Multimedia Systems

Notes Unit 6: Hardware

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
6.1 Macintosh versus Windows
6.2 Connections
6.2.1 Integrated Drive Electronics (IDEs)
6.2.2 Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)
6.2.3 Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics (EIDEs)
6.2.4 Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA)
6.2.5 Universal Serial Bus (USB)
6.2.6 FireWire
6.3 Storage Devices
6.3.1 Random Access Memory (RAM)
6.3.2 Read-only Memory (ROM)
6.3.3 Floppy and Hard Disks
6.3.4 Zip, Jaz, SyQuest and Optical Storage Devices
6.3.5 Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)
6.3.6 CD-ROM
6.3.7 CD-ROM Players
6.3.8 CD Recorders
6.3.9 Videodisc Players
6.4 Input Devices
6.4.1 Keyboard Entry
6.4.2 Pointing Devices
6.5 Output Devices
6.5.1 Sound Recording Equipment
6.5.2 Speakers
6.5.3 Monitors
6.5.4 Video Recording Equipment
6.5.5 Projectors
6.5.6 Printers
6.6 Summary
6.7 Keywords
6.8 Review Questions
6.9 Further Readings

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Objectives Notes

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

Understand Macintosh versus Windows

Explain different types of connections

Describe storage devices

Understand different types of input devices

Explain output devices

Introduction

In producing a multimedia program, we need to: Gather data for the 5 basic elements of
multimedia: text, animation, graphics, video and audio by using hardware. To edit the elements,
we need special editing software. The most common hardware used are scanner, video camera,
camera for still photos, audio device, and video capture device. Each of these hardware has its
functions and characteristics. Knowing the functions of the hardware and how to use them are
important. This will enable us to integrate the basic elements of multimedia into a program.

A few years ago, purchasing a multimedia computer was quite complicated, but because of the
tremendous growth of multimedia applications, most computers that you buy today are already
designed to run multimedia applications. If you are interested in developing multimedia
applications, however, you should consider a more powerful computer. If your computer is too
slow, productivity will be lost; and in today’s fast-paced technological society, you need a fast
computer to keep up.

Effectively developing and delivering multimedia applications requires a more powerful personal
computer than one used to write a letter, prepare a budget, or answer e-mail. Because personal
computers are becoming more and more powerful, most of those purchased today have built-in
multimedia capabilities that allow you to deliver and display multimedia applications. However,
if creation of high-end multimedia applications is your goal, you will definitely want to consider
certain specifications that have been established specifically for multimedia.

6.1 Macintosh versus Windows

The two types of desktop computer used for multimedia development are the Apple Mac and
the Microsoft Windows based personal computer or PC. Both platforms share these common
components as do most types of computer:

Processor: The processor or central processing unit is the key component and controls the
rest of the computer and executes programs.

Cache: Cache is a small amount of very high speed memory built into the processor for
doing immediate calculations.

RAM memory: RAM (random access memory) is the working memory where the current
application program resides.

System bus: The system bus connects all the necessary devices to the processor. There are
other buses that connect to the system bus like SCSI for hard drives.

Motherboard: The processor, cache, RAM and system bus all reside on a main printed
circuit board called the motherboard.

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Notes Operating system: The operating system manages the loading and unloading of applications
and files and the communication with other peripheral devices like printers.

Storage devices: Application programs and working files are saved longer term on different
kinds of storage device. Storage devices include hard disk drives, CD-ROMs and floppy
drives.

Input/output devices: Connected to the system bus are a number of other devices that
control the other essential components of a desk top computer including the monitor,
mouse, keyboard, speakers, printer, scanner.

Expansion bus: Most desktops should include ‘slots’ into which other non-standard devices
can be installed.

The latest specification Macs and PCs are capable of running the application tools necessary for
developing standard multimedia applications. The standard applications are image, sound and
video editing, animation and multimedia integration. Comparisons of the performance of the
latest generation of PCs and Macs are hotly contested but in general they are now roughly the
same with each type of computer performing better on some tasks than others. Apple Macs
have, in the past, been more associated with the multimedia industry, however PCs are
increasingly being used since they are now capable of undertaking the same processor intensive
tasks like video compression equally well. High specification computers are required to undertake
some of the tasks required in multimedia development.

Today’s computer users live in a veritable golden age when it comes to choosing computing
devices. In truth, there’s no clear winner in the Mac vs. PC contest. Instead, both devices have
significant developments. Both platforms now can come equipped with Intel® Core™ processors
that result in impressive performance. In addition, both Mac and PC demonstrate increased
memory; larger hard drive space; better stability and more availability than four years ago.
However, differences remain: the PC and Ultrabook™ are widely available with touchscreens,
but Apple has yet to release a Mac or MacBook* with integrated touchscreen technology. Retina
display, which greatly reduces glare and reflection, is a standard feature on the new iMac*, but
is less common on PCs.

Compatibility: While the main operating system for Apple is OSX*, and PCs operate on Microsoft
Windows*, only Macs have the capability to run both. Naturally, both systems continue to
develop faster and more powerful versions of these operating systems that are increasingly
user-friendly and more compatible with handheld devices.

And though the PC tends to dominate in the workplace, many software programs for professional
use–including Microsoft Office* and the Adobe Creative Suite*–have versions for both operating
systems. When it comes to apps for leisure purposes, it’s important to realize they’re not only
for handheld devices. There are numerous web-based applications that replace the necessity for
installing software on your computer by letting you perform all of the functions in the web
browser. This may sound complicated, but you’re probably familiar with some of them already.
Think about Flickr* for online photo managing and sharing, Pinterest* for online scrapbooking,
YouTube* apps for streaming your favourite videos, and Qusic*, which alerts you to new releases
from your favourite musical artists.

Reliability: When it comes to reliability, the Mac vs. PC debate has had some interesting
developments of late. Though the majority of PC users know their devices are vulnerable to
malware and viruses, Mac users this past year have certainly awoken to the fact that Macs are
also vulnerable to sophisticated attacks. Ultimately, both PC and Mac users are safer after
installing up-to-date antivirus software designed to protect their devices from malicious hits.

Even when it comes to repairs, both operating systems have made great strides. Though it’s still
advised to take a broken Mac to an Apple Genius Bar* in an authorized Apple dealership, there

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are more locations than there were a few years ago. PC users enjoy a broader range of choices, Notes
from their local electronics dealer to a repair centre at a major department store, though it
remains their own responsibility to choose a repair service that’s up to their PC manufacturer’s
standards.

Since PCs and Macs hit the market, the debate has existed over which is best. Depending upon
who you’re talking to, the PC vs. Mac debate is often even hotter than politics or religion. While
you have many who are die-hard Microsoft PC users, another group exists that is just as dedicated
to Apple’s Mac*. A final group exists in the undecided computer category.

Cost: For many users, cost is key. You want to get the absolute most for your money. In years
past, PCs dominated the budget-friendly market, with Macs ranging anywhere from $100 to
$500 more than a comparable PC. Now this price gap has lessened significantly. However, you
will notice a few key features that Macs tend to lack in order to provide a lower price: memory
and hard drive space.

Memory: Most PCs have anywhere from 2 GB to 8 GB of RAM in laptops and desktops, while
Macs usually have only 1 GB to 4 GB. Keep in mind, this is for standard models, not custom
orders.

Hard Drive Space: Macs typically have smaller hard drives than PCs. This could be because some
Mac files and applications are slightly smaller than their PC counterparts. On average, you will
still see price gaps of several hundred dollars between comparable Macs and PCs. For computing
on a budget, PCs win.

There are a few things to take into consideration that may actually make Macs more cost effective:
stability and compatibility.

Stability: In years past, PCs were known to crash, and users would get the “blue screen,” but
Microsoft has made their operating systems more reliable in recent years. On the other hand,
Mac hardware and software have tended to be stable, and crashes occur infrequently.

Compatibility: Unlike with a PC, a Mac can also run Windows. If you want to have a combination
Mac and PC, a Mac is your best option.

Availability: Macs are exclusive to Apple. This means for the most part, prices and features are
the same no matter where you shop. This limits Mac availability. However, with the new Apple
stores, it’s even easier to buy Macs and Mac accessories. Any upgrades or repairs can only be
done by an authorized Apple support center.

PCs, on the other hand, are available from a wide range of retailers and manufacturers. This
means more customization, a wider price range for all budgets, repairs, and upgrades available
at most electronics retailers and manufacturers. It also makes it easier for the home user to
perform upgrades and repairs themselves as parts are easy to find.

Web Design: 95 per cent of the people surfing the Web use Windows on PCs. If you want to be
able to design in an atmosphere where you see pretty much what that 95 per cent sees, then
Windows just plain makes sense. Secondly, though many technologies are available for the Mac,
Windows technology is not and much of the Web uses this technology. If you want to take
advantage of .NET technology or ASP, it is just way easier to implement from a Windows
platform.

Software: The final Mac vs. PC comparison comes down to software. For the most part, the two
are neck and neck. Microsoft has even released Microsoft Office specifically for Mac, proving
Apple and Microsoft can get along. All and all, Macs are more software compatible as PCs only
support Windows friendly software. Both systems support most open-source software. Software
for both systems is user friendly and easy to learn.

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Notes In the end, the choice comes down to personal preference. Due to price and availability, PCs tend
to be the winner, while Macs remain the choice for the more elite or anti-Microsoft computer
users.

6.2 Connections

Establishing a connection between two multimedia devices is very easy now using a lot of
connecting devices. There are many hardware devices which are generally used for making a
connection between two or more devices such as cables. Here, we are discussing some interfaces
and connecting devices.

6.2.1 Integrated Drive Electronics (IDEs)

Computers have three main storage devices – hard drive, floppy drive and CD-ROM drive.
These storage devices connect to computers through Integrated Drive Electronics, IDE. Short for
Integrated Drive Electronics or IBM Disc Electronics, IDE is more commonly known as ATA or
Parallel ATA (PATA) and is a standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives.

IDE is different from the Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) and Enhanced Small Device
Interface (ESDI) because its controllers are on each drive, meaning the drive can connect directly
to the motherboard or controller. IDE and its updated successor, Enhanced IDE (EIDE), are the
most common drive interfaces found in IBM compatible computers today. Below, is a picture of
the IDE connector on the back of a hard drive, a picture of what an IDE cable looks like, and the
IDE channels it connects to on the motherboard.

Figure 6.1: Back of IDE Hard Disk Drive

Source: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/j/hddjumpers.jpg

IDE connectors are 40 pins wide, and a single IDE cable can have up to two IDE devices connected
to it. One of these devices is designated the “Master” and the other device the “Slave”. Master/
Slave status is determined by a jumper – a small cap placed over pins to enable/disable an
electrical connection. IDE is the most common and least expensive Hard Drive interface, and it
is also commonly used for ZIP drives and CD ROM drives.

Understanding IDE Terms

IDE has several transfer modes. The fastest, and most recent, is called ATA66'. These drives,
when connected to an ATA66-compatible IDE controller, can transfer data at 66.6MB/second.
Ultra DMA-33 (UDMA), the predecessor to ATA66, could transfer data at 33.3MB/second. The
newer standards, however, can still be used with older controllers that do not support them.
They will simply use the best transfer mode they have available (UDMA33 or an earlier one,
if applicable.)

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Other IDE Devices Notes

While IDE was initially designed to control hard drives, it is now used for CD/DVD/CD-RW
drives and ZIP drives as well. Since IDE controllers only control up to two devices, (one master’
and one slave’), expansion is difficult if you see yourself adding many devices, such as a CD
ROM burner, an internal ZIP drive and additional hard drive. However, many of these devices
can be added as external USB devices, so this may not be as big an issue as it sounds if you don’t
mind external devices.

Selecting an IDE Hard Drive

For best performance, gamers looking for an IDE hard drive should look for one that supports
ATA66. Also be sure to pick up an ATA66 IDE cable, which is just an improved IDE cable to
accommodate the higher speed (it will still connect to any standard 40-pin IDE connectors too.)
The only limitation to using IDE is limited expansion. Most systems cannot accommodate more
than four IDE devices (CDROM, ZIP, Hard Disk). Gamers requiring more might want to consider
SCSI.

IDE and ATA-1

The first version of what is now called the ATA/ATAPI interface was developed by Western
Digital under the name Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE). Together with Control Data
Corporation (who manufactured the hard drive part) and Compaq Computer (into whose systems
these drives would initially go), they developed the connector, the signalling protocols, and so
on with the goal of remaining software compatible with the existing ST-506 hard drive interface.
The first such drives appeared in Compaq PCs in 1986.

The term Integrated Drive Electronics refers not just to the connector and interface definition,
but also to the fact that the drive controller is integrated into the drive, as opposed to a separate
controller on or connected to the motherboard. The interface cards used to connect a parallel
ATA drive to, for example, a PCI slot are not drive controllers: they are merely bridges between
the host bus and the ATA interface. Since the original ATA interface is essentially just a 16-bit ISA
bus in disguise, the bridge was especially simple in case of an ATA connector being located on
an ISA interface card.

The integrated controller presented the drive to the host computer as an array of 512-byte blocks
with a relatively simple command interface. This relieved the mainboard and interface cards in
the host computer of the chores of stepping the disk head arm, moving the head arm in and out,
and so on, as had to be done with earlier ST-506 and ESDI hard drives. All of these low-level
details of the mechanical operation of the drive were now handled by the controller on the drive
itself. This also eliminated the need to design a single controller that could handle many different
types of drives, since the controller could be unique for the drive. The host need only ask for a
particular sector, or block, to be read or written, and either accept the data from the drive or send
the data to it.

The interface used by these drives was standardized in 1994 as ANSI standard X3.221-1994, AT
Attachment Interface for Disk Drives. After later versions of the standard were developed, this
became known as “ATA-1”. A short-lived, seldom-used implementation of ATA was created for
the IBM XT and similar machines that used the 8-bit version of the ISA bus. It has been referred
to as “XTA” or “XT Attachment”.

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Notes 6.2.2 Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)

Small Computer System Interface is one of the most commonly used interface for disk drives.
It is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and
peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols and electrical and optical
interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it can connect a wide
range of other devices, including scanners and CD drives, although not all controllers can
handle all devices.

SCSI was derived from “SASI”, the “Shugart Associates System Interface”, developed in 1978
and publicly disclosed in 1981. A SASI controller provided a bridge between a hard disk drive’s
low-level interface and a host computer, which needed to read blocks of data. SASI controller
boards were typically the size of a hard disk drive and were usually physically mounted to the
drive’s chassis. SASI, which was used in mini- and early microcomputers, defined the interface
as using a 50-pin flat ribbon connector which was adopted as the SCSI-1 connector. SASI is a fully
compliant subset of SCSI-1 so that many, if not all, of the then-existing SASI controllers were
SCSI-1 compatible.

Figure 6.2: SCSI Adapter Card

Source: http://cdn.computerhope.com/scsi.jpg

SCSI-1 is the original SCSI standard developed back in 1986 as ANSI X3.131-1986. It is capable of
transferring up to eight bits a second.

SCSI-2 was approved in 1990, added new features such as Fast and Wide SCSI, and support for
additional devices.

SCSI-3 was approved in 1996 as ANSI X3.270-1996.

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Wide SCSI: Uses a wider cable (168 cable lines to 68 pins) to support 16-bit transfers. Notes

Fast SCSI: Uses an 8-bit bus but doubles the clock rate to support data rates of 10 MB per
second.

Fast Wide SCSI: Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 20 MB per second.

Ultra SCSI: Uses an 8-bit bus and supports data rates of 20 MB per second.

SCSI-3: Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 40 MB per second. It is also called Ultra
Wide SCSI.

Ultra2 SCSI: Uses a 8-bit bus and supports data rates of 40 MB per second.

Wide Ultra2 SCSI: Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 80 MB per second.

Ultra 160 (LVD): Uses a 32-bit bus and supports data rates of 160 MB per second.

Did u know? Larry Boucher is considered to be the “father” of SASI and SCSI due to his
pioneering work first at Shugart Associates and then at Adaptec.
Since its standardization in 1986, SCSI has been commonly used in the Amiga, Apple Macintosh
and Sun Microsystems computer lines and PC server systems. Recent versions of SCSI – Serial
Storage Architecture (SSA), SCSI-over-Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP), Serial Attached SCSI (SAS),
Automation/Drive Interface “ Transport Protocol (ADT), and USB Attached SCSI (UAS) – break
from the traditional parallel SCSI standards and perform data transfer via serial communications.

Interfaces

SCSI is available in a variety of interfaces. The first, still very common, was parallel SCSI (now
also called SPI), which uses a parallel bus design. As of 2008, SPI is being replaced by Serial
Attached SCSI (SAS), which uses a serial design but retains other aspects of the technology. Many
other interfaces which do not rely on complete SCSI standards still implement the SCSI command
protocol; others (such as iSCSI) drop physical implementation entirely while retaining the SCSI
architectural model. iSCSI, for example, uses TCP/IP as a transport mechanism.

Figure 6.3: Single Connector Attachment (SCA-2) connector on Fujitsu MAP3735NC

SCSI interfaces have often been included on computers from various manufacturers for use
under Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Unix, Commodore Amiga and Linux operating systems,

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Notes either implemented on the motherboard or by the means of plug-in adaptors. With the advent
of SAS and SATA drives, provision for SCSI on motherboards is being discontinued. [citation
needed] A few companies still market SCSI interfaces for motherboards supporting PCIe and
PCI-X.

6.2.3 Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics (EIDEs)

Stands for “Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics.” EIDE is an improved version of the IDE
drive interface that provides faster data transfer rates than the original standard. While the
original IDE drive controllers supported transfer rates of 8.3 Mbps, EIDE can transfer data up to
16.6 Mbps, which is twice as fast.

EIDE’s enhancements to Integrated Drive Electronics make it possible to address a hard disk
larger than 528 MB. EIDE also provides faster access to the hard drive, support for direct memory
access (DMA), and support for additional drives, including CD-ROM and tape devices. EIDE was
adopted as a standard by ANSI in 1994. ANSI calls it Advanced Technology Attachment-2, also
referred to as Fast ATA or ATA-2.

While EIDE was the most common drive controller used for many years, it has since been
replaced by updated versions of the ATA standard that support Ultra DMA. These include the
ATA-4 through ATA-7 standards, which provide data throughput rates from 33 to 133 Mbps.
Most modern computers use a completely new standard called “Serial ATA,” or SATA, which
supports even faster transfer rates.

6.2.4 Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA)

An analogue telephone adaptor (ATA) is a device used to connect a standard telephone to a

computer or network so that the user can make calls over the Internet. Internet-based long
distance calls can be substantially cheaper than calls transmitted over the traditional telephone
system, and ATAs are typically cheaper than specialized VoIP phones that connect directly to a
computer’s Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

Whether or not VoIP is cheaper than traditional phone service depends on a number of factors,
including the rates charged by the respective service providers and equipment costs. Skype, one
VoIP provider, offers free calling locally and between members, and inexpensive long-distance
calls to other numbers.

There are several types of analogue telephone adapters. All ATAs create a physical connection
between a phone and a computer or a network device; some perform analogue-to-digital
conversion and connect directly to a VoIP server, while others use software for either or both of
these tasks.

The simplest type of ATA has one or more RJ-11 jacks to plug a telephone (and/or a fax) into and
a USB connector that plugs into the user’s computer, laptop, or handheld device. This type of
ATA often works in conjunction with some type of software (typically a softphone program).
The software acts as an intermediary between the telephone and a VoIP server, digitizing voice
data so that it can be transmitted over the Internet.

In an enterprise setting, an ATA usually has multiple telephone jacks and an RJ-45 connection to
a 10/100BaseT Ethernet hub or switch, and is used to connect to a local area network (LAN). Such
an ATA digitizes voice data, and uses protocols such as such as H.323 or SIP to communicate
directly with a VoIP server so that a softphone is not required. An ATA that connects telephones
to a LAN is sometimes called a VoIP gateway. Some Internet telephony service providers, such
as Vonage, provide an ATA to their customers as part of the service package.

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Features of an ATA Notes

Ability to support VoIP protocols: The more protocols one can support, the better it is. SIP and
H.323 are supported on all new ATAs today.

Ports: An ATA should provide at least one LAN (RJ-45) port and one RJ-11 port, so as to make the
interface between the phone network and the VoIP service. Some ATAs even provide additional
ports.

Example: A RJ-45 port to connect to a computer. You can use this to do phone-to-PC calls.

Some ATA’s have USB ports which allow them to more easily connect to computers and other
devices.

Call Switching: Many people use PSTN and VoIP interchangeably. The call switching features in
the ATA allows you to easily switch between these two.

Standard Service Features: It is common and practical today to have several service features like
Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Transfer, Call Forwarding etc. A good ATA should support all
these.

3-Way Conferencing: Many ATA’s come with 3-way conferencing support, which allows you to
talk to more than one person at the same time. This proves to be very useful especially in a
business context.

Power Failure Tolerance: The ATA runs on electric power. It normally stops working in case of
a power cut. This should not mean that your communication should be completely paralyzed.
A good ATA should automatically switch to PSTN line default in case there is a power failure.

Voice Quality: ATA manufacturers are sharpening their saws day after day. Some ATAs provide
superb hi-fidelity voice quality with enhanced technologies like Digital Signal Processing (DSP).

Interoperability: In a company context, an ATA may be part of an already-complex hardware

structure. For this reason, a good ATA should be compliant and interoperable to a maximum
with other hardware devices.

6.2.5 Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the
cables, connectors and communications protocols used in a bus for connection, communication
and power supply between computers and electronic devices.

USB was designed to standardize the connection of computer peripherals (including keyboards,
pointing devices, digital cameras, printers, portable media players, disk drives and network
adapters) to personal computers, both to communicate and to supply electric power. It has
become commonplace on other devices, such as smartphones, PDAs and video game consoles.
USB has effectively replaced a variety of earlier interfaces, such as serial and parallel ports, as
well as separate power chargers for portable devices.

Did u know? As of 2008, approximately six billion USB ports and interfaces were in the
global marketplace, and about two billion were being sold each year.

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Notes USB Cables and Connectors

Connecting a USB device to a computer is simple—you find the USB connector on the back of
your machine and plug the USB connector into it.

If it’s a new device, the operating system auto-detects it and asks for the driver disk. If the device
has already been installed, the computer activates it and starts talking to it. USB devices can be
connected and disconnected at any time.

Figure 6.4: The Rectangular Socket is a Typical USB Socket

Source: http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2007/02/08/503833/USBindesktopSPortBlock.jpg

Many USB devices come with their own built-in cable, and the cable has an “A” connection on it.
If not, then the device has a socket on it that accepts a USB “B” connector.

Figure 6.5: A typical USB connector, called an “A” connection

Source: http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/85/USB-Connector-Standard.jpg

The USB standard uses “A” and “B” connectors to avoid confusion:

“A” connectors head “upstream” toward the computer.

“B” connectors head “downstream” and connect to individual devices.

By using different connectors on the upstream and downstream end, it’s impossible to ever get
confused—if you connect any USB cable’s “B” connector into a device, you know that it’ll work.
Similarly, you can plug any “A” connector into any “A” socket and know that it’ll work.

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The USB Process Notes

When the host powers up, it queries all of the devices connected to the bus and assigns each one
an address. This process is called enumeration — devices are also enumerated when they connect
to the bus. The host also finds out from each device what type of data transfer it wishes to
perform:

Interrupt: A device like a mouse or a keyboard, which will be sending very little data, would
choose the interrupt mode.

Bulk: A device like a printer, which receives data in one big packet, uses the bulk transfer mode.
A block of data is sent to the printer (in 64-byte chunks) and verified to make sure it’s correct.

Isochronous: A streaming device (such as speakers) uses the isochronous mode. Data streams
between the device and the host in real-time, and there is no error correction.

The host can also send commands or query parameters with control packets.

As devices are enumerated, the host is keeping track of the total bandwidth that all of the
isochronous and interrupt devices are requesting. They can consume up to 90 per cent of the
480 Mbps of bandwidth that’s available (USB 3.0 increases that speed to 4.8 gigabits per second).
After 90 per cent is used up, the host denies access to any other isochronous or interrupt devices.
Control packets and packets for bulk transfers use any bandwidth left over (at least 10 per cent).

The Universal Serial Bus divides the available bandwidth into frames, and the host controls the
frames. Frames contain 1,500 bytes, and a new frame starts every millisecond.

Notes During a frame, isochronous and interrupt devices get a slot so they’re guaranteed
the bandwidth they need. Bulk and control transfers use whatever space is left.

USB Features

The Universal Serial Bus has the following features:

The computer acts as the host.

Up to 127 devices can connect to the host, either directly or by way of USB hubs.

Individual USB cables can run as long as 5 meters; with hubs, devices can be up to
30 meters (six cables’ worth) away from the host.

With USB 2.0, the bus has a maximum data rate of 480 megabits per second (10 times the
speed of USB 1.0).

A USB 2.0 cable has two wires for power (+5 volts and ground) and a twisted pair of wires
to carry the data. The USB 3.0 standard adds four more wires for data transmission. While
USB 2.0 can only send data in one direction at a time (downstream or upstream), USB 3.0
can transmit data in both directions simultaneously.

On the power wires, the computer can supply up to 500 milliamps of power at 5 volts.
A USB 3.0 cable can supply up to 900 milliamps of power.

Low-power devices (such as mice) can draw their power directly from the bus. High-
power devices (such as printers) have their own power supplies and draw minimal power
from the bus. Hubs can have their own power supplies to provide power to devices
connected to the hub.

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Notes USB devices are hot-swappable, meaning you can plug them into the bus and unplug them
any time. A USB 3.0 cable is compatible with USB 2.0 ports — you won’t get the same data
transfer speed as with a USB 3.0 port but data and power will still transfer through the
cable.

Many USB devices can be put to sleep by the host computer when the computer enters a
power-saving mode.

The devices connected to a USB port rely on the cable to carry power and data.

Wireless USB

Wireless USB is the wireless extension to USB that combines the speed and security of wired
technology with the portability and clutter-free convenience of wireless technology. This wireless
connectivity has enabled a convenient mobile lifestyle for mobile computing users.

Supporting robust high-speed wireless connectivity, wireless USB utilizes the common WiMedia*
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radio platform developed by the WiMedia Alliance.

USB in the future

When the SuperSpeed USB architecture was originally developed, requirements for future
performance increases were factored into the solution.

Recent demands for even higher performance storage applications, video display, and USB hub
and docking applications have identified a need to begin development of the next higher-speed
version of SuperSpeed USB. This enhancement to USB technology is expected to double the
existing SuperSpeed USB from 5 Gbps to 10 Gbps while retaining compatibility with all prior
versions of USB. The specification for this is expected to be published by the USB Implementers
Forum (USB-IF) around the middle of 2013, and initial end-user products based on this update
specification are likely to appear in the market in the latter half of 2014.

6.2.6 FireWire

You have probably heard the term FireWire if you have any interest in digital video — or
maybe you know it as Sony i.Link or as IEEE 1394, the official name for the standard. FireWire
is a way to connect different pieces of equipment so they can easily and quickly share information.

Originally created by Apple and standardized in 1995 as the specification IEEE 1394 High
Performance Serial Bus, FireWire is very similar to Universal Serial Bus (USB). The designers of
FireWire had several particular goals in mind when they created the standard:

Fast transfer of data

Ability to put lots of devices on the bus

Ease of use

Hot-pluggable ability

Provision of power through the cable

Plug-and-play performance

Low cabling cost

Low implementation cost

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FireWire is a method of transferring information between digital devices, especially audio and Notes
video equipment. Also known as IEEE 1394, FireWire is fast — the latest version achieves speeds
up to 800 Mbps. At some time in the future, that number is expected to jump to an unbelievable
3.2 Gbps when manufacturers overhaul the current FireWire cables.

You can connect up to 63 devices to a FireWire bus. Windows operating systems (98 and later)
and Mac OS (8.6 and later) both support it.

Let’s say you have your digital camcorder connected to your home computer. When your
computer powers up, it queries all of the devices connected to the bus and assigns each one an
address, a process called enumeration. FireWire is plug-and-play, so if you connect a new
FireWire device to your computer, the operating system auto-detects it and asks for the driver
disc. If you’ve already installed the device, the computer activates it and starts talking to it.
FireWire devices are hot pluggable, which means they can be connected and disconnected at any
time, even with the power on.

FireWire Specifications

The original FireWire specification, FireWire 400 (1394a), was faster than USB when it came out.
FireWire 400 is still in use today and features:

Transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps

Maximum distance between devices of 4.5 meters (cable length)

The release of USB 2.0 — featuring transfer speeds up to 480 Mbps and up to 5 meters between
devices — closed the gap between these competing standards. But in 2002, FireWire 800 (1394b)
started showing up in consumer devices, and USB 2.0 was left in the dust. FireWire 800 is capable
of:

Transfer rates up to 800 Mbps

Maximum distance between devices of 100 meters (cable length)

The faster 1394b standard is backward-compatible with 1394a.

FireWire vs. USB

The key difference between FireWire and USB is that FireWire is intended for devices working
with a lot more data — things like camcorders, DVD players and digital audio equipment.
FireWire and USB share a number of characteristics but differ in some important ways.

Implementing FireWire costs a little more than USB, which led to the adoption of USB as the
standard for connecting most peripherals that do not require a high-speed bus.

Speed aside, the big difference between FireWire and USB 2.0 is that USB 2.0 is host-based,
meaning that devices must connect to a computer in order to communicate. FireWire is peer-to-
peer, meaning that two FireWire cameras can talk to each other without going through a
computer.

FireWire Cables and Connectors

FireWire devices can be powered or unpowered. FireWire allows devices to draw their power
from their connection. Two power conductors in the cable can supply power (8 to 30 volts,
1.5 amps maximum) from the computer to an unpowered device. Two twisted pair sets carry the
data in a FireWire 400 cable using a 6-pin configuration.

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Notes Figure 6.6: FireWire Adapter Cable of 9-pin Configuration

Source: http://www.huppins.com//content/uploads/2013/05/AudioQuest -Forest-9-pin-to-9-pin-

Firewire-Cable32.jpg

Some smaller FireWire-enabled devices use 4-pin connectors to save space, omitting the two
pins used to supply power.

FireWire 800 cables use a 9-pin configuration. Six of those pins are the same as the six pins in the
1394a connector (shown above). Two of the added pins provide a “grounded shield” to protect
the other wires from interference, and the third added pin does nothing at this time [ref].

Because FireWire 800 is backward-compatible with FireWire 400, there are a variety of adapters
available to facilitate the combination of both standards on the same bus. There are also two
types of FireWire 800 ports available: a “bilingual” port accommodates both FireWire standards,
while a b-only port accepts only a FireWire 800 connector.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

1. The main operating system for Apple is ...................., and PCs operate on ......................

2. IDE is more commonly known as ..................................

3. SCSI stands for ..............................

4. ............................... is known as the father of SASI and SCSI due to his pioneering work first
at Shugart Associates and then at Adaptec.

5. .............................. is also known as IEEE 1394.

6.3 Storage Devices

Alternatively referred to as storage, storage media, or storage medium, a storage device is a

hardware device capable of holding information. There are two storage devices used in computers;
a primary storage device such as computer RAM and a secondary storage device such as a
computer hard drive. The secondary storage could be a removable, internal, or external storage.

Example: Drobo, an external secondary storage device.

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Without a storage device, you and your computer would not be able to save any settings or Notes
information and would be considered a dumb terminal. Below, are some additional examples of
storage devices that are used with computers.

Types of Computer Storage

Floppy diskette

CD-ROM disc

CD-R and CD-RW disc

Cloud storage

DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW disc

Jump drive and USB flash drive

Hard drive

LS-120

Tape cassette

Zip diskette

When saving anything on the computer, you will be asked for the storage location, which is
where you want to save the information. By default most of the information you save will be
saved to your computer hard drive, however, if you want to move the information to another
computer you would want to save it to a removable storage device such as a Jump drive.

!
Caution Keep in mind that although these drives do send and receive information, they
are not considered an input or output device.

6.3.1 Random Access Memory (RAM)

Random access memory (RAM) is the best known form of computer memory. RAM is considered
“random access” because you can access any memory cell directly if you know the row and
column that intersect at that cell.

The opposite of RAM is serial access memory (SAM). SAM stores data as a series of memory cells
that can only be accessed sequentially (like a cassette tape). If the data is not in the current
location, each memory cell is checked until the needed data is found. SAM works very well for
memory buffers, where the data is normally stored in the order in which it will be used (a good
example is the texture buffer memory on a video card). RAM data, on the other hand, can be
accessed in any order.

Similar to a microprocessor, a memory chip is an integrated circuit (IC) made of millions of

transistors and capacitors. In the most common form of computer memory, dynamic random
access memory (DRAM), a transistor and a capacitor are paired to create a memory cell, which
represents a single bit of data. The capacitor holds the bit of information—a 0 or a 1. The
transistor acts as a switch that lets the control circuitry on the memory chip read the capacitor or
change its state.

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Notes How Much RAM Do You Need?

It’s been said that you can never have enough money, and the same holds true for RAM, especially
if you do a lot of graphics-intensive work or gaming. Next to the CPU itself, RAM is the most
important factor in computer performance. If you don’t have enough, adding RAM can make
more of a difference than getting a new CPU!

If your system responds slowly or accesses the hard drive constantly, then you need to add more
RAM. If you are running Windows XP, Microsoft recommends 128MB as the minimum RAM
requirement. At 64MB, you may experience frequent application problems. For optimal
performance with standard desktop applications, 256MB is recommended. If you are running
Windows 95/98, you need a bare minimum of 32 MB, and your computer will work much better
with 64 MB. Windows NT/2000 needs at least 64 MB, and it will take everything you can throw
at it, so you’ll probably want 128 MB or more.

6.3.2 Read-only Memory (ROM)

Read-only memory (ROM), also known as firmware, is an integrated circuit programmed with
specific data when it is manufactured. ROM chips are used not only in computers, but in most
other electronic items as well.

There are five basic ROM types:

1. ROM

2. PROM

3. EPROM

4. EEPROM
5. Flash memory

Notes Each type has unique characteristics, which you’ll learn about in this article, but
they are all types of memory with two things in common:

Data stored in these chips is non-volatile — it is not lost when power is removed.

Data stored in these chips is either unchangeable or requires a special operation to

change (unlike RAM, which can be changed as easily as it is read).

This means that removing the power source from the chip will not cause it to lose
any data.

ROM at Work

Similar to RAM, ROM chips contain a grid of columns and rows. But where the columns and
rows intersect, ROM chips are fundamentally different from RAM chips. While RAM uses
transistors to turn on or off access to a capacitor at each intersection, ROM uses a diode to connect
the lines if the value is 1. If the value is 0, then the lines are not connected at all.

A diode normally allows current to flow in only one direction and has a certain threshold,
known as the forward break over, that determines how much current is required before the
diode will pass it on. In silicon-based items such as processors and memory chips, the forward
break over voltage is approximately 0.6 volts. By taking advantage of the unique properties of

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a diode, a ROM chip can send a charge that is above the forward break over down the appropriate Notes
column with the selected row grounded to connect at a specific cell. If a diode is present at that
cell, the charge will be conducted through to the ground, and, under the binary system, the cell
will be read as being “on” (a value of 1). The neat part of ROM is that if the cell’s value is 0, there
is no diode at that intersection to connect the column and row. So the charge on the column does
not get transferred to the row.

As you can see, the way a ROM chip works necessitates the programming of perfect and complete
data when the chip is created. You cannot reprogram or rewrite a standard ROM chip. If it is
incorrect, or the data needs to be updated, you have to throw it away and start over. Creating the
original template for a ROM chip is often a laborious process full of trial and error. But the
benefits of ROM chips outweigh the drawbacks. Once the template is completed, the actual chips
can cost as little as a few cents each. They use very little power, are extremely reliable and, in the
case of most small electronic devices, contain all the necessary programming to control the
device. A great example is the small chip in the singing fish toy. This chip, about the size of your
fingernail, contains the 30-second song clips in ROM and the control codes to synchronize the
motors to the music.

6.3.3 Floppy and Hard Disks

The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer. The
operating system, software titles and most other files are stored in the hard disk drive. The hard
drive is sometimes referred to as the “C drive” due to the fact that Microsoft Windows designates
the “C” drive letter to the primary partition on the primary hard drive in a computer by default.

While this is not a technically correct term to use, it is still common. For example, some computers
have multiple drive letters (e.g. C, D, E) representing areas across one or more hard drives.
A hard drive is usually the size of a paperback book but much heavier.

The sides of the hard drive have pre-drilled, threaded holes for easy mounting in the 3.5 inch
drive bay in the computer case. Mounting is also possible in a larger 5.25 inch drive bay with an
adapter. The hard drive is mounted so the end with the connections faces inside the computer.

The back end of the hard drive contains a port for a cable that connects to the motherboard. The
type of cable used will depend on the type of drive but is almost always included with a hard
drive purchase. Also here is a connection for power from the power supply.

Most hard drives also have jumper settings on the back end that define how the motherboard is
to recognize the drive when more than one is present. These settings vary from drive to drive so
check with your hard drive manufacturer for details. On the other hand, the floppy disk drive
(FDD) was the primary means of adding data to a computer until the CD-ROM drive became
popular. In fact, FDDs have been a key component of most personal computers for more than
20 years. Basically, a floppy disk drive reads and writes data to a small, circular piece of
metal-coated plastic similar to audio cassette tape.

History of the Floppy Disk Drive

The floppy disk drive (FDD) was invented at IBM by Alan Shugart in 1967. The first floppy drives
used an 8-inch disk (later called a “diskette” as it got smaller), which evolved into the 5.25-inch
disk that was used on the first IBM Personal Computer in August 1981. The 5.25-inch disk held
360 kilobytes compared to the 1.44 megabyte capacity of today’s 3.5-inch diskette.

The 5.25-inch disks were dubbed “floppy” because the diskette packaging was a very flexible
plastic envelope, unlike the rigid case used to hold today’s 3.5-inch diskettes. By the mid-1980s,
the improved designs of the read/write heads, along with improvements in the magnetic

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Notes recording media, led to the less-flexible, 3.5-inch, 1.44-megabyte (MB) capacity FDD in use
today. For a few years, computers had both FDD sizes (3.5-inch and 5.25-inch). But by the mid-
1990s, the 5.25-inch version had fallen out of popularity, partly because the diskette’s recording
surface could easily become contaminated by fingerprints through the open access area.

6.3.4 Zip, Jaz, SyQuest and Optical Storage Devices

For years, the Syquest 44 MB removable cartridges were the most widely used portable medium
among multimedia developers and professionals, but Iomega’s inexpensive Zip drives with
their likewise inexpensive 100 MB, 250Mb and 750 MB cartridges, built on floppy disk technology,
significantly penetrated Syquest’s market share for removable media. Iomega’s Jaz cartridges,
built based on hard disk drive technology, provided one or two gigabytes of removable storage
media and have fast enough transfer for multimedia development. Pinnacle Micro, Yamaha,
Sony, Philips, and others offer CD burners for making write-once compact discs, and some
double quad speed players. As blank CD-R discs become available for less than a dollar each,
this write-once media competes as a distribution vehicle.

Magneto-Optical Drive

A magneto-optical drive is a kind of optical disc drive capable of writing and rewriting data
upon a magneto-optical disc. Both 130 mm (5.25 in) and 90 mm (3.5 in) form factors exist. The
technology was introduced commercially in 1985. Although optical, they appear as hard disk
drives to the operating system and do not require a special file system; they can be formatted as
FAT, HPFS, NTFS, etc. Magneto optical drives are common in some countries, such as Japan
because of the success of the MiniDisc, but have fallen into disuse in other countries.

6.3.5 Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)

DVD (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc), is a new medium for the distribution of
digital data. A DVD disc looks much the same as a standard audio CD disc and works in much the
same way. It is a silvery platter, 12 cm in diameter, with a hole in the center. Like a CD, a DVD
disc is divided into tracks and data are stored in a spiral trail of tiny pits on a reflective metal
surface embedded in plastic that correspond to the zeros and ones of the digital information
contained within the tracks. As the disc revolves, the laser beam follows the spiral, reads the
information from the pits, and then plays back that information. But here is where the similarity
ends.

In order to store large amounts of diverse information, a disc with a large capacity is essential.
DVD achieves this capacity by reducing the track spacing to about half that of a CD, making the
pits smaller and the spiral tighter, and by recording the data in as many as four layers, two on
each side of the disc by using a semi-transparent gold layer atop the reflective silver-colored
layer. In order to read the data, a laser with the ability to read in much finer detail is required.
Using a lower-power beam, the laser can read the data from the gold layer; then, with an
increase in power, it can access and read the silver layer.

While the laser in an ordinary CD-ROM drive has a 780-nanometer (nm) wavelength, DVD
drives use lasers with 650-nm or 635-nm wavelengths, thereby supporting more than double the
pits per track, and more than double the tracks per recording surface. Other advances, such as a
new sector format, better error-correction code, and improved channel modulation, raise the
data density an additional one and a half times. By focusing the laser light through a larger
aperture lens, a narrower focus is obtained and high-density reading is achieved.

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A DVD disc is comprised of two 0.6 mm thick discs bonded back to back, which not only helps Notes
strengthen the disc but gives it the same 1.2 mm thickness as a CD. This bonded configuration
also makes these discs less prone to warping due to heat and humidity compared to the single
CD disc. Most DVD discs can store 4.7 GB of data on each side, or 9.4 GB total. However, there is
a technique for increasing density that will soon result in discs that can hold up to 17 GB of data,
the equivalent of 26 normal CD-ROMS. This technique, adding another data layer, would double
the capacity of a single side. By making the first layer semi-transparent, a second laser could
actually punch through and read the data on the layer beneath. This technique sacrifices a little
capacity per side, down to 8.5 GB, but by bonding these two dual-layer sides together, a 17 GB
capacity is achieved. Also, through this ability to store data much more tightly, DVD drives
throughput can exceed that of a 9x CD-ROM drive, and can transfer data up to 2.7MB per second.

6.3.6 CD-ROM

CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is an adaptation of the CD that is designed to store

computer data in the form of text and graphics, as well as hi-fi stereo sound. The original data
format standard was defined by Philips and Sony in the 1983 Yellow Book. Other standards are
used in conjunction with it to define directory and file structures, including ISO 9660, HFS
(Hierarchal File System, for Macintosh computers), and Hybrid HFS-ISO. Format of the
CD-ROM is the same as for audio CDs: a standard CD is 120 mm (4.75 inches) in diameter and
1.2 mm (0.05 inches) thick and is composed of a polycarbonate plastic substrate (under layer –
this is the main body of the disc), one or more thin reflective metal (usually aluminium) layers,
and a lacquer coating.

Data Encoding and Reading

The CD-ROM, like other CD adaptations, has data encoded in a spiral track beginning at the
centre and ending at the outermost edge of the disc. The spiral track holds approximately 650 MB
of data. That’s about 5.5 billion bits. The distance between two rows of pits, measured from the
centre of one track to the centre of the next track is referred to as track pitch. The track pitch can
range from 1.5 to 1.7 microns, but in most cases is 1.6 microns.

6.3.7 CD-ROM Players

Also called a CD-ROM drive, a device that can read information from a CD-ROM. CD-ROM
players can be either internal, in which case they fit in a bay, or external, in which case they
generally connect to the computer’s SCSI interface or parallel port. Parallel CD-ROM players are
easier to install, but they have several disadvantages: They’re somewhat more expensive than
internal players, they use up the parallel port which means that you can’t use that port for
another device such as a printer, and the parallel port itself may not be fast enough to handle all
the data pouring through it.

There are a number of features that distinguish CD-ROM players, the most important of which
is probably their speed. CD-ROM players are generally classified as single-speed or some multiple
of single-speed.

Example: A 4X player access data at four times the speed of a single-speed player.
Within these groups, however, there is some variation. Also, you need to be aware of whether
the CD-ROM uses the CLV or CAV technology. The reported speeds of players that use CAV are
generally not accurate because they refer only to the access speed for outer tracks. Inner tracks
are accessed more slowly.

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Notes Two more precise measurements are the drive’s access time and data transfer rate. The access
time measures how long, on average, it takes the drive to access a particular piece of information.
The data transfer rate measures how much data can be read and sent to the computer in a second.

Finally, you should consider how the player connects to your computer. Many CD-ROMs connect
via a SCSI bus. If your computer doesn’t already contain such an interface, you will need to
install one. Other CD-ROMs connect to an IDE or Enhanced IDE interface, which is the one used
by the hard disk drive; still others use a proprietary interface.

6.3.8 CD Recorders

A CD burner is the informal name for a CD recorder, a device that can record data to a compact
disc. CD-Recordable (CD-R) and CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) are the two most common types of
drives that can write CDs, either once (in the case of CD-R) or repeatedly (in the case of CD-RW).
In the recording process, the data is actually etched into the disc (burned) with a laser, as
compared with non-recordable CDs. Audio CDs and CD-ROMs are pressed from copies of the
original recordings (which are burned by lasers). Since the non-recordable CDs are manufactured
in this manner, they can not be written, or rewritten in a desktop environment.

CD-Rs and CD-RWs, like all CDs, are made up of a polycarbonate substrate, a thin metal coating,
and a protective outer layer. In a CD-R, a layer of organic polymer dye between the polycarbonate
and metal layers serves as the recording medium. The composition of the dye is permanently
transformed by exposure to a specific frequency of light. Some CD-Rs have an additional protective
layer to make them less vulnerable to damage from scratches, since the data – unlike that on a
regular CD – is closer to the label side of the disc. A pregrooved spiral track helps to guide the
laser for recording data, which is encoded from the inside to the outside of the disc in a single
continuous spiral. The laser creates marks in the dye layer that mimic the reflective properties
of the pits and lands (lower and higher areas) of the traditional CD. The distinct differences in
the way the areas reflect light register as digital data that is then unencoded for playback. With
packet writing software and a compatible CD-R or CD-RW drive, it is possible to save data to a
CD-R in the same way as one can save it to a floppy disk, although – since each part of the disk
can only be written once – it is not possible to delete files and then reuse the space. The
composition of the dye is permanently transformed by exposure to the laser.

In a CD-RW, the dye is replaced with an alloy that can change back and forth from a crystalline
form when exposed to a particular light, through a technology called optical phase change. The
patterns created are less distinct than those of other CD formats, requiring a more sensitive
device for playback. Only drives designated as “MultiRead” are able to read CD-RW reliably.
Similar to CD-R, the CD-RW’s polycarbonate substrate is performed with a spiral groove to
guide the laser. The alloy phase-change recording layer, which is commonly a mix of silver,
indium, antimony and tellurium, is sandwiched between two dielectric layers that draw excess
heat from the recording layer. After heating to one particular temperature, the alloy will become
crystalline when it is cooled; after heating to a higher temperature it will become amorphous
(won’t hold its shape) when it is cooled. By controlling the temperature of the laser, crystalline
areas and non-crystalline areas are formed. The crystalline areas will reflect the laser, while the
other areas will absorb it. The differences will register as binary data that can be unencoded for
playback. To erase or write over recorded data, the higher temperature laser is used, which
results in the non-crystalline form, which can then be reformed by the lower temperature laser.

The first CD recorders were made available in 1988, but were not an option for the average
home recorder because, with the requisite hardware and software along with high cost. However,
nowadays CD recorders have become less expensive.

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6.3.9 Videodisc Players Notes

Videodisc (or video disc) is a general term for a laser- or stylus-readable random-access disc that
contains both audio and analogue video signals recorded in an analog form. Typically, it is a
reference to any such media that predates the mainstream popularity of the DVD format.

Video discs can be classed based on their playback mechanism:

Mechanical

Phonovision

Phonovid

Ted

Visc

Capacitance Based

CED, VHD

Optical discs

Reflective

Laserdisc, CD, DVD, Blu-ray, etc.

Transmissive

Thomson CSF system

Laserfilm

Did u know? A standard size videodisc can hold up to 30 minutes of high quality, motion
video, or up to 54,000 still frames on each side.

6.4 Input Devices

In computing, an input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used
to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or
other information appliance.

Example: Some of the input devices include keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras
and joysticks.

Many input devices can be classified according to:

modality of input (e.g. mechanical motion, audio, visual, etc.)

the input is discrete (e.g. key presses) or continuous (e.g. a mouse’s position, though
digitized into a discrete quantity, is fast enough to be considered continuous)

the number of degrees of freedom involved (e.g. two-dimensional traditional mice, or

three-dimensional navigators designed for CAD applications)

Pointing devices, which are input devices used to specify a position in space, can further be
classified according to:

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Notes Whether the input is direct or indirect. With direct input, the input space coincides with
the display space, i.e. pointing is done in the space where visual feedback or the pointer
appears. Touchscreens and light pens involve direct input.

Example: It involves indirect input include the mouse and trackball.

Whether the positional information is absolute (e.g. on a touch screen) or relative.

Example: With a mouse that can be lifted and repositioned).

6.4.1 Keyboard Entry

In keyboard entry, a user types characters, numeric and special symbols using a keyboard. The
input usually appears on a monitor. A keyboard entry might be the most common way to input
data.

Keyboards

A keyboard is a device used to encode data by key depression, which enters information into a
system. The keyboard converts alphabets and numbers, and other special symbols into electrical
signals that processor can understand and process. These signals are sent to the computer’s CPU.
There are three different layouts.
1. QWERTY: This is a standard keyboard layout. QWERTY indicates the arrangement of the
upper left corner six letters in the first row of the alphabetic keys.
2. AZERTY: This is a keyboard layout that is similar to the QWERTY layout and some
European countries use this keyboard. This layout is slightly modified from the QWERTY
keyboard.
3. Dvorak: This is another keyboard layout modified greatly from a standard layout. The
keyboard is devised to increase typing speed by placing frequently used keys more
naturally. In the past, mechanical jams were a problem in typing. Thus, the standard
keyboard layout was designed to limit typing speed. Interesting, huh?

Terminals

A terminal is an input/output device that usually includes a keyboard for input, a video display
for output, and a communications link to send and receive information. There are three different
types:
1. Dumb Terminal: This is an input/output terminal that does not have a capability of
processing. It only enters and receives data without processing.
2. Smart Terminal: This terminal has some processing capability. It has a small memory.
It performs some editing of data before sending them to a main computer.
3. Intelligent Terminal: This is a terminal that has a full processing capability. The terminal
has a processing unit, primary storage. It may or may not have local storage. Recently,
most intelligent terminals have local disk. An intelligent terminal is actually a
microcomputer with communications capability.
Recent Trends: A recent trend has been the use of microcomputers as terminals. As prices of
microcomputers have dropped, companies have tended to buy intelligent terminals
(microcomputers) instead of dumb terminals. It is because microcomputers can work exactly
like dedicated terminals with the appropriate software and communications links.

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6.4.2 Pointing Devices Notes

A pointing device is an external tool that is used to move objects around and also to select
options from menus. The pointing device is an element of the graphical user interface. It
manipulates on screen objects to issue commands.

Example: Some of pointing devices include the mouse, trackball, light pen, pen for
graphic tablet, joystick, touch screen, wand, head mounted display, virtual reality glasses, and 3-
D mouse.
The concept of the pointing device was developed in 1970 by Douglas Engelbart as another way
to input information into the computer other than through the keyboard. This input device has
become popular and with the growth of the graphical user interface it has become one of the
most necessary and important tools of the computer.
The mouse is included in almost every computer that is sold today. Besides becoming an
important input tool, it has provided access to the computer for many individuals with disabilities
that might not otherwise have the opportunity to use the computer.

!
Caution The pointing device also lets you double click on an icon to start a program
application; and in the WINDOWS 95 operating system you can use the mouse to drag a
file or document to the Recycling Bin to delete a file.

Mousing Around

The computer mouse moves by way of a roller and ball system. When you move the mouse
across the desktop, the ball underneath rolls. This ball corresponds to the position of what is
called a pointer on the screen. The pointer is usually shaped like an arrow, though some people
like to change their pointer to look like objects. (One person in our group has changed his
pointer to an ink pen icon.) When you move the pointer around it is called mousing. The speed
of the mouse can be managed by your computer operating system software, or a commercial
application program for your mouse. You can drag objects on the screen by clicking on the
object, holding down on the mouse button, and rolling the mouse across the desktop until you
get the object to a new location. When you reach the spot that you want, let go of the mouse
button.
Most mice come with two buttons. You use the left button on the mouse to do most selecting of
objects. The right button can be used for some menu actions. This is especially true when using
browser software to examine and manipulate pictures and graphics on the Internet. There is a
three button mouse and the middle button can be programmed for specific application software,
but usually the two button mouse is used the most. If you are left handed, you can change to a
left-handed mouse option in your software so that you can use your mouse in your left hand.

Types of Pointing Devices

Pen: The pen lets you draw on what is called a digitizing tablet that mirrors the surface area of
the computer screen. The pen can be used as a standard mouse (without wires connected to it) or
also as a free flowing drawing device. The pen is useful for drawing since drawing graphics with
a mouse tends to be somewhat difficult.

Mouse: The mouse is a hand held device that lets you point to and selected items on your screen.
In a PC mouse there are mostly 2-3 buttons and on a Mac there is one. A ball under the mouse
senses movement. To ensure smooth motion your should remove the ball and clean it regularly.

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Notes Cordless Mouse: The cordless mouse is a lot better than a normal mouse thus by reducing the
clutter of the work space needed to move the mouse around. This mouse runs on a battery. When
you move the mouse it sends an infrared beam to a sensor which interprets it causing it to move.

Trackball: The trackball is an upside-down mouse that remains stationary on your desk. It is the
same principle as the mouse except that the rollers are reversed and the ball is on top. This ball
does not need as much attention as the normal mouse because the only thing that touches it is
your hand as the normal mouse touches a surface.

Touchpad: The touchpad has sensors that sense your touch. When they sense your touch they
send a signal to the computer to move the mouse pointer to that location on the screen. To move
the pointer, slide your finger across the Touchpad surface in the direction you want the pointer
to go. Use the Touchpad buttons like the corresponding buttons on an external mouse. To scroll
up and down using the Touchpad vertical scroll zone, slide your finger up or down over the
lines.

!
Caution If you are using the Touchpad to move the pointer, you must lift your finger off
the Touchpad before moving it to the scroll zone. Simply sliding your finger from the
Touchpad to the scroll zone will not activate the scrolling function.

Joystick: The joystick allows the user to move quickly in computer games.
Light Pen: The light pen system allows the user to touch the computer screen with a lighted pen
to activate commands and make selections.

Touch Screen: The touch screen lets the user touch the area to be activated by using the finger or
hand.

Other Pointing Devices

There are many other pointing devices available, including head Mounted Virtual Reality
Displays, Wands, Special Trackballs, Data Gloves, and Special 3-D Flying Mice that can go in six
different directions. These devices are currently the newest pointing devices. Some of these
devices are very expensive and may take time to learn. It is advisable to try these devices before
purchasing, when possible.

Scanner

Scanners allow a computer to convert a picture or object into digital code that allows the computer
to display and use an image. A scanner’s sophistication is the ability to translate an unlimited
number of analogue voltage levels to digital values. The computer is not able to use graphics
unless they are in a form that they can understand. The scanner takes the information it sees on
a page and converts into code that the computer can use. A picture once scanned can be edited,
printed, or used in an application. Scanners can come with specialized software called optical
character recognition (OCR). This software can read text as printed or written. The information
can then be manipulated in the computer.
Important Note: A feature of the scanner is the resolution. This is how sharp and detailed the scanner can
read. Scanners are measured in dots per inch. The higher the resolution, the more the memory that is
required to scan the file. The bigger the file that is produced. Larger files take longer scanning time. If a file
is big and you need to fit it on a diskette, you may run into a problem storing it unless you store it to the
hard drive or another high capacity drive. Therefore, if you are wanting to produce a file for screen output,
you should scan at 72 dpi because that the best resolution that the monitor can display. It is the same of
the printed output. If you only have a 300 dpi printer, do not scan the file at a higher resolution since the
printer will only print it at that resolution.

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Figure 6.7: An HP Scanner Notes

Source: http://www9.pcmag.com/media/images/324918-hp-scanjet-pro-3000-s2-sheet-feed-
scanner.jpg

Types of Scanners

Sheet-Fed Scanner: Sheet-fed scanners have mechanical rollers that move the paper past
the scan head.

Flatbed Scanner: Flatbed Scanners have a glass window where the item to be scanned is
placed on top of a while the head moves past the item. This method is similar to a Xerox
machine.

Hand Held Scanners: Hand held scanners are small, portable scanners that depend on a
human operator to move the head across the object or image to be scanned.

Colour vs. Grey scale

Grey Scale: Using black and white and shades of grey, the scanner is able to translate the image
into grey scales. Why would you use a grey scale scanner? If you plan to print on a black and
white printer, it is most cost effective since colour ink is so expensive. Text is best done on a grey
scale scanner.

Coloured: A colour scanner scans images in red, blue, and green shades. This scanner is more
expensive in terms of final print output . A colour scanner usually costs more than a grey scale
scanner. If you plan on doing presentation work, work with colour photographs, or any sort of
task that requires a colour output, then use a colour scanner. With this scanner you can also
choose options of scanning such as line art (scanning the image only in black or white), grey
scale (black, white, and shades of grey, or colour (shades of red, blue, and green).

Touchscreen

A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that the user can control through simple or multi-
touch gestures by touching the screen with one or more fingers. Some touchscreens can also
detect objects such as a stylus or ordinary or specially coated gloves. The user can use the
touchscreen to react to what is displayed and to control how it is displayed, for example, by
zooming the text size.

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Notes Widely used on ATM machines, retail point-of-sale terminals, car navigation systems and medical
monitors, the touch screen became wildly popular on handhelds after Apple introduced the
iPhone in 2007.

The touchscreen enables the user to interact directly with what is displayed, rather than using a
mouse, touchpad, or any other intermediate device (other than a stylus, which is optional for
most modern touchscreens).

Touchscreens are common in devices such as game consoles, all-in-one computers, tablet
computers, and smartphones. They can also be attached to computers or, as terminals, to networks.
They also play a prominent role in the design of digital appliances such as personal digital
assistants (PDAs), satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games.

The popularity of smartphones, tablets, and many types of information appliances is driving the
demand and acceptance of common touchscreens for portable and functional electronics.
Touchscreens are popular in the medical field and in heavy industry, as well as in kiosks such as
museum displays or room automation, where keyboard and mouse systems do not allow a
suitably intuitive, rapid, or accurate interaction by the user with the display’s content.

Historically, the touchscreen sensor and its accompanying controller-based firmware have been
made available by a wide array of after-market system integrators, and not by display, chip, or
motherboard manufacturers. Display manufacturers and chip manufacturers worldwide have
acknowledged the trend toward acceptance of touchscreens as a highly desirable user interface
component and have begun to integrate touchscreens into the fundamental design of their
products.

Notes There are four main touchscreen technologies:

1. Resistive: comprises several layers, the most important of which are two thin,
transparent electrically-resistive layers separated by a thin space.
2. Capacitive: uses a layer of capacitive material to hold an electrical charge.
3. Surface Acoustic Wave: it uses ultrasonic waves that pass over the touchscreen
panel.
4. Infrared: uses an array of infrared LED and photodetector pairs around the edges of
the screen to detect a disruption in the pattern of LED beams.

Digitizer

Digitizer is an input device which converts analogue information into a digital form. Digitizer
can convert a signal from the television camera into a series of numbers that could be stored in
a computer. They can be used by the computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had
been pointed at.

Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet because it converts graphics and pictorial
data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is used for doing fine works of drawing and
images manipulation applications.

Microphone

Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in digital form. The microphone
is used for various applications like adding sound to a multimedia presentation or for mixing
music.

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Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR) Notes

MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large number of cheques to be
processed every day. The bank’s code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques
with a special type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable.

This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantages
of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.

Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed text. OCR scans text optically character by character,
converts them into a machine readable code and stores the text on the system memory.

Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark
lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be
a hand held scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader scans a bar
code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value which is then fed to the computer to which
bar code reader is connected.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by pen or
pencil. It is used where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected and marked. It is specially
used for checking the answer sheets of examinations having multiple choice questions.

6.5 Output Devices

In this section we consider the various output devices which are attached to a computer for
multimedia development and delivery.

6.5.1 Sound Recording Equipment

The use of sound in its various forms is a component of a multimedia application. The quality of
the recording equipment is important in determining the final quality of the sound. Sound
recording equipment ranges from a simple tape cassette recorder for low budget amateur sound
productions to a fully equipped professional recording studio. The essential pieces of hardware
for recording sound are microphones, musical instruments, digital audio tape (DAT) recorder, a
multitrack mixing console for editing and mixing various sources of sound, etc. DAT recorders
enable sound to be recorded at sampling rates up to 96KHz and 16 bits per sample. The medium
for the recording, editing and capture of music is generally undertaken using the MIDI data
format and today most electronic instruments and equipment associated with music support it.

Once the sound has been recorded it must be input into a computer for further editing and
integration into a multimedia application. Output from digital sources like a DAT recorder can
be input directly into a computer without conversion, however analogue sources need to be
captured, i.e. converted from analogue to digital. Standard soundcards installed in most desktop
computers can receive and convert analogue sound sources. Sound cards have a number of
different input sockets for various sound sources and can support sample frequencies up to
192KHz at 24 bits per sample. Sound cards also convert sound from digital to analogue for
output to speakers.

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Notes 6.5.2 Speakers

Another crucial output device for multimedia applications are the speakers which provide the
sound outputs. Speakers are driven by sound cards as explained in the last section. Most sound
cards support the SoundBlaster standard developed by Creative Labs and the General MIDI
standard for sound reproduction. Speakers used with desktop computers usually require their
own power source and have built-in amplifiers.

6.5.3 Monitors

The most important output device for multimedia development and delivery is the monitor.
Thus the quality of monitors and the graphic display cards that drive them are important
considerations for multimedia developers. Multimedia developers need to use large 17’’ or 19‘‘
(measured diagonally across the screen) monitors in order to have room to display the multimedia
application under development and the various dialogue boxes of the authoring tools. Some
multimedia developers use two monitors that are driven using special graphics cards so that
they can see the multimedia application on one screen and have the tools displayed on the other.

Large monitors do not necessarily mean that more information can be displayed. The amount of
detail displayed on a monitor is dictated by its screen resolution and the resolution that the
graphics display card is capable of delivering. Multimedia development needs large monitors
that support high screen resolutions and a large number of colours. Currently, the most common
standard for graphic display cards on PCs used for multimedia development is the Ultra Extended
Graphics Array or UXGA which enables a monitor to display 1600 by 1200 pixels and up to 16.7
million colours. There are a number of other competing standards. Graphic display cards have
their own special RAM which contains the current screen display pixel by pixel. Some multimedia
tasks, like video and image editing and displaying 3D graphics, require between 4 and 8Mbytes
of graphic display RAM.

An important type of monitor for use in point of information applications are touchscreens
which are both input and output devices. Touch screens are an intuitive way for users to interact
with a multimedia application by allowing them to touch buttons and links directly rather than
indirectly via a mouse or other pointing device. Touch screens include three key components:

a touch screen sensor panel that generates a voltage to indicate where the screen was
touched;

a controller that converts the voltage into a digital signal and transmits it to the processor;
and

a software driver to translate the digital signal into data that emulates the mouse.

There is one other type of monitor which is used in public multimedia presentations called a
data projector. Data projectors enable the normal output from a computer to be projected onto
a large screen so that a larger audience can see. Some data projectors include special display
screens which act like enormous digitising tablets so the display can be used as if it were a touch
screen.

6.5.4 Video Recording Equipment

The hardware used in professional video production is beyond the scope of this book so we
focus on the kind of equipment that could be used by a small independent multimedia design

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company or home users. Basic video recording equipment includes either an analogue or digital Notes
video camera and a video capture card installed in a desktop computer. Video capture cards are
different to graphic display cards which are not capable of video capture. Although many video
experts still prefer using analogue cameras, digital video cameras are becoming more standard
offering 6Mb/s data rate or up to 30 frames per second at a resolution of 720 by 480 pixels.

Once a piece of video has been recorded it needs to be captured; digital video cameras can be
connected directly to one of the USB or serial ports on the desktop computer but analogue video
needs to be captured via a video capture card. Video capture cards receive analogue video
signals through one of their ports and sample it at a frequency up to 30 frames per second, a
resolution of 768 by 576 pixels and a sample size of 24 bits per pixel. Video capture requires high
specification desktop computers with a fast, high capacity hard disk drive to cope with the input
video data.

Good video greatly enhances your project whereas poor video will ruin it. Whether you delivered
your video from tape using VISCA controls, from videodisc, or as a QuickTime or AVI movie,
it is important that your source material be of high quality.

6.5.5 Projectors

The delivery of visual media through projection is an effective way to entertain, educate, and
communicate with people on a large scale. The use of a multimedia projector gives the
presentation agent a number of options when configuring a stage for the viewing audience.
Whether conducting a presentation in the corporate environment, educational programs in the
classroom, projecting motion pictures in front of a large audience, or in the home, the multimedia
projector is a valuable tool for communication and entertainment.

At its most basic, a multimedia projector simply projects an image on a screen. There are a
number of features available, however, that expand this basic functionality. Some multimedia
projectors can be configured to project a computer’s video signal, outputs from DVD players,
and also direct connections from cable and satellite systems. Depending on the needs of the user
and their project, there is a projection device designed for almost every application, level of
quality, and size of audience. The prices of these devices can fluctuate greatly depending on its
specifications.
A multimedia projector processes a specific video signal and projects a corresponding image on
a large screen using a lens system. Video projectors incorporate the use of a very bright light to
display the image. The video signal rides along a special digitized light that is then projected on
thousands of reflectors within the projector, which then shine the image onto a screen. Many
intelligently designed projectors can correct inconsistencies and distortions in the projection.
Depending on the specifications of the multimedia projector, its resolution capabilities and cost,
a unit can reproduce the input with sharp detail and clarity.

These projectors are capable of numerous display resolutions, including 800 x 600 pixels (SVGA),
1024 × 768 pixels (XGA), 1280 × 720 pixels (720p), and 1920 × 1080 pixels (1080p). Most importantly,
the cost of a projector is not only depended on its resolution, but also by its light output. A high
lumen output is essential for viewing on larger screens or in locations that contain a high level
of ambient light.

An output level between 1500 to 2500 lumens suitable for smaller screens with controlled
lighting or low ambient light. In a room equipped with a medium-sized screen, ambient light,
or dimmed light, a 2500 to 4000 lumen level is a good choice. A projector with a 4000 lumen
output level should work well with very large screens such as those used in a large conference
room with little or no lighting control.

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Notes Figure 6.8: A LG Projector

Source:http://www.koreamin.com/ebay/Computers&Networking/Projector/lg_mini_Projector/
Projector_LG_Mini_Beam_TV_HX350T2.jpg

Most multimedia projectors have 5-8 different inputs. Many models now offer wired, wireless,
or both types of networking, and some can even present from content passed along the network.
Some with wireless networking can even switch between many different computers (laptops) in
the room!

Did u know? LG’s HW300T mini projector is a new range of projector that does not need
computers or Blu-ray players. It can stream directly from internet.

6.5.6 Printers

The last type of output device used in multimedia is the printer. For multimedia development
it is important to have a high quality colour printer to show screen shots to clients and for
discussing particular elements of a multimedia project. It is impossible for a printer to exactly
match the on-screen colours, however they are helpful in seeing the general look and feel of an
application.

There are two types of colour printer – laser printer and inkjet printer. An efficient inkjet printer
is capable of outputting about 1.5 pages per minute at a quality of 1200 by 600 dpi. On the other
hand, an equally efficient laser printer of the same price can output four pages per minute at a
quality of 600 by 600 dpi.

The new inkjet and colour laser printers allow you to change each of the colour cartridges (cyan,
magenta, yellow and black) separately. The latest inkjet printers reduce the printing cost by
allowing you to purchase each of the colour print heads and associated ink cartridges separately.
Currently colour laser printers have a lower cost per page than an equivalent inkjet printer.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

6. Laser printer and ............................. are two types of printers.
7. A monitor which is used in public multimedia presentations called a ............................
8. ................................. is a type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by
pen or pencil.
9. 3-D Flying Mice is a ......................................
10. The floppy disk drive (FDD) was invented at IBM by ............................. in 1967.

Task Prepare a report on the various input and output devices of a computer.

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Notes

Case Study How do I use a scanner?

W
ould you like to keep a computerised copy of some old letters, newspaper
articles, photos or drawings? If so, a scanner will do the job and – in some cases
– you will be able to throw the originals away. You can also be creative and
have fun scanning objects, which means using the scanner as a camera.

Scanners usually come with all the software you need. Scanning can be as simple as
putting a document face down on the glass, pressing a button to begin the scan, and then
saving the file onto your PC's hard drive.

But sometimes you will want to select the area of the original you want to scan, or want to
lighten or darken the image. As when making photocopies, it can take three or four
attempts to get the best result.

Scanning software
If you are using the software that the manufacturer has provided to control the scanner,
you will need to run that and select either 'Scan' or 'Preview'. If you are scanning a small
photo, for example, you can use your mouse to crop the preview so that you just capture
the image, not the surrounding area.

Alternatively, you can scan things into software such as Adobe Photoshop, which is
sometimes bundled with scanners. Look on your program's File menu for the command
used to acquire or import an image. Check the settings, click 'Preview' or 'Scan', and a
scanned image will appear in your graphics or paint program.

There are several settings to adjust, and these may include Dust Removal and Colour
Restoration for scanning old photos. If you can't see them, look for a way to switch from
automatic scanning to a manual system.

Step-by-step Guide

Scan mode, or Type of original. The best settings for a typed letter are not the same as for
a colour photo. The scanner should have options for black-and-white or colour scans, and
a choice of photos or documents, etc.

Scan density, or Image quality. For the best results with negatives, slides and photos, scan
at the maximum optical resolution of your scanner, which should be the default setting.
There is no point in setting a higher resolution than that. If you need to make a bigger
print, you can do that in your graphics program. If the image is for viewing on a computer
screen or uploading to Facebook, then you can resize it (in your graphics software) to the
number of pixels required.

File format, or Save as type. You can set the scanner to send images in a particular format.
The options commonly include PDF, JPG, TIFF and PNG. TIFF is often preferred by scanning
professionals because it is 'lossless'. JPG is a compressed format that produces smaller
files, but some information is lost.

If you scan a photo from a magazine, you may get an interference pattern or 'moiré effect'.
Look for a de-screen filter or try a 'remove noise' or 'noise reduction' effect in your
graphics software.

If you scan a typed or printed document, the scanner will still produce an image file.
However, you can create a text file by using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software
Contd....

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Notes
such as Omnipage, Abbyy FineReader or FreeOCR. Microsoft Office includes an OCR
tool – Microsoft Office Document Imaging – which will convert a TIFF image file to text.
An Office program, OneNote, also lets you right-click an image and select 'Copy Text
from Picture'.

Get creative!
Scanners can also be creative and fun, because you can create pictures by placing objects on
the glass. Try flowers, fruits, fabrics, fingers and other flattish things.

The process is called 'scanner photography' or scanography, and it has been used by artists
and photographers (such as Patri Feher) to produce stunning work..

Finally, the golden rule of scanning is to always keep your scanner clean. Smears and
scratches have a habit of showing up on scans. A lint-free cloth and certain glass cleaners
should do the trick. Never use anything rough, such as a paper towel. Treat the glass more
like a camera lens than a window.

Questions:

1. Critically analyse the above case study in detail.

2. Scanners have become an integral part of multimedia. Elaborate.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/using-a-scanner

6.6 Summary

The two types of desktop computer used for multimedia development are the Apple Mac
and the Microsoft Windows based personal computer or PC.

Most PCs have anywhere from 2 GB to 8 GB of RAM in laptops and desktops, while Macs
usually have only 1 GB to 4 GB.

Computers have three main storage devices – hard drive, floppy drive and CD-ROM
drive.

SCSI is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers
and peripheral devices.
There are two storage devices used in computers; a primary storage device such as computer
RAM and a secondary storage device such as a computer hard drive.

Read-only memory (ROM), also known as firmware, is an integrated circuit programmed

with specific data when it is manufactured.

A hard drive is usually the size of a paperback book but much heavier.

DVD (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc), is a new medium for the distribution
of digital data.

6.7 Keywords

FireWire: A method of transferring information between digital devices, especially audio and
video equipment.

Magneto-Optical Drive: A kind of optical disc drive capable of writing and rewriting data upon
a magneto-optical disc.

Memory Chip: An integrated circuit (IC) made of millions of transistors and capacitors.

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Serial Access Memory (SAM): Stores data as a series of memory cells that can only be accessed Notes
sequentially (like a cassette tape).

6.8 Review Questions

1. Describe the history of floppy disk drives.

2. Write a short note on input devices of computer.

3. Discuss in brief about the output devices of computer.

4. Explain RAM and ROM.

5. Elucidate multimedia storage devices.

6. Define CD-ROM and CD-ROM player. Explain in detail.

7. A pointing device is an external tool that is used to move objects around. Explain.

8. Discuss various types of pointing devices.

9. What is a projector? Explain in detail.

10. Write a note on sound recording and video recording equipment.

Answers: Self Assessment

1. OSX, Microsoft Windows 2. ATA or Parallel ATA (PATA)

3. Shugart Associates System Interface 4. Larry Boucher

5. FireWire 6. Inkjet printer

7. data projector 8. Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

9. Pointing device 10. Alan Shugart

6.9 Further Readings

Books Englander, I, (2000) Architecture of Computer Hardware and Systems Software: An IT

Approach, (2nd edition), John Wiley and Sons.

Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., Kenan Professor of Computer Science. The Mythical

Man-Month: Essays in Software Engineering, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.

K. Andleigh and K. Thakkar, Multimedia System Design, PHI, PTR.

Steve Rimmer (2000), Advanced Multimedia Programming, MHI.

Tay Vaughan, Multimedia Making it work, Seventh Edition, Tata McGraw-Hill
Education Private Ltd.

Online links ht t p: / / no r a. l is. u i uc . e d u: 3 0 3 0/ c o m p a n io n / v ie w? d o c I d = b l ac k we ll /

9781405103213/9781405103213.xml&doc .view=print&chunk.id=ss1 -2-
10&toc.depth=1&toc.id=0

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Notes http://users.mct.open.ac.uk/yr258/papers/Rogers_Scaife98.pdf
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/stordevi.htm
http://www.icheg.org/icheg-game-history/timeline/

http://www.ict.griffith.edu.au/teaching/1611ICT/mm1alectures/l11 /
Writing%20For%20Multimedia%20Great%20Moments%20In%2 0
Multimedia%20History.htm

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