Output Devices

Output Devices

1. Plotter

   • Function
     • Produce large, accurate drawings
     • Blueprints of buildings, maps, giant posters and adverts
     • Draw image on the page using coloured pens which are moved around the paper by a computer
     • Drum and flatbed
     • Printing on very large pieces of paper
   • Advantages
     • Produce much larger printouts
     • Extremely high quality
     • Cut out designs for use in sign making
   • Disadvantages
     • Very slow
     • Very expansive to buy
     • Very expansive to maintain

2. Dot Matrix Printer

   • Disadvantages
     • Very noisy
     • Very slow
     • Very poor quality
   • Function
     • A set of pins to press an inked ribbon against paper
     • Robust and can be used in noisy and dirty environment
     • Can make 'Carbon Copies' of a document using special 'Carbon paper'
   • Advantages
     • Ideal only in dusty and dirty environment
     • Cheap to buy and run
     • Carbon copies
     • Good for continuos printing

3. Laser Printer

   • Advantages
     • Very fast
     • Toner cartridges last long
     • High volume printouts
     • Very quiet
     • High quality
     • Don't breakdown as easily as inkjet printers
     • Cheaper to run than inkjet printer
   • Disadvantages
     • Environment unfriendly
     • Produce ozone
     • Use more power than inkjet printers
     • More expansive to buy
     • Large in size
   • Function
     • Use toner pressed on a page to produce printed documents
     • Buffer memory which stores the information for the whole document
     • Using a laser beam to 'draw' onto a drum

4. Ink Jet Printer

   • Function
     • Ink is stored in and delivered to the paper via an ink cartridge
     • Small amount of internal memory
     • Spraying ink onto a paper
     • Idea for single page, low volume printing
   • Advantages
     • Very high quality
     • Cheaper to buy
     • Smaller than laser printer
     • Do not produce ozone and harmful compounds
     • Very quiet
   • Disadvantages
     • Slow printing rates
     • Don't last long
     • Espansive to run
     • Easily smudge

Images and files in the map