Chapter 6

Understanding Output

Discovering
Computers 2012
Your Interactive Guide to
the Digital World
Objectives Overview

Explain the Describe the factors

Describe the types of characteristics of that affect the quality
output various display of an LCD monitor or
devices LCD screen

Differentiate
Describe various between a
ways to print nonimpact printer
and an impact printer

See Page 303 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 2

for Detailed Objectives
Objectives Overview
Summarize the characteristics of
ink-jet printers, photo printers,
laser printers, multifunction Describe the uses and
peripherals, thermal printers, characteristics of speakers,
mobile printers, label and headphones, and earbuds
postage printers, and plotters
and large-format printers

Identify the purpose and

features of data projectors,
Identify output options for
interactive whiteboards, and
physically challenged users
force-feedback game controllers
and tactile output

See Page 303 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 3

for Detailed Objectives
What Is Output?

• Output is data that has been processed into a

useful form

Pages 304 – 305 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 4

Figure 6-1
What Is Output?

• An output device is any type of hardware

component that conveys information to one or
more people

Speakers,
Display devices Printers headphones, Data projectors
and earbuds

Force-feedback
Interactive
game Tactile output
whiteboards
controllers

Page 305 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 5

Display Devices

• A display device visually

conveys text, graphics,
and video information
• A monitor is packaged
as a separate peripheral
– LCD monitor
– Widescreen

Pages 306 – 207 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 6

Figures 6-2 – 6-3
Display Devices

• Liquid crystal display (LCD) uses a liquid

compound to present information on a display
device

Active-matrix
display Passive-matrix
display

Page 308 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 7

Display Devices

• The quality of an LCD monitor or LCD screen

depends primarily on:

Resolution Response time Brightness

Dot pitch Contrast ratio

Pages 308 - 310 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 8

Display Devices

• Resolution is the
number of
horizontal and
vertical pixels in a
display device
– A higher
resolution uses a
greater number of
pixels

Pages 308 – 309 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 9

Figure 6-5
Display Devices

• The graphics processing unit (GPU) controls the

manipulation and display of graphics on a display device
• LCD monitors use a digital signal and should plug into a
DVI port, an HDMI port, or a DisplayPort

Page 310 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 10

Figure 6-6
Display Devices

• Plasma monitors are display devices that use gas

plasma technology and offer screen sizes up to
150 inches

Page 311 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 11

Figure 6-8
Display Devices

• Televisions also are a good

output device
– Require a converter if you
are connecting your
computer to an analog
television
• Digital television (DTV)
offers a crisper, higher-
quality output
• HDTV is the most advanced
form of digital television

Page 312 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 12

Figure 6-9
Display Devices

• A CRT monitor is a desktop monitor that contains

a cathode-ray tube
– Have a much larger footprint than do LCD monitors

Page 313 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 13

Figure 6-10
Printers

• A printer produces
text and graphics on
a physical medium
– Printed information
is called a hard copy,
or printout
– Landscape or portrait
orientation

Page 313 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 14

Figure 6-11
Printers
Before purchasing a printer, ask yourself a series of questions:

Page 314 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 15

Figure 6-12
Printers

Page 315 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 16

Figure 6-13
Printers

• A nonimpact printer forms characters and

graphics on a piece of paper without actually
striking the paper

Ink-jet Photo
printers printers
Page 315
Laser Thermal
Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 17
Printers

• An ink-jet printer forms characters and graphics by

spraying tiny drops of liquid ink onto a piece of paper
– Color or black-and-white
– Printers with a higher dpi (dots per inch) produce a higher
quality output

Pages 316 – 317 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 18

Figure 6-15
Printers

Page 317 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 19

Figure 6-16
Printers

A photo printer produces color photo-lab-quality pictures

• Most use ink-jet technology

• PictBridge allows you to print photos directly from a digital camera
• Print from a memory card and preview photos on a built-in LCD screen

Page 318 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 20

Printers

Page 318 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 21

Figure 6-17
Printers

Laser printer

Pages 319 - 320 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 22

Printers

Page 320 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 23

Figure 6-19
Printers

• A multifunction peripheral (MFP) is a single

device that prints, scans, copies, and in some
cases, faxes
– Sometimes called an all-in-one device

Pages 320 – 321 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 24

Figure 6-20
Printers

• A thermal printer generates images by pushing

electrically heated pins against the heat-sensitive
paper

Thermal wax-transfer printer

Dye-sublimation printer

Page 321 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 25

Figure 6-21
Printers

• A mobile printer is a
small, lightweight,
battery-powered printer
that allows a mobile
user to print from a
notebook computer,
smart phone, or other
mobile device

Page 321 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 26

Figure 6-22
Printers

• A label printer is a small printer that prints on

adhesive-type material
• A postage printer prints postage stamps
– Postage also can be printed on other types of printers

Page 322 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 27

Figure 6-23
Printers

• Plotters are used to produce high-quality

drawings
• Large-format printers create photo-realistic
quality color prints on a larger scale

Page 322 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 28

Figure 6-24
Printers

• Impact printers form characters and graphics on a

piece of paper by striking a mechanism against an
inked ribbon that physically contacts the paper

Dot-matrix Line
printer printer
Pages 322 - 323 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 29
Printers

• A dot-matrix printer
produces printed
images when tiny wire
pins on a print head
mechanism strike an
inked ribbon
• A line printer prints an
entire line at a time

Page 323 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 30

Figure 6-25
Speakers, Headphones, and Earbuds

• An audio output device produces music, speech,

or other sounds
Most computer users attach speakers to
their computers to:
•Generate higher-quality sounds for
playing games
•Interact with multimedia presentations
•Listen to music
•View movies

Page 323 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 31

Figure 6-26
Speakers, Headphones, and Earbuds

• Headphones are
speakers that cover or
are placed outside of
the ear
• Earbuds (also called
earphones) rest inside
the ear canal

Page 324 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 32

Figure 6-27
Speakers, Headphones, and Earbuds

• Some speakers are specifically designed to play

audio from a portable media player
– Wireless speakers

Page 324 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 33

Figure 6-28
Speakers, Headphones, and Earbuds

Voice output occurs when you hear a person’s voice or when the computer talks to you
through the speakers

• Some Web sites dedicate themselves to providing voice output

• Often works with voice input
• VoIP uses voice output and voice input

Page 325 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 34

Other Output Devices

• Other output devices are available for specific

uses and applications
Data Interactive
projectors whiteboards

Force-feedback
game
Tactile
controllers output
Page 325 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 35
Other Output Devices

• A data projector is a
device that takes the
text and images
displaying on a
computer screen and
projects them on a
larger screen
– LCD projector
– Digital light processing
(DLP) projector

Pages 325 - 326 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 36

Figure 6-29
Other Output Devices

• An interactive whiteboard is a touch-sensitive

device, resembling a dry-erase board, that
displays the image on a connected computer
screen

Page 326 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 37

Figure 6-30
Other Output Devices

• Force-feedback sends
resistance to the device
in response to actions
of the user
• Tactile output provides
the user with a physical
response from the
device

Pages 326 – 327 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 38

Figure 6-31
Putting It All Together

Page 327 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 39

Figure 6-32
Putting It All Together

Page 327 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 40

Figure 6-32
Putting It All Together

Page 327 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 41

Figure 6-32
Output Devices
for Physically Challenged Users
• Many accessibility options exist for users with
various disabilities

Pages 328 - 329 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 42

Figures 6-33 – 6-34
Summary

Several commonly used

Various methods of output
output devices

Display devices, printers,

speakers, headphones,
earbuds, data projectors,
interactive whiteboards,
force-feedback game
controllers, and tactile output

Page 329 Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 6 43

Chapter 6
Understanding Output

Discovering
Computers 2012
Your Interactive Guide to
the Digital World
Chapter 6 Complete