The previous output devices are standard with most computers today but there are some other more specialised devices, which many computer systems do have. These include the modem, the fax/modem, speakers, head phones, routers and data projectors.
At first, most computers connected to the Internet using a Modulator/Demodulator (Modem) or a Fax/Modem connected to the telephone line. However, the latest technology uses routers connected to either a digital telephone line called an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) or to a fibre network. We will discuss this hardware in a later Learning Unit, when we look at the Internet.
Speakers and Head Phones
These speakers plug into the audio output port of the computer. If you combine headphones with a microphone, it is called a headset.
Data Projectors
This is a device which works in a similar way to a monitor, however, instead of outputting onto the monitor only, the output is projected though the device onto a screen for a bigger audience to view. The latest technology uses a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port to connect the projector but some older projectors still use the Video Graphics Array (VGA) port. These VGA and HDMI connectors are interface standards used for cables that connect devices — such as laptop computers and DVD players — to a display, like a TV, computer monitor or projector.