Output devices and their advantages and disadvantages

Screen/monitor: useful for enquires, different sizes, colours

TFT/LCD screens: thin film transistor/liquid crystal display, light, cheaper to run - consume less power, do not take up desk space

Plasma screens: larger than TFT/LCD, reception areas, presentations

Printers: Laser - used by businesses/organisations because of high speed

• ADV = supplies last longer, high printing speed, very reliable, not wet pages that smudge
• DIS = more expensive to buy but cheaper to run, colour lasers expensive to buy, power consumption is high

Printers: Inkjet - home users

• ADV = high quality print - photos, brochures, quiet, cheap to buy
• DIS = high cost of the ink cartridges, ink smudges, need special glossy paper

Digital projectors: project computer screen onto a larger screen, presentations

Plotters: output diagrams e.g, maps/plans

Control Devices: issues signals to control devices based on the data they recieve from sensors. Devices that respond to a signal from a computer are called actuators (lights, motors, pumps, buzzers, heaters)

Robotic arms: programmed to perform a sequence of actions

• ADV = no holidays/sick pays, work 24/7, consistency in quality of job, do not need paying but the start up costs are high, can do dangerous/boring jobs e.g, investigate bombs to make sure safe, search for wreckage of aircraft in sea