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CSC 101 Intro to Computer Lecture 1b

The document provides an introduction to computer concepts, focusing on hardware components and their functions, including input, output, and processing units. It details various input devices, distinguishing between direct and indirect input methods, and explains the roles of internal and external memory. Additionally, it includes review questions to reinforce understanding of the material presented.

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desmondmollo33
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3 views

CSC 101 Intro to Computer Lecture 1b

The document provides an introduction to computer concepts, focusing on hardware components and their functions, including input, output, and processing units. It details various input devices, distinguishing between direct and indirect input methods, and explains the roles of internal and external memory. Additionally, it includes review questions to reinforce understanding of the material presented.

Uploaded by

desmondmollo33
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

CSC 101 – 2 Units


LECTURE ONE B

Computer Concepts
LECTURE OUTLINE
 Hardware
 Primary Units of the computer
 Input unit
 Output unit
 Processing unit
 Internal and External Memories
 Review questions
HARDWARE
• Computer is made up of two parts which are
hardware and software.
Diagrams of Computer Systems
Diagrams Contd.
Diagrams Contd.
Hardware
The hardware is the physical and visible
components of the computer system. Examples
are: Input devices e.g. Keyboard, Mouse, Touch
Screen, Light-pen, Joystick, Digitizer Tablet, and
Voice Input Device. Output devices such as
Monitor, Plotters, Voice Output Device,
Computer Output Microfilm (COM) and Printers.
Hardware Contd.
• Memory e.g. ROM (Read Only Memory) and
RAM (Random Access Memory) and Storage
Devices such as Magnetic Disk, Magnetic Tape,
Optical Disk, Flash Drives and Floppy Disks. All
these are known as peripheral devices
because they are not part of the Central
Processing Unit.
Primary Units of the computer
• There are three basic units of the computer
system which are the Input Unit, the
Processed Unit and the Output Unit. This is
tagged IPO.
A Diagram Showing the 3 Basic Units
Input unit
• This is the unit that sends data and
instructions into the computer. It is the
avenue whereby users “talk” or communicate
with the computer system. Examples of these
are keyboard, scanner, light pen, mouse,
joystick etc.
Input Devices

Input devices are hardware components that


allow a computer user to input data into the
computer. They are classified into two namely:
a. Direct input devices
b.Indirect input devices (Manual)
Direct Input Devices

•These are input devices which can read the data directly from
the source documents for conversation and transfer to the CPU.
Examples of the direct input devices include the following:
i. Optical Character Reader (OCR): OCR devices can read
typed or printed characters directly into a computer system
by recognizing the shape of different characters. The most
advanced machines use lasers. Hand-writing being more
variable is not really suitable for OCR. Some point of sale
terminals in retail outlets use OCR to read product codes
from labels.
Direct Input Devices Contd.
ii. Optical Mark Readers/Mark Sensing
Devices (OMR): This technique is used when
information can be given on paper by making
marks in specific places, in questionnaires and
multiple choice tests for required boxes for each
possible question. Mark sensing devices
recognize marks made in pencil or pen.
Direct Input Devices Contd.
iii. Magnetic Ink Character Readers (MICRs):
These devices can read characters which are
printed in a special typeface and with special
magnetic ink. They work by recognizing the
magnetic pattern produced by each character. The
method is used primarily by banks for the
automatic clearing of cheques. The codes across
the bottom of cheques are printed in magnetic ink.
Direct Input Devices Contd.
iv. Bar Codes, Punched Cards, Magnetic Stripes and
Plastic Cards: Bar codes are used in retail trade and are
found on the labels of goods in supermarkets. Libraries
also use them to label books. The bar code consists of a
number of vertical black stripes on a white background
that are converted into character codes. Bar code provides
relatively cheap and reliable methods of capturing data.
Plastic cards are also used to store information in machine-
readable form. Examples of this are credit cards and
cheque cards; they contain magnetically encoded
information as well as ordinary characters.
Direct Input Devices Contd.
v. Digitizing tablet: This is used for digitizing
and stirring drawings and maps.
vi. Devices Sensor: This is a special input device
used frequently in process control systems to
capture input data or signals.
Direct Input Devices Contd.
vii. Scanners: This can be hand held, tabletop or
page scanners; it is used in Desktop
publishing and computer graphics. They are
used to scan images or import page of text
quickly into the computer memory for image
or text editing.
viii.Light Pen: This is used in entering data into
the computer.
Indirect or Manual Input Devices
Manual input device required data to be converted
from the form which people can read into machine-
readable form. Manual input device includes the
following:
i. Keyboards: This is the standard input device
available, it uses alphabetic keys A-Z, numeric keys 0-
9 and special character such as *, @ etc. It may be
detachable, or fixed. It by standard or enhanced.
Standard keyboards uses function keys F1 – F10 while
Enhanced keyboards uses functions keys F1-F12.
Indirect or Manual Input Devices Contd.

ii. Terminals: A terminal is a device which


provides input and output facilities combined.
The most popular type of terminal today is
visual display unit (VDU) which also includes a
typewriter-style keyboard but has a television-
style screen as the output device. VDUs may be
referred to as working station.
Indirect or Manual Input Devices Contd.

iii. Point-of-sale-terminal: It behaves like ordinary cash


registers except that they offer extra feature like the ability to
print out detailed bills and to work out how much change
should be given. They can read magnetic stripes, bar codes or
printed characters. They are able to collect information about
sales of different products and thus assist in sales analysis and
stock controls. Each point-of-sale terminal is linked to a
central computer. If the link is direct, then information is sent
straight to the computer when a sale is made. If the link is
indirect, the point-of-sale terminal will store the data on a
tape or a disk so that it can be fed into the computer at the
end of the day.
Indirect or Manual Input Devices Contd.

iv. Key-to-Tape and Key-To-Disc Devices:


Computers that do not have direct link to the
central processing unit are called key-to-tape or
key-to-disc machines depending on the type of
storage machine used. They allow large
quantities of data to be prepared on ‘off-line’
thus not taking up valuable computer time.
Indirect or Manual Input Devices Contd.

v. Voice Recognition: It is already possible


for computer to understand spoken commands,
though, it is still in the early stages of
development. With this, spoken words can be
converted into machine readable form.
Output unit
• This is the unit that displays the information
i.e. the processed data or the result. Examples
are monitor or screen, printer (for hard copy,
i.e. copy printed on paper).
Processing unit
• This is the unit where the processing of data is
done i.e. where data is manipulated. It is
divided into three main parts namely the
Control/Processor Unit, Arithmetic and Logic
unit (ALU) and the Main Computer storage.
a. The Control/Processor Unit

• This Unit coordinates the flow of instructions


or directs all activities within the computer
system. All activities either input or output
involve this unit.
b. The Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)

• This is the arithmetic division of the system.


All arithmetic operations like addition,
subtraction, multiplications etc takes place at
the ALU.
c. The main computer storage

• This is the internal memory of the system, it


is divided into two namely ROM and RAM.
Internal and External Memories
• Internal memories are computer memories
that reside inside the system while external
memories are external to the system.
ROM
• ROM stands for Read Only Memory. Pre stored
information that is responsible for the booting
or starting up of the computer system is
permanently stored in the ROM and cannot be
altered. Every time the computer is switched
on, it goes to this memory and fetches already
coded instructions to come on.
RAM
• RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This
is the memory upon which executing program
runs. Such programs could be system
programs, application programs or user
programs. The RAM is a temporary or volatile
memory because it does not keep data
permanently. The data disappears when there
is power failure hence the need to save
documents constantly.
External or Secondary Memories
External memories are secondary memories,
they are not part of the computer system, they
are separate, external to the system. They hold
information permanently; their contents are
not affected by power failure.
External or Secondary Memories cont.
• They are easily movable and non-volatile,
examples are: hard disk, flash drive, CD-ROM,
PROM, EPROM etc. PROM means
Programmable Read Only Memory while
EPROM means Erasable Programmable Read
Only Memory, information on this can be
erased. CD-ROM stores information in
Gigabytes.
Review questions
1.Mention four input devices used by a
microcomputer
2.Differentiate between direct input devices and
indirect input devices
3.Differentiate between hardware and software
4.Describe the characteristics and advantages of
the following input methods:
i. Point of sale
ii. Key-to-disc

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