Input Devices
Data, information and instructions are inserted by the user in the computer with the help of input devices. These devices convert data and instructions given in human language into understandable signals of the computer. This is the computer language of letters, numbers and other symbols (0 and 1 bits) so that the computer can understand them. Data processing becomes possible only after this. Thus input devices serve mainly two purposes.
- Carrying data and instructions to the computer.
- Converting data and instructions into machine language.
Input devices are as old as computers, but there has been a lot of change in them with the passage of time, today many input devices like keyboard, mouse, ruler, joystick, light pen, optical mark reader, optical character reader, etc. are in vogue. Here you are being told about some of these major input methods.
Key-Board
This is the most commonly used and important input device. It is a modified form of typewriter. In this, the number of Keys is more than the typewriter. Generally their number ranges from 101 to 108. There are all the characters, numbers and other symbols on the keyboard by which data is inputted.
The floodgate remains connected to the system unit through a cable. The cable plugs into a socket built into the back of the system unit.
There is a Key-Board Encoder in the keyboard, which works to convert the data into 8 bits (1 and 0) code on pressing any of its keys.
The keys of the keyboard are easier to press than the typewriter and read the finger lift immediately after pressing. If the same key is kept pressed for more than 05 seconds, the keyboard will repeatedly enter the signal of the same converter into the computer. This will cause the Buddy character to appear on the screen multiple times. This action is called typmatic, the rate of this action is 10 times per second.
The different keys of the keyboard can be mainly classified into the following types
Alphabet Keys – like a typewriter on a computer keyboard there are separate keys for all the 26 letters of the English alphabet. These keys form the main part of the keyboard. They are less certain. By pressing any letter key, we can see that letter on the monitor screen. Today alphabetic keyboards for languages other than English are also available.
Numeric keys
These keys are in the upper part of the keyboard with numbers from 0 to 9. These keys are arranged in the following order.
Function Keys
These keys are in total 12 from FI to F12 in the top part of the board. These keys perform special functions. For example, assignment of commands, display of menus on the screen in software programs, etc. Function keys have different functions in different software.
Arrow Keys or Cursor Control Keys
These are at the bottom of the keyboard. It is located on the right side. Arrow marks are made on these, these keys are used to move the cursor up, down, right and left. Cursor is a special character or special mark that tells the user’s position on the screen so that the user knows where what he will type will be written on the screen.
Character Keys
These keys are useful for writing special letters or symbols. eg- !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), _, +, |, -, =, \, :, ;, ‘, “, <, , ., >, /, ? etc.
Special Keys
There are also some special keys in the keyboard. Their names and functions are as follows.
- Return or Enter Key – This is the most commonly used key in any keyboard, after writing a word, sentence or instruction, when this key is pressed, it goes into the computer’s memory.
- End Key – It brings the cursor to the end of the screen.
- Home Key – It is used to move the cursor to any area created on the screen to move to the beginning of the document.
- Back Space key – To delete the words from the left of the cursor using this key
- Space Bar Key – This is the longest key on the keyboard. It is used to leave a space between two letters, Numbers or Symbols.
- Delete Key – This key is used to delete the letter to the right of the cursor.
- Insert Key – To enter any other letter of any two letters or lines.
- Tab Key – This key is to take the cursor to in queue or in the next line takes you to the designated place.
- Escape key (Escape or Esc key) – This key is in the upper left corner of the keyboard. It is used to cancel a command or entry or to go to the previous command or entry.
- Pause Key – It works to temporarily stop any process running on the computer.
- Caps Lock Key – When you press this key, all letters are capitalized (Capital) are typed.. To type a normal character, it has to be pressed once again. When this key is activated, the Caps Lock indicator at the top right corner of the keyboard turns on.
- Caps Lock – Shift Key Both the up and down keys on most keyboards. The letters/numbers/symbols are printed on the side. Normally pressing a button would type the letter D at the bottom. To type the above letter, that key has to be pressed along with the shift key.
- Print Screen Key – Whatever content is being displayed on the screen of the monitor. This key is used to print it.
- Price Screen – Scroll Lock Key It is used to start and stop scrolling (moving the screen up, down, left, right).
- Page Up and Page Down Keys – Page Up Key is used to go to the page before the page on which work is being done and Page Down Key is used to go to the next page.
Numeric Key
Pad This is a group of 17 keys on the right side of the keyboard. In which there are keys of numbers from 0 to 9, out of which arrows showing directions are inscribed on four keys. Other keys in this part are Num Lock, /- + Home, PgUp. There are PgDn, End, Ins, Del and Enter. When the data is only in numbers, the numeric keypad is used for fast data entry.
Presently internet keyboard and multimedia keyboard are also becoming popular for the use of internet and multimedia. By using these, many tasks can be accomplished by directly pressing the key related to them. Chord less keyboards have also come into vogue these days.
Wireless keyboard
This type of keyboard can be connected to the computer. Wire is not used to connect, a receiver is required to connect it to the computer to which the CPU is connected.
Mouse
Mouse is also one of the two important tools used for computer communication. If the currently available Ortons are stuck, it seems that the operation of their computers is also due to one size or the other.
By placing the mouse on a mouse pad placed on a flat surface, It is pushed there. It has two or three buttons. The body of the mouse is pressed with the finger. This action is called a click. An arrow-shaped icon (5) also appears to move on the monitor when the mouse is moved on the mouse pad. This arrow symbol is called Mouse Pointer or Mouse Cursor.
The use of the mouse on a very useful input has made instructions in the computer much easier. Computer can be run very fast by Now. It is also useful for graphics like pictures etc.
Optical Mouse
These days these mouse are being used the most. In this a beam of light is emitted from the bottom surface. On the basis of whose reflection determines the distance, direction and speed of the object.
Wireless Mouse
This mouse works on the basis of frequency. It consists of two main components transmitter and receiver. It provides information about mouse movement and clicking in the form of electromagnetic signals to the computer.
Joystick
The current era is the era of fast and realistic looking 3D games. The one who has the best means can enjoy them completely. Initially, games were played on computer only with the help of keyboard and mouse, but today there are many tools available for this work, in which joystick is the most important. Joy stick has an idle handle that rotates in all four directions, which works to move and play pictures on the screen. There is also a button in this handle, which is used to fire etc. in games.
Scanner
Scanner is an input device by which data and images can be input into the computer. It reads any book photo and other data and saves it as a photo in the computer. With this we can convert the hard copy into soft copy.
Web camera
There is an online input tool with the help of which live images can be viewed. Web cameras are used for on-line video chatting and video conferencing and for round the clock surveillance in departmental stores and offices and other places.
Digital Camera
This visitor is turned into a grandfather taking photos by digital camera. Similar to the differences on the digital working method, the distant photo taken is done by a native hero.
It is an off-line input device, it is used to capture and store photos. There is a screen in it on which we can see the photos taken. It can be easily carried from one place to another.
Light Pen
It is a pen-shaped light tape device, which is connected to the computer with the help of a wire. It does the work of writing directly on the screen. Therefore, it is used in the works of making graphics etc. To use the light pen in the computer, a special type of software has to be used.
Digitizer
Digitizing tablet is a drawing surface. It is accompanied by a pen or mouse. There is a net of thin wires on this table. On which the signals go to the computer as soon as the pen is used. There is a scanning date on it. It is used to get the character in the desired graphical position. With its help graph can also be constructed. That’s why it is also called graph table.
Micro Phone
A microphone is an input device that converts sound into digital form and sends it to a computer. It is mainly used in call centres and offices.
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