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Output Devices



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Output Devices of Computer

So, what is an output device?
An output device is a piece of hardware equipment that receives and displays the processing or result of the raw data that is entered by an input device to the user in a human-readable or understandable form that can be text, image, audio, video, etc. There are many output devices available.

Monitor

So, what is a monitor?
The monitor is the main output device of a computer that displays activities like the input of data, processing, or result as text, image, audio, or video. Basically, the monitor is the display unit or screen of the computer. 

Monitor are of different types:

1. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor


This was the technology used in the early era of monitor These types of monitors are based on a cathode ray tube. They are like vacuum tubes that produce images in the form of video signals. It contains one or more than one electron gun that produces a beam of the electron that strikes on the screen surface to produce the image. The monitor contains millions of phosphorus dots of red, green, and blue color. These dots start to glow when struck by electron beams and this phenomenon is called cathodoluminescence. Although LCDs have replaced the CRT monitors, the CRT monitors are still used by graphics professionals because of their color quality.

2. Flat Panel Screen 

This makes use of liquid crystals or plasma to produce output. Light is passed through the liquid crystals in order to generate pixels. They are the following:

  • Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Monitor

LCD monitors are thin and light-weight as compared to CRT monitors and there work is based on monochrome pixels. It is being used in many devices like smartphones, laptops, etc. It works on two layers. When the light passes through the first layer, an electric current aligns the liquids crystals. The liquid crystals then allow the light to pass through the second layer to create an image on the screen.

The old LCD monitors have a matrix of pixels that displays the image on the screen. They are called passive-matrix screen in which every individual pixel are controlled by sending a charge. But they don't retain their charge that makes the screen appear blurry.

The new LCD monitors use TFT (Thin Film Transistors) with capacitors. With the use of this technology, the pixels retain their charge and don't make the screen appear blurry.

  • Light Emitting Diode (LED) Monitor

LED monitors are the advanced version of the LCD monitor. It also uses liquid crystal technology like an LCD monitor. The difference between them lies in the source of light to backlight the display. The LED monitor has many LED panels. LED monitors not only produces more brilliance and greater light intensity but also consumes less power.


  • Plasma Monitor

Plasma monitors are also flat panel screen device. It uses plasma technology for display. It has small tiny cells that contain a mixture of noble gas and mercury. Plasma displays are brighter than liquid crystal displays (LCD) and also offer a wide viewing angle than an LCD.

Printer

A printer is an output device that generates a hard copy of the data. The printer allows users to print the data items on the paper such as documents or pictures. 

The printer is of two types:
  • Impact
  • Non Impact
Impact printers are the printers that make an impact on the paper while printing. The mechanism used in these printers is known as the electro-mechanical mechanism. It is slow and makes noise. Examples of impact printers are Dot-matrix, Daisy wheel, and line printers.

Non Impact printers producers the output without any impact on the paper. It doesn't use any electro-mechanical mechanism to print. It produces lower or no sound and is very fast. Examples of non-impact printers are  Plotter, inkjet, and laser printers.

Speaker

Speakers are used to generating the audio output. It is one of the most common output devices used with computer systems. 

Plotter 

A plotter is a special kind of output device its work and function are more likely similar to a printer that is to make a hard copy from softcopy. But it produces a large-sized output while maintaining high resolution like large graphs and design on paper such as construction maps, engineers graphs, etc or used to create posters, etc. Basically, plotters use a pen, pencil, marker, or another writing tool to draw multiple, continuous lines onto paper and not only on paper plotter can draw on flat materials including plywood, aluminum, sheet steel, cardboard, and plastic.

Projector

As the name suggests, a projector is an output device that is used to project the output on a large scale on a surface that can be a screen, wall, etc. Projectors are used in schools, conferences, meetings, or where there are requirements to show output to a large number of people present there.
There are many more output devices like a headset and many more developing.

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