Transcript document

Inside the Box
 The Vital Pieces
 Operating Systems
 Printers
New Canaan Library
Winter 2002
What we will look at:
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CPU or Computer Chip
Main Memory RAM (Temporary Storage)
Hard Disk (Permanent Storage)
Drives (Portable Storage)
Video/Sound Cards
Ports
Monitors
Operating Systems (Software)
Printers
CPU
 CPU (Central Processing Unit) or Chip is the
heart of the computer.
 CPU processes instructions, performs
calculations and manages the flow of
information throughout the computer system.
CPU
The CPU speed is a major (but not the only)
factor in determining how fast a computer
operates.
 CPU speed is measured in megahertz (MHz),
millions of cycles per second or gigahertz (GHz),
billions of cycles per second.
CPU
Today there are several different types of
CPUs with different speeds to choose
from:
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Intel Pentium Processor
Intel Celeron Processor
AMD Athlon Processor
AMD Duron Processor
CPU
Intel Pentium Processor
 Pentium 4 is the latest generation, with a
processing speed up to 2.0 GHz.
 Pentium III’s are still common in new
computers with speeds ranging from 700
MHz to 1.13 GHz
CPU
Intel Celeron Processor
 An inexpensive CPU designed to meet
the needs and budgets of most home
computer users.
 Similar to the Pentium, but have less
built-in memory.
 Available in speeds up to 900 MHz.
CPU
AMD Athlon Processor
The AMD Athlon is a high-performance
processor manufactured by AMD, suitable
for businesses and home users who need
a powerful processor.
CPU
AMD Duron Processor
The AMD Duron is an inexpensive CPU
designed to meet the needs of most
computer users with speeds up to 900
MHz.
CPU
Recommended CPU:
Celeron or Duron based computers for the
more cost conscious.
Pentium III, 4 or AMD Athlon for the power
user.
Memory
(Temporary Storage)
RAM (Random Access Memory) or Main
Memory
 The amount of RAM memory determines the
number of programs a computer can run at
once and how fast programs will operate.
 Memory is measured in megabytes (MB).
You should buy a computer with at least 128
MB of memory
Memory
 Think of RAM as “work space”
 You can improve the performance of your
computer by adding more memory.
 RAM is temporary memory
Memory
Memory comes in different forms
 DRAM (Dynamic RAM) is a type of
memory chip that makes up the main
memory in many computer systems
 SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) is a faster
type of memory chip found in most new
computer systems. SDRAM transfers at a
rate of 133 MHz
Memory
 RDRAM (Rambus DRAM) is a new type
of memory chip often found in highperformance computers. It can transfer
data at up to 600 MHz.
 ECC (Error-correcting code memory)
Includes a special circuitry for testing the
accuracy of data as it passes in/out of
memory
Memory
Recommended Memory:
128 MB - 256 MB for all new computers.
Look for SDRAM or RDRAM with ECC.
Hard Disk
(Permanent Storage)
With Hard disk, both size and speed
matters.
 Today the amount of information a hard disk
can store is measured in Gigabytes (GB)
 The speed at which the platter in the hard disk
spins is measured in Revolutions Per Minute
(RPM)
 The speed at which a hard drive finds data is
the “Average Access Time” or “ Seek
Time.”
Hard Disk
 Average Access Time or “Seek Time”
is measured in milliseconds (MS). One
millisecond equals 1/1000 of a second.
Seek time is important to the overall
performance of the computer
 Most hard drives have an average access
time between 8 to 15 ms.
 The lower the average access time, the
faster the hard drive.
Hard Disk
Types of hard disk interfaces:
 EIDI
 SCSI
Firewire
(SCSI and Firewire need a separate
interface card, are more expensive but
faster than EIDI)
Hard Disk
Types of EIDI drives:
 Regular EIDI
 DMA
 Ultra ATA
Hard Disk
DMA and Ultra ATA hard drives runs faster faster
than regular EIDI
Speed
DMA 5400 RPM
ATA 7200 RPM
Hard Disk
Recommended Hard Disk:
20 - 40 GB Ultra ATA 7-9 ms seek time,
7200 RPM
Video Card
 The video card is the interface between
the CPU and the monitor.
 A video card has its own memory chip
which stores information before sending it
to the monitor.
 Most computers require at least 2 MB of
video card memory (VRAM).
Video Card
 An Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
video card uses an AGP bus to
communicate directly with the computer’s
main memory.
 This allows quicker display of complex
images on the monitor.
 AGP is specially designed to meet the
high demands of displaying 3D images.
Video Card
Recommended Video Card:
2X - 4X AGP, 16-64 MB RAM, 3-D card
with a good brand name.
Some good brand names are:
ATI, Creative and Voodoo
Sound Card
 The sound card is the interface that
allows you to listen to sounds on your PC
 The sampling rate of a sound card
determines the quality of the sound
produced. The higher the sampling rate,
the better the sound quality
 Look for a sampling rate of at least 44.1
KHz
Sound Card
Full-duplex
 A full-duplex sound card lets you talk and
listen at the same time.
 When using a computer to have a
conversation over the Internet, a fullduplex sound card lets people talk at the
same time.
Sound Cards
Recommended Sound Card:
Diamond MX 300, 400, 600 or the family of
SoundBlaster Live Cards.
Drives (Portable Storage)
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Floppy
CD-ROM
CD-RW
DVD
DVD-R
Drives
Floppy Drive
 A floppy drive is a storage device that
magnetically stores data.
 Floppy drives use 3.5 inch floppy disks.
 A floppy disk can hold 1.44 MBs of
information.
Drives
CD-ROM Drive
 CD-ROM means Compact Disc-ReadOnly-Memory.
 Read-only means you cannot change the
information stored on the disc
 A single CD-ROM stores up to 650 MB of
information (that’s over 400 floppy disks)
Drives
CD-ROM Applications
 Install Programs
 Play Multimedia CD-ROM Discs
 Play Music CDs
Drives
CD-ROM Speed
 How fast the CD-ROM disc spins
determines its speed
 The higher the speed, the faster
information can transfer from the disk to
the computer.
 You should buy at least a 48X (7,200
KB/s) CD-ROM drive.
Drives
CD-RW Drives
 A CD-RW means Compact DiscReWritable.
 CD-RWs allow you to write, and re-write,
data on CD-RW discs.
 CD-R discs allow you to write BUT NOT
re-write data to the disk.
Drives
CD-RW Applications
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Store and Transfer Data (Up to 700 MB)
Record Music (Up to 74 minutes)
Play Music CDs
Play Multimedia CDs
Drives
CD-RW Speed
CD-RW drives operate at several speeds.
Example:
Write
12X
Rewrite 10X
Read
32X
Drives
 Write speed refers to how fast a CD-RW
can record data on a CD-R disc
 Re-Write speed refers to how fast it can
write to a CD-RW disc
 Read refers to how fast data transfers
from a disc to the computer
Drives
DVD-ROM
Stands for Digital Versatile Disc-Read-Only
Memory. You cannot change the
information stored on a DVD-ROM.
A DVD-ROM is similar in size and shape to a
CD-ROM, but can store much more
information (4.7 to 17 GB)
Drives
DVD-ROM Applications
 Play DVD Video (w/MPEG2 decoder)
 Play Music CDs
 Play Multimedia DVDs or CDs
Drives
DVD-ROM Speed
The speed of a DVD-ROM drive determines
how quickly data can transfer from a disc
to the computer.
Current drives commonly have a
speed of 6X
Drives
Recordable DVD Drives
 A recordable DVD allows you to record
data on rewritable DVD discs.
 Recordable DVDs are also known as
DVD-RAM and DVD-R.
 DVD-Ram can play CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CDRWs music CDs and DVD Video.
Ports
USB and Firewire
 USB and Firewire ports allow you to
easily connect peripheral devices to your
computer
 USB and Firewire are very fast ports
 USB/Firewall automatically detect and
install the device
Ports
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
 Current version of USB can transfer
information at a speed of up to 12
megabits per second (Mbps).
 USB 2.0 will be able to transfer
information at a speed of 480 Mbps.
 USB is often used to connect scanners,
printers, keyboards, etc.
Ports
Firewire (a.k.a. IEEE 1394 or I.link)
 A firewire port can transfer information at
a speed of up to 400 Mbps.
 Firewire is useful for connecting highspeed devices such as digital video
cameras and external hard drives.
Modem
Modem
 A modem lets computer exchange information
over telephone lines
 56 Kbps (5,600 bits per second) is the highest
speed dial-up.
 V.92/V.44 is a new standard promising higher
speed dial-up (300 Mbps), faster connection
speed and the ability to take calls without
disconnecting from the Internet
Network Adapter
Ethernet Card
 Is an adapter that allows you to connect
your computer to a network.
 Needed for Broadband connections to
the Internet (e.g. Cable, DSL)
Monitors
Monitor Size
 Monitor size is measured diagonally
across the screen. Common sizes are 14,
15, 17, 19, 21 inches.
 Large monitors are more expensive and
are good for working with graphics, video
editing or large spreadsheets.
Monitors
Flat-panel
 A flat-panel monitor uses Liquid Crystal
Display (LCD).
 Flat-panels are more expensive but are
lighter, take up less desk space and use
less electricity.
Monitors
Dot Pitch
 The dot pitch is the distance between pixels on
a screen. A pixel is the smallest element on a
screen.
 Dot pitch determines the sharpness of images
and is measured in millimeters (mm)
 The smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the
image. Select a monitor with a dot pitch of
0.28mm or less.
Monitors
Refresh Rate
 The refresh rate determines the speed that a
monitor redraws, or updates, images. The
higher the rate the less flicker on the screen.
 Refresh is measured in hertz (Hz) and tells you
the number of times per second the monitor
redraws the entire screen.
 Choose a monitor with a refresh rate of
72 Hz or more.
Operating System
 Windows 98
 Windows ME
 Windows XP (Home Edition)
Windows NT and 2000 are more commonly
used for running business applications.
They provide advanced networking and
security features.
Operating System
Operating System (OS)
An operating system is the software that
controls the overall activity of a computer.
 Controls Hardware
 Runs Software
 Manages Information
Operating System
Platform
 A platform refers to the type of operating
system used by a computer, such as
Windows, Mac OS or UNIX.
 Programs designed for use on one
platform will not usually work on another
platform.
Operating System
Windows 98
 Windows 98 is more stable than Win95
 More maintenance tools
 FAT 32 File system (uses hard drive
space more efficiently)
 More Internet Programs (Explorer,
Outlook, Frontpage express)
Operating System
Window ME
 Movie Maker, allows you to record, edit
and save videos on your computer
 Enhanced version of Media Player to help
manage your multimedia files
 Home networking wizard
 System Restore feature
Operation System
Windows XP
 New visual design
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Digital photo features
CD Burner Software
Video production
Instant messaging and video conferencing
Recovery tools
More secure, stable, reliable and
dependable
Printers
 Ink Jet
 Laser
 Ink Jet Color Photo Printer
Printers
Speed
 The speed of a printer determines how
quickly it can print pages
 Speed is measured in pages per minute
(PPM)
 A higher speed results in faster output.
Printers
Resolution
 The resolution of a printer determines
the quality of the images it can produce. A
higher resolution yields sharper, more
detailed images.
 Resolution is measured in dots per inch
(DPI). 600 dpi is good for most text
documents. 1200 dpi is good for images.
Printers
Ink-Jet
 Ink-jets produce high-quality documents
at a low price. Ideal for routine business
and personal documents
 An ink-jet printer has a print head that
sprays ink through small nozzles onto a
page.
 Speed: 2 - 10 ppm; Resolution: 360 2400 dpi
Printers
Laser
 Laser printer is a high-speed printer ideal
for business, personal documents and
professional graphics
 A laser printer works like a photocopier
to produce high-quality images on a page
Printers
Laser Process:
A tiny laser beam scans across a rotating,
electrostatically charged drum to create
an image of the printed page. Toner sticks
to the scanned image on the drum, which
in turn rolls onto the paper, where the
toner is fused at about 400 degrees to
create a hard copy.
Printers
Laser Speed
 Most lasers produce images at a speed of 4-16
ppm
 All lasers have a CPU that processes
instructions and manages information flow
within the printe
Laser printers store pages in built-in memory
before printing. Typical laser CPU speed is 2 MB
to 8MB and can be upgraded
Printers
 Memory is important for laser printers
that produce images at high resolutions,
such as 2400 dpi.
 Memory is also important for laser
printers that print on larger paper sizes
and process complex print jobs.
Printer
Laser Resolution
 The resolution or quality of the images
produced by a laser printer ranges from
600 to 2400 dpi
Printers
Color Photo Printer
 A color photo printer is designed to
produce photographic-quality images.
Photo quality printers can accept special
types of paper and use a different
cartridge from standard ink-jet printers.
Inside the Box
QUESTIONS?
Inside the Box
THANK YOU
Jeff Zaino, Systems Librarian
New Canaan Library
Fall 2001