INPUT DEVICES

Definition:
The data given to the computer for processing is called input and the
devices used to give input are called Input Devices.
List:
1. Text-Entering Input Devices:
Keyboard
2. Pointing Devices:
i) Mouse
ii) Track Ball
iii) Joystick
iv) Light Pen
v) Touch Pad
vi) Touch Screen
3. Imaging scanner:
i) Scanner
ii) Optical Character Recognition(OCR)
iii) Optical Mark Recognition(OMR)
iv) Optical Barcode Reader(OBR)
4. Other types of Input Devices:
i) Microphone
ii) Digital Camera etc.

Types of Input Devices

Input devices can be categorized into different types, we can

differentiate them on the basis of working.
 i) Text Entering Devices:
These devices are used to enter the data in the form of text and also
performs some other controlling functions e.g. Keyboard.
ii) Pointing Devices: (Mouse and its variants)
The devices used to control the movement of cursor across the screen
to point a position and to select one or more actions to be taken from
that position are called Pointing Devices e.g. Mouse, Track Ball,
Joystick etc.
iii) Image Scanners:
Image Scanners convert the image into electronic format
understandable by computer through light sensing. e.g. OCR (Optical
Character Recognition), OMR(Optical Mark Recognition) and
OBR(Optical Barcode Reader) etc.
iv) Other types of Input Devices:
There are some other input devices performing some other functions
like converting sound to digital signals etc. Examples are Microphone,
Digital Camera, MICR(Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) and Magnetic
Strip Reader.

Keyboard: The keyboard is a Text Entering Device It is also called Primary

Textual Input Device. It is the most commonly used input device to communicate
with the computer.
It allows the computer users to enter alphabets (Aa – Zz), Digits(0 - 9) and all the
special characters. Some other functions can also be performed here. The top row
of alphabets includes alphabets Q, W, E R T, Y and so this type of keyboard is also
called QWERTY type of keyboard.
When a key is pressed, keyboard controlling chip sends its corresponding code in
keyboard buffer called scan code which is then processed by CPU.
The keys of a keyboard are categorized into different groups.
i) Alphanumeric Keypad ii) Numeric Keypad
iii) Functional keypad
iv) Cursor Movement Control Keys (Screen Navigation Keys)
v) Modifier Key
Mouse: It is a hand-held pointing device that is used to control the
movement of pointer across the screen. It has two or more buttons which are used
to make selection of data or menu and one ball that rotates on a flat surface. The
mouse translates the direction and speed of rotation into digital signals that identify
the position on the screen and control the cursor and various operations of the
computer

Track Ball: it is just like mouse, but it is stationary and works by moving its
ball by fingers in the direction we want the pointer to go.

Joystick: It is a pointing device with a vertical lever mounted on a base. The

lever usually includes the buttons called triggers which activate certain events
when pressed. These are mostly used for video games and also for CAD / CAM
systems and other applications.

Touch Pad: It is an input device on laptops and some keyboards to move a cursor
with finger. As the user moves the finger on the surface, the pointer moves in the
same direction.

Touch Screen: It is a pressure-sensitive display screen that is used to interact with

the computer by touching pictures or words with finger. It means it directly
accepts the input on the screen by touching finger or any object on the screen.

Microphone: It is a device that converts audio signals into electrical signals

which are translated into digital form by the sound card for processing in the
computer. Microphones are also used for voice recognition which can convert
voice input into text file
Digital Camera: It is an input device used to capture the pictures and to store
them in digital form. These pictures can be downloaded to the computer for
editing, viewing or inserting in the documents.

OUTPUT DEVICES

Definition: The information obtained by the computer after processing is called

output and the devices used to show the output are called output devices. These
devices may also send information from CPU to another device or user,
List:
I. Softcopy Output Devices:
1. Monitor:
a) CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
b) FPD(Flat Panel Display)
i) LCD (liquid Crystal Display)
ii) LED (light Emitting Diode)
2. Projector
3. Speakers
II. Hardcopy Output Devices:
1. Printers
 2. Plotters

Types of Output Devices: OR Softcopy Vs Hardcopy

1. Softcopy Output Devices:

i) Output displayed on the monitor or voice output is called soft copy and
the devices used to show softcopy are called softcopy output devices e.g.
monitors, projector, speakers etc.
ii) It is volatile in nature, means everything is lost on power failure. It can
be modified.

2. Hardcopy Output Devices:

i) Output printed on the paper is called hard copy or printout and the
devices used to give hardcopy are called Hardcopy Output devices e.g.
printers, plotters etc.
ii) It is non-volatile in nature, means nothing is lost on power failure. It can
not be modified.

Monitor: Monitor is the most popular soft copy output device. It is like a TV
screen that displays data by small bright dots called pixels (Picture Elements).
Monitor displays text and graphics generated by the computer. It is of two types.
1. CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
2. FPD (Flat Panel Display)

Data Projector: Data Projectors are used to show the colorful slides and
images directly from the computer disk on a wall or large screen through an
optical lens. These are also called Digital Light Projectors or Video Projectors.

Speakers: Speakers give output in the form of sound. A pair of speakers is

attached to the sound card on the motherboard. These are used mostly with
Z
 multimedia software or to play music or videos on the computer.
These are good for the people with visual disabilities or where display
is not easy.

Printer: Printer is the most commonly used hard copy output device
used for printing text and graphics generated by the computer. It is of
two types.
1. Impact Printers: e.g. daisywheel, dot matrix and line printers
2. Non-Impact Printers: e.g. Inkjet and laser printers

Plotters: Plotter is a hardcopy output device like printer, but it is used

to print large format images. It is used for printing construction
drawings, machine parts, building designs, maps, charts and panaflexes
etc. on large size papers or sheets. It is more expensive than printers.

Impact Printer:

An impact printer makes contact with the paper. It usually forms

the print image by pressing an inked ribbon against the paper with
a hammer-like mechanism. The following are the major types of
impact printers:

o Dot Matrix Printers

o Daisy Wheel Printers
o Line Printers
o Chain Printers

Non-Impact Printer:

Most printers in use today are non-impact printers. These printers

do not strike characters against ribbon or paper when they print.
These printers generate much less noise than impact printers. The
main categories of non-impact printers are:
 o Thermal Printers
o Ink-jet Printers
o Laser Printers

Comparison of some common Non-Impact Printers:

Type Technology Advantages Disadvantages Speed
Ink-jet Electro statically charged Quiet; prints color; less Relatively slow; clogged 1- 4 ppm
drops hit paper. expensive than jets; output not as crisp as
thermal/laser; prints thermal/laser.
graphics.
Laser Laser beam directed onto a Quiet; excellent quality Relatively high cost, 4 -25 ppm
drum, ‘etching’ spots that output; prints graphics especially for colored
attract toner, which is then and color; very high printers.
transferred to paper. speed.