Input Devices

An input device lets you communicate with a computer. You can use input devices to enter information and issue commands. A keyboard, mouse, scanner, digital camera, touch pads and joystick are examples of input devices.

Some Common Computer Input Devices:

Keyboard

• Used to type data into the computer
• Most common input device today
• Has special keys for giving the computer commands

1. Commands tell the computer to do something, like save the file
2. These special keys are called command or function keys
   

Pointing Devices

• Pointing devices move some object on the screen and can do some action
• Common pointing devices

Mouse - most common pointing device


Track ball - basically an upside down mouse



Joystick



Game controller



Scanner

A scanner allows you to scan documents, pictures, or graphics and view them on the computer. You can also use software to edit the items you scan.

• Used to put printed pictures and text into a computer
• Converts an image into dots that the computer can understand
• To scan text, optical character recognition (OCR) software is needed
  

Digital Camera

• Used to take electronic pictures of an object
• The pictures taken by a digital camera can be used directly by a computer
  

Microphone

• Used to put sound into a computer
• Need sound recording software
  

CD-ROM/DVD-ROM

• Can be used to put both sound and images into a computer
• Use a laser to read a Compact Disk (CD) or a DVD disk
  

Video Capture Card

• Usually place inside the computer's case
• Use to put video into a computer
• Need a video source, either a video camera or video recorder
  

Article Source: http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~it365/module/Basics/input.htm