Information Sheet 1.1.

“Computer Hardware Peripherals”

Learning Objectives

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to: 1. Identify computer hardware
peripherals.

Introduction

A peripheral is a piece of computer hardware that is added to a computer inorder toexpand its abilities.
The term peripheral is used to describe those devices that areoptional in nature, as opposed to
hardware that is either demanded or always requiredinprinciple. There are all different kinds of
peripherals you can add your computer. Themain distinction among peripherals is the way they are
connected to your computer. Theycan be connected internally or externally.

Buses

A bus is a subsystem that transfers data between computer components insideacomputer or between
computers. Unlike a point-to-point connection, a bus canlogicallyconnect several peripherals over the
same set of wires. Each bus defines itsset of connectors to physically plug devices, cards or cables
together. There are twotypesof buses: internal and external. Internal buses are connections to various
internal components. External buses are connections to various external components. Therearedifferent
kinds of slots that internal and external devices can connect to.

Internal

Types of Slots

There are many different kinds of internal buses, but only a handful of popular ones. Different computers
come with different kinds and number of slots. It is important toknowwhat kind and number of slots you
have on your computer before you go out andbyacard that matches up to a slot you don’t have.

PCI

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is common in modern PCs. This kindof busisbeing succeeded
by PCI Express. Typical PCI cards used in PCs include: networkcards, sound cards, modems, extra ports
such as USB or serial, TV tuner cards anddisk

controllers. Video cards have outgrown the capabilities of PCI because of their higherbandwidth
requirements.
PCI Express

PCI Express was introduced by Intel in 2004. It was designed to replace thegeneral-purpose PCI
expansion bus and the AGP graphics card interface. PCI express isnot abus but instead a point-to-point
connection of serial links called lanes. PCI Expresscardshave faster bandwidth then PCI cards which make
them more ideal for high-endvideocards.

PCMCIA

PCMCIA (also referred to as PC Card) is the type of bus used for laptop computers. Thename PCMCIA
comes from the group who developed the standard: Personal ComputerMemory Card International
Association. PCMCIA was originally designed for computermemory expansion, but the existence of a
usable general standard for notebookperipherals led to many kinds of devices being made available in
this form. Typical devices include network cards, modems, and hard disks.

AGP

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attachingagraphics card to a
computer’s motherboard, primarily to assist in the accelerationof 3Dcomputer graphics. AGP has been
replaced over the past couple years by PCI Express.

AGP cards and motherboards are still available to buy, but they are becominglesscommon.
Types Of Cards

Video Card

A video card (also known as graphics card) is an expansion card whose functionistogenerate and output
images to a display. Some video cards offer added functions, suchas video capture, TV tuner adapter,
ability to connect multiple monitors, and others. Most video cards all share similar components. They
include a graphics processing unit (GPU)which is a dedicated microprocessor optimized for 3D graphics
rendering. It alsoincludesa video BIOS that contains the basic program that governs the video card’s
operationsand provides the instructions that allow the computer and software to interfacewiththecard.
If the video card is integrated in the motherboard, it may use the computer RAMmemory. If it is not it
will have its own video memory called Video RAM. Thiskindof memory can range from 128MB to 2GB. A
video card also has a RAMDAC(RandomAccess Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter) which takes
responsibility for turningthedigital signals produced by the computer processor into an analog signal
whichcanbeunderstood by the computer display. Lastly, they all have outputs such as anHD-15connector
(standard monitor cable), DVI connector, S-Video, composite videoorcomponent video.

Graphics Card

Sound Card
A sound card is an expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audiosignalsto/from a
computer under control of computer programs. Typical uses for soundcardsinclude providing the audio
component for multimedia applications such asmusiccomposition, editing video or audio,
presentation/education, and entertainment. Manycomputers have sound capabilities built in,, while
others require additional expansioncards to provide for audio capability.

Sound Card

Network Card

A network card is an expansion card that allows computers to communicateover acomputer network. It
allows users to connect to each other either by using cablesorwirelessly. Although other network
technologies exist, Ethernet has achievednear-ubiquity for a while now. Every Ethernet network card has
a unique 48-bit serial numbercalled a MAC address, which is stored in ROM carried on the card. You can
learnmoreabout networking in the introduction to networking lesson.

Network Card
External

Types of Connections

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a serial bus standard to interface devices. USBwasdesigned to allow many
peripherals to be connected using a single standardizedinterfacesocket and to improve the plug-and-play
capabilities by allowing devices to be connectedand disconnected without rebooting the computer.
Other convenient features includeproviding power to low-consumption devices without the need for an
external powersupply and allowing many devices to be used without requiring manufacturer specific,
individual device drivers to be installed. USB is by far the dominating bus for connectingexternal devices
to your computer.

USB Connectors

Fire wire

Fire wire (technically known as IEEE 1394 and also known as i. LINK for Sony) isaserial bus interface
standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-timedatatransfer, frequently used in a
personal computer. Fire wire has replaced Parallel portsinmany applications. It has been adopted as the
High Definition Audio-VideoNetworkAlliance (HANA) standard connection interface for A/V
(audio/visual) component communication and control. Almost all modern digital camcorders have
includedthisconnection.
Fire wire Cable

PS/2

The PS/2 connector is used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PCcompatiblecomputer
system. The keyboard and mouse interfaces are electrically similar withthemain difference being that
open collector outputs are required on both endsof thekeyboard interface to allow bidirectional
communication. If a PS/2 mouse is connectedtoa PS/2 keyboard port, the mouse may not be recognized
by the computer dependingonconfiguration.

PS/2 Ports

Devices

Removable Storage

The same kinds of CD and DVD drives that could come built-in on your computer canalso be attached
externally. You might only have a CD-ROM drive built-intoyourcomputer but you need a CD writer to
burn CDs. You can buy an external CDwriter that connects to your USB port and acts the same way as if it
was built-in to your computer. The same is true for DVD writers, Blu-ray drives, and floppy drives. Flash
driveshavebecome very popular forms of removable storage especially as the price of
flashdrivesdecreases and the possible size for them increases. Flash drives are usually USBoneseither in
the form USB sticks or very small, portable devices. USB flash drives aresmall, fast, removable,
rewritable, and long-lasting. Storage capacities range from64MBto32GB or more. A flash drive does not
have any mechanically driven parts so as opposedto a hard drive which makes it more durable and
smaller usually.

USB Flash Drive

Non-removable Storage

Non-removable storage can be a hard drive that is connected externally. External harddrives have
become very popular for backups, shared drives among many computers, and simply expanding the
amount of hard drive space you have fromyour internal harddrive. External hard drives come in many
shapes and sizes like flash drives do. Anexternal hard drive is usually connected by USB but you can also
have a networkedharddrive which will connect to your network which allows all computers on that
networktoaccess that hard drive.

Input

Input devices are absolutely crucial to computers. The most common input devicesaremice and
keyboards which barely every computer has. A new popular pointing devicethat may eventually replace
the mouse is touch screen which you can get on sometablet notebooks. Other popular input devices
include microphones, webcams, and fingerprint readers which can also be built in to modern laptops
and desktops. A scanner is anotherpopular input device that might be built-in to your printer.
Webcam

Output

There are lots of different kinds of output devices that you can get for your computer. Theabsolute most
common external output device is a monitor. Other very popular output devices are printers and
speakers. There are lots of different kinds of printersanddifferent sizes of speakers for your computer.
Monitors are connected usually throughtheHD-15 connector on your video card. Printers are usually
connected through a USBport. Speakers have their own audio out port built-in to the sound card.
Monitor