Functions of Hardware

We are now going to take a look at the functions of hardware, the actual functions of input, process, output, control and storage. So, as mentioned, there are these five functions of hardware and they all relate to different tasks being done within a system. So the first one we're going to look at is input and input relates to the devices that are used to put data into a computing system. So basically examples include a keyboard where we can enter text into a computer, a mouse where we can click on icons. On our screen, a digital camera for inserting images into a computer microphones for audio, as well as touch devices that take touch input such as touch screens and touch pads, so with an input device, we are basically beginning by entering data into a system. Next is the process, and this is basically the main part of a system. It'S where data is turned into information, it's primarily conducted by the central processing unit and generally, this is what happens. The data after we've inputted into the system. Now data may be inputted and processed directly, but also for processing. Data may be retrieved from a storage device that has been entered earlier and then, after it's been processed, sent back to a storage device. The end result of data being in a system is information and information is then shown through an output device. So examples are output. Devices include monitors for displaying visually. How data or information may look printers for printing off hard copies of information. Speakers for audio outputs and projectors as well for larger visual displays when data is saved okay, either before or after processing, it is sent to a storage location. Now there are two classifications of storage. There is primary storage, which is basically data, that is on our screen, and it is primarily stored in RAM random access memory, but we also have secondary storage devices where we save data for later use, and that includes our optical drives. visit the website as this, our magnetic disks, such as hard disk, drives our flash memory, such as USB flash drives and solid state drives. Okay, in order to store data for later use and then finally, we have control and control is like orchestrating the flow of data and information throughout the computing system. Okay, the example of a control device is actually what's known as the control unit, which is a portion of the CPU, it's responsible for the flow of data in and out of the CPU, so that everything done is in a timely manner. Okay and everything gets done in turn and that it gets sent either to output or back into storage once the task has been completed. So, let's take a look at this visually on how these functions of hardware may work in conjunction with each other, so, firstly, we have our input. Okay and data is being entered into a system e via one of our input devices, keyboard/mouse digital camera, microphone or touchscreen. We then process this data. Okay and the data is processed by the CPU okay. It is either being retrieved directly from input or it could be coming from a storage location. The storage location may be live data which is in RAM okay or maybe getting retrieved from a secondary storage location such as a hard disk drive, an optical drive or a flash memory. The orchestrator of all this data flowing around is the control area, which is the control unit, okay, which is sending data to and from the CPU for processing. And then, when data is in the form of information after it is processed, it is then output it and displayed via a monitor, a printer, a speaker, okay or a digital projector. So I hope this gives you a good understanding of the five functions of hardware and basically, how Hardware is classified into these different groups and they're all responsible for different areas of data and information flowing through a system.