BASIC COMPUTER CONCEPTS - INPUT DEVICES

An input device is a device which provides the computer with data, which it then uses to process and give out information.  Input can be auditory (microphone), visual (scanners, smart card readers), and tactile (pressure sensitive pens, touch pads, touch screens, keyboard, mouse, trackball).

  

mouse        keyboard & trackball             

     scanner

    touchpad

Audio input is any data entered into the computer via sounds.  Sounds can be entered into a computer via a microphone or other devices such as electrical piano keyboards and digital music devices.  These devices connect to the computer via the sound card or special MIDI card.  They allow you to change the speed of sounds, add sounds, and rearrange sounds as well.

USB Microphone Plug

One of today's common video input devices is the digital camera and digital VHS recorder.  Images instead of being stored on regular film are stored in the camera's PC card ( memory card ), floppy disk, flash card, memory stick, CD (a mini) or  microdrive.  The more expensive the camera, the more storage.  Images can be seen and edited while still in the camera or downloaded to a computer for work in PhotoShop, for example.  Cameras can be attached to computers by means of USB or serial ports or even the parallel port which use special reading devices. 

                                    
                                     Digital Camera 

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