Input/Output Devices

Question 1

What is the purpose of Input/Output devices?

Answer 1

Allow users to interact with a computer.

Question 2

What do Input devices do?

Answer 2

Allow breaking the fetch-decode-execute cycle and enter instructions and receive results through the output devices.

Question 3

Benefits of I/O devices?

Answer 3

Makes computers flexible and easy to use.

Question 4

What is a BIOS?

Answer 4

Basic Input Output Software.

A built-in software that runs a system self-test when the computer is on.

Question 5

What does Self-test do?

Answer 5

Initializes and identifies system devices such as CPU, RAM, video display card, keyboard, mouse etc.

Question 6

What do I/O devices consist of?

Answer 6

Mechanical component: the device itself

Electronic component: the device controller

Question 7

What are the ways computers handle I/O devices?

Answer 7

Interrupts

DMA (Direct Memory Access)

Question 8

What does an Interrupt do?

Answer 8

Used the bus to communicate interrupts. For example, when a key is pressed, an interrupt is generated to deliver the key-press event to the OS.

Question 9

What is DMA?

Answer 9

Direct Memory Address.

Allows devices to directly access the memory and avoids the CPU from waiting for data from devices as their speed is below from the speed of processors.

Question 10

What is the purpose of Input devices?

Answer 10

Providing data and instructions externally.

Question 11

What do Output devices do?

Answer 11

Processed data or information to be presented to the user.