Binary Number System Basics

Power Supply

• Supplies power to the entire desktop computer system
• Plugs into an electrical outlet and receives power
• Converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC)
• Regulates current and smooths out voltage spikes to prevent damage to electronic components

Optical Drive (DVD/CD ROM)

• Uses a laser to read and write data on optical discs (DVD/CD)
• Reads data as zeros and ones from millions of small dips and bumps on the disc
• Can read and write data on discs, with the laser "burning" data onto the disc

Network Interface Card (NIC) or WiFi Card

• Connects a computer to a computer network (LAN)
• Allows for wired Ethernet or wireless WiFi connection
• Gives a computer its networking capabilities

Printers

Non-Impact Printers

• Do not use a striking device to produce characters on paper
• Quieter than impact printers
• Print a complete page at a time, also known as Page Printers
• Types of non-impact printers:

Inkjet Printers

• De-facto standard for consumer/home-use printers
• Inexpensive and use liquid ink that is relatively inexpensive to replace
• Can produce high-quality color printing or fast monochrome prints

Laser Printers

• Use a laser beam to heat a toner material that embeds itself onto the paper
• Most business-oriented models are monochrome, but there are color laser printers
• Toner cartridges are typically more expensive than ink, but last longer
• Faster print speed than inkjet printers, with higher print quality

Storage Measurements

• Basic unit of computer data storage is a bit (binary digit)
• Computers use bits to store and process data
• 1 byte = 8 bits
• Size examples:
  • 1 bit = answer to a yes/no question
  • 1 byte = a number from 0 to 255
  • 90 bytes = enough to store a typical line of text from a book
  • 4 KB = about one page of text
  • 120 KB = the text of a typical pocket book
  • 3 MB = a three-minute song (128k bitrate)
  • 650-900 MB = an CD-ROM
  • 1 GB = 114 minutes of uncompressed CD-quality audio at 1.4 Mbit/s
  • 8-16 GB = size of a normal flash drive

Memory

• Primary memory is an essential component of a computer system
• Program and data are loaded into primary memory before processing
• CPU interacts directly with primary memory to perform read or write operations
• Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is currently working
• Has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off
• Types of primary memory:

Random Access Memory (RAM)

• Volatile, meaning data is lost when power is switched off
• Used to store data temporarily while the computer is working
• Faster than secondary memory or storage devices
• Further classified into two types: SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)

Read Only Memory (ROM)

• Not mentioned in the provided text

Learn about the basic unit of computer data storage, the bit, and how computers use binary numbers to store and process information. Explore how binary files are translated into words and pictures by software, and compare the binary number system to the decimal number system.