Output Devices

LEDS

Description

Advantages

Disadvantages

It is a two lead
semiconductor light
source. This emits light
when active.

They have to be quite

bright in order to see the
image.

CRT (cathode ray tube).

CRT is a vacuum tube

containing one or more
electron guns usually
three, (red, green and
blue) (a source of electrons
or electron emitter) and a
fluorescent screen used to
view images.

LEDs have many

advantages over
incandescent light sources
including lower energy
consumption, longer
lifetime, improved physical
robustness, smaller size,
and faster switching.
They operate at any
resolution. CRTs run at the
highest pixel resolutions
generally available.
Produce a very dark black
and the highest contrast
levels normally available.
Suitable for use even in
dimly lit or dark
environments. CRTs have
fast response times and no
motion artefacts. Best for
rapidly moving or changing
images. CRTs are less
expensive than
comparable displays using
other display technologies.

Flat bed plotter

These hold the paper still

while the pens move. It draws

Drawings are of the same

Plotters are slower than

The CRT's Gaussian beam

profile produces images
with softer edges that are
not as sharp as an LCD at
its native resolution.
Imperfect focus and colour
registration also reduce
sharpness. Generally
sharper than LCDs at other
than native resolutions. All
colour CRTs produce
annoying Moir patterns.
Many monitors include
Moir reduction, which
normally doesn't eliminate
the interference patterns
entirely.

images using a pen.

quality as if an expert drew

them. Larger sizes of
paper can be used than
most printers can manage

Drum plotter

A type of pen plotter that

wraps the paper around a
drum with a pin feed
attachment. The drum
turns to produce one
direction of the plot, and
the pens move to provide
the other

Plotters are able to work

on large sheets up to 60
cm (2 feet) or more
Efficiency, reproducibility,
accuracy and speed are all
attributes of a plotter.

Speaker (Loudspeaker)

A
loudspeaker produces soun
d in response to an
electrical signal input.

Very reliable, good sound

reproduction, long lasting
and pretty durable if
operated within their
intended power levels.

printers because each line

is drawn separately. They
are often more expensive
than printers. They do not
produce very high quality
text printouts
Although plotters offer
many advantages, if you
are working with limited
space, you may have a
difficult time finding the
right location for your
plotter. They take up more
space than regular
printers. Furthermore, the
price of a plotter is much
higher than the price of
printer.
Limited in frequency
response and requires
multiple speakers to
produce full sound
spectrum of 20 - 20,000
Hz, feedback must be
compensated for at the
amplifier and easily
destroyed if over powered.

Ink jet

They expel thousands of

droplets of ink onto a page
to create the image.

Laser Jet

They print in the same way

as photocopies. Powered
ink, called Toner, is fused
onto paper by heat and
pressure.

Dot-Matrix

Is a type of computer
printing which uses a print
head that runs back and
forth, or in an up and down
motion, on the page and
prints by impact, striking
an ink-soaked cloth ribbon

Initial Cost lowest cost

products on the market.
The quality is very high.
They are small and so
dont need much space.
They dont require the
printer to warm up before
use.
Colour printing is possible.
Print quality is good.
Noiseless. Printing speed
is high. Most models are
relatively light weight and
compact so they don't take
up too much space on the
desk

Low purchase cost. Can

handle
Multipart forms. Cheap to
operate, just new ribbons.
Rugged and low repair cost.

Ink is very expensive.

They are slow at printing.
You have to wait for the
image to dry and so it
takes a lot of time.

Not be the printer of choice

for everyone, Due to the
cost of ink, running an inkjet
printer over time is a more
expensive than a laser
printer. Prints emerge from
the printer slightly wet and
may need time to dry.
Printing is slower and
therefore inkjets aren't
designed for high volume
printing
They are noisy and have low
resolution. Not all can do
colour and if done it looks
faded and streaky.

Thermal

3D Printer

against the paper, much

like the print mechanism
on a typewriter. However,
unlike a typewriter or daisy
wheel printer, letters are
drawn out of a dot matrix,
and thus, varied fonts and
arbitrary graphics can be
produced.
A thermal printer is a
printer that uses heat to
produce an image on
paper

It prints a 3D image of what

is produced in a CAD
program.

Costs, printing speed,

efficiency, quality of print
and mobility.

Easily Accessible. Affordable.

Huge Variety/ Customisation.
Constant improving
prototyping. Eco-friendly and
have an improved life quality
& welfare.

Labels cannot withstand

long exposure to sunlight
or extreme heat. Leave a
gas station receipt on your
dashboard and you will see
it fade from the exposure.
These receipts use similar
direct thermal technology.
Even without sun
exposure, the labels will
fade over long periods of
time. Print speeds tend be
slower.
Copyright issues. Printing
weapons and scams
possibilities.