Computer Hardware
Computer hardware is divided into two main categories:
1. System unit; contains the electronic components used to process and temporarily store data and instructions.
These components include the central processing unit, primary memory, and the system board.
2. Peripherals; they are hardware used for input, auxiliary storage, display, and communication.
These are attached to the system unit through a hardware interface that carries digital data to and from main memory and processors.
Central Processing Unit
The most important component of any electronic computer is the central processing unit.
A CPU is a complex integration of millions of transistors that execute program instructions and manipulate data.
This ability to store a CPU on a single silicon chip ushered in the age of personal computers.
A processor's speed is measured in Megahertz (MHZ), or Gigahertz (GHZ). The higher the hertz, the faster the processing of instructions.
The CPU has three essential sets of transistors that work together in processing digital data:
1. Control Unit; the control unit directs the flow of data and instructions within the processor and electronic memory.
2. Arithmetic logic Unit; the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) contains programmed transistors that perform mathematical and logical calculations on the data.
3. Registers/Memory Unit; the registers are special transistors that store data and instructions as they are being manipulated by the control unit and ALU.
Note: New microprocessors also have additional high-speed memory called cache, on the chip to store frequently used data and instructions
Memory
It is classified in the following two categories
1. Primary Memory (RAM and ROM) for temporary storage.
2. Secondary Memory/Auxiliary Memory for permanent storage of data and programs.
Input and Output Devices
Input and output devices of a computer system are the devices that connect you to computer.
Input and output devices allow the computer system to interact with the outside world by moving data into and out of the computer system.
Input and output devices are also called I/O devices.
Input and output devices are directly connected to an electronic module called I/O module or device controller.
For example, the speakers of a multimedia computer system are directly connected to a device controller called an audio card, which in turn is connected to the rest of the system.
Input devices let you to transfer data and user command into the computer system.
Computer hardware is divided into two main categories:
1. System unit; contains the electronic components used to process and temporarily store data and instructions.
These components include the central processing unit, primary memory, and the system board.
2. Peripherals; they are hardware used for input, auxiliary storage, display, and communication.
These are attached to the system unit through a hardware interface that carries digital data to and from main memory and processors.
Central Processing Unit
The most important component of any electronic computer is the central processing unit.
A CPU is a complex integration of millions of transistors that execute program instructions and manipulate data.
This ability to store a CPU on a single silicon chip ushered in the age of personal computers.
A processor's speed is measured in Megahertz (MHZ), or Gigahertz (GHZ). The higher the hertz, the faster the processing of instructions.
The CPU has three essential sets of transistors that work together in processing digital data:
1. Control Unit; the control unit directs the flow of data and instructions within the processor and electronic memory.
2. Arithmetic logic Unit; the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) contains programmed transistors that perform mathematical and logical calculations on the data.
3. Registers/Memory Unit; the registers are special transistors that store data and instructions as they are being manipulated by the control unit and ALU.
Note: New microprocessors also have additional high-speed memory called cache, on the chip to store frequently used data and instructions
Memory
It is classified in the following two categories
1. Primary Memory (RAM and ROM) for temporary storage.
2. Secondary Memory/Auxiliary Memory for permanent storage of data and programs.
Input and Output Devices
Input and output devices of a computer system are the devices that connect you to computer.
Input and output devices allow the computer system to interact with the outside world by moving data into and out of the computer system.
Input and output devices are also called I/O devices.
Input and output devices are directly connected to an electronic module called I/O module or device controller.
For example, the speakers of a multimedia computer system are directly connected to a device controller called an audio card, which in turn is connected to the rest of the system.
Input devices let you to transfer data and user command into the computer system.
Examples of Input Devices
1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Bar code reader
4. Graphics tablet
5. Digital Camera
Output devices display the result of input data or signals after processing it.
Examples of Output Devices
1) Monitor
2) Projector
3) Printer
4) Plotter
5) Speaker
1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Bar code reader
4. Graphics tablet
5. Digital Camera
Output devices display the result of input data or signals after processing it.
Examples of Output Devices
1) Monitor
2) Projector
3) Printer
4) Plotter
5) Speaker
