Output Devices. What is Output? Output is data that has been processed into useful form, now called Information.

Output Devices

What is Output?

Output is data that has been processed into useful form, now called Information

Types of Output Hard copy:

printed on paper or other permanent media

Soft copy: displayed on screen

or by other non-permanent means

Categories of Output Text documents

including reports, letters, etc.

Graphicscharts, graphs,

pictures

Multimediacombination of text,

graphics, video, audio

Output Devices The most used

means of Output are the printer and the computer screen. Let's look at the features of each.

PRINTER

The job of a printer is to put on paper what you see on your monitor. How easy this is to do and how successfully it is done determines whether or not you are happy with your printer choice.

PRINTER

Monitor screens and printers do not use the same formatting rules. In the olden days of computers, the way something looked on the screen could be VERY different from how it would look when printed.

PRINTER

Early word processors didn't have a way to show what the printed version would look like. Now a word processor that doesn't have print preview, would be laughed off the shelf. Most have a WYSIWYG view, where you see almost exactly what the document will look like in print, while you are still working on it.

How fast? The speed of a

printer is measured in:cps = characters per

second lpm = lines per minute ppm = pages per

minute The faster the

printing, the more expensive the printer.

What paper type used? Continuous-Form

Paper Advantage:

Don’t need to put in new paper often

Disadvantage: May need to separate

the pages and remove the strips of perforations

What paper type used? Single Sheet Advantage:

Can change to special paper easily, like letterhead or envelopes

Disadvantage: Must add paper more

often

What print quality? LQ – Letter Quality

as good as best typewriter output

NLQ – Near Letter Quality nearly as good as best

typewriter output Draft

used internally or for a test print

The better the quality, the slower the printing.

What print quality?

A more numerical measure of print quality is printer resolution. Measured in dots per inch (dpi), this determines how smooth a diagonal line the printer can produce. A resolution of 300 dpi will produce text that shows jagged edges only under a magnifying glass.

What print quality?

A lower resolution than this will produce text with stair-step edges, especially at large sizes. Even higher resolutions are needed to get smooth photo reproduction. Professionals in graphics use 1200 to 2400 dpi printers.

What will it print? Printers vary in what varieties of type

they can print. You must know the limits of your printer to avoid unhappy surprises!

Typeface Set of letters, numbers, and special

characters with similar designCopper Black, Forte, Jokerman

Styles Bold, italic, underlined...

What will it print? Size Measured in points

One point = 1/72 of an inch like: 12 pt 18 pt 24 pt 36 pt

Use 10 or 12 pt for writing a letter or report. Font

A complete set of letters, etc. in the same typeface, style, and size

Color Printing in color takes longer, uses more

expensive inks/toner, looks best on more expensive papers, but can add a lot to the quality of the output

What will it print? Graphics

Pictures add a lot to a document, but not all printers can print graphics.

How big? The footprint, or the

physical size of a printer, determines where it can be placed.

What kind of cable connection? Serial cable

Sends data only 1 bit at a timePrinter can be up to 1000 feet away from the

computer. Maximum data transfer speed = 115 kilobits/s

(.115Mbits/s) Parallel cable

Sends data 8 bits at a timePrinter must be within 50 feet of the computer. Maximum data transfer speed: 115 kilobytes/s

(.115MBYTES/s). This is 8 times faster than the maximum serial speed.

What kind of cable connection? Newer printers may need bi-directional

cable so that the printer can talk back to the computer. Such a cable is required if the printer can give helpful error messages. It's startling, but nice, the first time your computer politely says "Ink is getting low" or "Please place paper in the AutoSheet feeder.“

What kind of cable connection? USB cable

Printer must be within 5 meters (16.5 feet) of the computer, when connecting straight to the computer.

[You can hook up several 5 m. cables and USB hubs in a chain - up to 25 meters.]

Maximum data transfer speed: 12 megabits/s (1.5 MBYTES/s) Lots faster!

What kind of cable connection? Best choice:

The new USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection is likely your best choice, if your printer can use it. It is faster and a USB connector can be unplugged and re-plugged without turning off the system.

What kind of cable connection? Best choice:

USB ports are gradually, but rapidly, replacing parallel ports. The printer cannot handle the data as fast as the USB port can send it. The real limit on how fast a printer works is in how fast printer can get the characters onto the paper.

Serial cable may have to be used if a printer is shared in a fairly large office, due to the length needed.