What is a Peripheral?

What is a Peripheral?

A peripheral is any device that is connected to the outside of a computer and generally used to enhance its abilities or make it more user friendly. This can include things like mice, keyboards, printers, scanners and other input/output devices. Anything not considered as part of the central processing unit (CPU) or memory can be classified as a peripheral device.

What are some types of Peripherals?

There are many different types of peripherals that can be attached to a computer. These include input devices such as keyboards and mice, output devices such as printers and monitors, storage media such as CD/DVD drives, external hard drives and USB thumb drives, communication devices such as network adapters and modems, specialty devices such as game controllers and musical instruments, special purpose cards such as graphics cards and sound cards, expansion buses such as PCI-E for high performance applications, and other miscellaneous items ranging from fans for cooling to digital video cameras for streaming video feeds.

How do Peripherals work?

Peripheral devices typically communicate with the CPU in one of two ways: directly via dedicated cables or via bus technology. Directly connected peripherals are typically limited in their speed but offer dedicated data transfer from device to CPU with no interference from other components on the bus system. Bus systems allow for multi-device connectivity but often require shared bandwidth due to multiple requests made at once by different components on the same bus system. Common buses found in desktop PCs are SATA (Serial ATA), IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) and USB (Universal Serial Bus).

Why are Peripherals important?

Peripherals play an important role in allowing users to interact with computers using their own preferences while also allowing them access to additional data sources relevant to their tasks at hand. Keyboards allow users to type in words quickly without having to point and click each one individually. Printers enable users to get hard copies of documents they’ve created. Scanners help capture text or photos into editable formats. External hard drives provide backup/storage space while freeing up space on the local drive; networking equipment opens up communication with other machines over a network; and digital cameras let people take pictures easily rather than having them manually drawn out by hand.

What is an example of a Peripheral?

An example of a peripheral would be a USB flash drive which allows users to store data onto it for transport between computers or just for extra storage capacity when needed. A USB flash drive does not connect directly into the motherboard but rather connects through available universal serial bus ports located on the back panel of most PC cases these days. Additionally, there are also wireless peripherals which communicate solutions through short-range networks like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which allows mobile phones pictures and audio files transferred almost instantaneously between machines within range without any cables.

Which type of connections do Peripherals use?

The connection method used depends on both the device itself, what it supports and what’s available on the computer itself. If USB ports exist, then this will likely be your go-to option due most modern devices support this connection standard and universal compatibility across all platforms including Windows OS systems (as well Desktop Linux distributions). Other connections may exist depending on what type of motherboard you have installed. Research should be done if you’re looking at connecting specific hardware components such as graphics cards directly onto your PC’s motherboard slots instead via an extension cable or adapter card first.

What is I/O port used for?

I/O ports stand for Input/Output ports, and they connect various external devices like keyboards, joysticks onto your computer's main circuit board. Typically, via BIOS settings or plugging-in these additional hardware components into dedicated slots specifically designed either onboard or externally added expansion card(s). This allows users flexibility when attaching new hardware onto their computer systems reducing the overall time taken compared to manually soldering these parts directly onto their Motherboard PCBs themselves potentially saving money in repair costs later down the line too.

What is the difference between a Peripheral device and an expansion card?

A peripheral device is any device that is connected to the outside of a computer and generally used to enhance its abilities or make it more user-friendly. This can include things like mouse, keyboards, printers, scanners and other input/output devices. An expansion card, however, will plug into specific slots on the motherboard such as PCI Express (PCIe), ISA or AGP and are usually used to improve the performance of the computer by providing additional processing power or specialized functions such as improved graphics. Expansion cards often require dedicated drivers in order to function properly while many peripherals are “plug-and-play” requiring no special driver installation. Just plugging them in and they work right away.

How do you connect Peripherals to a computer?

The most common way of connecting peripherals to a computer is via one universal connection type, USB (Universal Serial Bus). It is found almost exclusively on desktop and laptop PCs these days with several ports available for connecting multiple devices at once over short distances between two computers. Some devices may require an adapter if they don’t support this protocol, but these are normally quite cheap and easily available from local computer stores or online retailers. Other connections exist like Firewire which have been popular in some pro audio and video applications but tend not be used much anymore due to its limited compatibility across PC platforms.

Are all Peripherals compatible with all computers?

In general, no. Although most modern computers should support a wide range of peripherals without issue there can be small differences between models that mean certain accessories won’t work with certain computers even if they appear identical externally. Most manufacturers will list specific details regarding what hardware components are supported on their products so researching before purchasing would be wise if you plan on using certain types of peripherals with your system at home later down the line.

Do I need extra drivers for my Peripherals?

In most cases not. Modern USB based peripherals now work out of the box meaning all you need to do is plug them in and use them straight away without having to download and install any extra Windows Drivers beforehand. However, this isn't always true as some older models may require custom drivers before they become functional or utilize vendor-based software solutions instead so please check each item’s documentation carefully before attempting any connections otherwise unexpected results could occur.

What types of Peripherals require an external power source?

Certain types of peripherals such as printers, projectors and monitors often require an additional power supply to be connected in order for them to function correctly. This is usually due to the amount of electricity they need in order to operate which can't always be provided by a USB connection or other type of wireless connection alone.