Computer Hardware

Introduction

Computer System Components

Input Keyboard, Mouse, Camera, Touch Pad

Processing CPU

Output Monitor, Printer

Storage Floppy, Hard Drive, CD, DVD, Flash

Drive

Generations

Gen.

Hardware Software

1st Vacuum Tubes machine language

2nd Transistors Assembly language

3rd Integrated Chip(IC)

Higher level languages, Application Programs

4th VLSI(Very Large Scale ICs)

Object oriented programming, natural language processing

The Binary System

Bits – Binary digits, or 0,1.Bytes (8 bits) – ASCII, EBCDIC

One byte is the space needed to store one character, like the letter “A”.

Kilobyte (KB) – 1000 (actually, 1024)Megabyte (MB) – 1,000,000Gigabyte (GB) – 1,000,000,000Terabyte (TB) – 1,000,000,000,000

Connecting Input Devices

Analog to Digital Conversion Ports (gateways to the

computer) – serial and parallel, USB. Use of interrupts to alert CPU

Processing – CPU components

Control Unit Clock cycle regulates all operations

Arithmetic-Logic Unit (ALU)Add Gates – Half adder, full adderAND/OR/NOT gates

MemoryRAM –

Static (faster, less compact)Dynamic

ROM

Output

Conversion from Digital back to AnalogVideoPrinters - Ink Jet, LaserSoundControlling Devices (e.g. antilock brakes)

Storage

Hard Drive 160 GB on upwards today As low as 256 KB less than 20 years ago!

CD-ROM 600-700 MB

DVD-ROM 4 GB - Red Laser, 27 GB- Blue Laser

Flash Drives From 256 MB up to 100+ GB

Related Fields of Study

Computer Science Software development

Computer Engineering Hardware design and development

Computer Information Systems Management of technology in

organizations.