Output Devices

An output device is any hardware that gives out the results produced by the computer, converting the computer's electronic signals into a form a human can see, hear, or hold. Output devices form the output unit of the computer.

Output can be of two kinds: soft copy — output shown on a screen or as sound, which is temporary and disappears when the device is switched off (for example, what you see on a monitor); and hard copy — output printed on paper, which is permanent and can be held and filed (for example, a printed report).

Common output devices:

1. Monitor (Visual Display Unit, VDU). The most common output device, it shows text, pictures, and video on a screen as soft copy. Older monitors used the CRT (cathode-ray tube); modern ones use LCD or LED flat screens.
2. Printer. Produces hard copy output on paper. Printers are of several types:
   • Impact printers, such as the dot-matrix printer, which strike an inked ribbon against the paper (noisy, lower quality, but cheap for multi-copy work).
   • Non-impact printers, such as the inkjet printer (sprays tiny drops of ink) and the laser printer (uses a laser and toner powder for fast, high-quality printing).
3. Plotter. A device that draws high-quality line diagrams, maps, and engineering or architectural drawings on large sheets of paper.
4. Speakers / headphones. Give out sound output — music, speech, and system sounds — as soft copy.
5. Projector. Throws the computer's display onto a large screen or wall so that a whole group can see it, as in a classroom or a business presentation. …