Input and Output

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

MICR is a character recognition technology used primarily by the banking industry to facilitate the processing of cheques and allows computers to read information (such as account numbers) off of printed documents. MICR font is usually used to print checks, deposit slips, mortgage coupons, etc.

There are various types of MICR fonts:

• MICR E-13B font is used in the Canada, Panama, Puerto Rico, UK, and the United States.
  
• MICR CRC-7 was created according to the ISO standards and is a font used in France, Mexico, Spain, and most other Spanish speaking countries.
  

Optical-Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR is the mechanical translation of images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text (usually captured by a scanner) into machine-editable text.An OCR system enables you to take a book or a magazine article, feed it directly into an electronic computer file, and then edit the file using a word processor.

The potential of OCR systems:

• They enable users to harness the power of computers to access printed documents.
  
• They are being used in the legal profession, where searches that once required hours or days can now be accomplished in a few seconds.
  

 

Optical-Mark Recognition (OMR)

OMR is the technology of electronically extracting intended data from marked fields, such as checkboxes and fill-in fields, on printed forms which it was distinguished from OCR that do not required any recognition engine.

OMR is useful for applications:

• Large numbers of hand-filled forms need to be processed quickly and accurately, such as surveys, reply cards, questionnaires and ballots.
  

 

Dot-matrix Printer

Dot-matrix Printer which also known as impact matrix printer is a type computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like a type writer. These printers can create carbon copies and carbon-less copies because the printing involves mechanical pressure.

Dot-matrix printers vary in two important characteristics:

• Speed: Given in character per seconds (cps), the speed can vary from about 50 to over 500 cps. Most dot-matrix printers offer different speeds depending on the quality of print desired.
  
• Print quality: Determined by the number of pins (the mechanisms that print the dots), it can vary from 9 to 24. The best dot-matrix printers (24 pins) can produce near letter-quality type, although you can still see a difference if you look closely.
  

 

Plotter

A plotter is a vector graphics printing devices to print graphical plots that connects to computer. Plotters differ from printer in that they draw lines using a pen which can results a continuous lines, whereas printers can only simulate lines by printing a closely spaced series o dots. Multicolor plotters use different-colored pens to draw different colors.

There are two types of main plotters:

• Pen plotters
  
• Electrostatic plotters.
  

 

Photo Printer

A photo printer is a printer (usually an inkjet printer) that is specifically designed to print small and high quality digital photos on photo paper (4x6" and 5x7"). These printers usually have a very high number of nozzles and are capable of printing droplets as small as 1 picoliter.

 

Portable Printer

Portable is used as electronics miniaturizes and increases in quality and cropping up new novelties. This technology can print from camera phones, digital camera or memory cards.

Fax Machine

A fax machine is a device that prvided scan, transmits, receives and prints documents (faxes) transmitted by telephone and allows the user to fax information over a communication line. A fax machine is one of the most invaluable methods of transmitting information that was ever invented. It has allowed transactions ranging from sending letters and photos between loved ones to finalizing major corporate mergers.

Multifunctional Device

Multifunctional device is a device that serves several functions, including printing. In short, it can act as a printer, a scanner, a fax machine and a photocopier. 

The disadvantages of combining all these functions in one device are:

• If the device breaks, you may lose all of its functions at the same time.
  
• You can only do one operation at a time. For example, you can't print a document and receive a fax at the same time.

Internet Telephones

An Internet phone service uses the Internet to send voice instead of using phone lines. Home services have softphones: your computer becomes your telephone, and you talk via a handset or a headset plugged into USB ports. Internet telephony products are called IP telephony, Voice over the Internet (VOI) or Voice over IP (VOIP) products.

There are many Internet telephony applications available:

• Popular web browsers- CoolTalk and NetMeeting.
• stand-alone products.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

VoIP systems employ session control protocols to control the set-up and tear-down of calls as well as audio codecs which encode speech allowing transmission over an IP network as digital audio via an audio stream.

Codec use is varied between different implementations of VoIP (and often a range of codecs are used); some implementations rely on narrowband and compressed speech, while others support high fidelity stereo codecs.