All Topics  
Peripheral

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Peripheral
 
 
  Topics Peripheral Topic Home

A peripheral is a device attached to a host computer behind the chipset
Chipset

A chipset or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product....
 whose primary functionality is dependent upon the host, and can therefore be considered as expanding the hosts capabilities, while not forming part of the system's core architecture
Computer architecture

Computer architecture in computer engineering is the conceptual design and fundamental operational structure of a computer system. It is a blueprint and functional description of requirements and design implementations for the various parts of a computer, focusing largely on the way by which the central processing unit performs internally an...
.

of the more common peripheral devices are printers
Computer printer

File:Lexmark X5100 Series.jpgIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy of documents stored in computer file form, usually on physical print media such as paper or Transparency ....
, scanners
Image scanner

In computing, a scanner is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass window for scanning....
, disk drives, tape drive
Tape drive

A tape drive, which is also known as a streamer, is a computer hardware that reads and writes data stored on a magnetic tape data storage....
s, microphone
Microphone

A microphone, sometimes referred to as a mike or?more recently?mic, is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal....
s, speakers, and camera
Camera

A camera is a device that records images, either as a still photograph or as moving images known as videos or movies. The term comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism of projecting images where an entire room functioned as a real-time imaging system; the modern camera evolved from the camera obscura....
s. Peripheral devices can also include other computers on a network system.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Peripheral'
Start a new discussion about 'Peripheral'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


A peripheral is a device attached to a host computer behind the chipset
Chipset

A chipset or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product....
 whose primary functionality is dependent upon the host, and can therefore be considered as expanding the hosts capabilities, while not forming part of the system's core architecture
Computer architecture

Computer architecture in computer engineering is the conceptual design and fundamental operational structure of a computer system. It is a blueprint and functional description of requirements and design implementations for the various parts of a computer, focusing largely on the way by which the central processing unit performs internally an...
.

Overview

Some of the more common peripheral devices are printers
Computer printer

File:Lexmark X5100 Series.jpgIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy of documents stored in computer file form, usually on physical print media such as paper or Transparency ....
, scanners
Image scanner

In computing, a scanner is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass window for scanning....
, disk drives, tape drive
Tape drive

A tape drive, which is also known as a streamer, is a computer hardware that reads and writes data stored on a magnetic tape data storage....
s, microphone
Microphone

A microphone, sometimes referred to as a mike or?more recently?mic, is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal....
s, speakers, and camera
Camera

A camera is a device that records images, either as a still photograph or as moving images known as videos or movies. The term comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism of projecting images where an entire room functioned as a real-time imaging system; the modern camera evolved from the camera obscura....
s. Peripheral devices can also include other computers on a network system. A device can also refer to a non-physical item, such as a pseudo terminal
Pseudo terminal

In Unix, a pseudo terminal is a pseudo-device pair that provides a text terminal interface without associated Virtual console , computer terminal or serial port hardware....
, a RAM drive, or a virtual network adapter.

Some people do not consider internal devices such as video capture cards to be peripherals because they are added inside the computer case; for them, the term peripherals is reserved exclusively for devices that are hooked up externally to the computer. It is debatable however whether PCMCIA cards qualify as peripherals under this restrictive definition, because some of them go fully inside the laptop, while some, like WiFi
WIFI

WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a Variety radio format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by Forsythe Broadcasting....
 cards, have external appendages.

The term is different from computer accessories: Computer peripheral has a narrow meaning that refers only to the input output devices of a computer, whereas, computer accessories has a broader meaning, that refers, all the parts that support a computer which includes motherboards, sensors, chips, including all the input and output devices.

Common peripherals


  • Storage
    Computer storage

    Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components, devices, and recording medium that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time....
  • Input
    Input

    Input is the term denote either an entrance or changes which are inserted into a system and which activate/modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the model ing, system design and system exploitation....
    • Input device
      Input device

      An input device is any peripheral used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system . Input and output devices make up the hardware interface between a computer as a or 6DOF controller....
  • Output
    Output

    Output is the term denote either an exit or changes which exit a system and which activate/modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the model ing, system design and system exploitation....
    • Output device
      Output device

      An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system to the outside world....
    • Display device
      Display device

      A display device is an output device for presentation of information for visual, tactile or Hearing_ reception, acquired, stored, or transmitted in various forms....
    • Graphical output device
    • Computer display
      Computer display

      A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays images generated from the video output of devices such as computers, without producing a permanent record....


See also

  • Expansion card
    Expansion card

    An expansion card in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard to add additional functionality to a computer system....
  • Computer hardware
    Computer hardware

    A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer....


External links