Section 4.1: Peripheral Devices
- Connection types :
- PS/2
- USB
- Firewire
- Serial
- Parallel
- PC Card (PCMCIA)
- PCI Express (ExpressCard)
- Troubleshooting techniques specific to the following devices:
- Input devices
- USB/Firewire
- Common interfaces used for connecting input devices include:
- 6-pin mini-DIN (PS/2 connector) for keyboard and mouse
- USB for keyboard, mouse, and other devices
- Infrared and wireless connections for keyboards, mouse, and other devices
- DB-9 (serial) connector for specialized input devices
- Considerations for selecting the following input devices:
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Touchscreen
- Digitizer
- Game pad
- Scanner
- Barcode reader
- KVM switch
Students will learn how to:
- Connect peripheral devices using the appropriate cables and connectors.
- Add USB and Firewire support using adapter cards and motherboard header devices.
- Edit peripheral device settings in the BIOS.
- Install, update, and roll back device drivers.
- Enable, disable, and uninstall devices using Device Manager.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What is the difference in the way that serial devices transmit data and parallel devices transmit data?
- Why might you have a resource sharing problem if you install a serial device on both COM 2 and COM 4?
- What type of ports are common parallel devices such as printers and scanners connected to?
- What types of peripheral devices does USB support?
- How can you verify that a device is compatible with the version of Windows on the system?
- What is different about installing a USB device driver and installing drivers for other device types?
Video/Demo Time
4.1.1 Peripheral Devices 4:11
4.1.3 Input Devices 3:32
Total 7:43
Lab/Activity
- Connect a KVM Switch
Number of Exam Questions
4 questions
Total Time
About 25 minutes
Section 4.2: Serial, Parallel, and PS/2
- Interfaces for connecting devices:
- Serial devices
- Parallel devices
- PS/2 devices
- Identifying common connectors:
- Serial Connectors
- Parallel connectors
- PS/2 Connectors
Students will learn how to:
- Select the correct port to use to install different peripheral devices.
- Install peripheral devices such as keyboards, serial devices, and parallel devices.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What is the difference between serial and parallel communications?
- Theoretically, which form of communication (serial or parallel) provides faster communication?
- Generally speaking, which form of communication (serial or parallel) will provide communication over longer distances without amplification?
- What is the relationship between the serial port and the COM ports? Between the parallel port and LPT ports?
- What is the difference between SPP and EPP standards?
- What are three ways you can tell the difference between a keyboard and mouse PS/2 port?
- How do you configure a computer to use EPP?
Video/Demo Time
4.2.1 Serial, Parallel, and PS/2 9:19
Lab/Activity
- Connect Devices
Number of Exam Questions
6 questions
Total Time
About 25 minutes
Section 4.3: USB
· USB versions:
o 1.0/1.1
o 2.0
o 3.0
· Types of USB connectors:
o A Connector
o B Connector
o Mini Connector (4 pin)
o Mini Connector (5 pin)
o Micro Connector
· Methods to connect a USB device to a computer:
o Directly to a USB port on a computer.
o To an external USB hub.
· Types of USB devices:
o Self-powered
o Bus powered
Students will learn how to:
- Identify typical USB connectors and ports.
- Connect devices such as a printer and a camera.
- Select and install USB devices based on customer requirements.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What are the differences between USB 1.1 and 2.0?
- What types of devices are typically self-powered? Bus–powered?
- What are the power requirements for a low-powered and high-powered bus powered-device?
- Where do you typically connect the B end of a USB cable?
Video/Demo Time
4.3.1 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 15:56
4.3.2 USB Components
2:00
Total 17:56
Lab/Activity
- Install USB Devices
- Install USB Adapter
Number of Exam Questions
7 questions
Total Time
About 40 minutes
Section 4.4: IEEE 1394 (Firewire)
- Trademarked names for IEEE 1394-based products
- Firewire
- i.Link
- Lynx
- Firewire specifics
- IEEE 1394 standards
o 1394
o 1394.A
o 1394.B
o 1394.3
- Details about IEEE 1394
- Common IEEE 1394 cables and connectors
- 6-pin connector
- 4-pin connector
Students will learn how to:
· Connect peripheral devices to a Firewire port.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What are the additional functions of a six-wire IEEE 1394 over a four-wire IEEE 1394 cable?
- What is the maximum cable length of an IEEE 1394 cable?
- What are common devices that use IEEE 1394?
Video/Demo Time
4.4.1 Firewire 3:31
Lab/Activity
- Connect Firewire Devices
Number of Exam Questions
4 questions
Total Time
About 15 minutes
Section 4.5: Display Devices
- Considerations when choosing a CRT monitor:
- Screen size
- Resolution
- Display type
- Dot pitch
- Refresh rate
- Interlacing
- Additional features
- Characteristics of LCD monitors:
- Display characteristics
- Display types
- Backlight method
- Aspect ratio
- Resolution
- HDTV support
- Screen size
- Dead pixels
- Filters
- Types of LED monitors
- Edge-lit backlights using white LEDs (EL-WLED)
- RGB LED
- Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED)
- Types of video interfaces:
- D-sub
- DVI-A
- DVI-D
- DVI-I
- DMS-59
- Composite video
- S-video
- HDTV (component)
- HDMI
- DisplayPort
- Cable TV (F-type)
- Settings for the monitor and video adapter:
- Resolution
- Color depth
- Monitor relationship
- Refresh rate
- Hardware acceleration
- Color management
Students will learn how to:
- Identify digital and analog connectors by sight.
- Select the appropriate monitor based on customer requirements and system support.
- Configure display properties in Windows including dual monitor support.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What feature of a non-interlaced monitor makes it a better quality than an interlaced monitor?
- Which LCD display type typically has the fastest response time? What uses make a monitor with a slow response time a poor choice?
- Which LCD display type has the best color representation and viewing angle?
- What are two methods used for the backlight in LCD monitors?
- Which aspect ratio is used by high definition movies and television?
- What is the difference between 720p, 1080p, and 1080i? Which would you choose for full HDTV support?
- How can you tell the difference between a DVI-A and a DVI-D cable?
- Which connectors are used for an analog video signal? Which connectors provide only a digital signal?
- What are the advantages of dual link cables over single link cables?
- What is the difference between composite and component video?
- When might you see an F-type connector on a video card?
Video/Demo Time
4.5.1 CRT Monitors 15:04
4.5.3 LCD Monitors
6:27
4.5.5 LED and Plasma Monitors 14:54
4.5.7 Videos Interfaces
7:24
4.5.13 Configuring
Display Settings 8:46
4.5.16 Optimizing Video
8:01
Total 60:36
Lab/Activity
- Connect Monitors
- Install a VGA Monitor
- Choose and Configure a Monitor
- Install an HDTV Monitor
- Configure Dual Monitors
- Optimize Video Settings
Number of Exam Questions
16 questions
Total Time
About 130 minutes
Section 4.6: Device Installation
- Factors related to installing hardware devices:
- System resources
- Plug and Play (PnP)
- Driver
- Hot swapping/plugging
- Guidelines for installing devices
- Using Device Manager to view installed devices and their status.
Students will learn how to:
- Install devices using drivers included with Windows and drivers available on disc.
- Use Device Manager to verify the proper installation of devices.
- Safely remove hot swappable devices.
- Configure Windows to search Windows Update for updated drivers.
- Configure driver signing behavior in Windows.
- Update device drivers.
Lecture Focus Questions:
- What type of hardware devices use DMA channels to communicate directly with RAM?
- When is manual configuration of a device necessary?
- What system rights are required to install devices?
- What is the role of the driver?
- What is the importance of driver signing? What should you be aware of when using a driver that is not signed?
- How do you safely remove a hot swappable component?
- How do you verify that a device is compatible with the version of Windows you are running before you purchase it?
- Why is it good practice to check the manufacturer's Web site for an updated driver, rather than using the driver included on the installation disk?
Video/Demo Time
4.6.1 Device Installation
5:47
4.6.2 Installing Devices 15:06
4.6.3 Managing Devices 17:52
Total 38:45
Lab/Activity
- Manage Devices
Number of Exam Questions
5 questions
Total Time
About 55 minutes