COMPUTER BASICS Lesson 2: Input Devices

By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to:

List and describe how input devices work

Input Devices

Input devices are connected to the computer through ports or sockets.

Some of these peripheral devices are used to enter information into the computer.

They include keyboards, scanners, joysticks and digital cameras.

Keyboards

The main part of a computer keyboard has

alpha-numeric (letter and number) keys

Escape key, labeled Esc

The Function keys, along the top of the keyboard, are labeled F1, F2, up to F12.

Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause/Break keys

Enter key

Control (Ctrl), Alternate (Alt), and Shift keys

Keyboard

Backspace key

Cursor control pad

- Delete key- Insert key - Home key - End. - Page Up and Page down

Number pad

Mice

The mouse is the hand-held device that lets you point to objects on the screen, click on them, and move them.

4 techniques for using the mouse

Click

Drag

Double-click

Right-click

Scanners

A scanner allows you to copy an image into your computer.

There are three main types of scanners: Hand-held scanners work like scanning guns used

at department stores. Sheet-fed scanners look like a printer and can scan

only loose, single pages. Flatbed scanners look and act like a copy machine.

Scanners

Resolutions

-dots per inch (dpi)

Formats

-JPEF

-GIF

-TIFF

Microphones and Joystics

A microphone is another type of input device. Connect the microphone to the computer and use the computer to record sound. (Some computers have internal microphones.) You can also use a microphone to teleconference with another computer user.

A joystick is a lever used while playing a computer game. There are a variety of different joysticks. If you're looking for a joystick, consider your system's requirements, and whether or not you have a USB port or a gameport.

Digital Cameras

A digital camera lets you capture a picture in digital (computer-readable) form and lets you transfer that image directly from the camera to the computer. It's a handy tool for taking those pictures you want to email to friends or put on the Web.

A digital camera is similar to a standard 35 mm camera, but it doesn't use film. Instead, it uses an image sensor to capture hundreds of thousands of tiny squares called pixels. These pixels make up a photo.

When you use a digital camera, you can also preview your pictures before printing them. If you don't like what you see, you can edit or delete them.