Power Supply

Power Supply
Power supply's come both internal and external. Internal power supplies consist of batteries and external power supplies consist of plugs and charging packs etc.

Internal
An internal power supply is always going to be a battery. This is when a computer, or other device is charged via the mains of a plug and then when it is fully charged unplugging it until the battery runs out. This is using the internal power supply. This means that users can walk around with the device or use it wirelessly without having to have wires hanging out of the device. This makes the devices easier to use. Small devices such as game boys use AA batteries but this is still classed as an internal power supply because power is being supplied by an internal source. Game consoles that use internal power supplies tend to have lower graphic content because if they had the full graphic content whilst running on battery power the power would drain very quickly which will mean the device will need charging again. 

External
An external power supply is always generally when a device is plugged into a main power source i.e. a plug charging a laptop. Devices run a lot quicker and have better graphics is they are externally plugged in. If you are using an external power supply this affects the portability which means that users can't use the devices wirelessly because they have to be sat near a plug socket to ensure the device is charging. Most new consoles i.e. Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 and PS4 all use external power supplies because it makes the device load quicker as well as the graphics being of a higher quality.

HCI Developments

Since the first console, HCI has developed massively. The biggest thing that has developed is graphics. They used to be really low bit graphics, which were about 8 bit. Now they are extreme HD graphics and work out at 1080p sometimes even higher. Interface devices have improved over the years, the different interface devices consist of: Paddles, Joysticks, Keyboards, Joy pads, Mice, Wheels, Pedals and Eye Toys. All of these have improved massively in time and quite a few of them are no longer around or no longer used. 

When controllers were first released they were up, down, left, right keys with 'A' and 'B' buttons. That is all that was on the controllers, because that is all of the buttons they needed to play the games which were for those consoles with those controllers. Now the consoles are higher graphics the consoles and game companies have brought out more life like games and because the games are so complex and graphical the controllers need to be complex and have more buttons etc on to make sure all the actions on the game can be completed. The controllers now have something called six axis features, which means that the control runs off six axis. The controllers for consoles like the PlayStation's and Xbox's are like the normal controllers which are held in both hands but the new controllers for example the Wii controller works using bluetooth and infrared and connects using a sensor bar which is usually sitting on the top of the TV. This is a very easy piece of technology to use, but difficult to make. The controls don't have to plug in which makes it easier for more people to play because they can connect via the wireless connection. Most of the new consoles have controllers which also connect via bluetooth, this is easier and seen as convenient because the controllers can just be picked up and switched on and it can start to be used which compared to the old controllers, which had to be plugged in and wired up, is easier.

The best console was the Nintendo Wii because it was seen to be environmentally friendly and people friendly because people can use them to keep fit as well as have fun, which is good for the public and to beat and battle public healthy eating etc. This was released about 5-6 years ago and are still growing strong. They brought out a balance board called the Wii Fit board which people can use to weigh themselves and then do some exercise over a couple of weeks and then weigh themselves again to see if they have lost weight and you can do it all in your own home in case you feel uncomfortable going out somewhere to do it. They also released one like the Wii but for PlayStation which was called the PlayStation Move, which is exactly the same as the Wii but by a different company.

When consoles are made, controllers need to be made to ensure the console can be played to it's full capacity and used correctly. If the controllers don't suit the console the gamer will not be able to play the game which could result in lots of refunds and customer disappointment. The features and functions of controllers will continue to improve and develop and one day no controller will probably be needed.

Connectivity

LAN

Local Area Network or commonly abbreviated as LAN is a network system of interconnected computers all in one area/location. For example a small business or a school/college uses a LAN to run the computer system. Now with the ability to use local area networks over a larger distance, they are used in many different towns or cities; it all depends on who is using the system. In the home, wireless routers are used which are also known as LAN networks. These wireless routers can have from five to ten wireless devices connected to them at once. The router also allows up to four devices connected by cable. This is either to share broadband or by ADSL connection which is an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A LAN network can be as small as two computers connected with one cable. It all depends on the size of the organisation. Larger organisations use larger LAN’s which are carefully looked after to make sure that the network information is delivered to each system efficiently. Switches and Routers are used to expand the size of the network in organisations. When a network is created sub-networks are added to make sure that a greater level of control is created in order for it all to work effectively.

WAN

Wide Area Network or commonly abbreviated as WAN is a network which is more complicated and complex than a LAN or Local Area Network. Some Wide Area Networks are two Local Area Networks connected together but from a distance. Not only is it two LAN’s but it can also be a large organisation with many networks all connected. Clacton County High School is an example of a Wide Area Network because it is an infrastructure provided by an education authority or it is a joint academic network; this is also abbreviated as JANET.  Another example of a WAN is the World Wide Web or the internet, although the internet is managed by lots of different organisations privately, it is classed technically as a WAN. Because the internet is a WAN, this allows people to communicate via one common system. There are many different Wide Area Network technologies. These include frame relay, ATM which is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode and MPLS which is a Multiprotocol Label Switching.  These are all important pieces of technology which help make up the Wide Area Networks and help keep them running.

Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a different form of network made for devices at close range of 10 metres to 100 metres, file sharing, music transfer to headphones and internet sharing from mobile devices can all be done over Bluetooth. It is on most consoles now and mobile phones have this. It is all done wireless. It is like the improved version of infrared.

GPRS
GPRS or General Packet Radio Service is a packet which is used on the 2G and 3G cellular communication systems. This is also know as Wireless General Packet Radio Service because no wires are used to connect the mobile phones to 2G or 3G. GPRS on mobile phones charges per every minute you are active for which means you are billed for every minute your on-line. 2G provides 56kb/per second and 3G provides a higher connection rate.

WAP
WAP or Wireless Application Protocol as it is also know is a way of accessing information over a mobile device. For example using the internet on a mobile phone. Mobile phones were never able to access Facebook or live sports updates or emails etc but now nearly every single mobile phone can get on the internet or use the internet to download apps.

WiFi
WiFi is the name of a type of technology which allows people to connect to the internet wirelessly. It uses radio waves in order to connect high speed to the internet. When it was first introduced it used 2.4 GHz of the 802.11b standard. WiFi is also known as WLAN, which stands for Wireless Local Area Network.

Game Storage Medium

Storage Devices
There are many different types of storage devices, most of which are used mainly in gaming. The 5 main forms of storage devices in gaming are CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, Hard Disk and Flash Memory. There are many different advantages and disadvantages for storage devices.

Advantages and Disadvantages
CD
CD's come in two different forms, CD-R and CD-RW. The cheapest one is the CD-R because it is a write once only CD. CD-RW is a rewritable CD which means it can be written over and new things can be stored on that CD again. CD-R has an advantage over the CD-RW because it is cheaper but because it can be written over CD-RW is also popular. The disadvantage of having just CD-R is that it can only be written on once which sometimes is inconvenient. CD's can also get damaged very easily also therefore this makes them vulnerable. Compared to the other forms of storage devices, CD's have small amounts of memory.
DVD
DVD's come in two different forms, DVD-R and DVD-RW. The cheapest one is the DVD-R because it is a write once only DVD. DVD-RW is a rewritable DVD which means it can be written over and new things can be stored on that DVD again. DVD-R has an advantage over the DVD-RW because it is cheaper but because it can be written over DVD-RW is also popular. They also have a large amount of storage space on them. The disadvantage of having just DVD-R is that it can only be written on once which sometimes is inconvenient. DVD's can also get damaged very easily also therefore this makes them vulnerable.
Blu-Ray
Blu-ray disks are a modern way of storage devices. They are very new to the world of storage as they were only released and introduced a couple of years ago. They have very large storage capacity which is a pro to blue-ray disks. They are very expensive to buy though which is a major disadvantage. Another disadvantage is that they only work in blu-ray optical drives, they don't work with normal CD and DVD drives. They can also be easily damaged.
Hard Disk
Hard Disks are the same as hard drives, which is the main form of storage within a PC or console. This is usually very large in capacity average size is about 250gb. They are also relatively cheap when it comes to buying them because they are so common and regularly made. They are cheaper than removable devices/media. Magnetic fields, knocks and heat can all damage the hard disk easily. Must not be taken out of the console or device because they will be damaged and then become corrupt.
Flash Memory

All modern devices and computers do use flash memory more and more now because it is becoming very very popular. They use flash memory via USB. It doesn't damage easily which means they tend to last longer. They also have large storage capacities. The larger the storage in the device, the more expensive the flash memory is which is a disadvantage to flash memory. Slower to access data on these than it is on hard drives. They get lost and stolen easily which is bad when it comes to using it for important things.
UMD
UMD stands for Universal Media Disc. This was made by Sony for their PlayStation Portable (PSP). A UMD can hold up to 1.8gb of data on it. If the disc can hold 1.8gb of data it means it is a dual layer disc, if it can only hold 900mb it means it is a single layer disc. An advantage for an UMD would be that they are specifically made for one type of console which means less confusion when it comes to buying games in shops etc. For example you go into a shop to buy a game but by it for the wrong console, this wont happen with this. A disadvantage for the UMD is that it is an optical disc, these discs can be damaged easily and once it is damaged, you have to buy a new disc because it ruins the UMD.
Magnetic Tape
Magnetic tape is used for recording and storing data. For example a computer years and years ago used to have a tape drive which is where you inserted a cassette tape and stored data on that. An advantage for magnetic tape is that it is a way to store data and it has been around for many years and years ago was a very reliable way of storing data, but that may not be the case now. A disadvantage for magnetic tape is that it is very old therefore it isn't used in modern day society. If any data is stored on a cassette there aren't many devices which can now access this data therefore sometimes data is wasted.
Anti-Piracy
Anti-Piracy is also known as copyright protection. This is where CD's and DVD's can't be copyrighted and copyright protection is put onto them. This also means 'pirate' copies of these data storage devices cannot be made. An advantage for copyright protection or anti-piracy is that it protects data on a CD or DVD which is good security. A disadvantage is that this law or form of protection isn't always followed or adhered to.

Hardware

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The central processing unit is a special chip like component which is located on the motherboard, in the heart of the computer. It controls everything! It processes all of the instructions from computer programs which will turn them into movements of bits of data in the memory. In order for the user to play games on their PC they will need a central processing unit, this is where all of the commands and instructions are registered and completed. An example of a CPU is an Intel Core i7 Processor. In a Xbox 360 there is an IBM Power-PC based 3.2GHz and in a PlayStation 3 there is a Cell Processor – PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz. This means that they are both the same speed, therefore neither of them are better, they are both the same but they are manufactured by different companies. The cache is a high speed expensive form of memory. This is in the CPU. Because it is so expensive most technology products which have cache in the CPU only have a small amount of it because of the cost. The cache in the CPU speeds up the processes of the computer and allows the computer to quickly complete tasks which are requested. The CPU has an address bus which enables the device to read and write the commands which it gets asked to do. It stores all of its information in binary codes and numbers.

Graphics Processor

Graphics processors are the same as Graphics cards which are classed as specialised cards which are little expansion slots which allows computer life to be extended. This allows you to add different specialist cards to your PC, such as a graphics cards. A graphics card makes the computer image, which is what appears on your computer screen. The better the graphics card the clearer the image on the screen, if the graphics card is poor quality then the visibility won’t be great. An example of a graphics card is an ATI Radeon X1000. In an Xbox 360 there is an ATI 500MHz graphics card and in the PlayStation 3 there is a RSX @ 550MHz. This means that the PlayStation 3’s graphics card is better because it has an extra 50 MHz therefore this means it is better quality. The cache of a graphics processor is the same as the cache for the CPU. It is used to store requests given to it by the computer user. When the request gets to the processor then, depending on the size of the cache, the computer completes the request. The graphics processor also has an address bus which enables the device to read and write the commands which it gets asked to do. It stores all of its information in binary codes and numbers also. Most applications and operating systems these days use 2D applications a lot. Recently it is popularly used in office applications. Low cost graphics processors use 2D graphics but more expensive processors use 3D processors. A few of todays applications on 2D processors use 3D graphics but this is very small amount. Both 2D graphics processors and 3D graphics processors use Pixels, Polygons and Nurbs. These are all ways of how the screen or the image on the screen are built up or visible. The faster the graphics processor the quicker it will be.

Memory
Computer memory is where things are stored temporarily or permanently. Memory comes in different types, these include RAM, SRAM and DRAM. As well as these Hardrives and virtual memory also falls under this area. RAM is volatile which means it loses it's memory when the computer or games console is turned off after being used. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This was the first form of memory. Now memory has progressed to SRAM which is a faster form of memory like ram which uses less power to operate. It stands for Static Random Access Memory. SRAM doesn't need to be refreshed unlike DRAM and normal RAM. SRAM is so expensive it is usually only used as memory cache. DRAM is short for Dynamic Random Access Memory. This is the most common form of RAM at the moment. It is mainly used of computers and other workstations. In order for the DRAM to store memory and work quickly each of its cells need to be refreshed.

Sound Cards and Sound

Sound cards are classed as specialised cards which are little expansion slots which allows computer life to be extended. This allows you to add different specialist cards to your PC, such as sound cards. Sound cards are what gives your computer sound and allows you to hear songs, sounds and videos on your computer. The better the sound card the better quality the sound will be which will make the user experience a lot better. An example of a sound card is an ASUS Xonar D2X/XDT. Games consoles do have sound cards but they are difficult to identify. Mono or Monophonic sounds is where systems of audio signals are mixed together and delivered through a single audio channel. Loudspeakers on mobile phones etc use monophonic sounds. Stereo sounds have two separate and independent audio signal channels which are reproduced to a specific level. Stereo sounds are most common in theatres and on stage. 3D sound is very modern which gives the effect of the sound actually being in the room with you, trying to make it a realistic sound. This is done by using 3D surround sound, which is speakers which are spread all around the room both in front of the viewer and behind which gives a 360 surround sound. An audio channel or as it is also know an audio track is a communication channel in a storage device which is used in multi-track recordings are playback. Two audio channels are most commonly used in most modern recordings. A sampling rate is where the number of samples per unit of time are defined. This is usually done in seconds. The MCP is a chip or component found in the south bridge of the inside of a device. MCP stands for Media Communications Processor. This is how communication in media is processed. 

Displays

In every console there are two main types of displays. They are internal and external displays. These vary depending on the type of console. Internal displays are like handheld devices like PSP's and Nintendo DS's. They are small screens which are LCD, most these says are turning to touch screens. Some are becoming 3D like the new Nintendo 3DS. External displays are like when the console has to be connected to an external screen like a TV or a projector. External consoles are Xbox 360's and PS3's. The best modern way of connecting to an external display is via HDMI. Liquid Crystal Display or LCD as it is know as in short, is the most common form of screen/monitor at the moment. This creates is display by thousands of small liquid crystals all inside and around the screen. This is the most energy efficient monitor at the moment also as well as being most energy efficient it is also the easiest monitor to destroy, because of its components. Monitors come in both colour and monochrome. Colour monitors are the most popular. Colour monitors use lots and lots of different colours all the time but all of these colours are made up by Red, Green and Blue light which is also called RGB. Monochrome monitors are just single colour monitors. For example it will have a black background of the monitor with white text on it. Or it will have a white background with black text. This can be any colour but it doesn't use lots and lots of colours all at the same time. These monitors don't last very long due to the high use of the single colours which means it burns the screen.

Console Hardware Specifications

PS3

Media	CD Disc Media CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side) DVD Disc Media Playstation 3 DVD-ROM DVD-Video: DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
CPU	Cell Processor – PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
Graphics Card	RSX @ 550MHz 1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance Full HD (up to 1080p) Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines
Memory	256MB XDR Main RAM @ 3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @ 700MHz
Storage Capability	Internal HDD (varied from 30GB to 320GB) Detachable 2.5” HDD Slot
Display	Screen Size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p HDMI HDMI output Analogue AV Multi Out Digital Audio Digital Output

Xbox 360

Media	DVD and CD available Ability to stream media from portable music devices, digital cameras and windows XP- based PC’s Ability to rip music to the Xbox 360 HDD Interactive, full-screen 3-D visualizers
CPU	IBM Power-PC based 3.2GHz
Graphics Card	ATI 500MHz processor 10MB of embedded DRAM 48-way parallel floating-point dynamically scheduled sharer pipelines Unified shader architecture
Memory	512 MB of GDDR3 RAM 700 MHz of DDR Unified memory architecture
Storage Capability	Detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM Memory Unit support starting at 64 MB
Display	Supports HDMI 480p, 720p, 1080i AV multi out Digital optical out

PC – HP Envy 700-060ea

Media	Optical Drive – DVD/RW Memory Card Reader – 15-in-1 memory card reader Expansion card slot – PCle x 1, PCle (x16) x1
CPU	Intel Core I7-4770 processor (3.4 GHz, 3.9 GHz with TurboBoost, 8MB cache).
Graphics Card	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, 1.5GB GDDR5.
Memory	16GB DDR3
Storage Capability	2TB HDD 7200rpm
Display	HDMI x1 Display Port x1 DVI x2

3DS

Media	SD Card, Downloadable content, 3DS game card.
CPU	1GHz dual core ARM 11 MPCore-based.
Memory	128MB of memory.
Storage Capability	4GB SD Card upgrade.
Display	3.53 inches upper screen. 3.02 inches lower screen.

PSP

Media	UMD drive Capacity: 1.8GB (single-sided, dual layer)
CPU	PSP CPU (1-333 MHz)
Memory	64MB main memory. 4MB embedded DRAM.
Storage Capability	Memory stick duo or Pro duo.
Display	4.3”, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD screen.