Chapter 1 – Digital Devices

1.1 Types of Digital Devices

Mainframe computer – Large, powerful computer that carries out complex tasks (such as statistical analysis) rapidly and
can be used by many people simultaneously.

Microprocessor – Controls what the computer does. It takes data as input, processes it, and gives out an output.
e.g. Washing Machine, Television, Household appliances.

Laptops and desktops are types of personal computers. Laptops can be used as desktop replacements.

Single Board Computers – Affordable computers used in areas such as:

1) Education
2) Embedded Computing – Computing hardware that’s fixed in position and carries a specialist task.
3) Physical Computing – Interactive systems that can detect and respond to the surrounding environment.
Embedded computing can be found in calculators. Physical computing can be found in robotics. They are total
opposites.
Wi-Fi – A way of
For mobile phones to connect to the mobile phone network, they need to have a SIM Card. connecting
computers or
SIM = Subscriber Identity Number, so it is used to identify the device on the mobile phone network. machines to a
network or the
Specialists Phones – Are phones with special features that meet the user’s needs. internet using radio
signals.
This can be an “accessibility need” or something like with an "Emergency feature”.

Smartphones – In addition to the features of a mobile phone, they have Wi-Fi Connectivity and can access the
internet.

Additionally, they have features from other devices such as cameras and hand-held game consoles

Their operating system is more complex, and hence they use more energy, and require charging sooner
than other mobile phones.

Tablets – Slightly bigger than smartphones but carry out mostly the same functions.

Some more digital devices are listed in the table on the next page:

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef

1
Koraitem
 Digital Device Purpose Detailed Use
Light sensors capture light falling on the camera lens.
Camera To take still photos
Quality of image depends on:

- Quality of the lens

Camcorder To take moving photos (Videos) - Quality of the Image processor
- Resolution of the sensor

Some use motion sensors

Enable users to play video games on a Wireless controllers
Game Console
television screen. Virtual reality controllers
Handheld – Less storage so lower quality games

Quality of TV depends on resolution. HD / UHD

Manufacturers only present the vertical pixels.
Smart TVS have apps and can connect to Internet.
Televisions
Personal Video Recorders – Records broadcasted
Home Entertainment Sound Systems
content so that I can be watched later.
Systems PVR
Blue Ray/DVD Players
Set top box – Device that sends video and audio
received from a broadcaster to a television.

DVD can’t play Blu-Ray but Blu-Ray can play DVD.

Content could be from the Internet.

Connected to a TV to present audio and Or on locally stored network
Media Players video.
e.g. – Apple TV / Google Chromecast Portable ones are small and compact and have flash
memory.

Navigation aids – These calculate the best routes with shortest distance, least traffic and shortest duration of travel.

The use information from GPS and GIS:

- GPS (Global Positioning System): Multiple satellites will cross their radio signals to pinpoint your location. This
does not need an internet connection.
- GIS (Geographical Information System): Needed to render the maps, roads houses etc. This does require an
internet connection.

Multifunctional devices – A device that can perform a range of different functions.

e.g. – A phone can take pictures, send messages, make calls, and even work as a game console.

This is a result of convergence.

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef
2
Koraitem
Convergence – When the designs of devices change so that they become similar to another

e.g. – Laptops can now flip to form tablets.

1.2 Features of Digital Devices

1) Portability
A portable device is one that is easy to carry and move around.

2) Performance
High performance means high speed.
High speed means it can carry out or “process” information quickly.
This required a good processor and a large RAM (discussed in Chapter 3)

Otherwise virtual memory may be used.

Virtual memory – Storage used by the processor once the space in RAM has run out.
This results in much slower task execution.

3) Storage
More storage means more files and programs can be stored.
Storage may also affect performance (specifically in the case of virtual memory)

4) User Interface
This is basically the method by which the user interacts with the system

a) Command Line – By typing in commands (Complicated and Inefficient)

b) Menu-Driven – By choosing from a list menu, ATMS have this, This may not give the user exactly
what they want
c) Graphical User Interface – Uses windows, icons and menus. Very effective but requires high storage.
d) Voice Driven – By speaking e.g. Siri
e) Gesture Interface – By swipes/finger movements

5) Connectivity
Devices can share date through connecting to each other either wirelessly or using a wire.

6) Media Support
Items such as memory cards can be read and written.
Some devices do not have built-in media support and to they must use external devices

7) Energy Consumption
Low energy consumption = Longer battery Life = Save customer’s money + Present social responsibility

8) Expansion Capability
Some PCs allow users to install additional components through expansion slots.

9) Security Features
Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef
3
Koraitem
 a. Software Security:
Locks through PIN/Password
Swipe/Patterns
Longer/More random and complex = Better
Biometrics

b. Physical Security
Specialists slots/Locks

1.4 Input & Output Peripheral Devices

Peripheral device – A device that can be connected to a computer to either give input or output or for storage.

Input Devices include:

- Keyboards
- Pointer devices (Mouse, Tracker ball, Track Pad, Joystick, Graphics tablet)
- Scanners
o OCR – Scans text/numbers (Optical Character Recognition)
o OMR – Scans mark (MCQ Exam Papers etc.) (Optical Mark Recognition)
- Barcode Scanners
o Linear – On food products etc.
o Matrix (QR) – Hold more information + Scanned at any angle.
- Webcam
- Microphones
o Diaphragm moves when air hits it.
o This produces and analogue electrical signal.
o Electrical signal is converted to digital signal using the sound card.
- Touch Screen
o Resistive – Force is applied by fingers.
o Capacitive - Electrical signals are transferred from fingers to screen
- Biometric Scanner
o Includes: Iris, Fingerprint, Face and Voice
o Fingerprints can be of different types – Arches, Loops and Whorls
o Iris is the most secure
o Advantages – Easier / Harder to trick / Faster transactions / No language barriers
o Disadvantages – Stores personal info / Expensive / Some feel uncomfortable
- Card Readers
o Magnetic Strip – Least secure as no pin is required.
o Programmable Chip – Data is only readable when the correct pin is entered.
o Radio Frequency Identification and NFC – Like Apple Pay. Uses wireless communication.
▪ When scanned, ID is linked to database records
- Sensors
o Input data from the physical environment
o Benefits – Dangerous places / Continually monitor / Remove human error / Easily analyzed data

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef

4
Koraitem
Output peripherals include:

- Monitors
o Quality affected by: Screen size + Resolution + Energy Efficiency
- Printers
o Dot Matrix – Punches holes through paper. Very Loud. Very Slow. Cheapest cost per copy. Can carbon
print.
o Inkjet – Motor moves printer head across a page. Cartridges of spay in on the paper through the nozzle.
Quick. Expensive per copy. High quality
o Laser – Drum emits an electrical charge. (Like physics photocopier). Fastest. Most Expensive. Medium
cost per copy. Highest quality.
o 3D Printers – Real-life version of digital models
- Plotters
o Used by cartographers
- Data Projector
o Quality depends on: Zoom Functionality + Quality of Lens + Light Bulbs + Resolution
- Speaker
o Mono sound – Sound produced from one side.
o Stereo sound – From two different sides.
o Surround sound – From all different sides.
- Control Device
o Components of a system that make something happen in real life.

1.5 Types of Peripheral Devices – Storage

It is important to differentiate between storage medium and storage device.

Storage medium is what holds the data and what the data is read from.

Storage device is what reads the data and allows it to be presented on the device.

e.g. DVD Disk is the media while DVD drive is the device.

Secondary storage is non-volatile (data is not lost when power is lost)

It is used for:

- Storing documents/files for future use

- Storing an application, reading to be loaded into RAM when needed
- Virtual Memory

Devices:

There are several kinds of storage devices:

1. Hard Disk Drive. This contains hard disk media and is connected to the motherboard internally or externally.
2. Solid State Drive (Flash drives). This contains solid state medium and is like HDDs.
3. Optical Disk Drives. These contain Optical Disk Media. They have backwards compatibility.
Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef
5
Koraitem
Media:

1. Hard Disks

A hard disk is made up of a spindle and concentric platters around it as well as a read/write head.
The speed of the hard disk is determined by:
a) The speed of the concentric platters (Revolutions Per Minute)
b) How fast the read/write head moves on the platters.

The read/write head does two different things when reading and writing:

Reading – Changes magnetic field to electric current.

Writing – Changes electric current to magnetic field.

The seek time is the time taken by the RW head to locate the area on the platter where it needs to read/write
data.

2. Optical Media

MEDIA DATA STORED METHOD

Laser writes on plastic below layers of aluminum and

CDS 700 MB
acrylic

4.5 GB One Sided Shorter wavelength of red laser and hence more
DVDS
18 GB Two Sided data

Even shorter wavelength of violet laser and so

25 GB One Sided
Blu-Ray highest data storage
50 GB Two Sided
Has scratch -protection!

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef

6
Koraitem
 All of them can be recordable (R). CD and DVD can be writable (W). DVD can be written, erased, then written
again (RE)

3. Flash Media

There are no moving parts and so its energy efficient and portable

4. Magnetic Tape

In the past it was only used for music but now its used for both

How does storage media store data?

All storage use media use binary – bits of 0 or 1

Hard Disk – Change the charge on the platter to positive/negative to represent 0 or 1

Optical Media – Tiny bumps on their surface to represent 0 or 1.

Laser light shines on the surface.

The read head moves across the spinning platters.
Light is reflected if it lands it represents 1.
Light is scattered if it exists it represents 0.

Flash Media – Different levels of charge to represent 0 or 1 in tiny individual cells.

Magnetic Tape – Change the charge on tape to positive/negative to represent 0 or 1.

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef

7
Koraitem
CALCULATIONS

8 bits = 1 byte!

1 KiB = 1024 bytes

Example:

Construct and expression to show how many

Bits are in 128 GiB.

1Kib = 1024

1GiB = 10243

1 byte = 8 bits

128 x 8 x 10243

ACCESSIBILITY

If asked about examples if devices for accessibility needs, give the following;

Braille Keyboards – For people with visual impairment

Gesture Interface – For people with low mobility

Edexcel IGCSE ICT Revision Notes Youssef

8
Koraitem