Task 2(Home) - 1

Input and Output Devices, A Brief Comparison and Data Transmission from Input to Output.

An input device is a device that conveys information or data to a computer system which  then processes them. An input device only allows input of data. On the other hand, an output device is a hardware equipment that presents the input or required data to the user. An output device only allows output of data.

Input devices

Input devices dispatch information to the system or other devices but is unable to receive data. For example:

• Keyboard and Mouse: Keyboard is the modern typewriter that comes with an arrangement of keys. It is used mainly as a text entry device, however, it is also used to input various commands to the computer system. And mouse is a hand-held device that displays a pointer on the computer monitor and is used to select and navigate through the items in the display.

Mouse

Keyboard

• Microphone: Microphone is a device that receives sound from the user and the surroundings and sends it to the system.
• Webcam: Webcam is a camera device that, when used, captures images or records video.

Output Devices

Output devices receives the input or processed data and displays them to the user. For example:

• Monitor: It is the main display of a computer and its where the outputs and results are presented to the user.

A computer monitor

• Projector: A projector is a device that, when connected, to a computer will display whatever information is visible on the monitor by projecting it on a wall or any other surface.

A projector

• Speaker: A speaker is a device that plays the audio it received from the computer system.

Speakers

Transmission of data from Input to Output

The part of the computer system that's involved in the process of sending data from input to output is the CPU or Central Processing Unit.

When any data or information is inserted through any input device, it is sent to the CPU as electric signals. The CPU, after interpreting the signals, converts them to human readable data and then displays on any output device. For example:

• While compiling text, using the keyboard the text is input and the monitor shows the text as it is typed.
• When using the mouse, as it is moved, the pointer in the monitor moves and whenever the left button is clicked on any item, it is selected.
• Clicking the Print Screen button on the keyboard prints any opened document through a printer(if its connected with the computer).
• Using a scanner, any document, be it typed or handwritten, can be scanned and displayed on the computer monitor.

In this way data is transmitted from the input to output devices.