Technology In Action

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Technology In Action

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Title: Technology In Action

1
Technology In Action
2
Technology In Action

Chapter 6
Evaluating Your System
Understanding and Assessing Hardware

3
Chapter Topics

To buy or upgrade?
Evaluating your system
CPU
RAM
Storage devices
Video output
Sound systems
Computer ports
System reliability

4
To Buy or To Upgrade?

Things to consider
Moores Law The number of transistors inside
a CPU will double every 18 months

5
To Buy or To Upgrade?

Things to consider
The capacity of memory chips increases about 60
every year
Hard disk drives have been growing in storage
capacity by about 50 every year

6
Assessing Your Hardware Evaluating Your System

Assess the computers subsystems
The subsystems include
CPU
RAM
Virtual memory
Storage devices
Video
Audio
Ports

7
Evaluating the CPU

How does the CPU work?
Control unit
Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
Machine cycle
Instruction Cycle
Fetch
Decode
Execution Cycle
Execute
Store
Speed
MHz
GHz

8
How Does the CPU Work

The CPU
Processes instructions
Performs calculations
Manages the flow of information through a
computer system
Is responsible for processing the data you input
into information
Located on the Motherboard
The primary circuit board of the computer system

9
How Does the CPU Work

The CPU is composed of two units
The Control Unit
Instruction Control Unit
ICU
Coordinates the activities of all other computer
components
The Arithmetic Logic Unit
ALU
Responsible for performing all arithmetic
operations and comparison decisions

10
How Does the CPU Work

Every time the CPU performs a program
instruction, it goes through the same series of
steps (Machine Cycle)
It fetches the required piece of data or
instruction from RAM
It decodes the instruction into something the
computer can understand
It executes the instruction
It stores the result to RAM
The computer goes through these machine cycles at
a steady and constant pace
Clock Speed

11
How Does the CPU Work

The System Clock
Controls clock speed
Works like a metronome in music
Keeps a steady beat, regulating the speed at
which the processor goes through machine cycles

12
How Does the CPU Work

Processors process millions/billions of machine
cycles each second
Processor speed is measured in units of Hertz
(Hz)
Machine cycles per second
MHz 1 million instructions per second
GHz 1 billion instructions per second
3.8 GHz 3.8 billion instructions per second

13
How Does the CPU Work

CPU Usage
The percentage of time your CPU is working
Windows XP Task Manager
Sound Byte

14
Evaluating CPU Features

Some CPUs are optimized to process multimedia
instructions
Intel CPUs called Core Duo processors
Use less power than dual processors
Increase multitasking performance
Intel has more than 17 other designs for chips
with more than one core

15
Upgrading the CPU

Expensive
Easy to install
Motherboard compatibility

16
Upgrading the CPU

Replacing the CPU is expensive
Not all CPUs are interchangeable
The replacement CPU must be compatible with the
Motherboard
Upgrading your CPU will affect only processing
speed
Your systems overall performance depends on many
other factors, including the amount of RAM
installed and the hard disk speed of your hard
drive

17
Evaluating RAM

Random access memory (RAM)
Temporary storage (memory)
Volatile
Memory modules
SIMM
DIMM
RIMM
Types of RAM
SRAM
DRAM
SDRAM

18
Evaluating RAM

Random access memory (RAM)
Your computers temporary storage space
Short term memory
It remembers everything that the computer needs
to process the data into information (data and
software instructions)
As long as the computer is on. When the power is
off, the data stored in RAM is cleared out
Volatile
Its about one million times faster for the CPU
to retrieve a piece of data from RAM than from a
hard disk drive

19
Evaluating RAM

Random access memory (RAM)
Located on the Motherboard
Types of RAM
DRAM
SRAM Static RAM
SDRAM Synchronous DRAM
DDR2 SDRAM RAM Double Data Rate SDRAM
Currently, DDR2 SDRAM is very common today
How much RAM do I have Page 279

20
How Much Ram is Needed?

To determine how much ram You need, you must look
at the memory requirements of each program and
add them up

System Software Windows XP 128 MB
Productivity Software MS Office Pro 128 MB
Entertainment Software Windows Media Player 64 MB
Graphics MS Picture It! 128 MB
21
How Much Ram is Needed?

RAM for System Software
RAM for Productivity Software
RAM for Entertainment
RAM for Graphics Programs

System Software Windows XP 128 MB
Productivity Software MS Office Pro 128 MB
Entertainment Software Windows Media Player 64 MB
Graphics MS Picture It! 128 MB
22
How Much Ram is Needed?

Because RAM is the temporary holding space for
all the data and instructions that the computer
uses when its on, most computer users need
quite a bit of RAM
Its not unusual to have 1 GB of RAM or more on a
newer home system

23
How Much Ram is Needed?

At a minimum
You need enough RAM to run the OS plus whatever
software applications youre using
Plus additional RAM to hold the data youre
inputting
The maximum limit with Windows XP is 4 GB

24
Adding RAM

Increase system performance
Things to consider
Type of RAM module
Amount of RAM
Maximum limit
Number of slots
Operating system
Applications running at the same time

25
Evaluating Storage

RAM is a form of temporary storage
Volatile storage
Anything residing in RAM is not permanently saved
Its critical to have means to store data and
software applications permanently
Several storage options exist

26
Evaluating Storage

Types of storage devices
Hard drive
Floppy drive
Zip disk drive
CD/DVD
Flash memory
Nonvolatile storage
Permanent storage devices

27
The Hard Disk Drive

Storage capacity up to 500 GB
The largest storage capacity of any storage
device
Offers the most GB of storage per dollar
Access time is measured in milliseconds
(Thousandths ofseconds
The time it takes a storage device tolocate its
stored data and make it available for processing

28
The Hard Disk Drive

Data transfer rate is measured in megabits
(megabytes per second)
Transfer data to other computer components
Spindle speed is measured in revolutions per
minute (rpm)

29
How a Hard Disk Works

Composed of several iron oxide- coated platters
stacked on a spindle
When data is saved to a hard disk, a pattern of
magnetized spots is created on the iron oxide
coating each platter Each spots 1 Spaces
not spotted 0
0s and 1s are binary bits

Read/write head
Platters
Access arms
30
How a Hard Disk Works

Between each platter are read/write heads that
read and write magnetized data
The read/write heads move from the outer edge of
the spinning platters to the center to read and
write the magnetized data to/from the hard disk

Read/write head
Platters
Access arms
31
How a Hard Disk Works

When data stored on the hard disk is retrieved,
your computer translates the patterns of 0s and
1s into the data you saved

Read/write head
Platters
Access arms
32
The Hard Disk Drive

Hard drive capacity is measured in MB or GB
To determine the storage capacity your system
needs, calculate the amount of storage capacity
basic computer programs need to reside on your
computer

33
The Hard Disk Drive

Sample Hard Drive Requirements

Application Hard Disk Space Required
Windows Vista Home Basic 512 MB
MS Office Pro 2007 256 MB
Internet Explorer 7 128 MB
iTunes 256 MB
Microsoft Picture It! 128 MB
Total Required 1,768 MB (1.77 GB)
(If running all programs simultaneously)

34
The Hard Disk Drive

There are several types of hard drives
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
An older style that used wide cables to connect
the hard drive to the Motherboard
Also called PATA Parallel Advanced Technology
Attachment
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA)
Use much thinner cables
Can transfer data more quickly than IDE drives

35
Portable Storage

Gives us the ability to move data from one
computer to another
Types of portable storage devices
Floppy disk
Capacity 1.44 MB
Computer makers have stopped shipping floppy
drives as standard equipment
Zip disk
Capacity 100 MB to 750 MB
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW
Capacity 700 MB to 9.4 GB
Flash drive
Capacity up to 4 GB
Flash memory Card
Up to 16 GB (and up)

36
Magnetic Storage

Magnetic media
Metal platters
Hard disks
Plastic film
Floppy disks
Zip disks
Tracks
Sectors
File Allocation Table

Track
Sector
37
Magnetic Storage

Inside the plastic cases of both floppy and Zip
disks, youll find a round piece of plastic film
This film is covered with a magnetized coating of
iron oxide
Like a hard drive, when data is saved to the
disk, a pattern of magnetized spots is created on
the iron oxide coating within the established
tracks and sectors

38
Magnetic Storage

Each of these spots represents either a 0 or a 1
Bit
When data stored on the disk is retrieved, your
computer translates these patterns of magnetized
spots into information

39
Optical Storage

Optical media
CD-ROM
CD-R
CD-RW
DVD-ROM
DVD-R
DVD-RW
Laser
Pits scatter laser light
equaling a 1
Nonpitted area reflects laser light equaling a 0

40
Optical Storage

Like the hard drive, the floppy disk, and zip
disks, data is saved to CDs and DVDs within
established tracks and sectors
Unlike the hard drive, the floppy disk, and zip
disks, CDs and DVDs store data as tiny pits that
are burned into a disk by a high-speed laser
These pits are extremely small, less than 1
micron in diameter, so that nearly 1,500 pits fit
across the top of a pinhead

41
Optical Storage

Data is read off the CD by a laser beam, with the
pits and nonpits translating into the 1s and 0s
of the binary code computers understand
Because CDs and DVDs use a laser to read and
write data, they are referred to as optical media

42
Optical Storage

To read information stored on a disk, a laser
inside the disk drive sends a beam of light
through the spinning disk.
If the light reflected back is scattered in all
directions (which happens when the laser hits a
pit), the laser translates this into the binary
digit 0.

43
Optical Storage

If non-scattered light is reflected back to the
laser (which happens when the laser hits an area
in which there is no pit), the laser translates
this into the binary digit 1.
In this way, the laser reads the pits and
non-pits as a series of bits (0s and 1s), which
the computer can process.

44
Optical Storage

CD-ROMs are prerecorded and cannot be written to
CD-Rs are blank and can be written to or burned
once with a CD rewritable drive
CD-RWs start blank but can be rewritten or
reburned several times

45
Optical Storage

DVD-ROM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW follow the same
pattern but at much higher capacities
DVDs (Digital Video Discs) storage capacity is
much greater than CDs
DVDs have less space between tracks, as well as
between bits
The size of pits on the DVD is also much smaller
than those on a CD
Additionally, DVD audio and video quality is
superior to that of a CD

46
Optical Storage

DVDs can have data on just one side or both sides
of the disc with one or two layers on each side
for a maximum capacity of 17GB per disc
The DVDs main competitor appears to be the
HD-DVD (High-Definition DVD), which holds less
data but may be cheaper to produce

47
Optical Storage

Blu-Ray is one new emerging standard of data
storage
The blue in the name refers to the fact that a
blue laser, instead of a red laser, is used to
write and read these discs
A single layer Blu-Ray disc can hold 25 GB of
data
A double-layer disc can hold 50 GB
Four hours of high-definition video

48
Optical Storage

Experiments are underway using fluorescent
optical discs that can store data in as many as
100 different layers, for a final capacity of 450
GB

49
Optical Storage

CD drives cannot read DVDs. DVD drives can read
CDs
To record data to DVDs, you need recordable DVD
discs and a read/write DVD drive
There are two recognized formats
DVD-R/RW
DVD Dash
DVDR/RW
DVD Plus

50
Optical Storage

Either the Plus or Dash format discs you write
will be compatible in about 85 of all DVD
players
You must make sure, however, to purchase blank
DVD discs that match the type of drive you own
Either type of DVD burner can burn CDs

51
Optical Storage

When you buy a CD or VD drive, knowing the drive
speed is important
Speeds are listed on the devices packaging
Record (write) speed is always listed first
Rewrite speed is listed second
Playback speed is listed last

52
Optical Storage

A CD-RW drive may have the following speeds of
52X32X52X
Record data at 52X speed
Rewrite data at 32X speed
Play back data at 52X speed
A 1x DVD-ROM drive provides a data transfer rate
of approximately 1.3 MB of data per second
Roughly the equivalent to a CD-ROM speed of 9X

53
Storage

Portable Storage Capacities

Storage Media Capacity
Floppy Disk 1.44 MB
Zip Disk 100 To 750 MB
CD 700 MB
DVD 9.4 GB
Flash Memory 512 MB to 16 GB (and up)
Portable Hard Drive 20 GB and up
54
Upgrading Storage

Hard drive options
Replace current drive with a larger capacity
drive
Install an additional hard drive in your current
system if you have an extra drive bay
Use an external hard drive you can plug into a
USB or FireWall port

55
Upgrading Storage

Other options
Zip drive
Replace CD ROM with CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW
Need an open bay
Without open bays, you can add external Zip and
CD/DVD drives that attach to your computer
through an open port
Flash card reader
Need a Memory Card Reader
Flash memory drive
Plug directly into a USB port

56
Evaluating Video

How video is displayed depends on two components
Video card (adapter)
Monitor
Its important that your system have the correct
monitor and video card to meet your needs

57
Video Cards

An expansion card that is installed inside your
system unit to translate binary data into the
images you view on your monitor
Include ports allowing you to connect to
different video equipment
Contain their own RAM
Video RAM (VRAM)
Some come with their own processors which
significantly speeds up processing

58
Video Cards

Contain their own RAM
Video RAM (VRAM)
If you only work with Microsoft Word and conduct
general Web searches, 16 MB is a realistic
minimum
For the serious gamer, a 256-MB card is essential
Cards with 512 MB are on the market today

59
Video Cards

Some come with their own processors
Calls to the CPU for graphics processing are
redirected to the processor on the video card
which significantly speeds up processing

60
Video Cards

Controls the number of colors a monitor can
display
The number of bits the video card uses to
represent each pixel (or dot) on the monitor (bit
depth) determines the color quality of the image
displayed
The more bits, the better the color detail of the
image

61
Video Cards

A 4-bit video card displays 16 colors
The minimum number of colors your system works
with
Standard VGA
Most video cards today are 24-bit cards,
displaying more than 16 million colors
True Color Mode

62
Video Cards

Bit Depth and Color Quality

Bit Depth Color Quality Description Number of Colors Displayed
4-bit Standard VGA 16
8-bit 256-Color Mode 256
16-bit High Color 65,536
24-bit True Color 16,777,216
32-bit True Color 16,777,216 plus 8 bits to help with transparency
63
Monitors

Things to consider
Types
CRT or LCD
Size
15, 17, 19, or 21 inch

64
Monitors

Resolution
Increasing resolution allows more to be displayed
Increased resolution also makes the images on the
screen smaller and perhaps more difficult to read

65
Monitors

Dot pitch
The diagonal distance between pixels of the same
color on the screen
For a clearer, brighter image, look for a monitor
with a low dot pitch of
No more than 0.28 mm for a 17-inch screen
0.31 mm for a 21-inch screen
Refresh rate
The number of times per second the illumination
of each pixel on the monitor is recharged
75 Hz or higher

66
Evaluating Audio

Sound card
Attach to the Motherboard
Process digital data into sounds
Most computers shipwith a basic sound card
3D sound cards

67
Evaluating Audio

Stereo sound allows the human ear to perceive
sounds as coming from the left or the right of
the performance area
3D sound is better at convincing the human ear
that sound is omnidirectional
You cant tell from which direction the sound is
coming
This tends to produce a fuller, richer sound than
stereo sound
3D sound is not surround sound

68
Evaluating Audio

Surround sound
The current surround sound standard is Dolby 7.1
Format
The 7.1 format takes digital sound from a medium
and reproduces it in eight channels
To set up surround sound on your computer, you
need
A set of surround-sound speakers
A sound card that is Dolby 7.1 compatible

69
Evaluating Audio