P1 - Explain the
function of computer hardware components
Keyboard
A keyboard lets you input character into the computer which
is fast and easy to type. There are many different keyboards like an on screen
touch keyboard which lets you type.
Mouse
A mouse is a hardware component that lets you move a pointer
and navigate around the computer to all different files and programs.
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet can be used to hand-draw graphics and
images. The same way someone draws with a pencil and paper but it will go to a
computer. It can also capture data like handwriting and signatures.
Scanner
A scanner lets you scan documents like photographs and page
of texts that then can be converted into a digital format. Which then you can
view and edit the documents. There are a number of scanners you can get from
ones that only scan documents to a
computer to an all in one that lets you scan documents print documents and scan
to a computer
Cameras
A camera records an image either a still image or it will
record a video of whatever the camera sees. You can move them to a computer
also you can use a webcam which will capture wherever you put the webcam you
can use it with Skype or other messengers
Monitor
A monitor when connected to a computer or other component
will display an image like the computer desktop without the monitor the user
would not be able to see the desktop which will make it hard to navigate around
the computer.
Printer
A printer when connected to a computer will let you have
paper based copies of electronic documents also if the printer has a scanner to
you can make more copies of the same document to as many as you need as long as
there is enough ink.
Speakers
Speakers are used to listen to sounds like videos from
YouTube or music from a playlist. Speakers can be very loud if you have the
correct ones.
Internal
Components
Processor
A processor runs the computer asin all the processes have to
go through the processor which executes the action. It is the “brains” of the
computer the more powerful CPU the more programs you can run at a time.
RAM
A RAM (Random Access Memory) stores programs you are running
at the time when the computer is turned off all the data is deleted off the
RAM. The bigger the RAM the more programs can be run when the computer is
turned on.
ROM
ROM is read only data it cannot be deleted it can only be
read by the computer.
Hard Drives including
SATA, IDE, EIDE
For HDD’s there is SATA which means serial ATA, IDE
Integrated Drive Electronics and EIDE Express integrated electronics. IDE is
the slowest out of the three and then it’s the EIDE then the SATA which is the
fastest all of them transfer data from the HDD to wherever the computer needs
it. The HDD holds the operating system and any programs you download on to the
computer or any files. IDE and EIDE cables are a lot bigger than SATA Which
means it take up more space in the computer. SATA cables are a lot faster at
moving data around the computer which will make the computer faster.
Optical Storage
Optical storage is the CD/DVD
drive it can be used to burn a CD or DVD or to watch one. Optical storage is
slowly being taken over by usb’s. The difference between CD and DVD is a CD can
only play sounds but DVD’s can have video files on them.
Motherboards connects all the
separate components of the computer all together to make the computer run the
ram and CPU are connect straight into the motherboard but the CD/DVD drive and
HDD is connected by wires going from the component to the motherboard.
USB’s are used to transfer data
from a portable device from a computer also USB’s are on mouse’s which plug in
to the computer to move the cursor around also most keyboards use USB’s now.
Mice and keyboards used ps2 connections which are slower than USB’s and USB are
universal so it can go in any computer.
The bios is called the basic
input/output system it pretty much is a small system made to start up and run
the operating system at first. It checks your input and output before running
the system.
The power supply unit connects to
the motherboard the CD/DVD drive and the HDD giving power to each of those
components.
The fan goes on top of the heatsink to cool it down so the
CPU does not overheat. The heatsink is a
metal object that take the heat from the CPU and helps it cool down by
spreading the heat around the metal.
Master and
slave settings
The master is the first boot up option the computer picks
which should be the main hard drive if that fails the slave is the second boot
up option for the computer this is usually the CD/DVD drive on the computer.
Serial and
parallel ports
Parallel ports was used to connect the computer to the
printer to print documents out but now most printers use a USB instead. Serial
port is a VGA which connects a computer to a monitor but VGA’s are slowly being
replaced by HDMI ports which have a lot better picture then VGA’s.
Graphics
card
Most computers will have a graphics card built in to the
motherboard if you are a gamer or want a good computer you would have a
graphics card on its own so the computer graphics look better.
Pen drive
and Flash memory
Pen drives are the same as memory sticks they hold data like
videos, music and picture they come in very different sizes from lower than 1GB
to over 32GB. Flash memory is memory cards like micro SD’s which are used in
most phones to add extra storage to them. The memory cards can be as big as the
pen drives in memory size like 1GB to 32GB’s.
Portable
and fixed drives
Portable drives are like fixed drive but you are able to move
them around and use them in multiple computer easily. They can be as big as 1TB
which can hold a lot. Fixed drives are HDD inside the computer which have the
OP (operating system) on them and it will also hold the documents of the user.
Coaxial
Coaxial cables are the aerial for TV’s and they are the sky
cables. They look like any normal wire you see but its more bigger the ends
have a connection with a piece of metal coming out which connects the aerial to
the TV.
Optical
Optical cables are run underground they have an optical fibre
which light waves are sent to the exchange which changes it into a normal cable
which is ran to the households.
Twisted
pair
Twisted cables are used for Cat-5 and any other network
cables cables they are twisted so the cable isn’t as big
