AS Level ICT

1. AS Level ICT Selection and use of output methods, media, and devices: Screens, plotters, and speakers

2. Output methods Outputs come in a variety of different formats including: Hard copy (e.g. paper printouts) On-screen display (e.g. webpage) Digital outputs as inputs (e.g. a weather station’s output is sent in digital form to the National Weather Centre’s computer, where it becomes part of the inputs the computer needs to track and predict the national weather picture)

3. Output methods Digital outputs to portable devices (e.g. files saved from a computer onto an IPod or MP3 player) Digital outputs as control signals (e.g. computer aided manufacture)

4. Output devices Outputs devices include: Printers Screens (also called Visual Display Units) Plotters Speakers and headphones Any device that produces output media (e.g. Flash drives, removable hard drives, CD-ROMs, CD-RW, DVDs)

5. Screens/Visual Display Units The first computer screens were based on television technology They used cathode ray tubes (CRT) to display data onscreen, and were large and cumbersome They are now being replaced by liquid crystal display (LCD) screens which are lighter, easier to use, and are capable of higher screen resolution

6. Screens/Visual Display Units

7. Plotters Plotters are specially optimised to produce technical graphics (e.g. graphs, plans, maps, and designs) They use special pen-like heads to ‘draw’ the output There are two main types of plotter: Flatbed potters: suitable for producing small scale technical drawings Drum plotters: suitable for producing large drawings

8. Plotters

9. Speakers and headphones Speakers and headphones are central to any multimedia system Audio output is integral to video, watching television or listening to radio via a webcast, multimedia presentations, websites, and interactive learning packages

10. AS Level ICT Selection and use of output methods, media, and devices: Screens, plotters, and speakers