecting or
unplugging a keyboard or mouse.
USB keyboard
PS2 keyboard
Mouse
Mouse is most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control device having a small
palm size box with a round ball at its base which senses the movement of mouse and sends
corresponding signals to CPU when the mouse buttons are pressed.
Generally it has two buttons called left and right button and a wheel is present between the
buttons. Mouse can be used to control the position of cursor on screen, but it cannot be used to
enter text into the computer.
Advantages
Easy to use
Mouse:- is a hand held pointing device that used to select and moves items
on the screen.
There is five common mouse actions:
1. Point: moving the mouse pointer that you see on the screen of
the computer.
2. Click: press and release the left mouse button. it usually selects
an item on screen.
3. Double Click: quickly press and release the left mouse button
twice. Usually open a document or starts a program.
4. Right click: press and release the right-mouse button. It usually
display a list of commands.
5. Drag(click + Hold): Dragging requires more physical effort than
moving the same pointing device without holding down any
buttons.
Trackball
These devices work like a standard mouse except the users rolls a ball inside a base rather
than moving the device across the table top. Many users prefer a trackball to a mouse,
because it involves less wrist movement, reducing repetitive-motion issues.
Touchpad
This is a device typically found on laptop computers. It works like a mouse or trackball,
except it's a flat panel you move your finger across. The motion of your finger registers
as cursor movement on the screen. Many touchpads now enable gestures to scroll through
documents or zoom in on a photo. Buttons are typically below the touchpad.
Graphics Tablet
These devices are used like a piece of paper and a pencil. These allow artists to draw
more naturally in a graphics application. They have a stylus that looks like a plastic
pencil that you can use to draw on a flat panel. The device will register the pressure of the
user's hand to draw lighter or darker lines on screen. Many even have erasers on the back
that allow you to erase mistakes with the stylus.
Joystick
These devices are primarily used for computer gaming. They consist of a stick on a base
with various buttons that all have different functions. It operates similar to a yoke on an
aircraft, making them suitable for flight simulators.
Joystick:-It is also called as game controller device.Joystick is a remote control device
which is used in gaming purpose.We will also play game with keyboard but joystick
gives more simplicity and more speed than keyboard.
Scanner
These devices allow a user to input a photograph or document into the computer. By
placing a piece of media in a scanner, you can create an image file that can be opened and
manipulated on the computer.
Scanner:-Scanner is a example of input device which are mainly used to check OMR
sheets.It is also used to copy text,images in the form of soft copy.
Microphone
This is a device used to input voice data and sound. You hold the microphone up to a
source, most likely a person's mouth, and it registers the sounds and inputs them into
audio recording applications. This will let you do many things, from recording a song to
talking to someone on Skype.
Webcam
This is a small video camera that takes video and inputs it into the computer. These allow
you to record and send small videos or have a video chat with someone over the Internet.
1.2. Back of the PC and it’s ports
Whatever external devices you have, they're all connected to the system unit (where the actual
"computing" takes place) via cables. Each cable plugs into a specific port on the system unit.
The ports are usually on the back of the system unit. But they can be on front or side as well.
Or parallel port
Types of ports:
Serial connector
VGA port
VGA Port (DB-15 connector): - Contain three rows of five connection points.
o -Should on the computer in its female form.
o -Familiar shape of D-shape connector.
o Used for VGA monitor & LCD projector.
USB connector
Network connector:- transfer rate of 100Mbps; connects computers to networks.
NIC connector
Activity 1: Showing the image below, demonstrate required peripherals for each
port.
Name four devices that can connect to a computer via USB port
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Computer Ports
A port is an interface on a computer to which you can connect a device. Most ports are
located at the back of the computer. Same ports are physically part of motherboard or
are connected directly to the motherboard, where board other ports are physically part
of or connected directly to the expansion Card.
Computer case
The case of the PC is a metal or plastic box designed to hold protect the motherboard,the drivers
and power supplies.
Tower case
Desktop
Following are few of the important output devices which are used in a computer.
Monitors
Graphic Plotter
Printer
Monitors
Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a
computer. It forms images from tiny dots, called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular form.
The sharpness of the image depends upon the number of pixels.
The CRT display is made up of small picture elements called pixels. The smaller the pixels, the
better the image clarity, or resolution. It takes more than one illuminated pixel to form whole
character, such as the letter ‘e’ in the word help.
A finite number of characters can be displayed on a screen at once. The screen can be divided
into a series of character boxes - fixed location on the screen where a standard character can be
placed. Most screens are capable of displaying 80 characters of data horizontally and 25 lines
vertically. There are some disadvantages of CRT:
Large in Size
High power consumption
The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have reduced volume, weight and
power requirement in comparison to the CRT. You can hang them on walls or wear them on your
wrists. Current uses of flat-panel displays include calculators, video games, monitors, laptop
computer, graphics display.
Emissive Displays - The emissive displays are devices that convert electrical energy into
light. Example are plasma panel and LED(Light-Emitting Diodes).
Non-Emissive Displays - The Non-emissive displays use optical effects to convert
sunlight or light from some other source into graphics patterns. Example is LCD(Liquid-
Crystal Device)
Printers
Impact Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers
The impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon which is then pressed on
the paper.
Character printers
Line printers
Character Printers
Character printers are the printers which print one character at a time.
In the market one of the most popular printers is Dot Matrix Printer. These printers are popular
because of their ease of printing and economical price. Each character printed is in form of
pattern of dots and head consists of a Matrix of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9) which come
out to form a character that is why it is called Dot Matrix Printer.
Advantages
Inexpensive
Widely Used
Other language characters can be printed
Disadvantages
Slow Speed
Poor Quality
Daisy Wheel
Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are like petals of Daisy (flower
name) that is why it is called Daisy Wheel Printer. These printers are generally used for word-
processing in offices which require a few letters to be sent here and there with very nice quality.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Line Printers
Line printers are the printers which print one line at a time.
Drum Printer
Chain Printer
Drum Printer
This printer is like a drum in shape so it is called drum printer. The surface of drum is divided
into number of tracks. Total tracks are equal to size of paper i.e. for a paper width of 132
characters, drum will have 132 tracks. A character set is embossed on track. The different
character sets available in the market are 48 character set, 64 and 96 characters set. One rotation
of drum prints one line. Drum printers are fast in speed and can print 300 to 2000 lines per
minute.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Very expensive
Characters fonts cannot be changed
Chain Printer
In this printer, chain of character sets are used so it is called Chain Printer. A standard character
set may have 48, 64, or 96 characters.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Noisy
Non-impact Printers
Non-impact printers print the characters without using ribbon. These printers print a complete
page at a time so they are also called as Page Printers.
Laser Printers
Inkjet Printers
Laser Printers
These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce the dots needed to form the
characters to be printed on a page.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Expensive.
Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a single printing.
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new technology. They print
characters by spraying small drops of ink onto paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output
with presentable features.
They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many styles of printing
modes available. Colour printing is also possible. Some models of Inkjet printers can produce
multiple copies of printing also.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications- feel
free to ask your teacher.
Speakers
Data projector
Web cam
1. Tick whether each device below is and INPUT or OUTPUT device and whether it is
ESSENTIAL or OPTIONAL.
Printer
Monitor
Mouse
Keyboard
CD Burner
Scanner
Graphics Tablet
Touch Screen
Microphone
2. Look at your computer at home. Make a list of all the INPUT and OUTPUT devices
that are connected to it.
3. For each of the following devices, list one specification or criteria you would consider
when deciding to buy it.
1. Monitor
2. Laser Printer
3. Modem
4. Scanne
The Keyboard
Answer these questions.
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4. Give an example of how the retail industry uses scanning technology in everyday
trading.
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Tick whether each device below is and INPUT or OUTPUT device and whether it is ESSENTIAL or
OPTIONAL.
Printer
Monitor
Mouse
Keyboard
CD Burner
Scanner
Graphics Tablet
Touch Screen
Microphone
1. Look at your computer at home. Make a list of all the INPUT and OUTPUT devices that
are connected to it.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. For each of the following devices, list one thing you would consider when deciding to buy
it.
a. Monitor: _________________________________________________________
b. Printer: _________________________________________________________
c. Modem: _________________________________________________________
d. Scanner: ________________________________________________________
Create a Word document called Peripheral Test and for each write the following:-
Activity 9 – Ports
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2. Give at least TWO examples of peripherals that can be plugged into each.
a. PARALLEL:
_______________________________________________________
b. SERIAL: _________________________________________________________
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