Technology In Action

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Technology In Action
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Technology In Action

• Chapter 6
• Evaluating Your System
• Understanding and Assessing Hardware

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Chapter Topics

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

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To Buy or To Upgrade?

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

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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

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Assessing Your Hardware Evaluating Your System

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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How Does the CPU Work

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

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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

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Upgrading the CPU

• Expensive
• Easy to install
• Motherboard compatibility

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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

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Evaluating RAM

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

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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

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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

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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
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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
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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

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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

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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

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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

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Evaluating Storage

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

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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

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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)

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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
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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
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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
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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

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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)


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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

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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)

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Magnetic Storage

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

Track
Sector
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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Monitors

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

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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

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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

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Evaluating Audio

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

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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

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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

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Evaluating Audio

• Speakers
• Amplified
• Not amplified
• Subwoofer
• Surround sound

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Evaluating Ports

• Ports are used to connect peripheral devices to
  the computer
• Things to consider
• Devices you want to use
• Ports needed for your peripheral devices

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Types of Ports

• Serial Port
• Transfers data one bit at a time at speeds up to
  56 kbps
• Mice
• External modems
• Slowly being phased out by USB ports

PS/2 Connectors
PS/2 Port
COM 1 Port
Serial Connector
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Types of Ports

• Parallel Port
• Transfers eight bits of data simultaneously
• 12 Mbps
• Printers, Scanners

LPT 1 Port
Printer Cable Connector
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Types of Ports

• Universal serial bus
• Transfer speed up to 480 Mbps
• Version 1 12 Mbps
• Version 2 480 Mbps
• Becoming the most common port
• Mice, keyboards, external zip drives,
  printers, scanners, game controllers

USB Port
USB Connector
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Types of Ports

• FireWire
• Transfer rate of 400 Mbps Digital cameras
• Newer FireWire 800 is fastest
• Available only on the Apple Mac

FireWire Port
FireWire Connector
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Types of Ports

• Ethernet
• Transfer rate of 100 Mbps
• Connects computers to networks

Ethernet jack
Ethernet Port
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Types of Ports

• IrDA
• Transfer rate of 4 Mbps
• Uses infrared light waves
• Requires a line of sight

IrDA
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Types of Ports

• Bluetooth
• Transfer rate of 1 Mbps
• Bluetooth 2 has a transfer rate of 3 Mbps
• Uses radio waves to send data over short
  distances

Bluetooth
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Types of Ports

• MIDI Port
• Musical Instrument Digital Interface
• 31.5 Kbps transfer rate

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Adding Ports

• Expansion cards
• New port standards
• Expansion hubs
• Enables several devices to be connected to a port

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Evaluating System Reliability

• Performance
• Slow
• Freezes
• Crashes
• Upkeep and maintenance
• System tools
• Control panel
• Update software and hardware drivers

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Upkeep and Maintenance

• System tools
• Disk defragmenter
• Disk cleanup
• Unnecessary files
• Control panel
• Add/remove programs
• Display
• System
• Device manager

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Update Software and Hardware Drivers

• Software
• Automatic updates
• Patches
• Hardware
• Download updated drivers

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The Last Resort

• If problems persist
• Reinstall the operating system
• Upgrade the operating system to the latest version

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The Final Decision

• How closely does your system come to meeting your
  needs?
• How much would it cost to upgrade your system?
• How much would it cost to purchase a new system?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• How can I determine whether I should upgrade my
  existing computer or buy a new one?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• What does the CPU do and how can I evaluate its
  performance?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• How does memory work and how can I evaluate how
  much memory I need?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• What are the computers main storage devices and
  how can I evaluate whether they match my needs?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• What components affect the output of video and
  how can I evaluate whether they are meeting my
  needs?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• What components affect the quality of sound and
  how can I evaluate whether they are meeting my
  needs?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• What are the ports available on desktop computers
  and how can I determine what ports I need?

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Chapter 6 Summary Questions

• How can I ensure the reliability of my system?