Chapter 2

Input and Output Devices

ENG. SAMAA AWAD

IGCSE
Information and Communication Technology
Chapter 2 Topics

1. Input Devices

2. Direct Data Entry and Associated Devices

3. Output Devices and Their Uses

INPUT DEVICES
Input Devices
• Input devices are used to enter data into a computer.

• There are two categories of input devices:

• Manual Input Devices → people enter the data themselves

• Direct Data Entry (DDE) → does not require people to enter data manually
Keyboards and Keypads
• A keyboard is used to enter fixed values, often letters, characters and numbers.

• The most common type of keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard.

• Many keyboards have a numeric keypad.

Keyboards and Keypads
• Advantages of keyboards:
• They are common and everyone is familiar with them
• They are easy to use

• Disadvantages of keyboards:

• Easy to enter errors when typing

• Could be time consuming to type, unless users practice touch typing

• Can cause strain injuries if used for long times
• Can not be used to create diagrams or artwork

• Different languages require different keyboards

Pointing Devices
• Pointing devices are devices that move and control a pointer on the computer

screen.

• There are different types of pointing devices:

• Mouse

• Touchpad

• Trackerball
Mouse
• When a mouse is moved on a flat surface, the pointer on the screen moves too.

• Items can be moved or selected by clicking on the mouse buttons.

• An old mouse was mechanical, where a ball and a sensor

were used to track its movement.

• A modern mouse is optical. It doesn’t have any moving

parts.
Mouse
• A mouse exists in different shapes and designs.

• A mouse could be wired, that connects to the

computer via a USB cable.

• A mouse could also be wireless, that connects to the computer using Bluetooth.

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
• A fast input method • Can be easily damaged
• Easy to use • Some people may face difficulty using it
• Overuse can cause strain injuries
• Needs a flat surface to move
Touchpad
• A touchpad is a flat surface that that is used as a pointing device instead of a

mouse.

• It comes in laptops, since they’re portable devices and would not be very

practical to connect an external mouse to.

• Most touchpads allow you to scroll, right click,

swipe, zoom in or out, …

Trackerball
• A trackerball is like a mechanical mouse, turned upside down, where the device

remains still but the user moves a ball to control the pointer.

• Advantages:

• It doesn’t need space to be moved around on

• Can be used by disabled people who may not have the

freedom of movement needed to move a mouse

• The disadvantage is that trackerballs can be difficult to use

specially if fine control is needed.

Remote Control
• A remote control is a small handheld device that is used to operate a device such as a TV or

an AC.

• It has a number of buttons that when pressed, it sends an infrared signal to the device.

• Each signal has a code, depending on the button pressed.

• The main advantage of a remote control is convenience.

You don’t have to be near a device to operate it.

• The disadvantage is that the signal can be blocked by objects

and it can interfere with other devices.

Joystick
• A joystick is a stick that pivots on a base and can be moved in any direction.

• The direction and degree of movement control how an object moves on the

screen.

• It also has buttons that can be pressed that perform different actions.

• It can be used not only with computers, with other applications

like controlling a wheelchair, playing games or in aircraft.

• It is difficult to control fine movement with a joystick.

Driving Wheel
• A driving wheel is used in racing video games,

and in driving and racing simulators.

• It often comes with acceleration and brakes pedals.

• Advantage:

• Controls movement more accurately than a mouse or a joystick

• Disadvantage:

• Can only be used for one purpose

• Increased cost
Touch Screen
• A touch screen is a display screen that is both input and output.

• It can be found in laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

• It can determine where the user has pressed and send that information to the

processor.

• There are two types:

• Resistive → two metallic plates that touch from the pressure of a finger press

• Capacitive → sensitive to static electricity from a finger press

Touch Screen
• Advantages:

• Easy to use

• Space-saving, because it’s both input and output

• Cost effective when providing self service solutions

• Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for inputting large amounts of data

• Not very accurate for selecting very small areas

• Difficult to use by disabled people

• Hygiene concerns regarding screens in public areas

Scanner
• A scanner is a device that converts different types of images, documents into

digital form to be input into a computer.

• It has a flat sheet of glass on which the hard-copy is placed.

• It shines a light, and a sensor captures the reflected light.

• It then translates this to digital data that represent the scanned content.

• Handheld scanners can be used to scan relatively small areas.

Scanner
• Advantages:

• Accurate, and can produce a high quality digital copy

• Allows editing hard-copy documents by converting them into digital format

• Scanned files can be embedded into different applications

• Disadvantages:

• Scanned documents can take up a lot of storage space

• Sometimes low quality or distorted copies are produced

Digital Camera
• A digital camera captures images and stores them on a memory

card or a hard disk to be displayed on a screen.

• Digital images consist of pixels.

• The more pixels there are, the higher the quality

of the picture.
Digital Camera
• Advantages:

• The pictures are available immediately and can be erased at any time

• Digital images can be edited

• Digital images can be embedded in other applications

• Disadvantages:

• The memory card storage capacity is limited

• The memory card may become corrupted or damaged

• The battery life is short

Video Camera
• A video camera is a digital camera that records moving picture, or videos.

• Advantages:

• Captures moving picture not just still ones

• Records audio as well

• Provides a record of special moments

• Disadvantages:

• File size can be very large

• Needs special software to edit videos

Webcam
• A webcam is a special type of video camera that doesn’t have storage but

connects directly to a computer.

• Most laptops, tablets and smartphones have built-in webcams.

• It is used to provide live video pictures when chatting with friends or attending

video-conference meetings.
Microphone
• A microphone is used to input sounds into a computer by converting analogue

sound waves to digital format.

• It can be used in video-conferencing or to control a device using speech

commands.

• Most modern digital devices have built-in microphones.

• It might be easier to use by disabled people.

• The quality of the recorded sound depends on the quality of the microphone.
Sensor
• A sensor is a device that detects and records data from real life, like light,

temperature, motion, pressure, …

• Advantages:

• More accurate than human readings

• Less prone to errors

• Used in remote or dangerous areas

• Disadvantages:

• It needs a power source to work

• Hard to detect if a sensor malfunctions

Light Pen
• A light pen is a light sensitive input device used before touch screens.

• It was used to interact with old style monitors.

• It was used with graphic tablets as well, before

progressing into a stylus.

• Nowadays, it is no longer used.

Light Pen
• Advantages and disadvantages of light pen & stylus include:
DIRECT DATA ENTRY AND
ASSOCIATED DEVICES
Magnetic Stripe Reader
• A magnetic stripe reader is a device that reads the data of a magnetic stripe

card without having the user to manually entering this data.

• Magnetic stripe cards could include hotel cards, bank cards, library cards, …

• Advantages:
• Simple to use
• Cheap
• Fast input method
• No data entry errors
• Data stored on a card can be altered
Magnetic Stripe Reader
• Disadvantages:

• Small storage capacity

• Data can be corrupted by magnetic fields

• Insecure

• A reader is needed to use the card

Chip and Pin Reader
• A chip and pin reader is a device that reads cards with

a computer chip rather than a magnetic stripe.

• These cards are more secure because they hold the data

in encrypted format and require a pin to authenticate.

• A chip and pin reader can store the details of the transactions.
Chip and Pin Reader
• Advantages:

• More secure

• Can hold more information than magnetic stripe cards

• Can be wireless

• Disadvantages:

• If you forgot the pin, you can not use the card

• People can “shoulder surf” and watch you enter your pin
RFID Reader
• An RFID reader reads data stored on RFID tags.

• RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification.

• Similar to magnetic stripe reader or barcode scanner.

• Reads unique identifiers for items having an RFID tag, like merchandise or

shipping items.

• When animals are tagged, an RFID chip is placed under their skin.
RFID Reader
• Advantages:

• The tag doesn’t have to be precisely placed on the reader

• Tags can be few meters away from the reader

• Many tags can be read at once

• Used for tracking items

• Disadvantages:

• No authentication required to read a tag

• Other signals may interfere with the RFID reading

• Range is limited
OCR
• OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition.

• It is the process of recognizing the characters in a

scanned copy of a text document, passports, or ID cards.

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:

• Fast way of entering data • The text entered is not always

• Avoids typing errors reliable

• Cheaper than employing someone for data entry • Needs manual check to

ensure 100% accuracy

OMR
• OMR stands for Optical Mark Recognition.

• It is the process of recognizing marks sheets of paper.

• For example, bubble sheets with multiple choice questions.

OMR
• Advantages:

• Fast to input data

• More accurate than human checking

• Disadvantages:

• Smudges on the paper can be misinterpreted

• Can only read marks, not text

• Papers need to be placed exactly in a specific location

• Paper jams can occur

Bar Code Reader
• A bar code reader is a device that scans data from

bar codes and sends it to a computer.

• A bar code is a set of short parallel lines that resemble a

unique code number.

• Bar codes are often used in supermarkets and other retail outlets to label their

products.

• It often includes data for the country of origin, the manufacturer, and the product.
QR Scanner
• A QR scanner is like a bar code reader, but scans a QR code.

• A QR (Quick Respond) code is a two-dimensional bar code

that provides direct link to a website, text, or email.

• It’s like an image-based link.

• Most smartphones have a QR scanner.

QR Scanner
• Advantages:

• A QR code stores information that you don’t have to write it down

• QR codes can be used for anything by anyone

• QR codes can be scanned from any direction

• Disadvantages:

• A camera and an app are needed

• Relatively new and not everyone is aware of how to use it

OUTPUT DEVICES AND
THEIR USES
Monitor
• A monitor is a computer screen that displays the computer’s interface.

• Old monitors were built using CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), and were

heavy and bulky.

• Modern monitors use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or LED (Light Emitting

Diode), and are light weight and thin.

• TFT (Thin Film of Transistors) monitors are used in laptops, tablets, and

smartphones.
Multimedia Projector
• A multimedia projector is a device that can project an image from a computer

onto a larger surface.

• Often used in presentations to large audiences.

• A projector can be fixed, or portable.

• The projection power and size rely on the power of the light bulb of the device.
Laser Printer
• A laser printer uses laser to draw the required output.

• It is used when quality and speed are important.

• It tends to be more expensive than other types of printers.

• Sometimes the reproduction of a color is not very accurate.

Inkjet Printer
• An inkjet printer has ink cartridges that spray ink out of different nozzles.

• It is relatively cheap, but ink refills are expensive.

• Commonly used in home computers and small offices.

• Produces more accurate colors than laser printers.

Dot-Matrix Printer
• A dot-matrix printer uses a set of pins to press an inked ribbon on the paper.

• It is more reliable and durable than inkjet and laser printers.

• It is slow, noisy, and have limited color capabilities.

• It produces a low quality output.

3D Printer
• A 3D printer produces 3-dimensional models from digital files.

• It keeps adding successive layers of a material from bottom to top to create the

model.

• It takes a lot of time to print a 3D model.

• A 3D printer is expensive, difficult to use, and consumes a lot

of energy.
Plotter
• A plotter is like a printer, but on very large

sheets of paper.

• It uses a pen to draw on the paper.

• It’s mainly used by architects and for

technical drawings.
Speaker
• A speaker outputs sound from a computer.

• The sound from a computer is converted to analogue form through a DAC.

• It is particularly useful for some disabled people, like blind people.

• Headphones and earphones are personal speakers, where no one else would be

listening to the sound.

Actuator
• An actuator is a device that outputs a mechanical action from a computer.

• It responds to control signals, usually coming from sensors.

HOMEWORK
1. Touch screens are very popular for personal devices and for fixed devices in public places.

a) State three personal devices that use a touch screen.

b) Give two advantages and two disadvantages of a touch screen.
c) Describe the benefits of touch screens in public places such as those on ticket machines in
railway stations.

2. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of chip and pin readers and magnetic stripe readers.

3. Define what is meant by:

a) Sensor
b) Actuator

4. Describe the use of sensors and actuators in a control system such as a burglar alarm or temperature
control system.
THANK YOU