Intro to Digital Technology HARDWARE CONCEPTS

IT-IDT-4 Identify, describe, evaluate, select, and use appropriate technology. IT-IDT-5 Understand, communicate, and adapt to a digital world.

 Electronic device that accepts, processes, produces results, and stores data  Data ◦ Collection of unprocessed items  Text, numbers, images, audio, and video  Information ◦ Conveys meaning and is useful  Ex. Data is input to create a grade report

Input ProcessOutput Storage

 Hardware ◦ Electric, electronic, and mechanical components  Input devices  Output devices  System unit  Storage devices  Communications devices

 Any hardware component that allows you to enter data and instructions into a computer ◦ Keyboard ◦ Mouse ◦ Microphone ◦ Scanner ◦ Digital camera ◦ Web cam

 Any hardware component that conveys information to one or more people ◦ Printer ◦ Monitor ◦ Speakers ◦ Portable media player

 A case that contains electronic components of the computer used to process data

 Sometimes called system board ◦ Main circuit board of the system unit ◦ Many electronic components are attached to the motherboard ◦ Expansion slots ◦ Processor chips ◦ Memory slots

 Interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer

 Control Unit ◦ Component of processor that directs and coordinates operations ◦ Like a traffic cop: it interprets each instruction issued by a program and then initiates the appropriate action to carry out the instruction

 Controls the timing of all operations  Clock speed ◦ Pace of clock ◦ Gigahertz (GHz): one billion ticks of the system clock per second ◦ Faster clock speed=more instructions the processor can execute per second  Does the system clock keep track of current date and time?  First computers: 30 MHz  Current: 3 GHz

 Leading chip manufacturers ◦ Intel ◦ AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) ◦ IBM ◦ Motorola  Today’s high performance PC’s: Intel Core  Less expensive PC’s: Pentium or Celeron

 Multi-core processor ◦ Single chip with 2 or more processors ◦ Dual-core: 2 separate processors ◦ Quad-core: 4 separate processors  Increases overall performance  Especially noticeable when running multiple programs ◦ , antivirus software, spyware remover, IM, media player, CD burning software, and photo editing software

 Store instructions, data needed by those instructions, and the results of processed data  One or more chips on motherboard  Stores 3 basic categories ◦ Operating system ◦ Application programs ◦ Data being processed by application programs

 Character, basic storage unit of memory  Each byte has an address ◦ Unique number that identifies the location of the byte in memory

 Random access memory ◦ Temporary memory ◦ More information processed = more RAM needed ◦ Volatile: loses its contents when power is removed  Examples: ◦ Operating system interface ◦ Browser windows ◦ Paint program  More RAM = faster response from computer

 Pronounced cash  Temporary storage for faster viewing ◦ Ex. Web pages, images, media

 Read-only memory  Permanent storage  Non-volatile: not lost when power is removed  Cannot be modified ◦ Ex. ROM chips in printers contain data for fonts ◦ Ex. When your system boots up

 Nonvolatile  Fast  Examples ◦ Downloading music on iTunes to your iPod ◦ Storing phone numbers on your phone ◦ Pagers ◦ Digital cameras

 Motherboard  To enhance functions or provide connections to devices

 Input  Storage  Processing  Output