IT Fundamentals/Peripherals

computer components and peripherals

This lesson introduces peripheral devices and interfaces.

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the peripherals portion of IT Fundamentals certification include:

• Given a scenario, set up and install common peripheral devices to a laptop/PC.
  • Devices
    • Printer
    • Scanner
    • Keyboard
    • Mouse
    • Camera
    • External hard drive
    • Speakers
    • Display
  • Installation types
    • Plug-and-play vs. driver installation
    • Other required steps
    • IP-based peripherals
    • Web-based configuration steps
• Classify common types of input/output device interfaces.
  • Networking
    • Wired
      • Telephone connector (RJ-11)
      • Ethernet connector (RJ-45)
    • Wireless
      • Bluetooth
      • NFC
  • Peripheral device
    • USB
    • FireWire
    • Thunderbolt
    • Bluetooth
    • RF
  • Graphic device
    • VGA
    • HDMI
    • DVI
    • DisplayPort
    • Mini DisplayPort

Readings

1. Wikipedia: Peripheral

Multimedia

1. YouTube: Peripheral Devices
2. YouTube: Input/Output Device Interfaces
3. YouTube: Chapter 3 - IT Fundamentals+ (FC0-U61) Device Ports and Peripherals
4. YouTube: Chapter 3 - IT Fundamentals+ (FC0-U61) Review Questions

Activities

1. Practice identifying personal computer hardware and peripherals.
   • Wikiversity: Computer hardware
   • ProProfs: Hardware Identification
   • Quizizz: Computer Hardware Components Identification
2. Create an inventory list of all peripherals available on your system. Include separate categories for input, output, and storage.
3. Create an inventory list of all interfaces and connections available on your system. Note which peripherals use each interface type.
4. Review CNet: How to Calibrate Your Monitor. Check all monitor settings and adjust if necessary.
5. Manage input and display language settings.
   • Windows: Review Microsoft: Manage the input and display language settings in Windows 10. Adjust keyboard layout and available languages if necessary.
   • macOS: Review Apple: Type in another language on your Mac with input sources. Adjust input sources if necessary.
   • Linux: Review Make Tech Easier: How to Change the Keyboard Layout in Linux. Adjust the keyboard layout if necessary.
6. Manage pointing-device settings.
   • Windows: Review Digital Citizen: How to configure the mouse settings and sensitivity, in Windows 10. Adjust mouse settings if necessary.
   • Windows: Review Digital Citizen: How to configure your touchpad in Windows 10. Adjust touchpad settings if necessary.
   • macOS: Review iMore: How to change the mouse settings on your Mac. Adjust mouse settings if necessary.
   • macOS: Review iMore: How to change the trackpad settings on your Mac. Adjust trackpad settings if necessary.
   • Linux: Review Ubuntu: Adjust the speed of the mouse and touchpad. Adjust mouse and touchpad settings if necessary.
7. View or install network printers.
   • Windows: Review WikiHow: How to Install a Network Printer. Use Devices and Printers to view available printers. Consider adding any discovered printers.
   • macOS: Review WikiHow: How to Install a Network Printer. Use Printers and Scanners to view available printers. Consider installing any discovered printers.
   • Linux: Review Help Desk Geek: How To Install Almost Any Printer On Ubuntu. Use Printers to view available printers. Consider connecting to any discovered printers.

Lesson Summary

Display

Printer

Scanner

Keyboard

Mouse

USB drive

Speaker

Camera

Game controller

Peripheral Devices

• A printer is a peripheral device which makes a persistent representation of graphics or text, usually on paper. While most output is human-readable, bar code printers are an example of an expanded use for printers.
• An image scanner, often abbreviated to just scanner, is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting or an object and converts it to a digital image.
• A computer keyboard is a typewriter-style device which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches and functions as the main input method for computers.
• A computer mouse is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows a smooth control of the graphical user interface of a computer.
• A webcam is a video camera that feeds or streams an image or video in real time to or through a computer to a computer network, such as the Internet.
• External hard disk drives typically connect to a computer via USB. Plug and play drive functionality offers system compatibility and features large storage options and portable design.
• Computer speakers are speakers sold for use with computers. Most such speakers have an internal amplifier and consequently require a power source, which may be by a mains power supply often via an AC adapter, batteries, or a USB port. The signal input connector is often a 3.5 mm jack plug (usually color-coded lime green per the PC 99 standard).
• A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in pictorial form. A monitor usually comprises the visual display, circuitry, casing, and power supply. The display device in modern monitors is typically a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) with LED backlighting.

Installation Types

Peripheral installation options include "plug-and-play", network (IP-based) peripherals, and web-based configuration. Other configuration steps may be required after the initial connection is made.

• A plug and play (PnP) device or computer bus is one with a specification that facilitates the discovery of a hardware component in a system without the need for physical device configuration or user intervention in resolving resource conflicts.
• If plug-and-play fails to properly detect a device, or no device driver can be found, it may be necessary to install peripheral support software or device drivers manually.
• Installed peripherals will have a default configuration. After installation, it may be necessary to access a configuration page to customize settings for your environment.
• Configuring network (IP-based) peripherals often requires locating the device's IP address and then using a web browser to navigate to that IP address. Other peripherals will have custom software that can search the network for devices to be configured.

Device Interfaces

RJ-11

RJ-45

USB Type A

USB-C

FireWire

VGA

HDMI

DVI

DisplayPort

Thunderbolt / Mini DisplayPort

• RJ-11 is a 6 position 2, 4 or 6 contact modular connector typically used for phone cable connections
• RJ-45 is an 8 position 8 contact modular connector typically used for network cable connections.
• Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances using short-wavelength UHF radio waves and building personal area networks (PANs). The most common range for Bluetooth communication is up to 10 meters.
• NFC (Near Field Communications) is a set of communication protocols for communication between two electronic devices over a distance of 4 cm (1​¹⁄₂ in) or less.
• USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that defines the cables, connectors and communications protocols used in a bus for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and electronic devices communicating at 12 Mbps, 480 Mbps, or 5 Gbps.
• FireWire (IEEE 1394) is an interface standard for a serial bus for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer developed by Apple and replaced with Thunderbolt.
• Thunderbolt is a hardware interface that allows for the connection of external peripherals to a computer, combining PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP) into one serial signal alongside a DC connection for electric power, and transmitted over one cable, most often used for video and other high-speed connections on Apple computers.
• RF (Radio Frequency) uses the oscillation rate of an alternating electric current or voltage or of a magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field or mechanical system in the frequency range from around 20 kHz to around 300 GHz for wireless peripheral communications.
• Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a graphics standard for video display controller first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987. Through widespread adoption, the term has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector, or the 640×480 resolution characteristic of the VGA hardware.
• HDMI (High-Definition Media Interface) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transferring uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from a compliant source device to a compatible computer monitor, video projector, digital television, or digital audio device.
• DVI (Digital Visual Interface) is a 29-pin digital video display interface used to connect a video source to a display device.
• DisplayPort (DP) is a digital display interface developed by a consortium of PC and chip manufacturers and standardized by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The interface is primarily used to connect a video source to a display device such as a computer monitor, and it can also carry audio, USB, and other forms of data.
• Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort audio-visual digital interface used on Apple Macintosh computers. Mini DisplayPort uses the same plug form factor as Thunderbolt. In 2016 Apple began phasing out this port and replacing it with USB-C connectors. The Mini DisplayPort is also fitted to some PC motherboards, and some PC notebooks from Asus, Microsoft, MSI, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP, Dell, and other manufacturers.

Key Terms

BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc-Read-Only Memory)

A digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format, with a storage capacity of 25 GB per layer, and dual layer discs (50 GB) being the industry standard for high definition (1080p) feature-length video discs.

CD (Compact Disc)

A digital optical disc data storage format originally developed to store and play only sound recordings (CD-DA), but was later adapted for storage of data (CD-ROM), with a storage capacity of 737 MB.

CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory)

A pre-pressed optical compact disc which contains data and is not writable or erasable.

CD-RW (Compact Disc-Rewritable)

A compact disc that can be written, read arbitrarily many times, erased and written again.

DVD (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc)

A digital optical disc storage format with a storage capacity of 4.7 GB for a single-layered, single-sided disc and 8.5 GB for a dual-layered, single-sided disc.

DVD-R (Digital Video Disc-Recordable)

A DVD that typically has a storage capacity of 4.7 GB and can be written once and read arbitrarily many times.

DVD-RW (Digital Video Disc-Rewritable)

A rewritable optical disc with equal storage capacity to a DVD-R, typically 4.7 GB, that stores data in one long spiral track.

DVI (Digital Visual Interface)

A digital video display interface used to connect a video source to a display device.

eSATA (External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)

Provides a variant of SATA meant for external connectivity with a more robust connector, longer shielded cables, and stricter electrical standards.

HDMI (High-Definition Media Interface)

A proprietary audio/video interface for transferring uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from a compliant source device to a compatible computer monitor, video projector, digital television, or digital audio device.

IR (Infrared)

A class of devices employing an optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum for wireless communications, commonly found in consumer electronics devices such as television remote controls, PDAs, laptops, and computers.

NAS (Network Attached Storage)

A file-level computer data storage server connected to a computer network providing data access to a heterogeneous group of clients.

NFC (Near Field Communications)

A set of communication protocols for communication between two electronic devices over a distance of 4 cm (1​¹⁄₂ in) or less.

RF (Radio Frequency)

The oscillation rate of an alternating electric current or voltage or of a magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field or mechanical system in the frequency range from around 20 kHz to around 300 GHz.

RJ (Registered Jack)

A standardized telecommunication network interface for connecting voice and data equipment to a service provided by a local exchange carrier or long distance carrier.

RJ-11 (Registered Jack Function 11)

A 6 position 2, 4 or 6 contact modular connector typically used for phone cable connections

RJ-45 (Registered Jack Function 45)

An 8 position 8 contact modular connector typically used for network cable connections.

SD Card (Secure Digital Card)

A nonvolatile memory card used extensively in portable devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, GPS navigation devices, handheld consoles, and tablet computers.

UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply)

An uninterruptible power supply, also uninterruptible power source, UPS or battery/flywheel backup, is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically main power, fails.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

An industry standard that defines the cables, connectors and communications protocols used in a bus for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and electronic devices communicating at 12 Mbps, 480 Mbps, or 5 Gbps.

Assessments

• Flashcards: Quizlet: IT Fundamentals - Peripherals
• Quiz: Quizlet: IT Fundamentals - Peripherals

See Also

• Input Devices
• Output Devices
• Laptop Magazine: A Guide to Computer Ports and Adapters

References

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