Chapter 2 Input and output devices

Exercise 1 Input devices

1. 2.

A: Keyboard A: Touchpad
3. 4.

A: Driving wheel A: Barcode scanner

5. 6.

A: Digital camera A: Microphone

7.

A: Graphics tablet
Exercise 2 Data entry device tables

Item Description Advantages Disadvantages

Magnetic stripe A payment card Data can be Magnetic stripes
readers being swiped using a collected from a can be easily
magnetic stripe magnetic stripe damaged and
reading device. very quickly. The become
data cannot be unreadable. The
seen by the human cards can be
eye. easily cloned and
used by criminals
to obtain
property and
money.
Chip and pin The device reads The devices are If a user forgets
readers the information from very portable and their PIN, the
the chip and as long are often found reader cannot be
as the PIN matches attached to used to enable a
the information, the cash registers in transaction
card can businesses. to take place.
be successfully used. The technology is
This method of more secure than
paying for goods also magnetic stripes
led to contactless because a PIN is
technology where a needed. The chips
card does not even in cards hold much
have to touch more data than the
the device. magnetic stripe.

Radio Frequency Radio Frequency RFID tags hold a RFID tags and
Identification Identification lot more data than readers
(RFID) readers (RFID) technology is barcodes. There is are considerably
used to keep track of a greater range more expensive
a variety of things of data than barcodes
in modern society. transmission due and barcode
The RFID tag is fitted to radio waves scanners.
to a product being used to send Radio waves are
and radio waves are information. Tags susceptible to
used by the reader to can be interference
obtain data. manufactured in during
RFID readers have a various sizes, data transmissio
much larger range including being n.
than barcode small enough to
readers and be placed in
can scan information documents
on the tags from up like passport
to 300 feet of range. covers.
Magnetic Ink The magnetic One of the benefits A limited number
Character ink character of the magnetic ink of characters can
Recognition/Read recognition line is character recogniti be read.
er (MICR) used mainly by on line is its ability The reader & ink
the banking industry. to quickly are expensive.
The magnetic ink facilitate the use of
allows computers to routing numbers or
read the characters sort codes -this
on a check even if helps to
they have process cheques
been covered with quickly. The MICR
signatures, cancellati can help
on marks, prevent financial
bank stamps, or fraud through the
other marks. use of its special
magnetic ink
and unique fonts.
For example,
MICR makes
it challenging to
alter cheques.
Optical Mark An optical mark The device can If a form has
Recognition/Read recognition (OMR) read data very been filled
er (OMR) reader is a quickly and in in incorrectly, the
device that can large quantities. reader would
easily read The mark reader not necessarily
marks made in pen can convert the know this from
or pencil onto special information on the reading the
pieces of paper into data data. Sometimes
paper, known as with no human the forms can get
forms. The input required. jammed inside
reader shines a light the machine
onto the piece of whilst reading is
paper and where a taking place.
mark has been
made, less light is
reflected
which means that the
device can record
the information
very quickly.
Optical Character An optical It is the quickest The recognition
Recognition/Read character recognition way of converting isn’t
er (OCR) reader is a scanner written text in always entirely
that works digital text for use accurate and can
together with apiece on a computer. have difficulty
of reading
conversion software. handwriting.
The scanner will read
 text, either
handwritten or
printed on a piece of
paper or in a
book and will convert
it digitally into text
that can be
viewed on a screen.

Barcode Reader A barcode reader is It is a quick The item has to

often found attached process to get be
to a point of sale information from a directly undernea
(POS) computer in product by th the reader
a shop or business. scanning the for the data to be
When an item is barcode. It transmitted tot he
bought the enables shops and computer. If
computer scans the businesses barcodes are
information from the to keep track of damaged or
barcode and stock unreadable,
matches the data to levels automaticall products have to
the database to y. be manually
check the looked up by a
most accurate price computer user.
of the item. The
barcode scanner
uses infrared light to
read the bars in the
code; this light
is reflected back to
the device and
is converted into
digital data.

Exercise 3 Output devices

Item Name Advantages Disadvantages

3D printer They enable users The printers are
to produce cheaper very large and
prototypes of require a huge
objects before real amount of space
items to produce the
are manufactured. output. They are
The technology has very expensive
become affordable to maintain and
for many smaller run.
businesses.
Multimedia They enable a Projectors often
projector screen to be viewed need to be
on a large scale. mounted in a
fixed position to
enable the output
to be seen
correctly. The
bulbs that are
required
to operate are
expensive and
require regular
replacement.
Monitor Increases Not portable as a
productivity, can laptop, expensive
come in large screen and fragile.
sizes so multiple
documents and
applications can be
viewed. Large
screens with higher
resolution have less
detrimental health
effects.
Speakers They enable a user They can only be
to hear the output used in situations
from a computer that do not
to accompany disturb others.
visuals on a monitor. Good quality
They require very speakers
little training to are expensive
use the device. and do not come
with computers
as standard.
Dot matrix They are good The printer is
printer at producing a very
carbon copy or exact loud because it
replica of a printout uses impact
in one output. They technology
are able to print where pins strike
confidential the paper.
documents inside The printer is
special inked expensive
envelopes. to maintain and
repair.
 Laser printer Very quick to output The devices
high quality pages of are expensive to
print. They buy. They are
can produce a large devices that
large volume of are expensive to
printing at a low cost repair if they
of toner. go wrong.
Inkjet printer The devices are Printed output
quite cheap to buy. can be slow,
Cartridges can be especially when it
replaced individually, is a colour print.
meaning that only As the ink is still
ones which have drying when it is
runout need to be finished, the print
changed. can be spoilt
if care is not
taken.
Wide format They are very good They are very
printer for printing large large and require
detailed diagrams, a huge amount of
maps and drawings. space to produce
the paper output.
They are
very expensive to
maintain and run.

Exam style questions

1. Circle the input devices.

A:
Speaker Monitor Projector LED Light Mouse
Printer Headphones Scanner Sensor Microphone

2. Name 3 input devices to be found in a smartphone.

A: (any of these are acceptable):

Buttons
Touch screen
Microphone
Camera

3. Complete the following sentences, using the most appropriate items

from the list below.

A:
a. A touch screen is an input and output device.
b. A camera is used to take digital photos.
 c. A microphone is used to capture sound.
d. A graphics tablet is used to draw images on a computer.

4. Circle the items used for direct data entry.

A:
Keyboard MICR Printer Barcode scanner Chip &
Pin reader Touch screen RFID reader

5. There are different ways people can pay using their credit or debit cards
when in a store. Discuss how secure each method of payment is.

A:

Benefits Drawbacks
Magnetic stripe The user needs to have The card could be stolen,
the card present to use it. and the signature copied.
Data more difficult to copy Magnetic stripe can be
as it uses a stripe. affected by magnetic
Increased security as a fields.
signature is also needed. The card can be
physically damaged due
to overuse.
Chip & Pin Increased security as the Shoulder surfing can take
card and a PIN is also place.
needed. Security risk as the chip
The chip cannot be contains personal
scanned remotely. information.
Card can be damaged
due to overuse.
Contactless More secure as If card is stolen it can be
encryption is used to read used without a PIN.
the card. The card can be cloned
Card details can be using electronic devices.
stored on a smartphone No contact with the
which may have an extra device means that the
layer of security. card may be ‘read’ by
Only allows a small other devices
amount to be transacted accidentally.
at one time. Security risk as the card
contains personal
information.

6. Name the output device that would be used for each of the following.

A:
a. To output sound you would use a speaker.
b. To output something onto a screen you would use a monitor.
 c. To output something onto a wall you would use a projector.

7. Compare 2 different types of printer.

A: (a comparison between any two of the following is sufficient.)

Printer type Advantages Disadvantages

3D printer They enable users to The printers are very
produce cheaper large and require a lot of
prototypes of objects space to produce the
before real items are output.
manufactured. They are very expensive
The technology has to maintain and run.
become affordable for
many smaller
businesses.
Dot matrix printer They are good at The printer is very loud
producing a carbon copy because it uses impact
or exact replica of a technology where pins
printout in one output. strike the paper.
They are able to print The printer is expensive
confidential documents to maintain and run.
inside special inked
envelopes.
Laser printer Very quick to output high The devices are
quality pages of print. expensive to buy.
They can product a large They are large devices
volume of printing at a that can be expensive to
low cost of toner. repair if they break or go
wrong.
Inkjet printer The devices are quite Printed output can be
cheap to buy. Cartridges slow, especially when in
can be replaced colour. As the ink is still
individually, meaning drying when it has been
that only ones which printed, it can be spoilt if
have run out need to be special care is not taken
changed. immediately after.
Wide format printer They are very good for They are very large
printing large details printers and require a
diagrams, maps and huge amount of space to
drawings. product the paper output.
They are very expensive
to maintain and run.