ey cat Types and components of computer systems REVISION SUMMARY > Hardware means the physical components of a computer system ‘SYLLABUS (i.e, the parts you can physically touch) whereas software are This section will programs for controlling the operation of the computer or the « Detail the types processing of electronic data and components > Hardware can be either internal (inside the computer casing) or of computer external (outside the computer casing). systems including > Software can be divided into system software and applications hardware and software. System software is the collection of programs that software, the control the running of a computer system. Applications software ‘main components, is software that is used to complete a task such as storing student operating systems, details in a database types of computer and the impact of emerging technologies > The main components of a computer system are the central processing unit (CPU), internal memory (ROM and RAM), input devices, output devices and secondary/backing storage > All computers need an operating system as part of the system software. Operating systems can use a command line interface (CU) or a graphical user interface (GUI) > There is arange of computers to choose from: desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers and smartphones. Viost users connect their computers to networks, mainly the internet, sing wires/cables or wirelessly using 3G/4G technology. > New technologies are being developed all the time and these are called emerging technologies and currently include artificial intelligence, biometrics, vision enhancement, robotics, quantum cryptography, computer-assisted translation, 3D and holographic imaging and virtual reality. 1.1 Hardware and software Hardware — can be internal or external Internal hardware devices are devices inside the computer casing and include the following Processor/central processing unit (CPU) ~ does the processing such as calculations, logic comparisons, sorts, et. Motherboard ~ the main printed circuit board containing the central processing unit and memory and also connectors for connecting external hardware devices such as keyboards, mice, speakers, etc. Random access memory (RAM) ~ memory chips which lose their contents when the power is removed. Read-only memory (ROM) ~ memory chips where the contents cannot be changed by the user and where the contents are retained when the power is removed Video cards — circuits that generate the signals so that a video output device can display computer data such as text and graphics.rac ‘pes andl components of computer systems @ ‘Sound cards — an expansion card that allows a computer to send audio signals to audio devices such as speakers or headphones. Internal hard disk drives a rigid magnetic material coated disk on which programs and data can be stored. External hardware devices are those devices outside the computer casing and include monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, scanners, etc., as well as external storage devices such as some optical drives and portable hard disks. Software Software consists of sets of instructions that tell the computer hardware what to do. There are two types of software: system software and applications software. System software consists of programs that control the computer hardware directly by giving the step-by-step instructions that tell the computer hardware what to do. Here are the components of system software and what they do: * Operating system — controls the system resources and the processes using these resources on a computer. Operating systems control the handling of input, output, interrupts, etc * Device drivers — short programs used to supply the instructions to the hardware on how to operate devices connected to a computer such as a printer, scanner, etc. * Compilers - software that converts programming language instructions into binary code in one go. The binary code can be understood directly by the computer. * Linkers ~ link the code (i.e. program instructions) that the programmer writes with other resources and libraries that make up the whole program file. * Utilities ~ programs to help users with everyday tasks such as: file maintenance, compressing files to make more room, installing and uninstalling software, checking for and removing viruses, etc. Applications software are programs designed to carry out certain tasks such as keeping accounts, storing and organising student details, producing documents, etc 1.2 The main components of computer systems Backing/secondary storage devices a ong mag fetog} Revision. guide: CT Input devices ~ include keyboards, mice, microphones, scanners, etc., and are used to enter data into the computer system for processing by the processor. Processor — sometimes known as the CPU (central processing unit), itis the brain of the computer and it interprets and executes the commands given 10 it by the hardware and software. Internal memory ~ this is where data and instructions are held that are needed immediately by the processor and can be ROM (read only memory) or RAM (random access memory). Backing/secondary storage devices this is storage other than internal memory (i.e. RAM and ROM) and includes the internal hard disk, portable hard disk, optical disks, pen drives, etc. Output devices ~ such as screens, printers and speakers, and are used to output the results of processing the input data. ROM (read only memory) RAM (random access memory) Data and program instructions are stored Data and program instructions are stored permanently temporarily. The computer can only read the contents Can read contents as well as write new contents, Non-volatile, meaning the contents of memory | Volatile, meaning the contents are lost when are retained when there is no power. there is no power Used to store the BIOS program used to boot up the computer when the power is turned on. 1.3 Operating systems Operating systems use the following two main ways of interacting with users Graphical user interface (GUI) ~ consisting of Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers (i.e, WIMP for short). Selections are made by clicking a mouse ‘Command line interface (CLI) ~ commands are entered using the keyboard. Benefits of a GUI Drawbacks of a GUI More user friendly More hard disk space needed to store operating system. No commands to remember. Typing in commands can be faster. Easy to pass data between software packages. _| More RAM and ROM needed Benefits of a CLI Drawbacks of a CLI Can be faster to type commands than to move __ | Commands need to be remembered. and click a mouse. Does not need as much hard disk space as a GUI. | Commands need to be given precisely. Does not need as much ROM and RAM. 29.rac ‘pes andl components of computer systems @ 1.4 Types of computer There are the following types of computer arranged in order of the largest to the smallest: desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone. Most of the exam questions on types of computer are comparative, for ‘example comparing the relative advantages and disadvantages in using a desktop compared to a laptop. The main features of each are summarised in this table: Desktop Laptop Tablet ‘Smartphone Separate components | Allin one so easyto | Light and compact so_| Very light and pocket means itis hard to move easily transported sized. dismantle Used on a desk so less | Often used awkwardly | Uses an on-screen On-screen keyboard is likelihood of RSI or so chance of backache | keyboard which can be | small and hard to use. backache or RSI awkward to use. Needs a mains power | Can be used away ‘Can be used away Can be used away supply. from the mains power. | from the mains power. | from the mains power. Easy to upgrade and | Harder to upgrade and | Harder to upgrade and | Harder to upgrade and repair. repair. repair repair. Full-sized keyboard and | Touch pad is more Uses a touch screen | Small screen makes it mouse are easy to use. | cumbersome to use. | which makes it easy to | more difficult to use surf the net. Flat surface needed to. | No flat surface is Can be used in most | Easiest type to use move mouse on. needed. positions including when on the move standing up. 1.5 Impact of emerging technologies You need to know about the following emerging technologies: Artificial intelligence (Al) - science of computers learning things to become more intelligent and work things out for themselves. Biometrics — uses a property of the human body such as fingerprints, pattern on the back of the eye (ie. the retina) or the pattern on the iris to recognise a person. Can be used for access to phones, buildings, computers and to restrict access at border control at airports and ports. Computer assisted translation ~ automatically recognises the language a section of text isin and then converts it into a language you can understand. Quantum cryptography — uses quantum mechanics to produce a very secute encryption technique. It can detect eavesdroppers and stop the communication. Vision enhancement — detects light as well as some radiation outside the visible spectrum to produce a clearer image. Used by the military to see in poor light and it can enable people with poor eyesight to see more clearly, 3D and holographic imaging — uses lasers to give the illusion of depth in an image, a ong mag fetow Virtual reality — a simulation of the real or an imaginary world. Image is displayed on a headset and you can interact with the system using a keyboard and mouse or using a special glove. Robotics ~ robots are used in factories for welding panels, assembling components, paint spraying, moving and packing stock. Robots can be used in the home for vacuuming or washing floors or mowing grass. ‘Advantages of using robots \dvantages of using robots Can operate continuously 24 hours per day. Initial purchase cost is high. You don’t have to pay them wages: Equipment can go wrong. Can re-program the device to perform different tasks. Fewer people employed leads to unemployment. Expensive specialist programmers needed. More accurate than humansey cat Input and output devices REVISION SUMMARY > Input devices are those devices used to input instructions and ‘SYLLABUS data into the computer for processing. All computers come with This section will a keyboard, which can be a separate keyboard or an on-screen * Detail the input keyboard found on tablets and smartphones. Most computers devices and their use a GUI, which uses a pointing device such as a mouse or uses, direct entry touch pad as an input device to make selections. Sometimes a and associated trackerballl can be used with a GUL. Other input devices used devices and output with desktop and laptop computers, tablets and smartphones devices and their include remote controls, joysticks, touch screens, scanners, ices digital cameras, microphones, graphics tablets, video cameras and web cams. > Direct data entry (DDE) devices do not require data to be typed in by someone. Instead they create machine-readable data and input it directly into the CPU. This reduces the possibility of human ertor and is an economical means of data entry. Direct data entry devices incluce magnetic stripe readers, chip readers and PIN pads, RFID readers, magnetic ink character readers (MICR), optical mark readers (OMR), optical character readers (OCR) and barcode readers. > Output devices are any device that converts the electrical signals representing the results of processing, into a form that exists or can be sensed outside the computer. Output devices include the range of monitors (CRT, TFT/LCD, IPS/LCD, LED) and touch screens which are also input devices. Other output devices include printers (laser, inkjet, dot matrix, wide format and 3D), speakers, motors, buzzers, heaters and lamps/lights. 2.1 Input devices and their uses Input devices are hardware devices used to supply data and instructions to the computer for processing. A summary of each input device is shown here. Many of the examination questions on this topic focus on looking at ‘the relative advantages and disadvantages of pairs of input devices. [_ eytoars | ‘Numeric mare) [Tmoue] [end | vc | Remote control Joystick! driving wheel Sensors (e.g. temperature, pressure, light) Microphone Graphics Video tablet cameraoc eames te cat Keyboard entry Advantages Disadvantages No extra hardware to buy. Slow method for entering large amounts of data, Can visually verify the data on entry by looking at tthe screen, Easy to make typing mistakes so error prone. Can be used to issue instructions. Hard for people with hand/arm disabilities to use. Numeric keypad entry Advantages Disadvantages Small so takes up less space. ‘Small keys can be hard to see. Portable so can be passed to customers to enable a PIN to be entered, ‘Some keys can be used to enter text as well as numbers, which can be confusing Using a mouse Advantages Disadvantages No extra hardware to buy if you have a desktop computer Can cause health problems (e.g. RSI). Easier to make selections, move data, etc. compared to other methods. Needs a flat surface which may not be available. Can easily be configured for right- or left-handed users. Hard for people with hand/arm disabilities to use Using a touch pad Advantages advantages Can be used when there is no flat surface to use a mouse. Can cause health problems (e.g. RSI) No extra device to carry as the touch pad is builtin Harder than a mouse for performing actions such as drag and drop. Faster to navigate compared to keyboard use. Hard for people with hand/arm disabilities to use. Using a trackerball Advantages Disadvantages Easier to control than a mouse if you have limited hancarm moverent. Cost as they have to be purchased separately. ‘Takes up less space than a conventional mouse. Time is needed to get used to using them. a ong mag fetUsing a remote control Advantages Disadvantages Can operate devices at a distance. Signal is easily blocked by objects Batteries are needed, but the power consumption of remote controls is low, so batteries can last a long time, Device is difficult to operate if the remote to it is lost. Using a joystick Advantages Disadvantages They are ideal for quick movement. They need to be purchased separately. Can be operated by foot/mouth so can be used by disabled users Cannot be used easily for the entry of text e.g, the name of the winners of games). Using a to uch screen Advantages Disadvantages No training is needed to use one as most people will have used one already. Germs can be spread if lots of people use it Easier to use while standing, compared to a keyboard, Icons are very small if the screen is small and this makes it hard to use. Faster selection of options compared to using a keyboard. Screen can get dirty, making it hard to see Using a scanner Advantages Disadvantages Can be used with OCR software to enter written text so that it can be entered into word- processing software for editing, Scanners take up a large amount of space on the desk You can scan old photographs and improve/ repair them using photo-editing software. It can take time to scan a lot of documents. Diagrams/pictures can be scanned at high resolution. The scanned image can be poor if the resolution of the scanner is low. Using a digi ‘Advantages No film to develop so instant pictures. Photographers need computer skis Digital images are easy to transfer ‘Compression of images can cause loss in quality Large numbers of photographs can be taken and stored. ‘Some photographers say you get a better photograph using film, Photos can be deleted to free up space. They are included with smartphones, which means you don't need to carry a separate camera Photos are so quick and simple to take that itis easy to amass a great number of photos which then need naming and archiving, 20...oc eames te cat Using a mi icrophone Advantages Disadvantages Safer as you can instruct without using hands (e.g. hands-free phone in a ca). Background noises can cause problems when using microphones for voice recognition. You can use voice recognition to turn speech into text Voice recognition is not completely accurate so mistakes may occur. You can input speech for VoIP which is a cheap way of making international phone calls using the internet. Sound files take up a lot of disk space when stored, Advantages Readings are more accurate than those taken by humans. Purchase cost. Readings can be taken more frequently than by humans. Dirt and grease may affect performance. They work when a human is not present so cost less. ‘An ADC (analogue to digital converter) is needed to connect sensors to a computer as computers can process only digital data. Using a gray phics tablet Advantages Disadvantages Used in countries such as Japan and China where graphical characters are used instead of letters for words. Specialist tablets are expensive. “More accurate to draw freehand on a tablet rather than using a mouse to draw. Large size takes up space on the desk The icons/buttons are on the graphics tablet rather than the screen, leaving more space on tthe screen for the design/drawing. Using a web cam Advantages Disadvantages Can see the reactions of people as you are talking to them. Limited extra features to improve image quality. Parents can see their children and grandchildren and speak to them if they do not live near. The picture quality can be poor at low resolution Can be used to conduct video-conferencing, which saves time and money travelling to meetings Generally have a fixed position so do not move around, a ong mag fetog} Revision. guide: CT 2.2 Direct data entry and associated devices With direct data entry the data is contained on a machine-readable card or form so the data can be input directly into the computer by the input device. Direct data entry devices include magnetic stripe readers, chip and PIN readers, radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, magnetic ink character readers (MICR), optical mark readers and barcode readers ip and PIN. reader Radio frequency identification reader (RFID) Magnetic stripe reader Direct Magnetic ink Barcode reader data entry character reader devices (micr) Optical character] reader (OCR) Optical mark reader (OMA) Using a magnetic stripe reader Advantages Disadvantages Faster input by swiping card rather than typing | Stripes can be damaged by magnetic fields in details, More accurate input of data compared Stripes can store only a small amount to typing, of data “Magnetic stripes are unaffected by water/mosture. | Stripes can wear with use Using a chip reader and PIN pad dvantages Advantages They have reduced fraud as the true cardholder | People sometimes forget their PIN. has to input their PIN. Storage capacity for data on a chip is much Other people can look when the PIN is being higher than that for a magnetic stripe. entered (called ‘shoulder surfing’). Chips are harder to copy compared to a Not all countries can use chip and PIN, so they magnetic stripe. have to use magnetic stripe readers Chips are less likely to be damaged compared to a magnetic stripe. 2o..rac Input and output devices @ Using an RFID reader Advantages Disadvantages Tags can be read at a distance. The readers and tags are expensive. Compared to barcodes tags store more data, Harder to copy compared to a magnetic stripe which reduces fraud RFID systems can scan multiple items Because the tags can be read at a distance some simultaneously. people are worried that others could access the information. Using a magnetic ink character reader Advantages isadvantages Cheque details are read with 100% accuracy. _| The equipment is very expensive. Difficult to forge The cheque's value needs to be input using a keyboard, which is siow. Cheques can be read even if they have been folded. Cheques can be read at very high speed 2.3 Output devices and their uses Output devices convert the electrical signals representing the results of processing, into a form that exists or can be sensed outside the computer. The main output devices are monitors/screens, printers and speakers but ‘the output signals from a computer can be used to switch devices on/off such as heaters, lampsilights, motors, etc., in control systems. Monitors/screens are any display device on which information can be shown. The main types are: CRT monitors - large, heavy old-fashioned monitors that are not energy efficient. TFT/LCD (thin film transistor/liquid crystal display) monitors — thin screens and low power monitors which are replacing CRT monitors because they are smaller and lighter but they have the disadvantage of a narrow viewing angle. These monitors give off less radiation compared to a CRT monitor. 1PS (in-plane switching/LCO screens have a wider viewing angle compared to TFT/LCD and the colour reproduction is better but they do have higher power consumption and are more expensive LED screens use very little power and produce higher quality images compared to ordinary LCD screens. Touch screens are both input and output devices and users are able to alter what they see on the screen. Multimedia projactors project the image onto a much larger screen so that an audience is able to view the output ae oog} Revision. guide: CT Printers The following printers are available Laser printer — use toner cartridges and are fast printers ideal for office work Inkjet printer — use ink cartridges and are good for printing in colour. They are generally more popular for home use. They are cheap to buy but expensive to run as the ink cartridges are expensive. They are also slow and the ink can smudge when wet. Dot matrix printer — uses litte pins which hit an inked ribbon to form dots which make up the shape of a letter. They are slow and noisy but can be useful as they use continuous stationery and can print on multi-part stationery. Wide format printer — use either laser or inkjet technology and are used where the width of the paper is large. 3D printer — a printer that lays down layers of material (e.g. plastic, metal, ceramic) to form a three-dimensional product. Advantages and disadvantages of different types of printer Laser printer Advantages Disadvantages Quiet so can be used in offices where phones are | More expensive to buy. used. Toner cartridges last longer than inkjet cartridges. | Can be larger than other printers so take up more space. High printing speed High power consumption No wet pages with ink that smudges. Colour lasers are very expensive Lower cost per page to print compared to inkjet. Inkjet printer Advantages Disadvantages Usually takes up less space than a laser printer. | Ink cartridges do not last long and so need regular replacement. Low initial purchase cost. Cost more per page than laser printers. High quality photographs can be printed Slower print speed. They do not produce ozone like laser printers | Wet ink on the pages can smudge which could cause health problems. Dot matrix printer Advantages Disadvantages Usually takes up less space than a laser printer. | Very noisy so hard to use a phone if the printer is printing Can be used with continuous stationery. Very low quality print (e.g. appears dotty) Cheaper to run than inkjet printers. Unsuitable for printing graphics. 2e..-rac Input and output devices @ Wide format printers Used for wide printouts (e.g. maps, posters and plans) and can use laser or inkjet technology and are expensive specialist printers. 3D printers Use an additive technique where layers of a substance (usually plastic, glass, ceramic or metal) is repeatedly sprayed in layers to build up the 3D effect. Uses include * Dentistry for producing crowns, bridges, veneers and false teeth that are designed using computer-aided design software and printed using a 3D printer. * For producing prosthetic limbs that fit the patient perfectly, * For producing hearing aids that fit a patient's ear perfectly. * For producing quick prototypes of products (e.g. the body design of a new car). sun ooey cat Storage devices and media REVISION SUMMARY > Storage devices are those devices such as fixed hard disk drives SYLLABUS that read/write data from or onto the storage media, Internal This section will memory (RAM and ROM) is fast but expensive and RAM loses its # Detail storage contents when the power is removed so more permanent storage eee is needed and this is why we have storage devices eee eelnecet > Storage devices are used to hold data and instructions that are not and their uses, needed immediately for processing by the computer. Magnetic and describe their backing storage media includes fixed hard disks which are advantages and internal hardware (ie. inside the casing of the computer) and disadvantages. portable hard disks which are external hardware devices (ie. outside the casing of the computer) that can be easily transported from one computer to another. > Magnetic tapes are storage media that have a large storage capacity and are used mainly for backing up the data stored on a fixed hard disk. > Optical media such as CD ROM, DVD ROM from which data can be read, but a user cannot store data on them, They are used mainly for the distribution of software. DVD ROM has a higher storage ‘capacity than CD ROM and is used for the distribution of films > CD Rand DVDR both allow a user to record data onto the media but only once, so they are useful for archiving files. CD RW allows ‘a user to write data many times to the CD. DVD RW also allows data to be written to the disk many times but the storage capacity is much higher than CD RW. > Solid state backing storage includes pen drives/memory sticks/USB sticks/flash drives which are ideal for backups of small amounts of data and memory cards which are mainly used for storing image files in digital cameras. Solid state backing storage is storage on chips so there are no moving parts, which makes it more durable, 3.1 Storage devices and media Backing storage is storage other than ROM or RAM that is non-volatile (i. does not lose its contents when the power is removed) and is used to hold programs and data not being used. Backing storage devices are the hardware devices that enable data to be written to and read from the storage media, on which the data and programs are stored. Magnetic backing storage media Fixed hard disks, portable hard disks and magnetic tape all store data as a magnetic pattern on the surface of a disk or tape. The drive is the hardware that does the readingAwriting of the data onto the media which 29...rac Storage devices and media ww are magnetic disk or tape. Hard disks have high access speeds so data can be found and read quickly, a high transfer rate so data can be written to the disk quickly, and a high storage capacity Magnetic tape stores data on plastic tape with a magnetic coating on a reel or cartridge. itis ideal for backing up hard disks where all the data on the disk needs to be copied, such as on a server. Because magnetic tape is removable, it can be moved to a safe place. It is not suitable for uses where 2 particular iter of data needs to be read off the tape as it would take too long to find. The access speed is therefore low. Magnetic tape has a much higher storage capacity than a hard disk and the speed at which data can be copied is high and itis mainly used for making backups of data. Optical backing storage media Optical backing storage devices store data as a series of small bumps on a plastic disk acting as the storage media. There are a variety of storage media, some of which can only read the data, some of which can read and write the data only once onto the disk, and some of which can read and write the data many times. Here is a brief summary of the different types of optical backing storage media CD ROM (compact disk read-only memory) ~ data is read-only so the user cannot store their own data on the disk. Ideal for distribution of small programs and music DVD ROM (digital versatile disk read-only memory) stores more data than CD ROM, and like CD ROM it is read-only. Ideal for the distribution of large programs and films. CD R or DVD R (the R means recordable) — user can record data onto the disk but only once. Good for storing downloaded files or other files as a backup, CD RW (the RW means rewritable) - allows the recording and re-use of CDs by a user so data stored can be updated. DVD RW (the RW means rewritable) ~ allows the recording and re-use of DVDs by a user so the data stored can be updated. DVD RAM (digital versatile disk random access memory) - like DVD RW you can save your own data and update it but it is much faster and easier to overwrite the data Blu-ray — higher storage capacity disk compared to DVD and is used to store high definition filmsvideo but can be used to store other data Solid state backing storage — has no moving parts and is small. It can store the data when the power is removed but the storage capacity is smaller than that of a portable hard disk. Memory sticks/pen drives! flash drives/USB sticks and flash memory cards are all examples of solid state backing storage. Uses for flash memory cards include storage of photographs in digital cameras, and memory sticks/pen drives can be used to transfer files between computers. sun ovow Backups Backups are copies of data and programs kept for security purposes in case the originals become damaged or lost. Backup copies must be taken on removable media so they can be moved to a safe place (usually off-site) Portable hard disk, magnetic tape, writable optical media and solid state storage devices are all suitable for taking backups. 3.2 The advantages and disadvantages of the different storage devices You are often asked to make comparisons between devices/media. Here are tables showing the advanta different devicesimedia different storage ges/disadvantages of Fixed hi ard disk Advantages Disadvantages High access speed (i.e. finding and reading data). Not removable like a portable hard disk so no use for transferring files between computers. High transfer rate when writing data Cannot be removed and locked away for security purposes, High storage capacity. Usually higher than optical disks or solid state memory but not as high as magnetic tape. Portable hard disk Advantages Disadvantages High access speed (i.e. finding and reading data). Small size means they are easily lost or stolen. High transfer rate when writing data Easy for confidential data to be copied to them. High storage capacity lke fixed hard disk Easy to attach to any computer with a USB port. Movement between computers means they can spread viruses. ‘Magnet tic tape Advantages Disadvantages Extremely high storage capacity makes them ideal media for backups. Not good for storage where access to different data items is required as access is very slow. Less expensive than similar storage capacity portable hard disks. Cannot update details on the tape without creating a whole new tape. Data transfer rate is high, which makes it fast for taking backups 20...oc eames te cat Storage devices and media ww co RW Advantages Disadvantages User can write their own data onto the disk Since it is optical media itis easily damaged. Data stored on the disk can be altered. Data transfer rate is lower than hard disk. Disks are cheap to purchase. Not all computers have an optical drive to read/ write the disk. CD ROM or DVD ROM Advantages Disadvantages Data cannot be erased off the disk by the user. You cannot store your own data on the disk as it is read-only Can be used to distribute software packages. Since it is optical media itis easily damaged. Blank disks are cheap to purchase. Data transfer rate is lower than hard disk Not all computers have an optical drive to read disk: pvp RAM Advantages isadvantages Faster access to data compared to DVD R or DVD RW. The devices to read/write data are more expensive than other optical devices Faster transfer rate compared to DVD R or DVD RW. Disks are more expensive than other optical media. ‘Some disks are in cartridges which makes them less susceptible to damage compared to other optical disks. Takes longer to write to the disk compared to other writable disk drives. Blu-ray ‘Advantages Disadvantages Higher storage capacity compared to other optical disks enables HD films to be stored, Disks on which a user can store their data are expensive compared to other optical media, Faster transfer rate compared to DVD R or DVD RW. Need a drive capable of reading Blu-ray disks. Can play back video and record simultaneously. Solid state backing storage Advantages Disadvantages No moving parts so less easily damaged Lower storage capacity compared to hard disks. Can be used in any device with a USB port or memory card slot ‘Cannot repair if damaged. Silent in operation. Small 50 easily lost or stolen. Small so easily portable Lower access speed compared to a hard disk Cannot be scratched like optical media, a ong mag fet