Microcomputer Components and Peripherals Overview

Microcomputer

Performs all the calculation and logic functions.

Keyboard

Consists of miniature switches with alphanumeric and other labels. Allows the program user to enter information directly into the microcomputer.

Monitor

Contains a view screen. Gives the program user temporary information useful in the operation of the microcomputer.

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

is a computer display that produces images using an electron gun. In the past, these types of monitors were the most popular screens for personal computers.

Monochrome Monitor

A type of computer monitor in which computer text and images are displayed in varying tones of only one color, as opposed to a color monitor that can display text and images in multiple colors.

CGA Monitor

originally also called the Color/Graphics Adapter or IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter, introduced in 1981, was IBM's first color graphics card for the IBM PC and established a de facto computer display standard.

RGB Monitor

consists of a vacuum tube with three electron guns — one each for red, green, and blue — at one end and the screen at the other end.

Hercules Monitor

The Hercules Graphics Card (HGC) is a computer graphics controller made by Hercules Computer Technology, Inc. that combines IBM's text-only MDA display standard with a bitmapped graphics mode.

Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) Monitor

The second color display interface for the IBM PC, which debuted with the PC/AT in 1984, boosting the previous CGA's 640x200 mode from two to 16 colors and added a 640x350 resolution.

Professional Graphics Adapter (PGA) Monitor

An early IBM PC display standard for 3D processing with 640x480x256 resolution.

Video Graphics Array (VGA) Monitor

is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987.

Super video graphics array (SVGA) Monitor

is a high-resolution standard used to channel video data to a compatible visual output device - usually a computer monitor.

Hard disk drives

Serves as a storage place for information. Consists of one or more rigid magnetic disks used to store programs and other items useful to the user.

Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA)

These were the first types of hard disk drives to be developed. They made use of the Parallel ATA interface standard to connect to computers.

Serial ATA (SATA)

These hard drives have replaced the PATA drives in desktop and laptop computers. SATA was announced in 2000 to provide several advantages over the earlier PATA interface.

Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)

These are quite similar to IDE hard drives but they make use of the Small Computer System Interface to connect to the computer.

Solid State Drives (SSD)

These are the latest in drive technology that do not consist of moving parts and do not store data using magnetism. They make use of flash memory technology.

Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Express

is a storage interface introduced in 2013 that allows data to travel over the PCI Express (PCIe) interface on a computer's motherboard.

Floppy disk drive

Will copy information from or place information on small disks consisting of magnetic material. These disks are an easy and quick way of getting information into the microcomputer.

Printer

Consist of a print head and paper mechanism for the purpose of making permanent copy of useful information contained in the microcomputer.

Impact Printers

Images are transferred on paper by physically striking the ribbon against the paper by the print hammer.

Non-Impact Printers

Form characters and images without direct physical contact between the printing mechanism and the paper.

Fully-formed character printer

Produces fully formed characters on paper in a single operation in very much the same way as a typewriter does.

Dot-matrix printer

Has vertical rows of needle pins that are individually fired against a ribbon as it moved across the paper, producing a single dot as it strikes the paper.

Dot-matrix printer speed

Can print 80-200 characters per second.

Thermal Dot-Matrix Printer

Relies on heat to scorch dots on a special paper to produce characters.

Electrographic Dot-Matrix Printer

Uses electricity rather than heat to produce dots on an electrically sensitive paper.

Ink-Jet Printer

Fires tiny jets of special ink at a special paper to form characters made up of individual dots.

Ink-Jet Printer speed

Can print an entire page in a second.

Laser Printer

Uses a beam to produce characters on ordinary paper similar to the technology utilized by xerographic copy machines.

Mouse

A small device moved by hand across a smooth surface, used to control the microcomputer quickly and easily.

Bluetooth Mouse

Utilizes an internal Bluetooth connection on your PC, allowing you to connect the mouse to multiple devices at a time.

Trackball Mouse

Features a ball with sensors that move the cursor on the screen when the ball is moved with your thumb.

Wired Mouse

Connects directly to your desktop or laptop through a USB port and transmits information via the cord.

Wireless Mouse

Transmits radio signals to a receiver connected to your computer.

Advantages of Wired Mouse

Provides fast response time and tends to be more accurate than other designs.

Advantages of Trackball Mouse

Requires less effort to move around and allows for easier scrolling.

Disadvantages of Trackball Mouse

Generally gives less freedom of movement and slower response time compared to non-trackball styles.

Wireless Mouse

A mouse that communicates with the computer without physical cables, offering freedom of movement but generally less responsiveness to gestures compared to wired mice.

Optical Mouse

A mouse that uses a red or infrared LED light to track movement by bouncing light off a surface into a CMOS sensor, capturing thousands of images per second.

Laser Mouse

A type of mouse that uses an LED outside the visible spectrum to track movement, providing more accuracy than optical mice.

Magic Mouse

A mouse developed by Apple that incorporates multitouch technology for swiping and scrolling, compatible with both Apple and Windows systems.

USB Mouse

A common type of mouse that connects to a computer via a USB port, available in wired and wireless versions.

Vertical Mouse

An ergonomic mouse designed to keep the wrist in a 'handshake' position, reducing pressure on the wrist and shoulders.

Gaming Mouse

A mouse designed for gaming that offers higher accuracy, less latency, and ergonomic features beyond standard mouse models.

Joystick

A device used for quick interaction with the monitor screen, commonly used for computer games.

Telephone Modem

A device for transferring information between computers using telephone lines.

Keyboard

An input device consisting of keys that allows the user to enter data into a computer.

Monitor

An output device that displays visual information from a computer.

Printer

An output device that produces a physical copy of digital documents.

Modem

An input/output device that modulates and demodulates signals for data transmission over telephone lines.

Hard Drive

An input/output device used for storing and retrieving digital information.

Floppy Drive

An input/output device that reads and writes data to floppy disks, an older form of data storage.