Course detail

Personal Computers

FIT-ITPAcad. year: 2020/2021

The course will provide students with up-to-date information on personal computer technique. Students will acquire the information on the principles of personal computer structure, I/O buses, elementary principles of external adapter construction and buses for the communication with peripheral devices.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Zdeněk Kotásek, CSc.

Department

Department of Computer Systems (UPSY)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students will become acquainted with the principles of PC construction and certain typical peripheral devices construction. In laboratory tutorials, the attention will be paid especially to the principles of peripheral device control.

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Not applicable.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

  • Lab tutorials: 16 points.
  • Written mid-term written exam: 24 points.
  • Minimum semestral activity score is not specified.
  • Final written exam: 60 points.

Course curriculum

Not applicable.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

To provide students with the information on personal computer structure, parameters, its component structure and trends for the future.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attending lab experiments, mid-term exam passing. Laboratories will be possible to be passed during the following weeks.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Recommended reading

The texts of lectures in electronic form.
Hans-Peter Messmer: The Indispensable PC Hardware Book, Addison-Wesley, 1997, England, ISBN 0-201-40399-4, 1384 pages.
Hans-Peter Messmer: The Indispensable Pentium Book, Addison-Wesley, 1995, USA, ISBN 0-201-87727-9, 496 pages
Scott Mueller: Upgrading and Repairing PCs, QUE, 2008, ISBN 0-7897-3697-7, 1556 pages.
Carl Hamacher, Zvonko Vranesic, Safwat Zaky: Computer Organization, McGraw Hill, 2002, ISBN 0-07-232086-9, 805 pages.
William Stallings: Computer Organization and architecture, designing for performance, Prentice Hall, 2006, ISBN 0-13-185644-8, 778 pages.
Jaroslav Horák: Bios a Setup, Průvodce základním nastavením počítače. Computer Press, 3. aktualizované vydání. 2010. ISBN: 9788025130353. 160 stran. (in Czech).
Petr Broža: Instalujeme a konfigurujeme počítač, Computer Press, 2004, ISBN 80-251-0468-0, 176 stran. (in Czech).
Jim Aspiwall: Osobní počítač na maximum, Computer Press, 2005, ISBN 80-251-1136-9, 254 stran. (in Czech).

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BIT Bachelor's, 2. year of study, summer semester, elective

  • Programme IT-BC-3 Bachelor's

    branch BIT , 2. year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Zdeněk Kotásek, CSc.
Ing. Marcela Zachariášová, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • The Development Stages of Personal Computers, Parameters, Concepts.
  • The Development Stages of Intel Microprocessor Architectures.
  • Scalar and Superscalar Architectures.  
  • The Implementation of CISC and RISC Architectures in Intel Microprocessors - 1. 
  • The Implementation of CISC and RISC Architectures in Intel Microprocessors - 2.
  • Memory Organization, Elements, Technologies, Memory Addressing, I/O Ports Addressing. CMOS Memory.
  • Memory Organization, Elements, Technologies, Memory Addressing, I/O Ports Addressing. CMOS Memory. 
  • Cache Memory, its Organization and Implementation.
  • The Principles of Peripheral Operations Control, PIO Modes, Interrupt Request, Direct Memory Access.
  • The Development Stages of Personal Computer Buses.
  • Centronics, Its Structure and Communication.
  • The Principles of Personal Computer Adapter Design and Construction.
  • The Buses for Peripheral Devices Control.

Laboratory exercise

16 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. David Grochol, Ph.D.
Ing. Václav Šimek

Syllabus

  • Communication on ISA bus and the use of BootROM.
  • PC Power Consumption. 
  • VGA interface, signals analysis.  
  • HDD and S.M.A.R.T. technology.
  • Communication on ISA bus and servicing the IRQ.
  • PCI System Bus and the address decoder.
  • VGA interface, FITkit platform.
  • PS/2 analysis.