Computer Output Devices

An output device is any piece of computer hardware item which utilizes whatever data and commands from your computer in order to perform a task.

Source: Wikipedia

The primary function of an output device is to take information from within the computer system and present it in a way that is possible to interpret by the system user.

  • Possibly the most common type of output device is the display device, which I’ve covered in a fair amount of detail on the site.
  • Another of the more common output devices is the printer, another area that will be covered in detail fairly soon.
  • Another of the more common output devices, that almost every computer system has present, are a pair or set of speakers. Some of these speaker sets can be configured for surround sound effects. Most commonly, speakers are connected to a computer system via the line out port or jack on the sound card or motherboard.
  • Headphones are another form of audio output device. Very similar to speakers in the way they operate, headphones can be connected to the line out port on the sound card or through a dedicated headphone jack.
  • For computer users who are blind or visually impaired, using a standard monitor display device may not be possible. One of the more common methods for a visually impaired user to be able to access what would usually be displayed on a monitor is to use a screen reader. These applications read any text that would appear on the screen and makes use of information that’s available about any presented images or graphics. For example, a well designed website will have alternate text associated with an image that can be read by a screen reader, thereby describing the presented image.
  • Another output device that has been designed for users who are visually impaired is an alternative to standard printers. Instead of printing with standard ink, as do most printers, these printers create a raised tactile output. This output can be created in the Braille reading format or in the form of raised line drawings.

Below are all of the different articles relating to computer output devices, arranged into categories.

Computer Output Devices

Display Devices

Display devices are our windows to be able to see what we’re doing on a computer. From ‘low-tech’ office use monitors to the largest digital displays, all of these devices have similarities and we’ll take a deeper look at those here.