Input and Output Devices

1. Five factors you should consider when assessing the suitability of hardware device for connecting to a computer is;
• Speed,
• Cost,
• Security,
• Capacity,
• Reliability.

2. When installing a new component into a computer system the tasks involved are;
• Add the component to the computer, either connecting in through an existing port or plugging it into an expansion slot in the motherboard.
• The available ports on most computers include serial, parallel and universal serial bus (USB).
• Install and configure the driver software that allows the computer to communicate with the new component.

3.
Input device Types Speed Reliability Robustness
Keyboard QWERTY Keyboard Up to 10 characters per second Good – very reliable all keys typed appear on screen Moderate – easily damaged by rough handling and spills
Mouse Accupoint mouse Slow Moderate – can be affected by dust, dirt and bright sunlight Moderate – damaged
Barcode Scanner Up to 50 characters per second – depends on the operator Good – relied on by retail stores, although hard to read if icy or dirty Depends on type – supermarket scanners far more robust than hand-held scanners
Light Pen Up to 50 characters per second – depends on operator Good – relied on by libraries and video stores Good – generally well constructed and difficult to damage
Touch-sensitive screen Slow, up to 5 characters per second – limited by the operator Good – accurate indication of position touched Good – rugged construction for use in public places
Joystick Accupoint joystick Slow (cannot be measured in characters per second) – limited by the operator Good – mechanically simple, with operator compensating for any slight inaccuracies Good – simple design, so relatively difficult to damage
Video Digitiser Slow (cannot be measured in characters per second) Moderate to good – depends on range of factors Moderate – some easily damaged
Document Scanner Fairly slow – up to 100 characters per second