OUTPUT DEVICES CRT Monitor

A monitor displays text and image data passed to it by the computer. A cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor is the type that has been around for years and is large and boxy. CRT monitors are heavy and they take up a lot of desk space. They have largely been replaced by flat-screen monitors. However some are still used in the design industry since the colour accuracy and brightness of CRT monitors is excellent, and designers need to see true-to-life colours. Principal CRT Advantages 1. Highest Resolutions - CRTs run at the highest pixel resolutions generally available. 2. Black-Level and Contrast - Produce a very dark black and the highest contrast levels normally available. They are suitable for use even in dimly lit or dark environments. 3. Color and Gray-Scale Accuracy - CRTs produce the very best color and gray-scale and are the reference standard for all professional calibrations. 4. Motion Artifacts CRTs have fast response times and no motion artifacts. Best for rapidly moving or changing images. 5. Cost - CRTs are less expensive than comparable displays using other display technologies. Principal CRT Disadvantages 1. Sharpness - The CRT's Gaussian beam profile produces images with softer edges that are not as sharp as an LCD at its native resolution. Imperfect focus and color registration also reduce sharpness. 2. Geometric Distortion - Subject to geometric distortion and screen regulation problems. 3. Brightness - Relatively bright but not as bright as LCDs. Not suitable for very brightly lit environments. 4. Emissions - CRTs give off electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields. 5. Physical - They are large, heavy, and bulky. They consume a lot of electricity and produce a lot of heat
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Flat-Screen Monitor (TFT or LCD)

Over the past few years, as they have come down in price, flat-screen displays have replaced CRT monitors. Flat-screen monitors are light in weight and they take up very little desk space. TFT and LCD are two of the technologies used in flat-screen monitors: TFT is Thin-Film-Transistor, and LCD is Liquid-Crystal Display.

Advantages of TFT/LCD monitors:

Space saving Energy Consumption Visual Sharpness Less Eye Strain Adapts Well to Dual Monitor Use

Disadvantages of TFT/LCD monitors:

Fixed native resolution: This determines the displayed text size and unlike CRT monitors, the text size on an LCD monitor cannot be made larger without compromising the page layout in both application programs and web pages. Colour Rendition: Colour rendition or Colour accuracy, if you prefer - is much harder to achieve in LCD monitors due to the inherently non-linear light output from the flat panel, compared to a CRT monitor. Viewing angle: TFT monitors, especially older models suffer very badly in this respect.

LED Display
An LED display is a flat panel display, which uses light-emitting diodes as a video display. An LED panel is a small display, or a component of a larger display. They are typically used outdoors in store signs and billboards, and in recent years have also become commonly used in destination signs on public transport vehicles or even as part of transparent glass area. LED panels are sometimes used as form of lighting, for the purpose of general illumination, task lighting, or even stage lighting rather than display.
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The advantages of using LED monitors:

LED monitors are more superior in terms of picture quality, specifically in colour intensity as well as motion blurring. LED monitors are usually lighter and thinner as compared to LCD monitors. LED monitors can be large enough but will not take too much space on the working desk. LED monitors offer better and sharper colour reproduction as compared to LCD monitors. LED monitors are also used outdoors. Even the large monitors used in the exterior sides of tall buildings make use of LED technology.

The Disadvantages of using LED monitors:

For a better choice of computer monitor, LED has all the advantages with the disadvantages often associated with LCD monitors.

PLASMA DISPLAY PANEL (PDP)

A plasma display panel (PDP) is a type of flat panel display common to large TV displays 30 inches (76 cm) or larger. They are called "plasma" displays because the technology utilizes small cells containing electrically charged ionized gases, or what are in essence chambers more commonly known as fluorescent lamps. Plasma TVs offer large viewing areas (up to 50 inches) but are very thin. While they offer excellent picture quality, they are quite expensive and are fast becoming the popular choice for HDTV.

Advantages
Picture quality Capable of producing deeper blacks allowing for superior contrast ratio Wider viewing angles than those of LCD Less visible motion blur,

Disadvantages
Earlier generation displays were more susceptible to screen burn-in and image retention, recent models have a pixel orbiter that moves the entire picture slower than is noticeable to the human eye, which reduces the effect of burn-in but does not prevent it. Due to the bistable nature of the colour and intensity generating method, some people will notice that plasma displays have a shimmering or flickering effect with a number of hues, intensities and dither patterns. Screen-door effects are possible on screen sizes larger than 127 cm (50 in)

TOUCHSCREEN MONITORS
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that the user can control through simple or multi-touch gestures by touching the screen with one or more fingers. Some touchscreens can also detect objects such as a stylus or ordinary or specially coated gloves. The touchscreen enables the user to interact directly with what is displayed, rather than using a mouse, touchpad, or any other intermediate device (other than a stylus, which is optional for most modern touchscreens). Touchscreens are common in devices such as game consoles, all-in-one computers, tablet computers, and smartphones. They can also be attached to computers or, as terminals, to networks. They also play a prominent role in the design of digital appliances such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games and some books.

ADVANTAGES Touchscreen devices have limited buttons that will possibly break after 3 4 years Touchscreen devices usually have more simple user interfaces Ex. Ipod Apps Having less or not buttons means that you can put more effort into having a big screen For the people worried about hygiene, most devices are easy to clean, some are even dirt, dust and grease resistant For people new or uncomfortable with normal desktops, touchscreens are easy to use

DISADVANTAGES
The screen has to be big enough to be able to touch the buttons without missing Having a big bright screen and needing massive computing power to run this means a very low battery life In direct sunlight it is much less efficient and most of the time very difficult to read the screen If a touchscreen device were to crash the whole screen would be unresponsive, and because of the lack of buttons recovering it would be very difficult The screens will get very dirty They usually cost more than ordinary devices

3D Printing
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques, which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractive processes). A materials printer usually performs 3D printing processes using digital technology. The first working 3D printer was created in 1984 by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corp. The 3D printing technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with applications in architecture, construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive,
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aerospace, military, engineering, civil engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, education, geographic information systems, food, and many other fields. It has been speculated that 3D printing may become a mass market item because open source 3D printing can easily offset their capital costs by enabling consumers to avoid costs associated with purchasing common household objects. Advantages of 3D Printing Print 3d items print movable parts print items in remote locations ability to send items over internet and print out at home plastic used is strong

Disadvantages of 3D Printing no regulations on what can be made example weapons kids could print out dangerous items provide advantages for criminals counterfeiting expensive

Plotter
The plotter is a computer printer for printing vector graphics. A plotter gives a hard copy of the output. It differs from the classical printer by using pens to actualize its pictures and thus produce continuous lines, whereas printers simulate lines by means of a series of tiny dots. Multicolor plotters use different-colored pens to draw their lines. The pens are held in an arm which can lift the pen up or down, and which can move across the paper. The arm and pen create a drawing just like a human could, but much more accurately and more quickly. Plotters are often used by designers and architects since they work with huge pieces of paper, far bigger than anything a normal printer could work with. Plotters are used to print designs of ships and machines, plans for buildings and so on.
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ADVANTAGES OF A PLOTTER
Plotters are faster than other types of printing machines, including the desktop printer. The technology allows precision printing at a higher rate of output, and there is typically less need for manual adjustments during printing. This also increases the speed or rate of output printing of the plotter. The versatility of the plotter is another major advantage. This allows you to print and manipulate the plotter in a number of ways, and it aslo allows it to be connected to any types of machine. The precision of the plotter is the main advantage for engineering drawings. Plotters have advanced technology that allows them to print more precise lines. DISADVANTAGES OF A PLOTTER Plotters can take over half an hour to produce a print, depending on the size and complexity of the image being produced. Altough plotter printers are able to reproduce a number of images, they are not able to print photo-quality images like inkjet printers. Plotters are only suitable for producing line drawings. They cannot produce the kind of text and images that an ink-jet or laser printer could. Plotter printers can cost quite a bit more than other printers. For cramped work areas, plotters take up a lot of space. The average plotter is 42 inches wide. Types of Plotters Plotters are divided into two types: Drum plotters & Flatbed plotters

Drum Plotter
A drum plotter is also known as Roller Plotter. It consists of a drum or roller on which a paper is placed and the drum rotates back and forth to produce the graph on the paper. It also consists of mechanical device known as Robotic Drawing Arm that holds a set of colored ink pens or pencils. The Robotic Drawing Arm moves side to side as the paper are rolled back and forth through the roller. In this way, a perfect graph or map is created on the paper. This work is done under the control of computer. Drum Plotters are used to produce continuous output, such as plotting earthquake activity.
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Flatbed Plotter
A flatbed plotter is also known as Table Plotter. It plots on paper that is spread and fixed over a rectangular flatbed table. The flatbed plotter uses two robotic drawing arms, each of which holds a set of colored ink pens or pencils. The drawing arms move over the stationary paper and draw the graph on the paper. Typically, the plot size is equal to the area of a bed. The plot size may be 20by-50 feet. It is used in the design of cars, ships, aircrafts, buildings, highways etc. Flatbed plotter is very slow in drawing or printing graphs. The large and complicated drawing can take several hours to print. The main reason of the slow printing is due to the movement mechanical devices. Today, mechanical plotters have been replaced by thermal, electrostatic and ink jet plotters. These systems are faster.

CONTROL DEVICES
Computers can also be used to control other devices such as switches, lights, pumps and motors. These devices are output devices.

Output - Control Actuators

A normal PC has no way of affecting what is happening around it. It cant turn on the lights, or make the room hotter. We can give it the ability to do lots of things by connecting a range of actuators to it. An actuator is a device, controlled by a computer, that can affect the real-world. Actuators are transducers and are used to take signals from a computer and convert them into some form of motion, for example operating motors, pumps, switches and valves. As part of the control process, digital signals are sent from the computer to an actuator to operate a device. Usually, conversion of the digital signal to analogue is required first (using a DAC).
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Examples of actuators, and what they can do are: Actuator Light bulb or LED Heater Cooling Unit Motor Pump Buzzer / Bell / Siren What it Can Do Creates light Increases temperature Decreases temperature Spins things around Pushes water / air through pipes Creates noise

Motors
Motors can provide movement. For example, the motor in a washing machine can be controlled by a computer - it is switched on when the clothes are loaded for washing and switched off at the end of the wash. Computer-controlled motors are also found in microwave ovens (to turn the food around) and air-conditioning units (to drive the fan)

Pumps
A pump is basically a motor attached to a device that can push water or air along pipes. When the motor is switched on, water or air flows along the pipes to places it is needed. Pumps are used in many places: as part of watering systems in greenhouses, in factories, etc.

Buzzer
Buzzers can provide noise. For example, the buzzer in a microwave oven can be switched on by the controlling computer when the food is cooked. Louder noises can be made using a siren or an electric bell, for example in a burglar alarm system.

Lights
Light bulbs and LEDs can be used to provide light, or to indicate something. For example, computer-controlled lights are used in traffic lights, at music concerts. Lights are used in car dashboards to show if the any of the systems in the car have problems.

Heaters / Coolers
Heaters can provide heat, and coolers can cool things down. A computer can switch a heater on or off when needed to keep a room or a greenhouse at the correct temperature during winter. A computer can switch a cooling unit on or off to keep a room at the correct temperature during hot weather, or to keep food fresh.

SHALYN
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Modeling
Additive manufacturing takes virtual blueprints from computer aided design (CAD) or animation modeling software and "slices" them into digital crosssections for the machine to successively use as a guideline for printing. Depending on the machine used, material or a binding material is deposited on the build bed or platform until material/binder layering is complete and the final 3D model has been "printed." A standard data interface between CAD software and the machines is the STL file format. An STL file approximates the shape of a part or assembly using triangular facets. Smaller facets produce a higher quality surface. PLY is a scanner generated input file format, and VRML (or WRL) files are often used as input for 3D printing technologies that are able to print in full color. A prototype is an early sample, model or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is designed to test and trial a new design to enhance precision by system analysts and users. Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a real, working system rather than a theoretical one. SHALYN DSA, GR. 10
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