Unit 15 - P2 Hardware Technologies

Learners will need to describe at least six of the hardware technologies identified in the teaching content for learning outcome 2 describing their features.

• human-computer interface e.g. devices; button configurations; user-centred, interactivity;

• processor (e.g. types; speed;)

• graphic processor (e.g. types; speed; pixels, polygons, nurbs)

• memory (e.g. capacity, RAM type, unified)

• display (e.g. built-in/external; colour/monochrome)

• sound (e.g. hardware (Cards and processors), mono/ stereo/3D/surround, memory)

• game storage e.g. medium (DVD, UMD), standard, size

• interfaces (e.g. paddle, wheel, joystick, 360 kinect, voice)

• mobile technologies (e.g. phones/smartphones, PSP, DS, iPad)

• connectivity (e.g. stand alone; controller ports; network, internet, wireless, Bluetooth)

• power supply (e.g. internal and external) 

Example

A learner might note, ‘The joystick is a widely recognised game peripheral. Joysticks give analogue output by rotating potentiometers. Analogue signals must be converted to digital for use by the game platform.’