3 Basic Components of

Computer System
Hardware - it refers to the tangible components
of a computer system.
3 Groups of Hardware Components:
1. Input Device/s perform the two most basic computing
tasks such as Issuing command and Data Entry.
Keyboard is the standard input device of most computers. It was
patterned after the typewriter and standard calculator. Several other keys
added such as;

 Esc/Escape key is usually located in the upper-left corner of the keyboard.

Function keys used to perform specific
commands/instructions for a specific program.
Enter/Return key used to move down one line.
Cursor key used for moving up, down, left or right.
Spacebar is a longest key used for generating spaces.
Other keys; Alt/Alternate, Ctrl/Control, Isrt/Insert,
Del/Delete, Home, End, PgUp/PageUp,PgDn/PageDown,
Print Screen SysRq, ScrollLock, Pause Break, Wake up, Sleep, Power.

 Mouse is hand-clicked devise used for pointing. Built by Douglas

Engelbart in 1963.
Trackball is like a stationary, upside down mouse.
Joystick is an input device, which is commonly used for
computer games.
Light Pen is a device used to draw, write, or issue commands
when it
touches a specially designed screen.
Video Digitizer use images from digital camera, video
cameras,
camcorders, VCRs, and Optical Disk players as input to
computers.
Scanner is a light-sensitive device to enter text and even
graphics. Ex. OCR/Optical Character Recognition, early models
of the scanner used to work with text printed in OCR format.

2 Categories of Scanners:
1. Flatbed scanner is ideal for materials printed in a flat
surface.
2.

Hand-held scanner is used to capture images in

materials which are not flat.
Readers are used as input devices for both text and Braille

b. Output Device/s are classified into two:

Hardcopy is an output which you can hold in your hands.
Softcopy is an output that can be easily modified by the computer.
Printer provides hard copy output on paper.

2 Categories of Printer:
1. Impact printer produces an output by using a
mechanism that presses against an inked ribbon on paper.
Ex. Dot-matrix printer, Letter-quality printer
2. Non-impact printer uses a photocopier-like process to
transferink to a piece of paper. Ex. Laser printer

 Plotter is a specialized kind of a printer which is used for

producing large and complex scientific and engineering hard
copies such as plans and maps.
Video Monitor/Display is used to provide soft copy output.

2 Categories of Video Monitors:

1.

Monochrome display is a single color displayed against a

different colored background, such as green on green,
amber on black, or white on black.

2. Colored display can show a variety of colors.

Speakers are used for audio output such as beeps, human voice
and music.
Input/Output Devices/ I/O Devices;
MODEM (Modulation, Demodulation) it translates
analog signal to digital signals into something which can
be understood bycomputer and vice-versa.
Other I/O devices; Internet Headset, ViewCam(PC Camera
w/Microphone)

Assignment

(1 whole sheet of paper)

1.
2.
3.

What is a System Unit?

What are 3 components of
Microprocessor /CPU?
What are the 2 types of Secondary Storage?
Give at least 2 examples in each type of
secondary storage.