Gayaza High School General O-Level ICT Notes

Gayaza High School - General O-Level ICT Notes 15 May, 2020
Power cables
• A power cable is any wire that transmits

power from a power source to an electronic
device. For example, the power cord that
connects to the computer.
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Power cable
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Data Cable
• This is a wire that provides a connection and • Other examples of data cables include the
communication between devices.
Ethernet cables, IDE/EIDE, SATA, and USB
• For example, the data cable (VGA cable) that
cables.
connects a monitor to the computer allows the
computer to display an image on the monitor
by transmitting the data from the system unit
to the monitor.
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Ribbon Data (Parallel ATA or Ribbon cables

PATA) cables
• A ribbon cable is a cable with many
conducting wires running parallel to each
other on the same flat plane with a
connector at each end.
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Round Data cables and SATA

Data cables
• Ribbon cables connect internal peripherals • Round cables and SATA cables are used for
in computers, such as hard drives, CD drives internal connections in place of ribbon
and floppy drives. cables because they are less bulky and
• They are bulky making them awkward to easier to handle.
handle and they obstruct air flow within the
computer.
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• Serial ATA (serial AT Attachment) is a Round cables
computer bus interface that connects host

bus adaptors to mass storage devices such
as hard disk drives.
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Serial ATA cables
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Cable Connectors
• A connector is a part that terminates the cable USB can connect computer peripherals such as
that plugs into a port or other interface to mice, keyboards, digital cameras, printers, personal
connect one device to another. media players, flash drives, and external hard drives
• a connector is either male (containing one or onto the computer system unit.
more exposed pins) or female (containing USB standard

holes in which the male connector can be uses "A" and "B“
inserted). connectors.
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Outputting of information
Audio connector
There are two types of output:
VGA cables and connectors
1) Soft copy output which is the information in
Ethernet cables digital format, displayed on a screen or in audio
S-video connectors
or voice form through speakers.
2) The hard copy output or permanent output –

USB connectors
this refers to output printed onto paper.
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RCA Connector Cables
The OUTPUT DEVICES
Output devices are pieces of equipment that Examples of softcopy output devices include:
are used to get information or any other • Visual Display Unit
response out of a computer in a visual or
• Voice output devices
audio format.
• Sound output devices
Some are softcopy output devices while
others are hardcopy output devices
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The Monitor/Visual display unit

(VDU)/computer screen
The main hard copy devices include: • The visual display unit (VDU)/ monitor (also
• Printers called Screen) outputs soft copy of Text and

still or moving pictures for the user to see.
• Plotter
• Images and text are formed by many tiny dots
• Fax machines
of coloured light called pixels (short for picture
• Actuators elements).
• Robots •
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Uses of the display Unit
• A pixel is the smallest unit on the screen. It • The screen helps the user to interface
can be turned on or off or coloured in visually with the computer.
different shades. • The user is able to monitor the input.
• The user is able to receive the visual output

of the computer system.
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A monitor’s full capabilities depend on several factors including:

• Colour:
• Colour
• The graphics/video card or adaptor being used Monitors can be monochrome, Grey scale or
• The monitor’s size
coloured.
• Its resolution
• Its image aspect ratio
• Its refresh rate.
• Response time
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• Monochrome monitors display images in • Greyscale monitors display in different shades

of grey
two colours; one for thee background and
• Colour monitors display any number of colours
the other for the foreground. e.g, white,
ranging from sixteen and above depending on
amber or green on a black background the video card used.
• The more colours the better the quality of the
image
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1. Monitor Size 2. Resolution

Resolution is the clarity and sharpness of an image
• This is the diagonal dimension of the screen.
when displayed on the screen. Resolution is
Common sizes include 15-inch, 17-inch and determined by the number of pixels per square inch
19-inch monitors. of the image.
ie. The number of pixels on the horizontal axis by the
number of pixels on the vertical axis; e.g. 1024 × 768
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Some common resolutions are:

VGA (Video Graphics Array) = 640 ×480
pixels
SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) = 800
×600 pixels. 3. Image aspect ratio
XGA/XVGA (Extended Graphics
Array/Extended Video Graphics Array) = • This is the ratio of width to height of an

1024 ×768 pixels image on the screen. Most monitors have a
SXGA (Super Extended Graphics Array) = 4:3 width to height ratio.

1280 ×1024 pixels .
UXGA (Ultra Extended Graphics Array) =
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4. Refresh rate 5. Response time.

• This is the number of times an image is repainted or This is the amount of time a pixel in a display
refreshed on the screen per second to give the
takes to change. It is measured in milliseconds
impression that the image on the screen is still, but
(ms). Lower numbers mean faster transitions and
in fact it is being repainted continuously. If the
refresh rate is slow, the screen may appear to flicker. therefore fewer visible image artifacts as one
image translates into another.
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Types of Monitors
Describe the nature of a CRT
• There are two types of monitors: cathode

ray tube (CRT) and flat panel display (FPD).
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Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
CRT uses a tube known as the cathode ray

tube, That displays a combination of Red,
Green and Blue (RGB) colours. These colours
light the pixels onto the screen to display the
image.
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The Advantages of CRTs The Disadvantages of CRTs
• CRTs are less expensive to buy compared to • They can flicker which reduces image quality.
others. • They are subject to glares because of the glass-

covered screen. Glare is the effect of too much light
• CRTs have higher contrast, which produces
emitted by the computer screen
brighter pictures than a flat-panel display of
• They are bulky and occupy larger space.
the same display area.
• They consume more power and generate more heat.
• They have a very fast response time.
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Flat panel display (FPD) Monitors
• They are difficult to dispose off because Flat panel displays (FPDs) are thin, flat
they have more parts to get rid of, and electronic devices used to display
some of their contents can harm the alphanumeric data, text, graphics, and
environment. images.
• They emit harmful electromagnetic radiation
if not properly shielded.
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The Advantages of Flat panel

Describe the nature of a Flat panel display Monitor display monitors
• less prone to glare.

• FPDs are flicker free and this reduces the risks of
headache and eyestrains.
• They occupy less space since they are much thinner
and lighter.
• They are portable
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• They consume much less power than CRTs both

when running and also when in standby mode.
• They have relatively good resolution.
• They have less radiation emissions than CRT display
• They can easily be mounted onto a wall.
screens.
• They are usually available in larger sizes than
• They are much more environmentally friendly than
CRTs because they have fewer parts to get rid of,
CRTs. They come in wide screens or extra-large
hence will take up less space in landfills screen sizes.
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The Disadvantages of FPDs Types of FPDs
• They are more expensive than CRTs. • Liquid crystal Display (LCD)
• They have a lower response rate. • Light-emitting diode displays (LED)
• They have lower contrast and do not • Plasma screen

produce pictures as bright as those of CRT • Organic light-emitting diode displays
displays of the same display area. (OLEDs)
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Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
LCD are screens that consist of a layer of

liquid crystal placed in between plates that
are lit from behind by a fluorescent lamp to
create light and images.
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Light-emitting diode
displays (LED)
• LED are flat panel display screens that use
light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a backlight
for the screen instead of a fluorescent lamp.
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Plasma screen
• Plasma is a type of flat-panel display that

uses electricity to excite tiny cells of gas
which emit light and colour, more often are
used as TVs than as computer monitors.
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Organic light-emitting diode

displays (OLEDs)
These are flat-panel displays that function by

exciting organic compounds with electric current
instead of a backlight to produce light.
OLED are mainly used in small portable devices

such as cell phones and mp3 players and super
slim monitors/TV screens.
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video graphics card
• The video card is a circuit board that

provides an electronic link between the
computer’s processor and the monitor by
determining the display resolution, the
number of colours available and the refresh
rate of the monitor.
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Safety precautions that need to be

taken while using computer
monitors
• Adjust the monitor/seat to eye level
• The adaptor contains video RAM memory
• Adjust light from monitor to reasonable brightness
(VRAM) that supports a certain resolution.
• Ensure that light source in room does not shine directly
You cannot set a resolution higher than onto the screen.
what the adaptor can support. • Work in a well lit room.

• The screen should be placed directly in front of the user
• Adjust monitor resolution to have sharp images
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Multimedia projector
• Install an anti-glare screen. This is a device used to project dynamic

• Avoid continuous staring at the screen for a long
multimedia presentations onto an overhead
time/ blink or regularly look away from the screen.
screen.
• Clean the screen regularly to avoid dust
accumulating on it.
• It should be connected to a power stabilizer/surge
protector to avoid effects of power surge.
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Multimedia projector
specifications
1. The type of projector technology used- LCD, DLP, CRT
2. The Picture Brightness which is measured in lumens. A
good projector should not be less 3000
3. The Resolution.
4. Contrast Ratio. This refers to the difference between
the brightest part of the image and the darkest.
5. The expected life of the bulb (number of hours)
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PRINTERS How to evaluate printers
• A printer is a hard-copy output device which • Image quality. Measured in terms of dots per inch
(dpi)
produces a textual or graphical
• Speed. Measured in terms of pages per minute
representation of documents stored in
(PPM) or characters per second (CPS)
electronic form on physical print media such • The initial cost of the printer.
as paper or transparencies. • The cost of operating the printer. This refers to the
cost of supplies used by the printer.
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Generally, the print speed of printers is determined by

factors such as:
1. What is being printed, that is, it takes a shorter
time to print a document made up of simple
characters, than a document with pictures.
2. The number of colours in the document.
3. The printer make/type of printer
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Printer resolution Classification of printers
• This is a measure of the clarity of the printout Printers are broadly classified into three types
of a printer. Measured in dots per inch (dpi) e.g.
according to the basic unit of printing:
a dpi of 300 means that the printer prints 300
dots per inch. • Character printers
• The higher the dpi the sharper the print out. • Line printers
• The higher the dpi the greater the memory • Page printers
required by the printer to print.
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Character printers Page Printers
• These are printers that print one character at a These are printers that print a whole page at
time. They are also known as serial printers. a time. They are therefore even faster than
• Daisy wheel printers and dot matrix printers line printers and deal with very large volumes
are examples of character printers. of printed output.
• Character printers are slower than line and
page printers.
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Impact printers
Printers can also be broadly classified into These use a print head that makes a physical
contact with the print media/paper in order to
two types according to the basic printing
print.
technologies:
The print head of an impact printer contains a
1. Impact printers number of metal hammers which strike an inked
2. Non-impact printers ribbon placed between the print head and the
paper.
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Dot matrix printers

• This is a type of printer that produces
characters and illustrations by striking pins
• The main types of impact printer are:
against an ink ribbon to print closely spaced
• Dot matrix printer
dots in the appropriate shape to create
• Daisy wheel printer characters on paper.
• Drum, chain or band printer.
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Receipt printer
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Daisy wheel printers (character

printers)
• They are not good for printing shaded This uses a daisy wheel which is a disc made
graphics or photographs of plastic or metal on which characters stand
• They are useful for low-quality carbon copy out along the outer edge.
printing of text, or for printing text on

continuous sheets of paper.
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Daisy-wheel mechanism
• To print a character, the printer rotates the

disc until the desired letter is facing the
paper before the hammer strikes the disc,
forcing the character to hit an ink ribbon,
creating the character on the paper.
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Drum printers (line printers)
• This has a rotating drum that contains a full

character set for each printing position used
to print directly on paper and ink ribbon.
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Advantages of impact Disadvantages of impact

printers printers
• They Can produce multiple/carbon copies • They are relatively slow
using carbonated paper. • They produce relatively poor quality print
• They are relatively cheaper to use. • They are generally noisy printers
• Can print on continuous stationary. • Not good for printing graphical images.
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The Non-impact printers The advantages of non-impact

printers
• A non-impact printer, is one where there is • They are much quieter since the print head of a
no physical contact of the print head with non-impact printer does not strike the paper
the paper or ribbon in order to print. • They have much faster printing speeds
• They Produce high quality print
• They can print colour output
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Disadvantages of non-
impact printers
• They cannot print on multi-paper. The main types of non-impact printers are:
• They are relatively expensive to use • Thermal printers

compare to impact printers due to the need • Laser-jet printers
to preplace cartridges once they are empty. • Ink-jet printers
• They are less resistant to dust and heat.
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Direct thermal printer

Thermal printers (character
printers)
This is a printer that uses heat to transfer an This printer uses heated elements/pins that
image or characters onto paper. There are burn dots into heat sensitive paper to form
two types of thermal printers. the characters.
i) Direct thermal printer
ii) Thermal wax transfer printer
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Thermal wax transfer printer

Laser jet printers
These printers use laser beam to alter the

electrical charge on a heated rotating drum
The print head of this printer melts a wax-based ink
that picks up toner (ink powder) from a
from a transfer ribbon onto ordinary paper.
reservoir, the toner is then transferred to the
Thermal printers are used in battery-powered
equipment such as portable calculators, fax machines paper through a combination of heat and
and ATMs. pressure.
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Ink-jet printers
• Ink-jet printers produce an image by spraying

ionized ink onto the paper in a dot matrix
pattern using ink cartridges and a printing
head.
• Colour graphics can be produced by spraying
cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink onto the
page.
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Plotters Failure to print.
These are devices used to produce • Some times you may give a print command,
specialised printouts such as technical but the printer fails to print. In such a
drawing and survey maps, construction situation, you need to determine whether
maps, engineering drawings, architectural the printer is faulty or if it is not receiving a
plans and business charts, usually on large
print message from the computer.
paper.
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The possible causes of print failure include: • If the printer connected to the computer is
• If it is not receiving power/not switched on not the one selected to print.
• If the data cable between the printer and the • If there is a paper feed/paper jam problem
computer is not properly connect or is faulty.
• If there is no paper in the printer tray.
• If the computer is not configured properly to
work with the printer
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Possible solutions
• make sure the printer cable is firmly fixed in • Check that there is paper in the printer tray.
both the computer and the printer. • Check that there is no paper jam in the
• check the ends of the printer cable to make printer that may prevent it from printing.
sure that none of the pins are bent.
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• Print a test page by holding down the feed uninstall then reinstall the drivers for the
button for a few seconds. The power button printer.
will begin to flash and a test page will print.
• If the printer self-test fails, the problem is with

the printer itself rather than the printer cable or
computer.
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Plotter
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Actuators/motors
• This is a mechanical device for moving or

controlling a mechanism or system.
• They generate physical movements of
devices from signals sent by computers. Pneumonic actuator
There are at least four types of actuators

A Pneumatic actuator mainly consists of a piston, a cylinder, and valves or ports.
and these are:
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Robotics
• Used of Robotics in all fields. Largely controlled by computer

Robotics is the branch of technology that
microchips.
deals with the design, construction, • used to perform a wide range of physical tasks in the following
fields:
operation, and application of robots.
• Manufacturing robots (used to perform repetitive tasks such as
A Robot is an electro-mechanical machine welding)
that is guided by a computer program or • Carrier robots (used in moving or installing heavy objects e.g.
by the military to carry heavy loads over dangerous terrain)
electronic circuitry to perform specific tasks. •
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• Domestic robots (used in homes to perform 1. in the automotive industry used for
cleaning tasks such as vacuuming)
welding, paint spraying, assembling and
• Exploration robots (used to visit and send images
loading.
from places such as Mars and used in extreme
environments) 2. To do jobs that need high-precision.
• Used to do Dangerous jobs E.g. disposing of bombs, 3. To perform specialised tasks.
spray painting or cleaning up nuclear waste.
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Impact of using Robotics Control systems
• Domestic robots free up time for individuals to do • Control systems use sensors to measure
other things.
physical quantities, Sensors send input to
• More efficient and fast manufacturing operations.
the processor of the controlling computer,
• Safer working environments because robots are
employed the dangerous tasks.
which responds by sending an output signal
• Loss of jobs. to activate the hardware.
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Sound/audio output devices
• An example of a sensor is a smoke detector; Sound is audio output which includes

once smoke is detected, the sensor can Computer-generated sound, music output,
send a signal to the sprinklers in the computer-synthesised voice and the normal
building or to an alarm. speaking voice.
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Sound synthesis
SPEAKERS and Earphones
• This system converts written text into Speakers are devices that output sound.
computer-generated speech (‘text to speech’).
Computers with sound cards are able to
Usually used by speech-impaired people to aid
speaking or by sight-impaired people, to be translate digital sound into audible signals via
able to interact with and use ICT equipment or speakers.
for converting conversations or text from one
language into another.
Speakers
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Headphones
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Storage devices
Storage devices are the media used to keep

Storage Devices are chosen for a particular use based on the
data available on a more permanent basis for following factors:
• The Storage capacity of the medium (how much data the device
immediate or later use.
can store)
• The Access speed (the time needed to locate the data and
transmit it to the CPU)
• The Size of the medium (necessary for storage on shelves or
portability)
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Examples of secondary
storage medium
• Portability of the medium (ability to be • Magnetic storage (magnetic tapes and magnetic
disks)
easily removed and used on another
• Optical storage such as (CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW,
system)
DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and Blu ray)
• The Cost of the medium. • Magneto-Optic disks (MO Disks)
• Solid state memory (flash memory and USB drives).
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Magnetic storage media

Magnetic tapes
These are storage devices that use different • Magnetic tape is a ribbon/reel of plastic
patterns of magnetization/tiny magnetised dots material coated with a metal oxide film on
on a magnetisable material to store data. which data is recorded as magnetised or
Examples of magnetic storage media include unmagnetised spots(magnetised pattern).
magnetic tapes, floppy disks, hard disks and Zip
disks
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Advantages of using
magnetic tapes
• They are relatively durable compared to floppies.
• They can store large amount of data
• They Can store data for a long period of time.
• They are relatively cheap
• They are used for back up purposes.
• They are reusable i.e. can be overwritten
• Easy to transport and store
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Disadvantages of Magnetic
tapes
• Magnetic tape is not suitable for data files that are • Data stored on magnetic tape can be distorted if the
revised or updated often because it stores data device is exposed to a strong magnetic field.
sequentially(serially). • They have Limited shelf-life (2 years)
• Accessing of data on a magnetic tape is very slow. This is • They Must be stored in a suitable environment (smoke,
because the read/write head cannot go directly to an dust, temperature and humidity must be carefully
item of data on the tape since data is retrieved in the controlled)
order in which it was stored (in a sequency).
• It is Difficult to update files (cannot make changes to a
record without writing over the entire tape)
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Magnetic disks
These are disks made up of a circular flat surface • Each disk surface contains a set of
covered with a magnetic coating on which
numbered concentric rings known as tracks.
information is stored.
The tracks are also divided into
magnetic disks provide direct access to data stored.
(This means that the disk reader can go directly to a sectors.(wedge shaped sections).
specific piece of data without having to access any
other data either before or after the data you want.)
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• A sector is a location that can be read from

or written to on a disk by the computer in
one read/write operation. Data is stored as
magnetised spots on the tracks.
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Floppy disks (diskettes)
• Magnetic disks include floppy disks A diskette or floppy disk is a removable

(diskettes) and hard disks. portable cheap low capacity (1.44MB) storage
medium. Used to transfer small amount of
data between computers.
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Advantages of floppies
Floppy drive • They are portable

• Data on the floppy can be protected by use of the
write protect notch.
Floppy Disk • They are cheap
• Floppy disks are useful for transferring data between
computers and for keeping a backup of small files.
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Disadvantages of floppies ZIP OR FLIP DISKS
• They have a very small storage capacity • These are like a floppy diskette but with an
external zip drive. They are used for data back-
• They have a slow access speed
up and can take up to 120 MB.
• They are easily damaged if exposed to • Their advantage is that they can be
magnetic fields. disconnected, and stored in a different site
from the computer, so they are ideal for
• They spread viruses
remote site back-ups.
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Zip disk Hard disks/hard drives
The Hard disk/hard drive (HDD) is a high capacity storage

device containing a read/write mechanism plus one or
more disks coated with magnetic material inside a sealed
unit.
Data and information are stored magnetically on the
Zip Drive
surface of the disk that rotates at a very high speed,
which can be stored or retrieved randomly (in any order).
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• Hard disks access time is much slower than

internal memory.
• hard disks must be formatted before any

data can be stored on it.
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The Advantages of Hard

disks
• They have large storage capacities • HDD are more durable than other media.
• They have relatively faster/short access time
• Hard disks supplement RAM by providing
• A hard disk on a stand alone computer is relatively safe
from viruses. virtual memory
• Hard disks are relatively cheap in terms of cost per unit • The internal hard disks are safer from
of storage compared to smaller storage devices.
physical damage because they are
• Hard disks provide more security to data than other
storage media. protected by the system unit casing
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The Disadvantages and Disk partitioning

limitations of hard disks
• An internal hard disk is not portable, that is, • Disk partitioning is the act of dividing a disk
cannot be moved along like other storage
into multiple smaller logical storage units
devices.
referred to as partitions, e.g. Local Disk C,
• The platters when exposed to heat can lead to
expansion and cause head crash. local Disk D.
• Hard disks are Fairly expensive compared to

other storage media
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The Benefits of disk

partitioning
• Enables user to keep different types of files • It enables having a separate area for the
in separate partitions. operating system from other files stored by
the user, if a problem occurs with the OS
• Disk partitioning makes it possible to install
partition it can be completely formatted and
more than one Operating system on a
the operating system reinstalled without
computer system.
affecting the data partition.
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The Disadvantages of Disk

partitioning
• Protecting or isolating files, to make it easier to • It reduces the total space available for the user storage on the
disk, as it forces the operating system to duplicate certain file
recover a corrupted file system or operating system
system administration areas on the disk for each partition.
installation. If one partition is corrupted, other file • It reduces overall disk performance on systems where data is
systems may not be affected accessed regularly and in parallel on multiple partitions, because
it forces the disk's read/write head to move back and forth on
• A user may decide to split a hard disk into multiple
the disk to access data on each partition.
partitions in order to organize his/her data more
effectively.
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The Optical disks

Optical disks are the circular disks that are written and read by
• It slows down moving data between
laser light(optical). The main types of optical disks are CDs and
different parts of the same physical disk. DVDs.
The data is stored as a series of pits and lands under the plastic
• It increases disk fragmentation. (because it surface of the disk.
lowers the average size of continuous free A pit is a little depression formed by the laser burning into the
data layer when the CD is created.
blocks on each partition - as compared to a
The land is the part between the pits or the smooth surface.
single partition of the same overall size)
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Clip on CD
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Summary characteristics of
Optical disks
• Reading a CD/DVD is done by the CD/DVD drive, • Much stronger and more durable than tapes or floppy
the device that is fixed inside the computer system disks
unit, by shining a laser light at the disk and • Not usually sensitive to being casually touched, though
they too can get dirty or scratched. Despite this they can
detecting changing reflecting patterns. When the
be cleaned easily with a soft cloth
laser beam reflects off the smooth surface (land) it is
• They are Unaffected by magnetic fields
interpreted as a 1 bit. When the laser enters a pit
• They Hold much more data than floppy disks
there is no reflection, which is interpreted as a 0 bit.
• They Provide direct access to data stored.
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The Advantages of Optical Limitations of Optical disks

disks
• They are portable • They become unreadable when cracks form on the
• They are relatively cheap to buy surface of the disk.

• They have limited storage capacity compared to
• It allows faster random access to data stored on the
hard disks
disk compared to tapes.
• Cannot scan to recover or repair bad sectors
• Relatively large amount of data storage capacity.
• Some cannot allow deleting of unwanted content.
• they are not affected by magnetic fields.
• Their access time is slower than that of hard disks.
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CD-ROM (compact disc) CD/DVD Drive
CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc–Read Only Memory.

These are optical storage circular disks where the user can
only retrieve/ read (access) what is on the disk, but cannot
add or change anything.
They are used to store multimedia (text, graphics, sound
and videos) and application software packages such as
encyclopedias, word processors, training programs, games
and graphics packages.
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CD-R
• CD-R stands for Compact Disc–Recordable.

They are referred to as “Write Once Read
Many” (WORM) )optical medium.
• They are optical storage circular disks that
allow the user to record data onto the disc
once only using a CD recorder (burner). Which
can be done in different sessions until it is full.
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CD-RW DVDs
• CD-RW (Compact Disc–Re-Writable) these • DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. These are
circular optical storage devices that can hold about
are optical storage circular disks where data
4.7 GB or more of information. They are used mainly
can be written, erased and replaced by new for storing movies.
data. • The main types of DVDs are DVD-ROM (read only),
DVD-R (recordable) and DVD-RW (rewritable).
• DVD drives can be used to read/write CDs
996 997
45
Blu ray disk (BD)
• Disks that enable reading and writing of

high definition videos as well as storing very
large quantity of data up to 50 GB
998 999
How to take Care of Optical Some guidelines for the proper

disks handling of CDs and DVDs:
CDs must be handled with care otherwise data may 1. CDs and DVDs should be stored in their cases when
be lost. Data loss results from: not in use to prevent them from being scratched or
• Physical damage (breaking, melting, scratching, etc.) getting dirty.
• Blocking of laser light by dirt, paint, ink and glue 2. Avoid soiling the surface of a CD – hold it by the
edge or by the centre hole.
• Corrosion of the reflecting layer.
3. Keeping CDs clean by gently wiping both sides with
a clean damp cloth from the centre to the outer edge.
1000 1001
46
1003
4. Do not write on the top side of the CD with a ballpoint

• Do not eat, smoke or drink near a disc.
pen or other hard object as this can damage the data
layer on the other side. Use a CD marker instead. • Do not stack disks.
5. Don’t write on the top side with a fine-point marker or • Do not touch the underside of the disk.
with any solvent-based marker. (Solvent may dissolve the
protective layer.)
• Always hold a disc by its edges.
6. Do not expose a CD to high temperature or humidity • Do not drop the disk to the ground.
for an extended period of time, as the CD may warp.
• Don't bend the disk.
1002
Care for Optical Disks Magneto-Optical Disks

(MO Disks)
1004
• A magneto-optical disk is a rewritable disk that makes

use of both magnetic disk and optical technologies.
• It is similar to a magnetic diskette except for its larger
size. Magneto-optical disks are seldom manufactured
and used due to the advent of flash drives and DVD/CD
drives, which are less expensive and have better writing
time and reliability.
1005
47
Solid state storage devices
A type of computer storage media made of silicon microchip

data is stored electronically with no moving parts.
• It offers fast read and write access time and can be.
• It is widely used in a wide range of devices such as digital
cameras, phones, etc.
• Solid state storage includes CompactFlash (CF), SmartMedia
(SM), Multi-Media Card (MMC), Secure Digital (SD e.g. micro SD)
and xD Picture cards.
1006 1007
• Flash memory are used in many electronic

devices, including digital cameras, mobile
phones, computers, MP3 players, etc.
• Flash disks are solid state (no moving parts)
1008 1009
48
Summary characteristics of
solid state storage medium
• They are Physically very small • They are prone to virus attack because they
• They are Highly portable easily moved and used between a number
• High data storage capacity, ranging from 16 of computers some of which may have
MB to 2 GB, and even more viruses
• High data transfer speed to the device they are • They are plug and play that connect
part of or attached to (camera, PC, etc.) through the USB port.
1010 1011
49

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Gayaza High School - General O-Level ICT Notes 15 May, 2020

• A power cable is any wire that transmits

Ribbon Data (Parallel ATA or Ribbon cables

Round Data cables and SATA

• Serial ATA (serial AT Attachment) is a Round cables

computer bus interface that connects host

Serial ATA cables

more exposed pins) or female (containing USB standard

2) The hard copy output or permanent output –

The OUTPUT DEVICES

The Monitor/Visual display unit

• Printers called Screen) outputs soft copy of Text and

Uses of the display Unit

• The user is able to receive the visual output

A monitor’s full capabilities depend on several factors including:

• Monochrome monitors display images in • Greyscale monitors display in different shades

1. Monitor Size 2. Resolution

Some common resolutions are:

Array/Extended Video Graphics Array) = • This is the ratio of width to height of an

SXGA (Super Extended Graphics Array) = 4:3 width to height ratio.

4. Refresh rate 5. Response time.

• There are two types of monitors: cathode

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

CRT uses a tube known as the cathode ray

The Advantages of CRTs The Disadvantages of CRTs

others. • They are subject to glares because of the glass-

Flat panel display (FPD) Monitors

The Advantages of Flat panel

• less prone to glare.

• They consume much less power than CRTs both

The Disadvantages of FPDs Types of FPDs

• They have a lower response rate. • Light-emitting diode displays (LED)

• They have lower contrast and do not • Plasma screen

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

LCD are screens that consist of a layer of

• Plasma is a type of flat-panel display that

Organic light-emitting diode

These are flat-panel displays that function by

OLED are mainly used in small portable devices

video graphics card

• The video card is a circuit board that

Safety precautions that need to be

what the adaptor can support. • Work in a well lit room.

• Install an anti-glare screen. This is a device used to project dynamic

PRINTERS How to evaluate printers

Generally, the print speed of printers is determined by

Printer resolution Classification of printers

Character printers Page Printers

Dot matrix printers

Daisy wheel printers (character

printing of text, or for printing text on

• To print a character, the printer rotates the

Drum printers (line printers)

• This has a rotating drum that contains a full

Advantages of impact Disadvantages of impact

The Non-impact printers The advantages of non-impact

• They Produce high quality print

• They can print colour output

• They are relatively expensive to use • Thermal printers