Section 2

Section 2: Input and output devices

Candidates should be able to:

(a) identify the following input devices:

keyboards, numeric keypads, pointing devices (including mouse, touch pad and tracker ball), remote

controls, joysticks, touch screens, magnetic stripe readers, chip readers, PIN pads, scanners, digital

cameras, microphones, sensors, graphics tablet, MICR, OMR, OCR, barcode readers, video cameras,

web cams, light pens

(b) identify suitable uses of the input devices stating the advantages and disadvantages of each

(c) identify the following output devices: monitors (CRT, TFT), projectors, printers (laser, ink jet and dot

matrix), plotters, speakers, control devices –– motors, buzzers, lights, heaters

(d) identify suitable uses of the output devices stating the advantages and disadvantages of each:

Device Use

Keyboard: Entering text into a word processing document. Applications where text has to be created rather than copied

Numeric Keypad: Applications where only numeric data is to be entered. Inserting personal identification number (PIN) for Chip and PIN credit/debit cards, or when using an ATM machine to withdraw money or check a bank balance

Pointing devices: All applications which require selection from graphical user interface.

For example: the selection of data from a set list or menu

Mouse-In most PCs

Touchpad-On laptop computers

Trackerball-For use by people with limited motor skills e.g. young children or people with disabilities

Remote control: Using remote control devices to operate TVs, video players/recorders, DVD players/recorders, satellite receivers, HiFi music systems, data or multimedia projectors

Joystick: Used by a pilot to fly an aeroplane or flight simulator. Used in

car driving simulators and for playing games

Touch screen: Selecting from a limited list of options e.g. certain POS uses such as cafes, tourist information kiosks, public transport enquiries. May be used for handwriting recognition in a PDA or Tablet PC

Magnetic Stripe Readers: At POS terminals, ATMs and in security applications

Chip readers and PIN pads: Payment cards, ID cards, door control systems, public transport tickets

Scanners: Entering hard copy images into a computer

Digital cameras: Taking photographs for input to computers, for input to photo printers

Microphones: Recording of voices for presentation software

Sensors:

-Temperature Sensor: Automatic washing machines, automatic cookers, central heating controllers, computer-controlled greenhouses, scientific experiments and environmental monitoring

-Pressure sensor: Burglar alarms, automatic washing machines, robotics, production line control, scientific experiments and environmental monitoring

-Light sensor Computer controlled greenhouses, burglar alarm systems, robotics, production line control, scientific experiments and environmental monitoring

Graphics Tablet: Inputting freehand drawings or retouch photographs

Optical Mark Reader: Inputting pencil marks on a form such as a school register, candidate exam answers, any application involving input of a choice of options

Optical Character Reader: Inputting text to a computer ready for processing by another software package such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases etc.

Bar code Reader: Inputting code numbers from products at a POS terminal, library books and membership numbers

Video camera: Inputting moving pictures, often pre-recorded, into a computer

Web cams: Inputting moving pictures from a fixed position into a computer

Light pen: Where desktop space is limited, it is used instead of a mouse or for drawing applications where a graphics tablet might be too big

CRT Monitor: Applications where space is not a problem. Applications where more than one user may need to view screen simultaneously such as in design use,

e.g. when several designers may need to offer suggestions on a prototype

TFT Monitor: Applications where space is limited such as small offices. Applications where only one person needs to view the screen such as individual workstations

Multimedia Projector: Applications such as training presentations, advertising presentations and home cinema –– it displays data from computers, pictures from televisions and video/DVD recorders

Laser printer Applications which require low noise and low chemical emissions,

e.g. most networked systems. Applications which require rapid, high quality and high volumes of output, e.g. most offices and schools

Inkjet printer: Applications which require portability and low volume output, where changing cartridges is not an issue e.g. small offices and stand alone systems. Applications which require very high quality output and where speed is not an issue, e.g. digital camera applications

Dot Matrix Printer: Applications where noise is not an issue and copies have to be made, e.g. industrial environments (multipart forms, continuous stationery, labels etc.), car sales and repair companies, manufacturing sites

Graph plotter: CAD applications, particularly where large printouts are required such as A0

Speakers: Any application which requires sound to be output such as multimedia presentations and websites including encyclopaedias. Applications that require musical output such as playing of music CDs and DVD films

Control devices in Control applications

Motors Automatic washing machines, automatic cookers, central heating controllers, computer-controlled greenhouses, microwave ovens, robotics, production line control

Buzzers Automatic cookers, microwave ovens

Heaters Automatic washing machines, automatic cookers, central heating controllers