“Computer” is a collection of devices that function as a unit. The most basic collection includes a Computer CPU, a Monitor, a Keyboard, and a Mouse. Computer CPU is normally a rectangular box that sits on your desktop (called a "Desktop Case") or next to your knee under the desk (called a "Tower Case"). The computer's CPU is actually a small electronic device inside the case but the term is often used to refer to the whole collection of electronics inside the box.
Computer Monitor
Keyboard
The Keyboard is the primary input device used to communicate with the computer. A computer keyboard closely resembles a conventional typewriter keyboard with the addition of numerous keys that are used specifically for computing functions
Mouse
Named for the resemblance of the wire coming out of it and a mouse's tail, the mouse was introduced to computing in the early 1980's when Macintosh created it’s graphical user interface (GUI). The mouse is another input device used to point at objects on the computer monitor and select them. Using the mouse and keyboard in combination allows the computer user substantial latitude in how to accomplish a wide variety of tasks.
Mouse’s are categorized in to three different types:
1: Three button mouse
2: Scroll mouse
3: Optical mouse
SCANNER
The scanner is a device that can transfer typed or hand written text, graphs, diagrams and photograph to the computer instead of making a duplicate paper copy of required data can photograph. Scanner stores them in memory of the computer.
PRINTER
It is devices which prints images on paper and copy of a document are printed which is known as printout. Speed of printed is rated either by pages per minute or by characters per sec.
There are different types of printers:
- Dot matrix printer
- Ink jet printer
- Laser
Floppy Disk Drive
Compact Disk-Read Only Memory
This modern miracle gained prominence in the late 1980's and has become the primary distribution medium for software to consumers. The Compact Disk-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) disk itself is a collection of concentric circles containing millions of pits and plateaus which correspond to on/off bits of data. The disk is read with an optical laser similar to the one used to scan your groceries at the supermarket. Most disks of this kind are "Read only" meaning that the computer can retrieve information from the disk, but
Cannot place information on it. New developments have improved this technology to allow writing and rewriting data to the disk. A different kind of hardware mechanism is needed to employ this innovation.
What is a Motherboard?
The motherboard is the main circuit board inside your PC. Every component at some point communicates through the motherboard, either by directly plugging into it or by communicating through one of the motherboards ports. The motherboard is one big communication highway. Its purpose inside your PC is to provide a platform for all the other components and peripherals to talk to each other.
TYPES OF MOTHERBOARD
The type of motherboards depends on the CPU it was designed for. You can therefore categories motherboards by which socket type they have. E.g. Socket A, Socket 478 etc. The Type of motherboard you buy is very important, as it will need to house your CPU, and they are not interchangeable. When buying a motherboard, it will always tell you what socket type it has.
When Buying a Motherboard
As everything you have on the PC at some point needs the motherboard, you need to consider these components when buying a motherboard. Foe example, if you have a lot of devices with a PCI interface that you wish to use, there is little point buying a motherboard that only offers you 3 PCI slots. Like wise with memory, you have to make sure that there are enough slots for the amount of memory you have or wish to have. The motherboard also needs the correct type of interface for your Memory, Graphics card, Hard disks and other items as well. You will find that most motherboards offer everything you need however it needs checking on when buying. It’s especially important to pay detail to your motherboard if you want to use older components, which a new motherboard may or may not support. The major difference between motherboards that support the same CPU is the model of the chipset (more on the chipset later). Different chipsets offer different performance and different features in terms of memory support, AGP port speed, Multiplier numbers, Bus speeds and much more.
Speed of a Motherboard
Motherboards have got to be one of the hardest components to measure the speed of. Performance can really only be measured by benchmarking using the same components in several motherboards of the same type. You often find that motherboards with the same chipset have roughly the same performance in real world tests. The minor differences that do occur are down to the quality of the materials used and the quality of the manufacturing.
The Motherboards speeds that are quoted on the box are maximum supported speeds for other components. For example motherboards will quote the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) speed. However without a CPU that also supports this speed, it will never be reached. Likewise when it quotes the maximum memory speed. The memory of this speed has to be present.
What is a Motherboard Chipset?
A motherboard chipset controls all the data that flows through the data channels (buses) of the motherboard. The primary function of the motherboard chipset is to direct this data to the correct area's of the motherboard, and therefore the correct components.
Components of a Motherboard
The motherboard contains many connections for all type of components. Motherboards contain expansion slots such as the ISA, PCI, AGP and DIMM sockets. It also contains external connections for your onboard sound card, USB ports, Serial and 1,000 the inside of the hard disk drive may look like. The four main components of a hard disk drive are the platters, head arm, chassis, and the head actuator.
The majority of computer hard disk drives is permanently stored in an internal drive bay at the front of the computer and is connected with one ATA / SCSI cable and power cable.
RAM
SD-RAM (Synchronous Dynamic Ram)
Hint: Two intervals at the bottom of the ram. DDR –RAM (Double Data Rate Ram)
Hint: One interval at the bottom of theSD ram.
SMPS
Hard disk
The hard disk is the device which stores all programs and data in the computer. Hence, the hard disk is referred to as the memory bank if the computer. The hard disk memory is permanent so that the programs and data are not lost when the computer is turned off. Nowadays the capacity of hard disk is measured in Giga Bytes.
Internal Modem:
Unlike other connectors that we have discussed so far, the modem connectors are quite different. The male modem connectors do not have any pins. Instead male modem connectors have thick transparent plastic head in rectangular shape.
Processor:
The introduction of micro processor in the 1970s significantly affected the design and implementation of CPUs. Since the introduction of first micro processor in 1970 and the first used micro processor in 1974. This class of CPUs almost has overtaken all other central processing method implementation techniques. Main frame and mini frame manufacturers of the time launched proprietary IC development programs to upgrade their older computer architectures, and eventually produced instruction set compatible microprocessors that were backward-compatible with older hardware.
Peripheral component Interconnect:
The peripheral component interconnects, or PCI standard, specifies a computer bus for attaching the peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. These devices can take any one of the following forms.
- An integrated circuit fitted on to the mother board itself, called a planar device in the PCI specification.
- An expansion card that fits into a socket
CMOS Battery: CMOS also sometimes referred to as Complementary-symmetry metal-oxide-semiconductor. Two important characteristics of CMOS devices are high noise immunity and low static power consumption. Significant power is only drawn when the transistors in the CMOS device are switching between on and off states. Consequently, CMOS devices do not produce as much waste heat as other forms do. CMOS also allows a high density of logic functions in a chip.
