You can't go anywhere these days without seeing this small, digital device attached to cars, hips and clipped to belts and purses, MP3 players are everywhere. Small and portable, the options for styles, shapes, and features is as endless as the places they can be found. So, how do you find the right Mp3 player to meet your particular needs, provided you know what those needs are. Most people want the best mp3 player for the money. Here is a handy, useful guide to help decide which is the best mp3 player for you.
Mp3 players usually come in two categories, these are Flash and hard drive. Flash MP3 players are smaller, usually cheaper and aren't memory intensive. However, they more than make up for it by being a bit more durable. These mp3 players are usually better suited for active, on the go lifestyles and smaller budgets. The best feature is that they are upgradeable, allowing the MP3 player to grow with your needs. Hard drive mp3 players are usually larger, aren't as durable and more expensive. They do have the advantage of being able to hold large amounts of music and even video.
Features
Take a look around. Mp3 players have tons of features, sound and audio options, play options, even software for downloading, and organizing your music files. Mp3 players can literally be entire music libraries in the palm of your hand. When checking out Mp3 players, make sure to check out things like battery life, and any accessories you may want. Sometimes, more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better when looking for the best mp3 player for you. A little research can go a long way.
Display
Have you ever had this happen? I'm sure you have. It happens with cell phones all the time. You can't read your display or have to squint to make it out. Frustrating. Make sure your display is readable and large enough to show you all the information you want to see. Mp3 players are electronic investments. You want to make sure you're going to want to use the mp3 after you get it.
Price
On a tight budget? looking to spend less than $100 dollars? Flash Mp3 players are the way to go. Hard drive Mp3 players rarely go for less than between $150 and $200 because of larger displays, more memory and a greater number of features. If a hard drive mp3 player is what you want but your budget's still tight, check out discount stores and auction sites. Often times, older models are sold at significant discounts.
Brands
Just about any electronics company makes mp3 players - Apple, Creative Labs, Sandisk and Rio to name a few. If you like sticking to brands you trust, you're sure to find an MP3 player in your brand.
Finding the best mp3 player for you can be confusing with all the available options. Take the time to look into your options before deciding.
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/5-things-to-look-for-when-choosing-a-mp3-player.html
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Why Your TV Will Die On February 17, 2009 (And What You Should Do About It!)
It’s coming on February 17, 2009! It’s about to cut off the signal to your TV, and most likely you’re not prepared for it!
It’s almost as big a shift in home entertainment as happened sixty years ago when television replaced radio in America’s living rooms!
It’s DTV! Digital Television is going to change the way you watch television, and how you interact with your TV set. You’re finally going to get movie theater quality picture and sound at home!
• Digital TV is also going to reach into your pocketbook! All U.S. broadcast stations will stop sending analog TV signals, the kind your regular TV reads, on February 17, 2009. Without a new converter box, your TV will not work!
• Many stations are broadcasting a digital DTV signal right now along side their analog signal, but after 2009 they’ll only transmit in DTV.
• This digital signal can only be properly viewed on a new Plasma, DLP or LCD TV. If you don’t own one, you’ll need a converter box to watch digital signals “dumbed down” to show on your analog TV. In addition to the new Big Screen TV, you'll also need a Dolby Surround Sound amplifier and speakers to get the DTV Dolby sound.
• All new TVs sold must have a digital tuner built-in as of March 1, 2007. Your old analog TV will need a set top converter box to receive television broadcasts after February 2009.
• Your cable provider may be able to send you digital cable or digital satellite signals right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can see High Definition programs on your television. If you have an old style picture tube television, a converter in your cable box can take the digital signal and “dumb it down” to analog so that you can see it. You’re still not seeing the super sharp DTV picture, or hearing the crystal clear digital sound.
• Digital Pictures will be free from the flicker, ghosts and snow seen on analog transmissions. More than twice as sharp as Standard TV, DTV signals allow crystal clear images with higher resolution and picture quality than is possible with old style TV.
• DTV will provide programming in wide screen "movie format”. The digital picture is so sharp you’ll be able to read the small text from your computer hooked up to the TV screen.
• DTV allows multicasting: broadcasters can provide a super sharp High Definition (HDTV) program or several Standard Definition programs at the same time. Sending several program streams on one channel is called “multicasting”. The number of programs a station can send on one digital channel depends on the sharpness (resolution) of each program. DTV can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with the old analog technology.
• DTV features Dolby Surround Sound to give you that full movie theater sound in your home instead of the old, tinny TV sound you grew up with. With a Surround Sound tuner and speakers installed, you’ll get roaring, sparkling sound assaulting your family from all directions: front, sides and rear!
• If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, you’ll need a Plasma or LCD TV with a DTV tuner, or a digital-to-analog converter box to see digital signals on your analog TV. Converter boxes will be available in retail stores during the transition.
• The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue two $40.00 coupons per household that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. Coupons will be issued starting January 1, 2008.
• An Integrated DTV set is a digital TV with a built-in digital decoder or DTV receiver. If you have an Integrated DTV and live in an area with a DTV broadcast station, you won’t need anything else. You may need an antenna (an outdoor antenna is best) to receive over-the-air DTV broadcast programming. Integrated TVs can receive and display current analog signals.
Television is about to leap out of the Stone Age into the future! Make sure you’re ready for it!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/why-your-tv-will-die-on-february-17-2009-and-what-you-should-do-about-it.html
It’s almost as big a shift in home entertainment as happened sixty years ago when television replaced radio in America’s living rooms!
It’s DTV! Digital Television is going to change the way you watch television, and how you interact with your TV set. You’re finally going to get movie theater quality picture and sound at home!
• Digital TV is also going to reach into your pocketbook! All U.S. broadcast stations will stop sending analog TV signals, the kind your regular TV reads, on February 17, 2009. Without a new converter box, your TV will not work!
• Many stations are broadcasting a digital DTV signal right now along side their analog signal, but after 2009 they’ll only transmit in DTV.
• This digital signal can only be properly viewed on a new Plasma, DLP or LCD TV. If you don’t own one, you’ll need a converter box to watch digital signals “dumbed down” to show on your analog TV. In addition to the new Big Screen TV, you'll also need a Dolby Surround Sound amplifier and speakers to get the DTV Dolby sound.
• All new TVs sold must have a digital tuner built-in as of March 1, 2007. Your old analog TV will need a set top converter box to receive television broadcasts after February 2009.
• Your cable provider may be able to send you digital cable or digital satellite signals right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can see High Definition programs on your television. If you have an old style picture tube television, a converter in your cable box can take the digital signal and “dumb it down” to analog so that you can see it. You’re still not seeing the super sharp DTV picture, or hearing the crystal clear digital sound.
• Digital Pictures will be free from the flicker, ghosts and snow seen on analog transmissions. More than twice as sharp as Standard TV, DTV signals allow crystal clear images with higher resolution and picture quality than is possible with old style TV.
• DTV will provide programming in wide screen "movie format”. The digital picture is so sharp you’ll be able to read the small text from your computer hooked up to the TV screen.
• DTV allows multicasting: broadcasters can provide a super sharp High Definition (HDTV) program or several Standard Definition programs at the same time. Sending several program streams on one channel is called “multicasting”. The number of programs a station can send on one digital channel depends on the sharpness (resolution) of each program. DTV can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with the old analog technology.
• DTV features Dolby Surround Sound to give you that full movie theater sound in your home instead of the old, tinny TV sound you grew up with. With a Surround Sound tuner and speakers installed, you’ll get roaring, sparkling sound assaulting your family from all directions: front, sides and rear!
• If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, you’ll need a Plasma or LCD TV with a DTV tuner, or a digital-to-analog converter box to see digital signals on your analog TV. Converter boxes will be available in retail stores during the transition.
• The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue two $40.00 coupons per household that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. Coupons will be issued starting January 1, 2008.
• An Integrated DTV set is a digital TV with a built-in digital decoder or DTV receiver. If you have an Integrated DTV and live in an area with a DTV broadcast station, you won’t need anything else. You may need an antenna (an outdoor antenna is best) to receive over-the-air DTV broadcast programming. Integrated TVs can receive and display current analog signals.
Television is about to leap out of the Stone Age into the future! Make sure you’re ready for it!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/why-your-tv-will-die-on-february-17-2009-and-what-you-should-do-about-it.html
10 Bone-Headed Mistakes Plasma TV Shoppers Must Avoid!
Shopping for a Big Screen TV means avoiding lots of people trying to dazzle you with new technology.
You have to side-step slick TV salesmen talking about “DLP”, “EDTV” or “1080i”. You have to outsmart internet con artists selling “gray market” Plasmas. And you have to ignore bone-headed advice from Fred, the neighborhood know-it-all.
Mistake #1: Don’t Buy A “No-Name” Plasma TV!
The most important decision you can make when buying a big screen TV is to decide not to buy a “No-Name”. A device as complex as a LCD, Plasma or DLP TV must be manufactured with the finest components by dozens of expert technicians working in multi-million dollar plants. “No-name” companies use none of those.
Mistake #2: Never Trust A “Seeing Eye” TV Salesman!
If you walk into a TV showroom and don’t know EDTV from HDTV, some slick salesman will smile and eat you for lunch! Don’t let salesmen make choices for you, or you’ll end up with some outdated TV his boss wants to get rid of. Or you’ll end up with screen burn-in on your new Plasma when your son hooks up his Playstation 3; or suffer with a dim display in your brightly lit living room. Do a little research before you make a purchase; it’s not difficult.
(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above - DLP, EDTV, LCD - Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")
Mistake #3: Don’t Buy From A “No-Name” Retailer!
It’s important to buy your Plasma TV from a reputable dealer selling brand name merchandise. The return of a faulty 00 Plasma TV won’t bankrupt Wal-Mart or Sony; but could devastate a Mom and Pop electronics store. Try to make major purchases from a major retailer’s website; make sure they offer a good return policy and have brand name Plasmas at a discount price.
Mistake #4: Don’t Fall For Plasma Internet Scams!
We’ve all seen what look like great deals on Plasma TVs online. But exactly what is a great deal? It means getting GREAT MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE. It’s not a great deal if you get CRAPPY MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE! You don’t want your “new” Plasma to be a returned or refurbished item. Avoid “gray market” or “B stock” merchandise, and avoid sellers who aren’t authorized retailers.
Mistake #5: Don’t Play Video Games On A Plasma Television!
The chance of screen burn-in on a Plasma TV has been greatly reduced by improved technology, but not eliminated. Computer programs, video games, stock tickers and station logos can burn permanently into the screen, ruining your expensive TV. LCD and DLP TV screens cannot suffer screen burn-in, ever.
Mistake #6: Don’t Let A Know-It-All Pick Your TV!
Your neighbor Fred says he’s an expert on Big Screen TVs, and volunteers to help you buy one. Fred may be a good guy. . . he may even know the difference between DTV and DLP. But Fred may also be a Boob blowing smoke out the rear of his shorts. How can you tell? Rely on the only person you can trust to look out for your interests . . . you! Listen to Fred, but take him with a grain of salt . . . and do your own research!
Mistake #7: Don’t Try To Bring Home A Plasma TV By Yourself!
There was a time you could go to Circuit City, buy a 19-inch color TV, throw it in the back seat and take it home . . . those days are over! Shipping a Plasma TV to your home is the only sensible way to get it there; it’s too big, expensive, heavy and delicate to be shoved in the trunk of a car. Your retailer will arrange shipping for you; make sure that insurance and order tracking are included in the deal. Don’t sign for delivery until you’ve inspected your TV for damage.
Mistake #8: Don’t Install A Plasma TV Without Help!
A Plasma TV, although thin, is actually very heavy. A 50-inch Plasma TV can weigh over 160 pounds. Mounting a Plasma TV on it’s table stand is a three person job; call some strong friends over. The delivery people will put your TV on the curb, or in your living room, depending on what you paid for. They won’t install your TV on a wall mount, that service costs 0-0.
Mistake #9: Don’t Fail To Connect A Dolby Sound System!
You shouldn’t settle for the sound coming from your TV speakers. Attached to your TV, a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier sends six separate channels of sound through speakers in front of, on both sides of and behind the viewer. Home Theater Systems start as low as 0 and go into the thousands; they include an amplifier, five speakers, wire and a sub woofer. Dolby 7.1 is even more advanced with eight sound channels.
Mistake #10: Don’t Forget To Budget For Peripherals!
For full enjoyment of your new Plasma TV, you’ll need lots of other stuff: HDMI cables for each peripheral, surge protectors, a TV stand or wall mount, a HDTV DVD player and digital cable for High Def broadcasts. You’ll also need a Home Theater System with at least Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and a comfortable viewing area. I’m not trying to scare you . . . a modest system can cost less than 0, A good system between 0-00 and a Top-of-the-Line system 00 and up.
Well, there you have it . . . the 10 Biggest Bone-Headed Mistakes you could make when shopping for the perfect Plasma TV! Avoid them like the plague!
Good luck . . . I hope you find the Plasma TV that will thrill your family for years to come!
It’s as easy as 123!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/10-bone-headed-mistakes-plasma-tv-shoppers-must-avoid.html
You have to side-step slick TV salesmen talking about “DLP”, “EDTV” or “1080i”. You have to outsmart internet con artists selling “gray market” Plasmas. And you have to ignore bone-headed advice from Fred, the neighborhood know-it-all.
Mistake #1: Don’t Buy A “No-Name” Plasma TV!
The most important decision you can make when buying a big screen TV is to decide not to buy a “No-Name”. A device as complex as a LCD, Plasma or DLP TV must be manufactured with the finest components by dozens of expert technicians working in multi-million dollar plants. “No-name” companies use none of those.
Mistake #2: Never Trust A “Seeing Eye” TV Salesman!
If you walk into a TV showroom and don’t know EDTV from HDTV, some slick salesman will smile and eat you for lunch! Don’t let salesmen make choices for you, or you’ll end up with some outdated TV his boss wants to get rid of. Or you’ll end up with screen burn-in on your new Plasma when your son hooks up his Playstation 3; or suffer with a dim display in your brightly lit living room. Do a little research before you make a purchase; it’s not difficult.
(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above - DLP, EDTV, LCD - Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")
Mistake #3: Don’t Buy From A “No-Name” Retailer!
It’s important to buy your Plasma TV from a reputable dealer selling brand name merchandise. The return of a faulty 00 Plasma TV won’t bankrupt Wal-Mart or Sony; but could devastate a Mom and Pop electronics store. Try to make major purchases from a major retailer’s website; make sure they offer a good return policy and have brand name Plasmas at a discount price.
Mistake #4: Don’t Fall For Plasma Internet Scams!
We’ve all seen what look like great deals on Plasma TVs online. But exactly what is a great deal? It means getting GREAT MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE. It’s not a great deal if you get CRAPPY MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE! You don’t want your “new” Plasma to be a returned or refurbished item. Avoid “gray market” or “B stock” merchandise, and avoid sellers who aren’t authorized retailers.
Mistake #5: Don’t Play Video Games On A Plasma Television!
The chance of screen burn-in on a Plasma TV has been greatly reduced by improved technology, but not eliminated. Computer programs, video games, stock tickers and station logos can burn permanently into the screen, ruining your expensive TV. LCD and DLP TV screens cannot suffer screen burn-in, ever.
Mistake #6: Don’t Let A Know-It-All Pick Your TV!
Your neighbor Fred says he’s an expert on Big Screen TVs, and volunteers to help you buy one. Fred may be a good guy. . . he may even know the difference between DTV and DLP. But Fred may also be a Boob blowing smoke out the rear of his shorts. How can you tell? Rely on the only person you can trust to look out for your interests . . . you! Listen to Fred, but take him with a grain of salt . . . and do your own research!
Mistake #7: Don’t Try To Bring Home A Plasma TV By Yourself!
There was a time you could go to Circuit City, buy a 19-inch color TV, throw it in the back seat and take it home . . . those days are over! Shipping a Plasma TV to your home is the only sensible way to get it there; it’s too big, expensive, heavy and delicate to be shoved in the trunk of a car. Your retailer will arrange shipping for you; make sure that insurance and order tracking are included in the deal. Don’t sign for delivery until you’ve inspected your TV for damage.
Mistake #8: Don’t Install A Plasma TV Without Help!
A Plasma TV, although thin, is actually very heavy. A 50-inch Plasma TV can weigh over 160 pounds. Mounting a Plasma TV on it’s table stand is a three person job; call some strong friends over. The delivery people will put your TV on the curb, or in your living room, depending on what you paid for. They won’t install your TV on a wall mount, that service costs 0-0.
Mistake #9: Don’t Fail To Connect A Dolby Sound System!
You shouldn’t settle for the sound coming from your TV speakers. Attached to your TV, a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier sends six separate channels of sound through speakers in front of, on both sides of and behind the viewer. Home Theater Systems start as low as 0 and go into the thousands; they include an amplifier, five speakers, wire and a sub woofer. Dolby 7.1 is even more advanced with eight sound channels.
Mistake #10: Don’t Forget To Budget For Peripherals!
For full enjoyment of your new Plasma TV, you’ll need lots of other stuff: HDMI cables for each peripheral, surge protectors, a TV stand or wall mount, a HDTV DVD player and digital cable for High Def broadcasts. You’ll also need a Home Theater System with at least Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and a comfortable viewing area. I’m not trying to scare you . . . a modest system can cost less than 0, A good system between 0-00 and a Top-of-the-Line system 00 and up.
Well, there you have it . . . the 10 Biggest Bone-Headed Mistakes you could make when shopping for the perfect Plasma TV! Avoid them like the plague!
Good luck . . . I hope you find the Plasma TV that will thrill your family for years to come!
It’s as easy as 123!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/10-bone-headed-mistakes-plasma-tv-shoppers-must-avoid.html
Create A Fantastic Home Theater System For Less Than $300!
So you have questions about connecting a Home Theater System to your Big Screen TV. There are lots of good questions that may be floating around in your head:
What type of audio system is needed? What system will provide the best sound? Can I use my old stereo? What connecting cords are required? How much will it cost?
We’re going to offer you three levels of Home Theater System performance: Beginner, Good and Pro. If you’re on a tight budget, start off on the Beginner level, but please don’t settle for that. A Beginner system doesn’t deliver the full sound quality your TV is capable of producing.
Gradually add pieces until you move your system up to Good or Pro level. A Good system gives you the minimum audio quality needed for High Definition TV broadcasts.
A Pro level system gives you bragging rights for your whole neighborhood!
• Beginner Home Theater System (0 - 0*)
Hook together the following equipment: a Big Screen TV, quality Component and HDMI cords, digital cable, your current VCR, your current DVD player and your home stereo. You’ll need component cords for the VCR and DVD; your cable company should provide a HDMI connection for the cable box.
(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above - component, HDMI, digital - Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")
Using your existing components will keep the cost down, but will not give you the full Dolby sound your TV is capable of. The stereo sound beats the audio that comes out of most televisions, but don’t settle for this.
• Good Home Theater System (0 - 00*) •
Assemble the following equipment: a Big Screen TV, quality HDMI cords, digital cable, a HDTV DVD player, a TiVo and a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier and speakers.
A low cost “Home Theater In A Box” (0 - 0) is required in this configuration. You’ll can get a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier, five speakers and a subwoofer from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic.
This setup will give you full digital HDTV picture and sound; you’ll enjoy a brilliant image and crystal clear audio. You’ll need a separate HDMI cord for each peripheral.
• Pro Home Theater System (00 - Up*) •
Now we’re ready for a Top Of The Line audio system delivering movie quality sound! Hook up the following: a Big Screen TV, quality HDMI cords, digital cable, a HDTV DVD player, a TiVo, a Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound amplifier and speakers, theater seating, a popcorn maker, professional soundproofing and motorized window blinds.
Hire a cute usher for your home theater and you’re good to go!
A premier Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Home Theater System can run 0 to textarea,500, and some cost much more. What you’ll get is eight channels of crystal-clear, pumping sound from seven speakers and a subwoofer, with sound coming from in front of, on both sides and behind the viewers.
* The estimated prices above do not include the cost of a Big Screen TV.
These three Home Theater setups range from bare bones to luxurious. Pick the one that you can afford and feel comfortable with. Over time, you can upgrade to a better system with more bells and whistles.
Please don’t settle for the Beginner system; it doesn’t produce the sound that your system (and you) deserve. With a little perseverance and planning you and your family will enjoy booming movie sound tracks and digital broadcasts for many years to come!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/create-a-fantastic-home-theater-system-for-less-than-%24300.html
What type of audio system is needed? What system will provide the best sound? Can I use my old stereo? What connecting cords are required? How much will it cost?
We’re going to offer you three levels of Home Theater System performance: Beginner, Good and Pro. If you’re on a tight budget, start off on the Beginner level, but please don’t settle for that. A Beginner system doesn’t deliver the full sound quality your TV is capable of producing.
Gradually add pieces until you move your system up to Good or Pro level. A Good system gives you the minimum audio quality needed for High Definition TV broadcasts.
A Pro level system gives you bragging rights for your whole neighborhood!
• Beginner Home Theater System (0 - 0*)
Hook together the following equipment: a Big Screen TV, quality Component and HDMI cords, digital cable, your current VCR, your current DVD player and your home stereo. You’ll need component cords for the VCR and DVD; your cable company should provide a HDMI connection for the cable box.
(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above - component, HDMI, digital - Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")
Using your existing components will keep the cost down, but will not give you the full Dolby sound your TV is capable of. The stereo sound beats the audio that comes out of most televisions, but don’t settle for this.
• Good Home Theater System (0 - 00*) •
Assemble the following equipment: a Big Screen TV, quality HDMI cords, digital cable, a HDTV DVD player, a TiVo and a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier and speakers.
A low cost “Home Theater In A Box” (0 - 0) is required in this configuration. You’ll can get a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier, five speakers and a subwoofer from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic.
This setup will give you full digital HDTV picture and sound; you’ll enjoy a brilliant image and crystal clear audio. You’ll need a separate HDMI cord for each peripheral.
• Pro Home Theater System (00 - Up*) •
Now we’re ready for a Top Of The Line audio system delivering movie quality sound! Hook up the following: a Big Screen TV, quality HDMI cords, digital cable, a HDTV DVD player, a TiVo, a Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound amplifier and speakers, theater seating, a popcorn maker, professional soundproofing and motorized window blinds.
Hire a cute usher for your home theater and you’re good to go!
A premier Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Home Theater System can run 0 to textarea,500, and some cost much more. What you’ll get is eight channels of crystal-clear, pumping sound from seven speakers and a subwoofer, with sound coming from in front of, on both sides and behind the viewers.
* The estimated prices above do not include the cost of a Big Screen TV.
These three Home Theater setups range from bare bones to luxurious. Pick the one that you can afford and feel comfortable with. Over time, you can upgrade to a better system with more bells and whistles.
Please don’t settle for the Beginner system; it doesn’t produce the sound that your system (and you) deserve. With a little perseverance and planning you and your family will enjoy booming movie sound tracks and digital broadcasts for many years to come!
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/create-a-fantastic-home-theater-system-for-less-than-%24300.html
Understanding Mp4 Players
Mp3 audio format became available back in 1993. Shortly after it became the standard internet audio format, and it is still very much used world wide. Recently another format has been introduced, the mp4 audio-video format which allows video capability, so that users can watch movies, TV shows, music videos along with mp3 songs.
As the industry of mp4 player devices evolved, more features such as fm tuner, voice recorder, email, internet browser capability and others were added to mp4 devices, making them a desired product among electronic users.
Differences between mp4 and mp3 format, relies basically that mp4 devices holds both audio and video files. As for the mp3 it only holds the audio type file. So, one could think of mp4 as being the next step in this evolution file format that started with mp3.
Due to the capability of delivering audio and video at the same time, mp4 devices can offer a wide range of interesting features, such as web browsing, email, instant messaging, video and music download, bluetooth wireless technology, digital camera and others. Also game capability and multiple language options are features that made mp4 devices so popular. Other features, such as voice recording, enabled mp4 devices to be used for professional purposes, besides entertainment.
Another important mp4 feature is the storage capacity, that can start from 256 mega bites up to 40, 60 and up giga bites. Usually a small hard disk unit is used to hold several giga bites of data. For smaller storages, an internal electronic flash memory may be used.
As a music player device, mp4 may offer a 7-band equalizer which will allow the user to change the sound category according to the music style. These sound categories are Pop, Jazz, Rock, Soft, Classic and DBB. Also mp4 player device will support various format files such as Mp3, AMV, ASF, WAV, WMA, WMV and others. As far as the supporting video formats are concerned this device proves to be able to convert file in the AVI, MPEG, Windows media format into the AMV thru the use of software.
Since mp4 devices is compact, it is safe to say that its small size, light weight and good user interface menu, make this device portable, easy to control and access no matter where one can be.
As mp4 format became more popular, several internet audio-video download sites started to offer services, so that mp4 users can download their favorite music or video at affordable prices. There are sites that offer music file download for only 99 cents each, and one has to only pick his favorite song, not the entire album.
Also available in these internet sites are files called Podcasts, which includes information programs, news broadcasts, comedy and entertainment programs. Podcasting is quickly becoming a buzz word among the techie crowd. So what is podcasting, anyway? Podcasting is online audio and video content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Although Podcasting is new, it should become a mainstream communication medium in the near future.
Being basically a container, mp4 player devices are able to provide multimedia solutions with its audio-video file format. Because of that mp4 players became very popular and as it becomes more sophisticated with new features being added in new models, people become more eager to own these device players. After all most electronic consumers do have a wish to keep up with modern time.
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/understanding-mp4-players.html
As the industry of mp4 player devices evolved, more features such as fm tuner, voice recorder, email, internet browser capability and others were added to mp4 devices, making them a desired product among electronic users.
Differences between mp4 and mp3 format, relies basically that mp4 devices holds both audio and video files. As for the mp3 it only holds the audio type file. So, one could think of mp4 as being the next step in this evolution file format that started with mp3.
Due to the capability of delivering audio and video at the same time, mp4 devices can offer a wide range of interesting features, such as web browsing, email, instant messaging, video and music download, bluetooth wireless technology, digital camera and others. Also game capability and multiple language options are features that made mp4 devices so popular. Other features, such as voice recording, enabled mp4 devices to be used for professional purposes, besides entertainment.
Another important mp4 feature is the storage capacity, that can start from 256 mega bites up to 40, 60 and up giga bites. Usually a small hard disk unit is used to hold several giga bites of data. For smaller storages, an internal electronic flash memory may be used.
As a music player device, mp4 may offer a 7-band equalizer which will allow the user to change the sound category according to the music style. These sound categories are Pop, Jazz, Rock, Soft, Classic and DBB. Also mp4 player device will support various format files such as Mp3, AMV, ASF, WAV, WMA, WMV and others. As far as the supporting video formats are concerned this device proves to be able to convert file in the AVI, MPEG, Windows media format into the AMV thru the use of software.
Since mp4 devices is compact, it is safe to say that its small size, light weight and good user interface menu, make this device portable, easy to control and access no matter where one can be.
As mp4 format became more popular, several internet audio-video download sites started to offer services, so that mp4 users can download their favorite music or video at affordable prices. There are sites that offer music file download for only 99 cents each, and one has to only pick his favorite song, not the entire album.
Also available in these internet sites are files called Podcasts, which includes information programs, news broadcasts, comedy and entertainment programs. Podcasting is quickly becoming a buzz word among the techie crowd. So what is podcasting, anyway? Podcasting is online audio and video content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Although Podcasting is new, it should become a mainstream communication medium in the near future.
Being basically a container, mp4 player devices are able to provide multimedia solutions with its audio-video file format. Because of that mp4 players became very popular and as it becomes more sophisticated with new features being added in new models, people become more eager to own these device players. After all most electronic consumers do have a wish to keep up with modern time.
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/understanding-mp4-players.html
Just Another LCD TV Buying Guide
LCD TVs are getting more widespread attention these days. And even though CRT is not going to be extinct in the near future it's sure is getting big whack on the head by LCDs. An LCD TV is more expensive that CRT that's for sure and for a large size LCD the price can be really expensive. But they are still cheaper that the plasmas and on some model the LCD even deliver better images than plasmas. Since this is a big ticket item you really should take your time researching and this article intend to help you to choose the best.
Here is a short list containing eight stuff that you need to consider when you're buying a new LCD TV. I put the non-technical stuff first on purpose because they are often overlooked.
Space
Everybody wants the biggest TV they can afford but where will you going to put that TV? If you intend to put your LCD tv in the bedroom even a 40" will look pretty big. Whatever size you choose make sure it will not add a clutter to your room.
Location
Some TV screen gets a glossy look and glare problem when put in a bright room. So if "TV room" gets allot of sunlight check the reviews online just in case it gets any of these problems. If you buy it on an brick and mortar store it's even easier to check. Stare at the TV from different angles and see if it glares back at you.
Shipping
If you decided to buy online. Shipping can sometime be a problem, sometimes big problems. But i'm not talking about delayed shipping or something like that but the damages that might occurred when you're TV is being shipped. A good shipping company will inspect you're TV once it arrived at your door. If the delivery guy doesn't bother to check the TV after you sign the receipt make sure he stays there while you do the inspection for any possible damages. Hook up the cable, turn it on and see if the picture is perfectly acceptable.
Style
Some look great some look dull. Even though your LCD TV provide excellent pictures but if it looks just like a glass wrapped in a plastic frame you'll be embarrassed when you're neighbor decided to watch the ball game with you. Another problem is the TV frame/enclosure. If it's too glossy it will certainly reflects some of the lights which might distract your from that movie you're watching. Also consider your interior to see if the TV will stand out too much or blend perfectly. Personally i prefer to change my room interior to match the TV than vice versa. But that just me.
Speakers
Built-in speakers are mostly average quality but for me it's okay since my ears can't understand the difference between average and high quality sound ( especially during regular tv programs ). You, on the other hand, may need to get some quality speakers if you're one of those who have super sensitive ears (which i envy btw)
Picture
When you're buying an LCD TV on a brick and mortar store it's easy to compare the pictures because the TVs are placed side by side. But when you're only seeing their pictures online your best bet is the reviews. Buyers that disappointed with bad quality pictures will definitely scream their heart out online.
Price
Bigger screen, bigger price. It's really as simple as that. But when you're comparing two TVs with the same screen size a more expensive one doesn't necessarily better. And since you will need to dig thousand of dollars to buy an LCD Television you really should be picky on your selection.
High Definition?
Definitely get the HD one. It is THE future of television. If you don't get a full high definition TV you'll be missing allot of fun experience with your tv.
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/just-another-lcd-tv-buying-guide.html
Here is a short list containing eight stuff that you need to consider when you're buying a new LCD TV. I put the non-technical stuff first on purpose because they are often overlooked.
Space
Everybody wants the biggest TV they can afford but where will you going to put that TV? If you intend to put your LCD tv in the bedroom even a 40" will look pretty big. Whatever size you choose make sure it will not add a clutter to your room.
Location
Some TV screen gets a glossy look and glare problem when put in a bright room. So if "TV room" gets allot of sunlight check the reviews online just in case it gets any of these problems. If you buy it on an brick and mortar store it's even easier to check. Stare at the TV from different angles and see if it glares back at you.
Shipping
If you decided to buy online. Shipping can sometime be a problem, sometimes big problems. But i'm not talking about delayed shipping or something like that but the damages that might occurred when you're TV is being shipped. A good shipping company will inspect you're TV once it arrived at your door. If the delivery guy doesn't bother to check the TV after you sign the receipt make sure he stays there while you do the inspection for any possible damages. Hook up the cable, turn it on and see if the picture is perfectly acceptable.
Style
Some look great some look dull. Even though your LCD TV provide excellent pictures but if it looks just like a glass wrapped in a plastic frame you'll be embarrassed when you're neighbor decided to watch the ball game with you. Another problem is the TV frame/enclosure. If it's too glossy it will certainly reflects some of the lights which might distract your from that movie you're watching. Also consider your interior to see if the TV will stand out too much or blend perfectly. Personally i prefer to change my room interior to match the TV than vice versa. But that just me.
Speakers
Built-in speakers are mostly average quality but for me it's okay since my ears can't understand the difference between average and high quality sound ( especially during regular tv programs ). You, on the other hand, may need to get some quality speakers if you're one of those who have super sensitive ears (which i envy btw)
Picture
When you're buying an LCD TV on a brick and mortar store it's easy to compare the pictures because the TVs are placed side by side. But when you're only seeing their pictures online your best bet is the reviews. Buyers that disappointed with bad quality pictures will definitely scream their heart out online.
Price
Bigger screen, bigger price. It's really as simple as that. But when you're comparing two TVs with the same screen size a more expensive one doesn't necessarily better. And since you will need to dig thousand of dollars to buy an LCD Television you really should be picky on your selection.
High Definition?
Definitely get the HD one. It is THE future of television. If you don't get a full high definition TV you'll be missing allot of fun experience with your tv.
http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/electronics/just-another-lcd-tv-buying-guide.html
Friday, September 28, 2007
High Definition Format Is The Top Choice For Music Lovers
If you are one of those people who just love to watch music programming on your TV then you need to see and hear that same music programming in high definition from Dish Network or DirecTV. Its so inexpensive to make the switch to high definition if music programming is what you are after, because all of the most popular music programming channels come in their least expensive base level programming packages and you can add the high definition package that either one of them has onto it.
Bear in mind that you also have access to pay per view with either one of these two service providers base level packages also. The reason that music programming is so much better in high definition aside from the fact that the picture is six times more precise and defined is that the audio feature of either of these two service providers high definition programming is in digitized surround sound with Dolby noise reduction technology and the result is nothing short of fantastic.
This is the same type of sound technology that theaters with custom sound systems use and if you run it through your stereo system speakers, the results are even better. It's a crisp and clear CD quality sound that you can't get out of a standard definition TV set and it will make the music programming that you love to watch so much more enjoyable.
High definition TV programming is the latest technology to come available for TV viewers and the high definition TV set has some very remarkable differences from a standard definition TV set. To start with the high definition TV set has a much wider screen than a regular TV set, so it's shaped more like the screen at a movie theater and you get more picture that way. With a standard definition TV set a lot of the sides of a picture that you are seeing is cut off to fit on the square TV screen and with the high definition TV set you get the whole picture.
The high definition TV screen has more pixels and vertical lines of resolution in it and this is what the screen uses to create the picture that you watch. It has exactly twice as many vertical lines of resolution and the number is one-thousand and eighty to be exact. You would think that this would mean that the picture is twice as precise, but it's not, because it is six times as precise and defined with double the vertical lines of resolution and pixels.
Dish Network is the industry leader in high definition TV programming with thirty-one channels in their high definition package while DirecTV has twelve. The price tags on high definition TV sets are not much more than a standard TV set and so they are more affordable than they have ever been before. Maybe its time that you took a trip down to your local home electronics retailer and took a good look at your favorite music programming in high definition.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629667
Bear in mind that you also have access to pay per view with either one of these two service providers base level packages also. The reason that music programming is so much better in high definition aside from the fact that the picture is six times more precise and defined is that the audio feature of either of these two service providers high definition programming is in digitized surround sound with Dolby noise reduction technology and the result is nothing short of fantastic.
This is the same type of sound technology that theaters with custom sound systems use and if you run it through your stereo system speakers, the results are even better. It's a crisp and clear CD quality sound that you can't get out of a standard definition TV set and it will make the music programming that you love to watch so much more enjoyable.
High definition TV programming is the latest technology to come available for TV viewers and the high definition TV set has some very remarkable differences from a standard definition TV set. To start with the high definition TV set has a much wider screen than a regular TV set, so it's shaped more like the screen at a movie theater and you get more picture that way. With a standard definition TV set a lot of the sides of a picture that you are seeing is cut off to fit on the square TV screen and with the high definition TV set you get the whole picture.
The high definition TV screen has more pixels and vertical lines of resolution in it and this is what the screen uses to create the picture that you watch. It has exactly twice as many vertical lines of resolution and the number is one-thousand and eighty to be exact. You would think that this would mean that the picture is twice as precise, but it's not, because it is six times as precise and defined with double the vertical lines of resolution and pixels.
Dish Network is the industry leader in high definition TV programming with thirty-one channels in their high definition package while DirecTV has twelve. The price tags on high definition TV sets are not much more than a standard TV set and so they are more affordable than they have ever been before. Maybe its time that you took a trip down to your local home electronics retailer and took a good look at your favorite music programming in high definition.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629667
Plasma Television
Television technology has developed quite exponentially in the recent years, with flat-panel televisions to LCD SDTV and plasma HDTV television popping up all over the market. Television and video includes the reproduction of commercial broadcasting signals as well as the reproduction of visual images using electronic signals generated from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, video tapes, video disks, microprocessors and other computers.
Television
Television has become a major industry, especially in the industrialized nations, and a major medium of communication and source of home entertainment. Plasma Televisions Stands: The Possibilities are Endless Plasma televisions are much thinner than traditional TV sets (usually no more than 4 inches thick). There are several different types and an almost endless array of styles of plasma television stands. Modern Plasma Television Stands for Modern Plasma Televisions because plasma televisions are the highest end home entertainment piece currently available, they are rightfully viewed as high tech and ultra-modern.
Plasma television stand designs reflect this focus. Often these types of plasma television stands are no more than a series of platforms, the highest of which holds the television, and lower ones that hold other home entertainment components. Modernistic plasma television stands tend to complement the TV very well, but may not mesh with the style of every home in which they are placed. Regardless of the style of plasma television stand chosen, it's very important to make sure the stand is compatible with the owner's particular model of plasma TV. Some brands produce custom plasma television stands that are designed to work with specific models; in fact, during some promotional events, plasma televisions come with complementary stands.
Plasma
Should you fail to find any plasma television stand that meets your needs, you could always consider another option - wall mounting your plasma television. HD Plasma Television: Beautiful Picture Quality Created by Combining two Technologies An HD plasma television is truly the ultimate home entertainment option for the television and movie aficionado. An HD plasma television produces higher quality pictures by receiving and displaying data in a digital format, and in addition, an HD plasma television contains more lines of image display, which means that of finer distinctions in color and a crisper picture.
Although these sets were prohibitively much more expensive when first introduced to the market, technological advances make some HD plasma televisions in the price range of the average consumer. How the HD Plasma Television Combines two Related Concepts Plasma televisions refer to televisions that replace the traditional cathode ray picture tube with a layer of gas sandwiched between two clear screens, eliminating much of the need for bulky electronics necessary to produce quality pictures on traditional television sets.
The primary advantages of plasma televisions are the wide range of colors they display, as well as their thin profile (typically less than 4 inches) and the ability to be mounted to the wall. On the other hand, plasma televisions have a limited life span, because the gas inside the screen, which produces pictures when it reacts with specific electrons, is subject to breakdown; some sources say most plasma televisions have about 60,000 viewable hours, after which point, picture quality is 50% or less of what it was when the set was put into use. High definition (HD) television refers to video images that are transmitted digitally, providing a sharper picture and more fine display.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629742
Television
Television has become a major industry, especially in the industrialized nations, and a major medium of communication and source of home entertainment. Plasma Televisions Stands: The Possibilities are Endless Plasma televisions are much thinner than traditional TV sets (usually no more than 4 inches thick). There are several different types and an almost endless array of styles of plasma television stands. Modern Plasma Television Stands for Modern Plasma Televisions because plasma televisions are the highest end home entertainment piece currently available, they are rightfully viewed as high tech and ultra-modern.
Plasma television stand designs reflect this focus. Often these types of plasma television stands are no more than a series of platforms, the highest of which holds the television, and lower ones that hold other home entertainment components. Modernistic plasma television stands tend to complement the TV very well, but may not mesh with the style of every home in which they are placed. Regardless of the style of plasma television stand chosen, it's very important to make sure the stand is compatible with the owner's particular model of plasma TV. Some brands produce custom plasma television stands that are designed to work with specific models; in fact, during some promotional events, plasma televisions come with complementary stands.
Plasma
Should you fail to find any plasma television stand that meets your needs, you could always consider another option - wall mounting your plasma television. HD Plasma Television: Beautiful Picture Quality Created by Combining two Technologies An HD plasma television is truly the ultimate home entertainment option for the television and movie aficionado. An HD plasma television produces higher quality pictures by receiving and displaying data in a digital format, and in addition, an HD plasma television contains more lines of image display, which means that of finer distinctions in color and a crisper picture.
Although these sets were prohibitively much more expensive when first introduced to the market, technological advances make some HD plasma televisions in the price range of the average consumer. How the HD Plasma Television Combines two Related Concepts Plasma televisions refer to televisions that replace the traditional cathode ray picture tube with a layer of gas sandwiched between two clear screens, eliminating much of the need for bulky electronics necessary to produce quality pictures on traditional television sets.
The primary advantages of plasma televisions are the wide range of colors they display, as well as their thin profile (typically less than 4 inches) and the ability to be mounted to the wall. On the other hand, plasma televisions have a limited life span, because the gas inside the screen, which produces pictures when it reacts with specific electrons, is subject to breakdown; some sources say most plasma televisions have about 60,000 viewable hours, after which point, picture quality is 50% or less of what it was when the set was put into use. High definition (HD) television refers to video images that are transmitted digitally, providing a sharper picture and more fine display.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629742
Know Your Plastics
Plastic plays an important role in our modern world. Plastic can be molded into almost any shape because of its long chain polymer molecules. The majority of plastics are produced from oil and natural gas. There are more than ten thousand types of plastic in use today. Hydrocarbons can be linked in different ways to make many different kinds of plastic polymer. Each type has its own specific qualities. For example, when polymer strands are held tightly together, the plastic is stiff and tough. When the strands can slip easily over one another, the plastic is very flexible and bendable. There are seven main types of plastics in use today. Polyethylene is very tough, yet it maintains soft, flexible qualities. This is one of the most widely used types of plastic. Most people would recognize it as the type of plastic we use for soda bottles, plastic grocery bags, toys and shampoo bottles. Developed in 1933, polyethylene is one of the oldest types of plastic around. High density polyethylene is more commonly recognized as HDPE. HDPE is especially tough. It is basically a thicker, denser form of polyethylene. It is harder and more opaque than polyethylene. HDPE is used to make plastic trash cans, thicker toys (like rubber duckies), laundry detergent bottles and milk jugs. Low density polyethylene is what we refer to as LDPE. The polymers are more loosely packed. LDPE plastic is very light and flexible. This is the type of plastic used for packaging bread and for kitchen food-wrap. It is also used for making various containers and the plastic rings that hold together six-packs. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is one of the hardest plastics around. Most people are familiar with what a white PVC pipe is. It is also used for sewer pipes and widely used in construction as a building material. Vinyl siding and credit cards are other common uses. When softened with plasticizers, it can be used to make medical blood bags, shoes and upholstery. Polypropylene is a rugged plastic that is highly resistant to most acids and solvents. Therefore, it is the plastic of choice for containing medicines and harsh chemicals. Polypropylene is used to make photographic film because the plastic isn't harmed by all the chemicals used to develop film. Polypropylene is somewhat flexible but resistant to wearing out, so it's used on hinged caps for products like mints or liquid coffee creamer. Polystyrene is hard and clear when it is molded. It is used to make CD cases. If you inject it with tiny gas bubbles, you get the light-weight foam used to package eggs. It's a good insulator and is used to make coffee cups and plastic cutlery as well. It is used most commonly to make Styrofoam. The last type we'll discuss here is Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is super strong, very hard to break and can withstand a lot of heat. We use it to house electronics, make MP3 players, compact discs and DVDs. Because it has high optical and mechanical properties, it is also used to produce sunglass lenses and safety glasses.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629769
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629769
High Definition Programming And TV Sets
High definition programming is the latest technology to become available to TV viewers and it is not a passing trend or fad by any means. It's a whole new way to watch TV and the picture on the high definition TV set is a full six times more defined and precise that the picture you will get from a standard definition TV set.
High definition TV programming also involves the audio feature as well, because the audio feature from Dish Network high definition TV programming is digitized surround sound that also incorporates Dolby noise reduction sound technology and the results are nothing short of fantastic. This is the type of sound quality that people used to have to buy a custom stereo system to enjoy and now thanks to high definition programming they can get it right from their TV set.
Dish Network now features thirty-one high definition channels and this makes them the all time leader in high definition programming, with all the other service providers playing catch up to what Dish Network has to offer. High definition TV programming is a very data intensive format of TV programming and requires some special technology on both ends to broadcast and receive it.
This is why you need a high definition TV set along with a high definition satellite receiver to receive and watch high definition TV programming. The high definition TV set is very different from a standard TV set in that it has twice the number of pixels and vertical lines of resolution in its screen and in fact it has one-thousand and eighty vertical lines of resolution to be precise.
All of the TV programming services providers that carry high definition TV programming require that you purchase their high definition channels separately and have them added or attached to the regular programming package that you sign an extended TV programming agreement with. Some of them however include it in with their top programming package such as Dish Network does with its Americas Everything package, that comes with two-hundred and fifty channels along with its thirty-one channels of high definition TV programming.
Music programming is fantastic when viewed in high definition and the sound feature can be run through a stereo system for even better results. With surround sound, the sound has the effect of coming at you from all directions just as it would at a live event with speakers placed all around the auditorium. If you have been to a movie theater recently you have already experienced surround sound, because they all use it now to enhance the movies sound tracks that they show.
You can whiteness for yourself the difference that high definition makes in TV programming by simply visiting your local home electronics dealer and waching the high definition programming that they will have playing on the new high definition TVs that are on display on their show room floor. To find out more about Dish Networks high definition programming you can visit them online.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629869
High definition TV programming also involves the audio feature as well, because the audio feature from Dish Network high definition TV programming is digitized surround sound that also incorporates Dolby noise reduction sound technology and the results are nothing short of fantastic. This is the type of sound quality that people used to have to buy a custom stereo system to enjoy and now thanks to high definition programming they can get it right from their TV set.
Dish Network now features thirty-one high definition channels and this makes them the all time leader in high definition programming, with all the other service providers playing catch up to what Dish Network has to offer. High definition TV programming is a very data intensive format of TV programming and requires some special technology on both ends to broadcast and receive it.
This is why you need a high definition TV set along with a high definition satellite receiver to receive and watch high definition TV programming. The high definition TV set is very different from a standard TV set in that it has twice the number of pixels and vertical lines of resolution in its screen and in fact it has one-thousand and eighty vertical lines of resolution to be precise.
All of the TV programming services providers that carry high definition TV programming require that you purchase their high definition channels separately and have them added or attached to the regular programming package that you sign an extended TV programming agreement with. Some of them however include it in with their top programming package such as Dish Network does with its Americas Everything package, that comes with two-hundred and fifty channels along with its thirty-one channels of high definition TV programming.
Music programming is fantastic when viewed in high definition and the sound feature can be run through a stereo system for even better results. With surround sound, the sound has the effect of coming at you from all directions just as it would at a live event with speakers placed all around the auditorium. If you have been to a movie theater recently you have already experienced surround sound, because they all use it now to enhance the movies sound tracks that they show.
You can whiteness for yourself the difference that high definition makes in TV programming by simply visiting your local home electronics dealer and waching the high definition programming that they will have playing on the new high definition TVs that are on display on their show room floor. To find out more about Dish Networks high definition programming you can visit them online.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629869
Techno Music Sets the Mood of the Dancefloor
Techno music reflects our effort to live in harmony with the technology and nature. Techno music still requires plenty of human intervention to create and perform the machines are simply the equipment that enables it. Techno music with unfriendly ET, "From deeper in your mind, there are things even more unpleasant. Techno music with carbon-based unit asking, "How far can they control my mind. Techno Music at first became popular in Detroit. Techno Music sets the mood of the dance floor.
Electro
Electronic music spans across a large variety of styles, domains and media types. A snapshot of a certain vision of electronic techno music, terribly ambitious, yet perfectly accomplished and mastered. Elektrocast is an electronic music pod cast based in Berlin the city of Electronic music. Nobody composes electronic music that has the beauty and emotion of the music of Vangelis. That relatively little academic attention has been devoted to electronic dance music is somewhat surprising, considering Techno's popularity, creative dynamism, and relevance to and reflection of the processes of cultural formation and mediation in information-age capitalist society. It is also distinguished by being primarily, and in most cases entirely, created by electronic means. During an innovative period concomitant with the development of disco-influenced and vocal-laden House music in Chicago, musicians in Detroit developed a style of music based on more or less equal parts of European synth pop or "EuroDisco" like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, and domestic music such as Parliament/Funkadelic, Afrikaa Bambataa, and Detroit's Cybertron, who were making heavily funk-influenced, electronics-based music called, variously, "Electro-Funk"or "Electro," and who had also been influenced by the purely electronic bands of Europe. The simple fact is that although electronic instruments do automate some elements of the musical process, no good DJ simply lets his instruments run on "autopilot. Composition for electronic music, whether electro acoustic or simply synthetic, is just as time-consuming and creative a process as writing for any other type of instrument.
Drum
Drum & Bass is, as its name implies, a style of music dominated by drum and bass samples; in fact, it is really just a stripped-down version of Jungle, often using many of the same elements as Jungle, including scratching, but far more sparingly, which results in a sound often lacking the aforementioned "layering" effect. Drum & Bass has become very popular in the United States during the past two years, and many clubs now feature entire evenings devoted solely to it.
Techno Music has the capability of swinging the mood of your loved ones. Techno Music can be heart pampering present on this Valentines Day. Techno music concentrates more on the beat rather then the lyrics or the other elements of a song. Techno music is purely electronic music intended for and dance; the music combines the sound of classic German electronic and a feel of urban American music. Techno music can be made in several ways; a compositional technique can be made and developed to suit the instruments that are being used. Techno music showed a tragic and rather melancholic nature and was influenced by its urban roots. Techno music continues to remain a marginal underground music in the United States.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629982
Electro
Electronic music spans across a large variety of styles, domains and media types. A snapshot of a certain vision of electronic techno music, terribly ambitious, yet perfectly accomplished and mastered. Elektrocast is an electronic music pod cast based in Berlin the city of Electronic music. Nobody composes electronic music that has the beauty and emotion of the music of Vangelis. That relatively little academic attention has been devoted to electronic dance music is somewhat surprising, considering Techno's popularity, creative dynamism, and relevance to and reflection of the processes of cultural formation and mediation in information-age capitalist society. It is also distinguished by being primarily, and in most cases entirely, created by electronic means. During an innovative period concomitant with the development of disco-influenced and vocal-laden House music in Chicago, musicians in Detroit developed a style of music based on more or less equal parts of European synth pop or "EuroDisco" like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, and domestic music such as Parliament/Funkadelic, Afrikaa Bambataa, and Detroit's Cybertron, who were making heavily funk-influenced, electronics-based music called, variously, "Electro-Funk"or "Electro," and who had also been influenced by the purely electronic bands of Europe. The simple fact is that although electronic instruments do automate some elements of the musical process, no good DJ simply lets his instruments run on "autopilot. Composition for electronic music, whether electro acoustic or simply synthetic, is just as time-consuming and creative a process as writing for any other type of instrument.
Drum
Drum & Bass is, as its name implies, a style of music dominated by drum and bass samples; in fact, it is really just a stripped-down version of Jungle, often using many of the same elements as Jungle, including scratching, but far more sparingly, which results in a sound often lacking the aforementioned "layering" effect. Drum & Bass has become very popular in the United States during the past two years, and many clubs now feature entire evenings devoted solely to it.
Techno Music has the capability of swinging the mood of your loved ones. Techno Music can be heart pampering present on this Valentines Day. Techno music concentrates more on the beat rather then the lyrics or the other elements of a song. Techno music is purely electronic music intended for and dance; the music combines the sound of classic German electronic and a feel of urban American music. Techno music can be made in several ways; a compositional technique can be made and developed to suit the instruments that are being used. Techno music showed a tragic and rather melancholic nature and was influenced by its urban roots. Techno music continues to remain a marginal underground music in the United States.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=629982
Thursday, September 27, 2007
What Are Gerber Files for Printed Circuit Boards, and Who Needs Them?
When an electronics design engineer has completed their circuit design for an application, the next step towards completing the product design is to enter the schematic details into a computer based schematic capture program. The schematic capture program, which is usually part of an Electronic Design Automation, EDA or Computer Automated Design, PCB CAD, software design package, will create a net list from the completed schematic that details every lectrical connection between each electronic component.
This net list is used by the printed circuit board or PCB designer in the process of designing the printed circuit board with the EDA or PCB CAD software. The finished printed circuit board will provide the physical assembly and interconnection platform for the various electronic components required by the schematic.
The printed circuit board is made up of one or more conductive layers of copper plating that is etched to form the component pads and interconnection traces and one or more layers of insulating material such as epoxy-filled fiberglass to separate the conductive copper layers and to provide the mechanical strength for the board.
A single layer board would have components on the top side of the board and connecting traces on the bottom side of the board. A double layer board could have components on the top side only or have components on both the top and bottom sides of the board along with connecting traces on both sides of the board. A multilayer board would have both top and bottom sides with components and traces along with a number of internal layers used for interconnections and for voltage and ground plane layers.
The EDA or PCB CAD program provides the detailed information about the completed board design in a series of data files for each conductive layer, such as top, bottom, and any internal layers. The Gerber File format, named after the Gerber Scientific Instruments Company, a pioneer in photoplotter manufacturing, is the standard format for these data files.
The original Gerber format conformed to the EIA RS-274D standard and consisted of a command file for each conductive layer and a tool description file. The command file consisted of a series of short commands, each followed by a set of X and Y coordinates, which would provide a photoplotter with the information to create a graphic representation. These command files became known as the Gerber files. The tool desciption file, or aperture file, defined the trace line widths and dimensional data for all of the pads and geometric shapes on the layer.
These data files of computer generated information for the printed circuit board design are then sent to a printed circuit board fabrication company to have the physical boards manufactured. The Gerber files contain all of the information necessary for the computer controlled machines at the printed circuit board, PCB, fabrication houses to etch the copper layers to create the component pads and connection traces, drill all required holes, and cut the board to the required size.
Since a PCB may have from one to many conductive layers, the older Gerber format EIA RS-274D always assumed a set of command files, one for each PCB layer, and one tool description file, or aperture file. A standard for the aperture files was never established so every EDA or PCB CAD software product had its own version of the aperture file format. If the printed circuit board fabrication house could not read the aperture file format as sent, then the aperture information would have to be re-entered manually.
The newer Gerber format conforms to EIA RS-274X and this format includes the aperture information in the file headers as embedded information for each command or Gerber file. This newer format is often called X-Gerber. With all of the aperture information included within the header fo the file, each X-Gerber file provides all of the information required to fabricate the related portion of a PCB layer.
The file names for the Gerber files should be descriptive enough for the pcb fabricator to understand which board and board layer that each file applies to,such as membdtop.gbr as a file name. The standard process is to include with each set of files for a board design a special readme.txt type text file that defines each file name and its application for the board design. The board vendor will use this readme.txt text file as the starting point for the board manufacturing process.
Gerber file extensions are often .GBR, .GBX, or .ART. Sometimes extensions such as .TOP and .BOT or .SMT and .SMB are used instead of the .GB_ type extensions. Often the file extension for a type of file, top, bottom, silkscreen, paste, inner layer, is controlled by the EDA or PCB CAD software package or is selectable within the package. This variation in the extensions makes the inclusion of the readme.txt file as a requirement in the overall file package for the board vendor.
The list of files for a board design will include the silkscreen for the top and sometimes the bottom layers if components are mounted on both sides, component placements for the top and sometimes the bottom layers, solder screen paste files for surface mount applications, drill drawings, solder mask files, panel drawings, pad master top and pad master bottom, etc.
For instance, for a double sided, 2 layer, pcb, the Gerber files will consist of two positive Gerber layers, top and bottom, aperture file,if not in the RS-274X format, NC Excellon drill file, Drill Tool List file, Silkscreen file for each side with components, soldermask files for top and bottom, and top and bottom screen paste files for surface mount boards where applicable. A four layer board would have all of these files plus two inner layer files and a six layer board would have all of these files plus four inner layer files.
At Innovative Circuits Inc., we interface with PCB fabrication houses for our own board designs as well as board designs provided by our customers for whom we are providing board assembly services. Thus we are very familiar with Gerber files and their purposes and functions. But we also realize that countless other people in other organizations who are involved in ordering raw boards or board assembly services will see or hear the term Gerber files without having any knowledge of the term, and this article if for them.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/What-Are-Gerber-Files-for-Printed-Circuit-Boards--and-Who-Needs-Them-/3720
This net list is used by the printed circuit board or PCB designer in the process of designing the printed circuit board with the EDA or PCB CAD software. The finished printed circuit board will provide the physical assembly and interconnection platform for the various electronic components required by the schematic.
The printed circuit board is made up of one or more conductive layers of copper plating that is etched to form the component pads and interconnection traces and one or more layers of insulating material such as epoxy-filled fiberglass to separate the conductive copper layers and to provide the mechanical strength for the board.
A single layer board would have components on the top side of the board and connecting traces on the bottom side of the board. A double layer board could have components on the top side only or have components on both the top and bottom sides of the board along with connecting traces on both sides of the board. A multilayer board would have both top and bottom sides with components and traces along with a number of internal layers used for interconnections and for voltage and ground plane layers.
The EDA or PCB CAD program provides the detailed information about the completed board design in a series of data files for each conductive layer, such as top, bottom, and any internal layers. The Gerber File format, named after the Gerber Scientific Instruments Company, a pioneer in photoplotter manufacturing, is the standard format for these data files.
The original Gerber format conformed to the EIA RS-274D standard and consisted of a command file for each conductive layer and a tool description file. The command file consisted of a series of short commands, each followed by a set of X and Y coordinates, which would provide a photoplotter with the information to create a graphic representation. These command files became known as the Gerber files. The tool desciption file, or aperture file, defined the trace line widths and dimensional data for all of the pads and geometric shapes on the layer.
These data files of computer generated information for the printed circuit board design are then sent to a printed circuit board fabrication company to have the physical boards manufactured. The Gerber files contain all of the information necessary for the computer controlled machines at the printed circuit board, PCB, fabrication houses to etch the copper layers to create the component pads and connection traces, drill all required holes, and cut the board to the required size.
Since a PCB may have from one to many conductive layers, the older Gerber format EIA RS-274D always assumed a set of command files, one for each PCB layer, and one tool description file, or aperture file. A standard for the aperture files was never established so every EDA or PCB CAD software product had its own version of the aperture file format. If the printed circuit board fabrication house could not read the aperture file format as sent, then the aperture information would have to be re-entered manually.
The newer Gerber format conforms to EIA RS-274X and this format includes the aperture information in the file headers as embedded information for each command or Gerber file. This newer format is often called X-Gerber. With all of the aperture information included within the header fo the file, each X-Gerber file provides all of the information required to fabricate the related portion of a PCB layer.
The file names for the Gerber files should be descriptive enough for the pcb fabricator to understand which board and board layer that each file applies to,such as membdtop.gbr as a file name. The standard process is to include with each set of files for a board design a special readme.txt type text file that defines each file name and its application for the board design. The board vendor will use this readme.txt text file as the starting point for the board manufacturing process.
Gerber file extensions are often .GBR, .GBX, or .ART. Sometimes extensions such as .TOP and .BOT or .SMT and .SMB are used instead of the .GB_ type extensions. Often the file extension for a type of file, top, bottom, silkscreen, paste, inner layer, is controlled by the EDA or PCB CAD software package or is selectable within the package. This variation in the extensions makes the inclusion of the readme.txt file as a requirement in the overall file package for the board vendor.
The list of files for a board design will include the silkscreen for the top and sometimes the bottom layers if components are mounted on both sides, component placements for the top and sometimes the bottom layers, solder screen paste files for surface mount applications, drill drawings, solder mask files, panel drawings, pad master top and pad master bottom, etc.
For instance, for a double sided, 2 layer, pcb, the Gerber files will consist of two positive Gerber layers, top and bottom, aperture file,if not in the RS-274X format, NC Excellon drill file, Drill Tool List file, Silkscreen file for each side with components, soldermask files for top and bottom, and top and bottom screen paste files for surface mount boards where applicable. A four layer board would have all of these files plus two inner layer files and a six layer board would have all of these files plus four inner layer files.
At Innovative Circuits Inc., we interface with PCB fabrication houses for our own board designs as well as board designs provided by our customers for whom we are providing board assembly services. Thus we are very familiar with Gerber files and their purposes and functions. But we also realize that countless other people in other organizations who are involved in ordering raw boards or board assembly services will see or hear the term Gerber files without having any knowledge of the term, and this article if for them.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/What-Are-Gerber-Files-for-Printed-Circuit-Boards--and-Who-Needs-Them-/3720
What Your Electronics Manufacturing Service Provider Needs from You
Contract electronics manufacturing service or EMS providers typically work with customers in a wide range of industries with differing requirements for inventory control, testing, product packaging, and product support. In some applications, the EMS provider simply assembles the printed circuit boards and then ships the boards to the customer. In other applications, the EMS provider will assemble the printed circuit board, load firmware/software into memory, test the board, and then assemble the board and associated cables, enclosures, and documentation into a finished product that is shipped to the customer. Some customers will provide all of the materials, raw boards and electronic components, required for a job and the EMS provider assemblies the printed circuit boards, performs any required testing, and ships the finished boards to the customer. This is generally considered as inventory provided on a consignment basis where the EMS provider basically provides labor and expertise only. Some customers provide some portion on the materials, such as specialty or high cost integrated circuits, proprietary parts such as transformers or coils, raw printed circuit boards, etc. and rely on the EMS provider to purchase the remainder of the components needed to assemble the boards. Most EMS providers prefer to use their own purchasing power, their extensive contacts, and their existing parts inventory where applicable to provide all of the required materials for a customer's particular project. This method is generally considered as inventory provided on a turn-key basis.
But before any of this can happen, the EMS provider must provide an assembled board quote or pricing estimate to the customer for the project. In addition to the quantity commitments, production release quantity and annual usage quantity, this pricing process also requires a detailed bill of material from the customer along with a set of the Gerber files for the printed circuit boards. The BOM should define all of the components along with the approved vendor and vendor's part number for each component. This information allows the Materials Management group to determine availability, packaging, and pricing for each component based on the quantities and vendor information. The BOM information is also needed to allow a technical review to determine the amount of labor and the equipment required to place the parts and to solder the components to the board.
The Gerber files for the printed circuit board design provide Materials Management with the information they need in order to get raw board pricing and lead times from the printed circuit board manufacturing vendors. The Gerber files also provide the Manufacturing Group with the information they need to develop the manufacturing plan, are components on top only or top and bottom of board; surface mount, thru hole, or mixed component types; wave solder or reflow oven processes required, etc. The Manufacturing Group also has to estimate time to program the component placement equipment and to load the components in the placement feeders, set-up costs, costs to order the solder paste stencils, and must also quantify test plans, procedures, and required test equipment. In order to correctly place components on the printed circuit board with each component properly oriented, the EMS provider will need silkscreen files to know the correct orientation of the parts on each side of the board. The screen paste file for surface mount applications will be required to order the stencils for the solder paste application to the board prior to the part placements.
All of this may seem to be a lot of information, but each piece is needed in order to provide the most cost effective pricing for the finished product. Fortunately, the Gerber files are usually readily available from the pcb design system as the Gerber format is the industry standard output format. The BOM is usually in the form of an Excel spreadsheet or formal drawing. Assist your EMS provider by providing the approved vendor's name and part number for each component.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/What-Your-Electronics-Manufacturing-Service-Provider-Needs-from-You/3721
But before any of this can happen, the EMS provider must provide an assembled board quote or pricing estimate to the customer for the project. In addition to the quantity commitments, production release quantity and annual usage quantity, this pricing process also requires a detailed bill of material from the customer along with a set of the Gerber files for the printed circuit boards. The BOM should define all of the components along with the approved vendor and vendor's part number for each component. This information allows the Materials Management group to determine availability, packaging, and pricing for each component based on the quantities and vendor information. The BOM information is also needed to allow a technical review to determine the amount of labor and the equipment required to place the parts and to solder the components to the board.
The Gerber files for the printed circuit board design provide Materials Management with the information they need in order to get raw board pricing and lead times from the printed circuit board manufacturing vendors. The Gerber files also provide the Manufacturing Group with the information they need to develop the manufacturing plan, are components on top only or top and bottom of board; surface mount, thru hole, or mixed component types; wave solder or reflow oven processes required, etc. The Manufacturing Group also has to estimate time to program the component placement equipment and to load the components in the placement feeders, set-up costs, costs to order the solder paste stencils, and must also quantify test plans, procedures, and required test equipment. In order to correctly place components on the printed circuit board with each component properly oriented, the EMS provider will need silkscreen files to know the correct orientation of the parts on each side of the board. The screen paste file for surface mount applications will be required to order the stencils for the solder paste application to the board prior to the part placements.
All of this may seem to be a lot of information, but each piece is needed in order to provide the most cost effective pricing for the finished product. Fortunately, the Gerber files are usually readily available from the pcb design system as the Gerber format is the industry standard output format. The BOM is usually in the form of an Excel spreadsheet or formal drawing. Assist your EMS provider by providing the approved vendor's name and part number for each component.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/What-Your-Electronics-Manufacturing-Service-Provider-Needs-from-You/3721
Basics of Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards
In electronics, printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are used to mechanically support electronic components which have their connection leads soldered onto copper pads in surface mount applications or through rilled holes in the board and copper pads for soldering the component leads in thru-hole applications. A board design may have all thru-hole components on the top or component side, a mix of thru-hole and surface mount on the top side only, a mix of thru-hole and surface mount components on the top side and surface mount components on the bottom or circuit side, or surface mount components on the top and bottom sides of the board.
The boards are also used to electrically connect the required leads for each component using conductive copper traces. The component pads and connection traces are etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. Printed circuit boards are designed as single sided with copper pads and traces on one side of the board only, double sided with copper pads and traces on the top and bottom sides of the board, or multilayer designs with copper pads and traces on top and bottom of board with a variable number of internal copper layers with traces and connections.
Single or double sided boards consist of a core dielectric material, such as FR-4 epoxy fiberglass, with copper plating on one or both sides. This copper plating is etched away to form the actual copper pads and connection traces on the board surfaces as part of the board manufacturing process. A multilayer board consists of a number of layers of dielectric material that has been impregnated with adhesives, and these layers are used to separate the layers of copper plating. All of these layers are aligned and then bonded into a single board structure under heat and pressure. Multilayer boards with 48 or more layers can be produced with today's technologies.
In a typical four layer board design, the internal layers are often used to provide power and ground connections, such as a +5V plane layer and a Ground plane layer as the two internal layers, with all other circuit and component connections made on the top and bottom layers of the board. Very complex board designs may have a large number of layers to make the various connections for different voltage levels, ground connections, or for connecting the many leads on ball grid array devices and other large integrated circuit package formats.
There are usually two types of material used to construct a multilayer board. Pre-preg material is thin layers of fiberglass pre-impregnated with an adhesive, and is in sheet form, usually about .002 inches thick. Core material is similar to a very thin double sided board in that it has a dielectric material, such as epoxy fiberglass, with a copper layer deposited on each side, usually .030 thickness dielectric material with 1 ounce copper layer on each side. In a multilayer board design, there are two methods used to build up the desired number of layers. The core stack-up method, which is an older technology, uses a center layer of pre-preg material with a layer of core material above and another layer of core material below. This combination of one pre-preg layer and two core layers would make a 4 layer board.
The film stack-up method, a newer technology, would have core material as the center layer followed by layers of pre-preg and copper material built up above and below to form the final number of layers required by the board design, sort of like Dagwood building a sandwich. This method allows the manufacturer flexibility in how the board layer thicknesses are combined to meet the finished product thickness requirements by varying the number of sheets of pre-preg in each layer. Once the material layers are completed, the entire stack is subjected to heat and pressure that causes the adhesive in the pre-preg to bond the core and pre-preg layers together into a single entity.
The process of manufacturing printed circuit boards follows the steps below for most applications:
Basic Steps for Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards:
1. Setup - the process of determining materials, processes, and requirements to meet the customer's specifications for the board design based on the Gerber file information provided with the purchase order.
2. Imaging - the process of transferring the Gerber file data for a layer onto an etch resist film that is placed on the conductive copper layer.
3. Etching - the traditional process of exposing the copper and other areas unprotected by the etch resist film to a chemical that removes the unprotected copper, leaving the protected copper pads and traces in place; newer processes use plasma/laser etching instead of chemicals to remove the copper material, allowing finer line definitions.
4. Multilayer Pressing - the process of aligning the conductive copper and insulating dielectric layers and pressing them under heat to activate the adhesive in the dielectric layers to form a solid board material.
5. Drilling - the process of drilling all of the holes for plated through applications; a second drilling process is used for holes that are not to be plated through. Information on hole location and size is contained in the drill drawing file.
6. Plating - the process of applying copper plating to the pads, traces, and drilled through holes that are to be plated through; boards are placed in an electrically charged bath of copper.
7. Second Drilling - this is required when holes are to be drilled through a copper area but the hole is not to be plated through. Avoid this process if possible because it adds cost to the finished board.
8. Masking - the process of applying a protective masking material, a solder mask, over the bare copper traces or over the copper that has had a thin layer of solder applied; the solder mask protects against environmental damage, provides insulation, protects against solder shorts, and protects traces that run between pads.
9. Finishing - the process of coating the pad areas with a thin layer of solder to prepare the board for the eventual wave soldering or reflow soldering process that will occur at a later date after the components have been placed.
10. Silk Screening - the process of applying the markings for component designations and component outlines to the board. May be applied to just the top side or to both sides if components are mounted on both top and bottom sides.
11. Routing - the process of separating multiple boards from a panel of identical boards; this process also allows cutting notches or slots into the board if required.
12. Quality Control - a visual inspection of the boards; also can be the process of inspecting wall quality for plated through holes in multilayer boards by cross-sectioning or other methods.
13. Electrical Testing - the process of checking for continuity or shorted connections on the boards by means applying a voltage between various points on the board and determining if a current flow occurs. Depending upon the board complexity, this process may require a specially designed test fixture and test program to integrate with the electrical test system used by the board manufacturer.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Basics-of-Manufacturing-Printed-Circuit-Boards/3722
The boards are also used to electrically connect the required leads for each component using conductive copper traces. The component pads and connection traces are etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. Printed circuit boards are designed as single sided with copper pads and traces on one side of the board only, double sided with copper pads and traces on the top and bottom sides of the board, or multilayer designs with copper pads and traces on top and bottom of board with a variable number of internal copper layers with traces and connections.
Single or double sided boards consist of a core dielectric material, such as FR-4 epoxy fiberglass, with copper plating on one or both sides. This copper plating is etched away to form the actual copper pads and connection traces on the board surfaces as part of the board manufacturing process. A multilayer board consists of a number of layers of dielectric material that has been impregnated with adhesives, and these layers are used to separate the layers of copper plating. All of these layers are aligned and then bonded into a single board structure under heat and pressure. Multilayer boards with 48 or more layers can be produced with today's technologies.
In a typical four layer board design, the internal layers are often used to provide power and ground connections, such as a +5V plane layer and a Ground plane layer as the two internal layers, with all other circuit and component connections made on the top and bottom layers of the board. Very complex board designs may have a large number of layers to make the various connections for different voltage levels, ground connections, or for connecting the many leads on ball grid array devices and other large integrated circuit package formats.
There are usually two types of material used to construct a multilayer board. Pre-preg material is thin layers of fiberglass pre-impregnated with an adhesive, and is in sheet form, usually about .002 inches thick. Core material is similar to a very thin double sided board in that it has a dielectric material, such as epoxy fiberglass, with a copper layer deposited on each side, usually .030 thickness dielectric material with 1 ounce copper layer on each side. In a multilayer board design, there are two methods used to build up the desired number of layers. The core stack-up method, which is an older technology, uses a center layer of pre-preg material with a layer of core material above and another layer of core material below. This combination of one pre-preg layer and two core layers would make a 4 layer board.
The film stack-up method, a newer technology, would have core material as the center layer followed by layers of pre-preg and copper material built up above and below to form the final number of layers required by the board design, sort of like Dagwood building a sandwich. This method allows the manufacturer flexibility in how the board layer thicknesses are combined to meet the finished product thickness requirements by varying the number of sheets of pre-preg in each layer. Once the material layers are completed, the entire stack is subjected to heat and pressure that causes the adhesive in the pre-preg to bond the core and pre-preg layers together into a single entity.
The process of manufacturing printed circuit boards follows the steps below for most applications:
Basic Steps for Manufacturing Printed Circuit Boards:
1. Setup - the process of determining materials, processes, and requirements to meet the customer's specifications for the board design based on the Gerber file information provided with the purchase order.
2. Imaging - the process of transferring the Gerber file data for a layer onto an etch resist film that is placed on the conductive copper layer.
3. Etching - the traditional process of exposing the copper and other areas unprotected by the etch resist film to a chemical that removes the unprotected copper, leaving the protected copper pads and traces in place; newer processes use plasma/laser etching instead of chemicals to remove the copper material, allowing finer line definitions.
4. Multilayer Pressing - the process of aligning the conductive copper and insulating dielectric layers and pressing them under heat to activate the adhesive in the dielectric layers to form a solid board material.
5. Drilling - the process of drilling all of the holes for plated through applications; a second drilling process is used for holes that are not to be plated through. Information on hole location and size is contained in the drill drawing file.
6. Plating - the process of applying copper plating to the pads, traces, and drilled through holes that are to be plated through; boards are placed in an electrically charged bath of copper.
7. Second Drilling - this is required when holes are to be drilled through a copper area but the hole is not to be plated through. Avoid this process if possible because it adds cost to the finished board.
8. Masking - the process of applying a protective masking material, a solder mask, over the bare copper traces or over the copper that has had a thin layer of solder applied; the solder mask protects against environmental damage, provides insulation, protects against solder shorts, and protects traces that run between pads.
9. Finishing - the process of coating the pad areas with a thin layer of solder to prepare the board for the eventual wave soldering or reflow soldering process that will occur at a later date after the components have been placed.
10. Silk Screening - the process of applying the markings for component designations and component outlines to the board. May be applied to just the top side or to both sides if components are mounted on both top and bottom sides.
11. Routing - the process of separating multiple boards from a panel of identical boards; this process also allows cutting notches or slots into the board if required.
12. Quality Control - a visual inspection of the boards; also can be the process of inspecting wall quality for plated through holes in multilayer boards by cross-sectioning or other methods.
13. Electrical Testing - the process of checking for continuity or shorted connections on the boards by means applying a voltage between various points on the board and determining if a current flow occurs. Depending upon the board complexity, this process may require a specially designed test fixture and test program to integrate with the electrical test system used by the board manufacturer.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Basics-of-Manufacturing-Printed-Circuit-Boards/3722
Protect Your Home or Business with CCTV Security Systems
With so many reports of burglary, theft, and home invasions recently, you're probably very concerned about the safety of your home or business. There is a definite need for concern. Many homes or businesses are burglarized because they do not have a dependable security system in place.
CCTV security systems are growing in popularity for all sorts of purposes. As the need for security cameras grows, CCTV technology is also growing by leaps and bounds with new innovative features to make video surveillance more dependable than ever.
What is CCTV?
CCTV stands for "closed circuit television" and is a television system that is meant for private use only, not for public broadcast. CCTV is used for many purposes. It might be used to monitor a nanny or a caregiver for an elderly person. As an employer, you might use it to keep an eye on your employees and to monitor daily operations. CCTV can be used to observe public places by government or law officials such as parks, housing or apartment developments, and car parking garages.
Protection and Prevention with CCTV Security Systems
Using a CCTV system can dramatically reduce your risks of becoming a victim of crime. It can protect your child, your elderly loved one, your home, or your business by allowing you to observe what's going on either secretly or openly. A CCTV camera can be placed almost anywhere in any room where sufficient lighting is available. Many of the new model CCTV cameras are wireless and can be operated on batteries. There are external day/night cameras as well for surveillance outdoors.
Types of CCTV Surveillance Cameras
There are many different types of CCTV security systems available. If you want a "hidden" camera, there are miniature cameras and even CCTV cameras that resemble everyday objects, such as the pen camera, smoke alarm camera, and the clock camera. These objects appear to be normal, but actually have a CCTV camera hidden inside. There are covert wireless cameras, multiple cameras with receivers for observing a broad area, dome-covered wireless cameras, and wireless video senders.
Benefits of a DVR Security System
A DVR security system is a digital video recorder that can be used in concordance with the CCTV system. Unlike VCRs, DVRs enable you to record for many hours at the full digital quality. Also, you are able to set it for timed recordings or continuous recordings. Some unique features that you might find with a DVR system include quick replay search using date, time, or day, multiple camera recordings and display, a CD writer for backup, motion detection, remote control, and more.
With these helpful surveillance items, you can feel safe and secure at your home or business. They can be used as a deterrent to thieves or to catch them in the act. There are also other great security products for creating access control to certain areas of your home or business, vehicle security, computer and Internet security, and other uses.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Protect-Your-Home-or-Business-with-CCTV-Security-Systems/9277
CCTV security systems are growing in popularity for all sorts of purposes. As the need for security cameras grows, CCTV technology is also growing by leaps and bounds with new innovative features to make video surveillance more dependable than ever.
What is CCTV?
CCTV stands for "closed circuit television" and is a television system that is meant for private use only, not for public broadcast. CCTV is used for many purposes. It might be used to monitor a nanny or a caregiver for an elderly person. As an employer, you might use it to keep an eye on your employees and to monitor daily operations. CCTV can be used to observe public places by government or law officials such as parks, housing or apartment developments, and car parking garages.
Protection and Prevention with CCTV Security Systems
Using a CCTV system can dramatically reduce your risks of becoming a victim of crime. It can protect your child, your elderly loved one, your home, or your business by allowing you to observe what's going on either secretly or openly. A CCTV camera can be placed almost anywhere in any room where sufficient lighting is available. Many of the new model CCTV cameras are wireless and can be operated on batteries. There are external day/night cameras as well for surveillance outdoors.
Types of CCTV Surveillance Cameras
There are many different types of CCTV security systems available. If you want a "hidden" camera, there are miniature cameras and even CCTV cameras that resemble everyday objects, such as the pen camera, smoke alarm camera, and the clock camera. These objects appear to be normal, but actually have a CCTV camera hidden inside. There are covert wireless cameras, multiple cameras with receivers for observing a broad area, dome-covered wireless cameras, and wireless video senders.
Benefits of a DVR Security System
A DVR security system is a digital video recorder that can be used in concordance with the CCTV system. Unlike VCRs, DVRs enable you to record for many hours at the full digital quality. Also, you are able to set it for timed recordings or continuous recordings. Some unique features that you might find with a DVR system include quick replay search using date, time, or day, multiple camera recordings and display, a CD writer for backup, motion detection, remote control, and more.
With these helpful surveillance items, you can feel safe and secure at your home or business. They can be used as a deterrent to thieves or to catch them in the act. There are also other great security products for creating access control to certain areas of your home or business, vehicle security, computer and Internet security, and other uses.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Protect-Your-Home-or-Business-with-CCTV-Security-Systems/9277
Category 5 Cable & Category 5e Cable
In the technological world we live in today we are all interconnected through millions of cables whether they can be seen or not. What we will be looking into today is the intercal design and purpose of two special cables called Category 5 cable and category 6 cable. Category 5 cable, commonly known as Cat 5, is a twisted pair cable type designed for high signal integrity. Many such cables are unshielded but some are shielded. Category 5 has been superseded by the Category 5e specification. This type of cable is often used in structured cabling for computer networks such as Ethernet, and is also used to carry many other signals such as basic voice services, token ring, and ATM (at up to 155 Mbit/s, over short distances).
Organizations such as the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) set specific product standards, and these guidelines have resulted in cables being classified into various categories based on their performance levels. Just in case you’re not too familiar with cabling terminology here are a few straightforward definitions and statistics on these three common grades of network cable:
Cat 5: Out of the three types of cable we’ll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable is available in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely used in the United States, and Screened Twisted Pair (SCTP), which has shielding to provide a measure of extra protection against interference, but is rarely used outside of Europe. Cables belonging to Category 5 are either solid or stranded: Solid Cat 5 is more rigid, and the better choice if data needs to be transmitted over a long distance, while Stranded Cat 5 is very flexible and most likely to be used as patch cable. Cat 5 cable can support 10 or 100 Mbps Ethernet, and has a capability of up to 100MHz., to help you better choose the right one to fit your needs.
Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced) cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it in new installations. Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000 Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower levels of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
Both CAT-5 and CAT-5e have 100 ohm impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmissions up to 100 MHz. The differences between CAT-5 and CAT-5e show in all aspects of performance: capacitance, frequency, resistance, attenuation, and NEXT. CAT-5e components were designed with high-speed gigabit Ethernet in mind. While CAT-5 components may function to some degree in a gigabit Ethernet, they perform below standard during high-data transfer scenarios. CAT-5e cables work with ATM and gigabit speed products. Simply, if you are using a 100Mbps switch, get CAT-5e cable instead of CAT-5.
Common Questions:
Is CAT-5e backwards compatible?
Yes it works with any 10BaseT or 100BaseT network cards and hubs.
CAT-5 is also upwardly compatible with CAT-5e, however your network throughput will only be as fast as the slowest part.
Can I run CAT-5e Ethernet cable outside?
CAT-5e cable is not rated for outdoor use; however it can generally be used without a problem. If possible, run the cable through some kind of conduit to prevent moisture or an attractive site for lightning to strike. You should be able to find gray PVC conduit suitable for cable at any hardware store. Remember, 100 Meters is your max distance, without some kind of hub, bridge or amplification.
What is the operating temp for CAT-5e cable?
Operating Temp for CAT-5e cable: -10C to 60C
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Category-5-Cable---Category-5e-Cable/7183
Organizations such as the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) set specific product standards, and these guidelines have resulted in cables being classified into various categories based on their performance levels. Just in case you’re not too familiar with cabling terminology here are a few straightforward definitions and statistics on these three common grades of network cable:
Cat 5: Out of the three types of cable we’ll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable is available in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely used in the United States, and Screened Twisted Pair (SCTP), which has shielding to provide a measure of extra protection against interference, but is rarely used outside of Europe. Cables belonging to Category 5 are either solid or stranded: Solid Cat 5 is more rigid, and the better choice if data needs to be transmitted over a long distance, while Stranded Cat 5 is very flexible and most likely to be used as patch cable. Cat 5 cable can support 10 or 100 Mbps Ethernet, and has a capability of up to 100MHz., to help you better choose the right one to fit your needs.
Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced) cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it in new installations. Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000 Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower levels of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
Both CAT-5 and CAT-5e have 100 ohm impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmissions up to 100 MHz. The differences between CAT-5 and CAT-5e show in all aspects of performance: capacitance, frequency, resistance, attenuation, and NEXT. CAT-5e components were designed with high-speed gigabit Ethernet in mind. While CAT-5 components may function to some degree in a gigabit Ethernet, they perform below standard during high-data transfer scenarios. CAT-5e cables work with ATM and gigabit speed products. Simply, if you are using a 100Mbps switch, get CAT-5e cable instead of CAT-5.
Common Questions:
Is CAT-5e backwards compatible?
Yes it works with any 10BaseT or 100BaseT network cards and hubs.
CAT-5 is also upwardly compatible with CAT-5e, however your network throughput will only be as fast as the slowest part.
Can I run CAT-5e Ethernet cable outside?
CAT-5e cable is not rated for outdoor use; however it can generally be used without a problem. If possible, run the cable through some kind of conduit to prevent moisture or an attractive site for lightning to strike. You should be able to find gray PVC conduit suitable for cable at any hardware store. Remember, 100 Meters is your max distance, without some kind of hub, bridge or amplification.
What is the operating temp for CAT-5e cable?
Operating Temp for CAT-5e cable: -10C to 60C
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Category-5-Cable---Category-5e-Cable/7183
Easy Guide to Buy Digital Camcorders and DVD Camcorders
A camcorder is a portmanteau word made by combining 'Camera' and 'recorder'. A camcorder is a portable television camera and videocassette recorder. It is an electronic device for recording video images and audio onto a storage device. It contains both camera and recorder in one unit. The camcorders generally contain digital cameras. A camcorder having digital camera or digital technology is known as digital camcorder. A camcorder having dvd facility is dvd camcorder. A camcorder is powered with a camcorder battery.
Sony introduced the first camcorder in 1983, followed by Kodak in 1984. The first camcorders combined the video-camera with an existing full-size VHS/Betamax recorder. These camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to stably support the camera's bulk. The majority of these were designed for right-handed operation, except a few that possessed ambidextrous ergonomics.
Sony introduced the first HandyCam camcorder in 1984. The HandyCam could be held and operated entirely within the palm of the operator's hand, made possible by the 8mm video format.
The lens, imager, and recorder are the three major components of a camcorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC on modern camcorders; earlier examples often used vidicon tubes) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. The optics and imager are commonly referred to as the camera section.
The recent times are witnessing a great revolution in the camcorders. The camcorders with ultra modern technology are in the market. The mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portable cheap camcorders and discount camcorders.
There is a great number of websites offering bulks of info on camcorders, cheap camcorders and discount camcorders. There are numerous online sources offers camcorder articles & blogs, camcorder review, digital camcorder review, sony camcorder review, canon camcorder review, sharp camcorder review, kodak camcorder review etc. The guys planning to buy camcorder must go through these reviews and articles, before buying a camcorder.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Easy-Guide-to-Buy-Digital-Camcorders-and-DVD-Camcorders/6831
Sony introduced the first camcorder in 1983, followed by Kodak in 1984. The first camcorders combined the video-camera with an existing full-size VHS/Betamax recorder. These camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to stably support the camera's bulk. The majority of these were designed for right-handed operation, except a few that possessed ambidextrous ergonomics.
Sony introduced the first HandyCam camcorder in 1984. The HandyCam could be held and operated entirely within the palm of the operator's hand, made possible by the 8mm video format.
The lens, imager, and recorder are the three major components of a camcorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC on modern camcorders; earlier examples often used vidicon tubes) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. The optics and imager are commonly referred to as the camera section.
The recent times are witnessing a great revolution in the camcorders. The camcorders with ultra modern technology are in the market. The mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portable cheap camcorders and discount camcorders.
There is a great number of websites offering bulks of info on camcorders, cheap camcorders and discount camcorders. There are numerous online sources offers camcorder articles & blogs, camcorder review, digital camcorder review, sony camcorder review, canon camcorder review, sharp camcorder review, kodak camcorder review etc. The guys planning to buy camcorder must go through these reviews and articles, before buying a camcorder.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Easy-Guide-to-Buy-Digital-Camcorders-and-DVD-Camcorders/6831
Are You Becoming E-Wasted?
The recent accelerating changes in electronics technology, combined with lower initial costs of ownership and planned obsolescence, have caused a high rate of turnover for all types of electronic products. The replaced electronic products and systems that were made obsolete by new technologies are creating a fast-growing problem of ever increasing amounts of obsolete electronic gear that is accumulating around the globe.
In the United States, homeowner purchases of the new space saving LCD flat screen computer monitors and the new high definition LCD, plasma, and DLP television sets have made the older cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and television sets obsolete but very difficult to dispose of. These old style CRT type monitors and television sets usually cannot legally be tossed into the trash to be disposed of in landfills, so they end up being stored in attics, closets, in storage buildings, or in the garage at home. Most of us get a new cell phone every year or so and the old cell phones, with their batteries still installed, get tossed into a drawer at home. All of this obsolete electronic equipment is being identified by a new term, e-waste.
Business organizations can face an even more daunting e-waste situation since they may replace hundreds of desktop or laptop computers, cell phones, or printers at a time and the old units have little or no trade-in value. Many businesses have rented storage space just to have a place to stack their obsolete computer gear, printers, fax machines, and other office equipment. The National Safety Council estimates that more than 150 million obsolete PCs are gathering dust in warehouses, storerooms, and closets as they await decisions on disposal. In addition, these old units must be purged of any company related data or information that might be stored on or retrievable from the hard drives. Depending on the methodology, hard drive destruction can cost from $30 to $80 per unit in order to guarantee that no data can be retrieved from the unit.
New industries are being created to recycle old computer systems and other e-waste. If your electronic equipment is too old to be refurbished and used, or is broken beyond repair, you may send it to one of the many companies that specialize in disassembling electronics, salvaging parts, and selling reclaimed materials. Many types of electronic equipment, such as computers, monitors, printers, and scanners, contain materials that can be reclaimed and used in producing new products. These materials include plastic, glass, steel, lead, tin, aluminum, copper, gold, silver, and other metals. Both refurbishing and recycling can be very labor intensive so you may have to actually pay a company to have your obsolete electronic gear processed in addition to the shipping costs to send the obsolete equipment to them.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations governing the safe disposal of electronic equipment were finally passed into law in the European Union. The new legislation came into full effect in July of 2006 along with new requirements on the Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). The new WEEE regulations will place a greater administrative burden on suppliers of electronic equipment to EU countries. Vendors will have to register with waste schemes and more closely track their products in order to pay for those products' eventual disposal.
Under the new law, manufacturers selling into the European Union had until March 15, 2005 to register with approved disposal schemes, and by August 13, 2005, all new equipment sold in the European Union was required to be marked with WEEE labels displaying a date code and the standard logo of a crossed-out trash bin. The RoHS directive came into full effect for the European Union on July 1, 2006 with producers taking responsibility for treating and recycling household and business waste electrical and electronic equipment. In the United Kingdom, the dates for WEEE implementation were delayed but are listed below:
January 31, 2007: Deadline for compliance schemes to apply for approval
February 28, 2007: Deadline for schemes to be approved
March 31, 2007: Deadline for producers/schemes to register
July of 2007: Full producer responsibility for WEEE begins
The WEEE directives for the European Union are setting the stage for future e-waste related debates around the globe, including this year in China, Japan, and South Korea. Similar laws and regulations to the WEEE are being considered now in the United States as Congress debates a number of e-waste management bills. All of these are currently still stalled in committee, but several states have proactively passed their own laws governing e-waste management. California was the first state to enact such legislation (Electronic Waste Recycling Act SB20), followed by Maryland, Maine and Washington.
The Toshiba Corporation has recently announced an enhancement to their recycling plan for laptop computers. Toshiba offers free recycling of all Toshiba notebooks as well as low-cost recycling options for other manufacturer laptops and consumer electronics products. Through its trade-in program, Toshiba also provides customers the opportunity to extend the life of their laptop or other consumer electronic product by trading it in for its cash value."
The Toshiba trade-in and recycling program allows you to trade-in the old technology products you have for the new cutting-edge Toshiba computer technology you want! Regardless of the brand, trade-in used consumer electronic products that still have a monetary value for a refund by mail. If the product is no longer functioning or has no trade-in value, it can be responsibly recycled for the cost of shipping. Recycling of all Toshiba notebooks is free! Whether your pocket book gets a little thicker or landfills get a little leaner, with the Toshiba Trade-in and Recycling Program, everyone wins.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Are-You-Becoming-E-Wasted-/4582
In the United States, homeowner purchases of the new space saving LCD flat screen computer monitors and the new high definition LCD, plasma, and DLP television sets have made the older cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and television sets obsolete but very difficult to dispose of. These old style CRT type monitors and television sets usually cannot legally be tossed into the trash to be disposed of in landfills, so they end up being stored in attics, closets, in storage buildings, or in the garage at home. Most of us get a new cell phone every year or so and the old cell phones, with their batteries still installed, get tossed into a drawer at home. All of this obsolete electronic equipment is being identified by a new term, e-waste.
Business organizations can face an even more daunting e-waste situation since they may replace hundreds of desktop or laptop computers, cell phones, or printers at a time and the old units have little or no trade-in value. Many businesses have rented storage space just to have a place to stack their obsolete computer gear, printers, fax machines, and other office equipment. The National Safety Council estimates that more than 150 million obsolete PCs are gathering dust in warehouses, storerooms, and closets as they await decisions on disposal. In addition, these old units must be purged of any company related data or information that might be stored on or retrievable from the hard drives. Depending on the methodology, hard drive destruction can cost from $30 to $80 per unit in order to guarantee that no data can be retrieved from the unit.
New industries are being created to recycle old computer systems and other e-waste. If your electronic equipment is too old to be refurbished and used, or is broken beyond repair, you may send it to one of the many companies that specialize in disassembling electronics, salvaging parts, and selling reclaimed materials. Many types of electronic equipment, such as computers, monitors, printers, and scanners, contain materials that can be reclaimed and used in producing new products. These materials include plastic, glass, steel, lead, tin, aluminum, copper, gold, silver, and other metals. Both refurbishing and recycling can be very labor intensive so you may have to actually pay a company to have your obsolete electronic gear processed in addition to the shipping costs to send the obsolete equipment to them.
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations governing the safe disposal of electronic equipment were finally passed into law in the European Union. The new legislation came into full effect in July of 2006 along with new requirements on the Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). The new WEEE regulations will place a greater administrative burden on suppliers of electronic equipment to EU countries. Vendors will have to register with waste schemes and more closely track their products in order to pay for those products' eventual disposal.
Under the new law, manufacturers selling into the European Union had until March 15, 2005 to register with approved disposal schemes, and by August 13, 2005, all new equipment sold in the European Union was required to be marked with WEEE labels displaying a date code and the standard logo of a crossed-out trash bin. The RoHS directive came into full effect for the European Union on July 1, 2006 with producers taking responsibility for treating and recycling household and business waste electrical and electronic equipment. In the United Kingdom, the dates for WEEE implementation were delayed but are listed below:
January 31, 2007: Deadline for compliance schemes to apply for approval
February 28, 2007: Deadline for schemes to be approved
March 31, 2007: Deadline for producers/schemes to register
July of 2007: Full producer responsibility for WEEE begins
The WEEE directives for the European Union are setting the stage for future e-waste related debates around the globe, including this year in China, Japan, and South Korea. Similar laws and regulations to the WEEE are being considered now in the United States as Congress debates a number of e-waste management bills. All of these are currently still stalled in committee, but several states have proactively passed their own laws governing e-waste management. California was the first state to enact such legislation (Electronic Waste Recycling Act SB20), followed by Maryland, Maine and Washington.
The Toshiba Corporation has recently announced an enhancement to their recycling plan for laptop computers. Toshiba offers free recycling of all Toshiba notebooks as well as low-cost recycling options for other manufacturer laptops and consumer electronics products. Through its trade-in program, Toshiba also provides customers the opportunity to extend the life of their laptop or other consumer electronic product by trading it in for its cash value."
The Toshiba trade-in and recycling program allows you to trade-in the old technology products you have for the new cutting-edge Toshiba computer technology you want! Regardless of the brand, trade-in used consumer electronic products that still have a monetary value for a refund by mail. If the product is no longer functioning or has no trade-in value, it can be responsibly recycled for the cost of shipping. Recycling of all Toshiba notebooks is free! Whether your pocket book gets a little thicker or landfills get a little leaner, with the Toshiba Trade-in and Recycling Program, everyone wins.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Are-You-Becoming-E-Wasted-/4582
Stay Up-to-Date with Quality Cell Phones where New Product Lines are Continuously Added
Cell phones and their accessories are constantly changing and becoming more advanced. If your cell phone no longer meets your needs it might be time to look for a new one. Whatever your cell phone needs, you will be able to find the latest products online. New product lines are continuously added to offer you the best in quality products.
Cell Phone Uses
Cell phones are no longer used just to make a quick call. Many businesses use them for their main lines because they are portable and have superior reception. Text messaging has become popular with cell phone users because of the ease of use and convenience. Many new cell phones will feature cameras and video abilities to use for work or fun.
New Product Lines Are Continuously Added
Shopping online for a cell phone will impart to you the most unique selection of products and quality services. New product lines are continuously added to help you stay up to date on current products. If you are looking for a certain product you can go to your search engine and type in the key words. You will find numerous sites to look at and compare products.
There are many online malls that offer a wide variety of products and different brands. They also offer countless other products so you can do all your shopping on one site. Many offer wholesale or discount prices and make it worthwhile to check out their sites. To stay up to date and offer competitive merchandise such as cell phones, new product lines are continuously added.
Popular Cell Phones
With the heightened use of the Internet, the Skype phones have become more prevalent. With the new Netgear Skype WiFi Phone, you can make calls to anyone with a Skype phone anywhere in the world. You don't have to be connected to your PC when you have access to the WiFi network. You can even call ordinary phones for a small fee.
The Bluetooth products are popular because of their wireless features. Hands free use makes this phone ideal for active people and those who have to constantly be multi-tasked. There are assorted accessories for these phones to make it more convenient in your situation.
Find the Cell Phone You Want
Cell phones vary in price according to the features that are included. You can buy a quality phone for under a hundred dollars but can go higher for the advanced functions that you desire. Look for the online sites with a unique selection of products and quality services.
As you shop for your new cell phone, you will find many other products that are compatible with the phones. You can purchase these along with your phone and have all the components that are made to use together. Where new product lines are continuously added, you'll be able to find the cell phone that's right for you any time of the year.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Stay-Up-to-Date-with-Quality-Cell-Phones-where-New-Product-Lines-are-Continuously-Added/4009
Cell Phone Uses
Cell phones are no longer used just to make a quick call. Many businesses use them for their main lines because they are portable and have superior reception. Text messaging has become popular with cell phone users because of the ease of use and convenience. Many new cell phones will feature cameras and video abilities to use for work or fun.
New Product Lines Are Continuously Added
Shopping online for a cell phone will impart to you the most unique selection of products and quality services. New product lines are continuously added to help you stay up to date on current products. If you are looking for a certain product you can go to your search engine and type in the key words. You will find numerous sites to look at and compare products.
There are many online malls that offer a wide variety of products and different brands. They also offer countless other products so you can do all your shopping on one site. Many offer wholesale or discount prices and make it worthwhile to check out their sites. To stay up to date and offer competitive merchandise such as cell phones, new product lines are continuously added.
Popular Cell Phones
With the heightened use of the Internet, the Skype phones have become more prevalent. With the new Netgear Skype WiFi Phone, you can make calls to anyone with a Skype phone anywhere in the world. You don't have to be connected to your PC when you have access to the WiFi network. You can even call ordinary phones for a small fee.
The Bluetooth products are popular because of their wireless features. Hands free use makes this phone ideal for active people and those who have to constantly be multi-tasked. There are assorted accessories for these phones to make it more convenient in your situation.
Find the Cell Phone You Want
Cell phones vary in price according to the features that are included. You can buy a quality phone for under a hundred dollars but can go higher for the advanced functions that you desire. Look for the online sites with a unique selection of products and quality services.
As you shop for your new cell phone, you will find many other products that are compatible with the phones. You can purchase these along with your phone and have all the components that are made to use together. Where new product lines are continuously added, you'll be able to find the cell phone that's right for you any time of the year.
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Stay-Up-to-Date-with-Quality-Cell-Phones-where-New-Product-Lines-are-Continuously-Added/4009
Capture all Your Daring Feats with a Helmet Camera
If you're the adventure type, helmet cameras can help you capture all those daring feats easily for motocross, flying, ATV, road racing, kayaking, skydiving, cycling, snowboarding, karting, and other adrenalin-pumping sports.
Helmet cams give you the capability to record every moment of the action without depending on an outside cameraperson. These action video cameras are popular with television and movie recordings as well as daredevil athletes, and now you can record your feats just like the pros! You can show the recording to your friends, and they can imagine being there with you on every twist and turn.
What is a Helmet Camera?
A helmet camera is a very small type of camcorder that can be attached to a protective helmet to record all the action while doing extreme sports activities. It can also be used for more relaxed sports such as fishing, golf, hiking, and biking. Helmet cameras are also called helmet cam, bullet cam or bullet camera, lipstick cam or lipstick camera (resembles a tube of lipstick), or wireless helmet camera.
A helmet camera works in conjunction with a DVR (DVD video recorder) and can be played back again and again for your enjoyment.
Benefits of Helmet Cams
Helmet cams provide hands-free recording during your extreme sports activity. This promotes safety and easy use. You won't have to worry about holding the camera or adjusting it as you go. You can concentrate on the activity and still capture all the details without distraction. Also, you can record sound with a helmet camera and narrate the activity as you go. If you're participating in an extreme sporting competition, you can record every moment as a keepsake for years to come.
Buying Helmet Cameras
When you get ready to buy a helmet camera, check online for a dependable retailer. You can always find great deals on quality lipstick cameras with all the accessories to go along. Search for helmet or bullet camera reviews to find good quality products. Also, check for sound quality, durability, and features before buying. Sometimes paying a little more is well worth it if you get a better quality helmet camera. There are affordable, high-quality cameras available online such as the Oregon Scientific ATC-2000 action adventure cam.
Tips for Using Helmet Cameras
Once you buy a helmet camera, take time to study on how to use it properly. Be sure the helmet cam has been properly secured before starting your activity. High speeds, bumps, and falls can cause the helmet camera to become lost or broken if you don't secure it properly. The camera's cable should also be secured so that it doesn't flap in the wind. Take quick breaks to check the lens to make sure it's clean if you're out on the road or in the dirt, water, or mud. Also, be sure the camera is actually recording before getting started!
During extreme sports, you can be the star every time with an amazing helmet camera!
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Capture-all-Your-Daring-Feats-with-a-Helmet-Camera/9797
Helmet cams give you the capability to record every moment of the action without depending on an outside cameraperson. These action video cameras are popular with television and movie recordings as well as daredevil athletes, and now you can record your feats just like the pros! You can show the recording to your friends, and they can imagine being there with you on every twist and turn.
What is a Helmet Camera?
A helmet camera is a very small type of camcorder that can be attached to a protective helmet to record all the action while doing extreme sports activities. It can also be used for more relaxed sports such as fishing, golf, hiking, and biking. Helmet cameras are also called helmet cam, bullet cam or bullet camera, lipstick cam or lipstick camera (resembles a tube of lipstick), or wireless helmet camera.
A helmet camera works in conjunction with a DVR (DVD video recorder) and can be played back again and again for your enjoyment.
Benefits of Helmet Cams
Helmet cams provide hands-free recording during your extreme sports activity. This promotes safety and easy use. You won't have to worry about holding the camera or adjusting it as you go. You can concentrate on the activity and still capture all the details without distraction. Also, you can record sound with a helmet camera and narrate the activity as you go. If you're participating in an extreme sporting competition, you can record every moment as a keepsake for years to come.
Buying Helmet Cameras
When you get ready to buy a helmet camera, check online for a dependable retailer. You can always find great deals on quality lipstick cameras with all the accessories to go along. Search for helmet or bullet camera reviews to find good quality products. Also, check for sound quality, durability, and features before buying. Sometimes paying a little more is well worth it if you get a better quality helmet camera. There are affordable, high-quality cameras available online such as the Oregon Scientific ATC-2000 action adventure cam.
Tips for Using Helmet Cameras
Once you buy a helmet camera, take time to study on how to use it properly. Be sure the helmet cam has been properly secured before starting your activity. High speeds, bumps, and falls can cause the helmet camera to become lost or broken if you don't secure it properly. The camera's cable should also be secured so that it doesn't flap in the wind. Take quick breaks to check the lens to make sure it's clean if you're out on the road or in the dirt, water, or mud. Also, be sure the camera is actually recording before getting started!
During extreme sports, you can be the star every time with an amazing helmet camera!
http://www.website-articles.net/Article/Capture-all-Your-Daring-Feats-with-a-Helmet-Camera/9797
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Printed Electronics and Devices Alaska
Stretchability is needed in electronics if it is to be foldable, tightly conformal or following the form of something that changes in shape, like the human body. It is needed for uses from healthcare to toys and robots.
Tokyo University has put a rubbery sheet containing pressure sensors on top of a sheet of plastic transistors, which was then wrapped around the fingers of a robot's hand. To make an effective human skin the substrate needs to be able to stretch and Dr Stephanie Lacour, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK and the University of Princeton Professor Sigurd Wagner, found that gold deposited on silicone rubber could stretch by up to 100% without breaking the connection and 20% without increasing electrical resistance. Human skin stretches about 10%.
The Technical University of Berlin used wavy patterns of metal to let the material stretch but Lacour discovered that microcracks in the gold may not be the only material that can produce stretchy electronics. "If you can get this microcrack structure into any material then it should stretch in the same way," asserts Lacour. She is now working on a way to combine it with conventional electronics and sensors. Islands of a stiffer material on the silicone can carry micro chips and thin film transistors printed directly on the material.
"There will be a lot of applications in robotics and consumer products and a lot of people are interested in stretchable displays," she says. It will help mend broken nerves and as a sensory skin for prosthetic limbs she told IET Magazine. "With nerves in limbs we know these nerves regenerate, but they sometimes reconnect the wrong cells. We are looking at ways to re-route them by having an implant that lets us work out which nerves should be connected to each other." Stretchy, flexible substrate is needed to cope with the movement of the body: "We need to work with much softer materials than a silicon wafer."
Stretchable electronics could find many uses in medicine. Alain Bouffioux a researcher at NXP Semiconductors has helped the EU-funded Stella project developing stretchable technologies. He notes, "One potential application is in baby respiration monitoring to guard against sudden infant death syndrome. The baby's apparel could contain strain sensors to monitor how it breathes and then raise an alarm if it suddenly stops or becomes erratic. The "My Heart" project has electrodes built into a vest to provide electrocardiogram readings.
Work on Stella has focussed on putting conventional electronic components inside a silicon rubber bandage. Beyond that it will be possible to put transistors into the fibres of clothes and knit a circuit. Indeed Eleksen has put electrical wiring and keypads into textiles, to make jackets that carry the audio from an iPod in a special pocket to headphones attached to the collar, with a remote control printed on the sleeve.
Professor of Annalisa Bonfiglio of the University of Cagliari in Italy reckons the combination of electronics and apparel can go much further not least because of the stretchability of weaving. Her team has developed a doughnut-like organic transistor wrapped around conductive fibres and sealed inside an insulated coating. To wire up this "textile transistor", production equipment may knit or weave the fibres together and cut through the insulation at contact points to produce electrical circuits.
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/advances_in_stretchable_electronics_00000695.asp
Tokyo University has put a rubbery sheet containing pressure sensors on top of a sheet of plastic transistors, which was then wrapped around the fingers of a robot's hand. To make an effective human skin the substrate needs to be able to stretch and Dr Stephanie Lacour, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK and the University of Princeton Professor Sigurd Wagner, found that gold deposited on silicone rubber could stretch by up to 100% without breaking the connection and 20% without increasing electrical resistance. Human skin stretches about 10%.
The Technical University of Berlin used wavy patterns of metal to let the material stretch but Lacour discovered that microcracks in the gold may not be the only material that can produce stretchy electronics. "If you can get this microcrack structure into any material then it should stretch in the same way," asserts Lacour. She is now working on a way to combine it with conventional electronics and sensors. Islands of a stiffer material on the silicone can carry micro chips and thin film transistors printed directly on the material.
"There will be a lot of applications in robotics and consumer products and a lot of people are interested in stretchable displays," she says. It will help mend broken nerves and as a sensory skin for prosthetic limbs she told IET Magazine. "With nerves in limbs we know these nerves regenerate, but they sometimes reconnect the wrong cells. We are looking at ways to re-route them by having an implant that lets us work out which nerves should be connected to each other." Stretchy, flexible substrate is needed to cope with the movement of the body: "We need to work with much softer materials than a silicon wafer."
Stretchable electronics could find many uses in medicine. Alain Bouffioux a researcher at NXP Semiconductors has helped the EU-funded Stella project developing stretchable technologies. He notes, "One potential application is in baby respiration monitoring to guard against sudden infant death syndrome. The baby's apparel could contain strain sensors to monitor how it breathes and then raise an alarm if it suddenly stops or becomes erratic. The "My Heart" project has electrodes built into a vest to provide electrocardiogram readings.
Work on Stella has focussed on putting conventional electronic components inside a silicon rubber bandage. Beyond that it will be possible to put transistors into the fibres of clothes and knit a circuit. Indeed Eleksen has put electrical wiring and keypads into textiles, to make jackets that carry the audio from an iPod in a special pocket to headphones attached to the collar, with a remote control printed on the sleeve.
Professor of Annalisa Bonfiglio of the University of Cagliari in Italy reckons the combination of electronics and apparel can go much further not least because of the stretchability of weaving. Her team has developed a doughnut-like organic transistor wrapped around conductive fibres and sealed inside an insulated coating. To wire up this "textile transistor", production equipment may knit or weave the fibres together and cut through the insulation at contact points to produce electrical circuits.
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/advances_in_stretchable_electronics_00000695.asp
Drug Anticounterfeiting by RFID
It was sad that the Food and Drug Administration backed off from urgently pushing through standards and rapid adoption of RFID at item level on drugs, after its earlier firm lead in 2005-6. However, its recommendation remains but with industry left to set the pace. For now, the US pharmaceutical industry and the FDA have decided that RFID is too expensive for general use and DataMatrix™ barcodes will do, although IDTechEx notes that these will be far more susceptible to misorientation, dirt and damage and often they will not be automatically read if only because they must be read one at a time. That means that checks on counterfeits by what is called "mass singulation" will be far less frequent than with RFID (mass singulation means every pot of pills and blisterpack has a unique number for reverse audit of "pedigree"). The European pharmaceutical associations have a similar view and Europe has a less effective regulatory regime anyway with no central alternative to the FDA.
At a recent IDTechEx conference, Impinj, the UHF RFID company, quoted the cost of pharmaceutical counterfeits as $75 billion worldwide by 2010 according to Frost and Sullivan. Impinj said that the recent Vioxx recall was 120% of tablets made. IDTechEx has seen reports that a few counterfeits have even been dispensed through national pharmacy chains in the USA. That is a new and ugly prospect and hundreds of thousands more lives are at stake as the attacks continue to increase. Health Industry Insights reports that 'Leaky' channel management costs the pharma industry 4.5% of revenue. Poor reconciliation of charge-backs, plus faulty product-returns crediting, are the sources.
To its credit, Impinj is trialling UHF RFID at pallet, case and item level with six out of the top ten pharmaceutical companies. Near Field UHF is increasingly used to save cost and avoid problems with water and metal. Tagsys is trialling HF RFID in similar applications with many pharmaceutical companies and recent press reports that GlaxoSmithKline is disillusioned with its RFID on Trizivir™ are plain wrong. GlaxoSmithKline says it is scaling up after excellent results. However, we do need a standard for both tag system and secure database. To its discredit, EPCglobal is taking years to establish a standard for EPC at HF, the world's most popular frequency for RFID, but it is getting there. Meanwhile, Impinj and others are able to use fully established EPC "Gen2" UHF standards and procedures and it reports 100% reads of plastic bottles of pills in cases and of the cases themselves.
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/drug_anticounterfeiting_by_rfid_00000703.asp
Impinj partners include:
- Weiler Label Systems: High speed labeling equipment
- Systech International: Production line control software
- CCL, Cortegra , George Schmitt & Co., Nosco: Finished labels
- Rexam Plastic Packaging (Owens-Illinois): RFID-embedded pharma bottle
- HP Technology Consulting, Verisign: Project management; Business process consulting.
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/drug_anticounterfeiting_by_rfid_00000703.asp
Battery System Monitor
Once you get beyond the simplest renewable energy system, it is necessary to include some battery bank monitoring equipment. Batteries are one of the most expensive and fragile components of a renewable energy system, and so it is essential that their status is carefully monitored. It is also very useful to track the charge coming in from the various sources in a combined system - usually photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbine generators - in order to see from where you are getting power.
Probably the best known battery system monitor is the Bogart Engineering Tri-Metric 2020 Battery System Monitor. This device displays battery voltage, amps, amp-hours, battery percent full, and five other data functions, and works with systems from 12V to 48V for around £100. Great value as it costs the same as one decent battery and should increase the lifetime of your batteries:
Bogart Engineering have now introduced the new PentaMetric Battery Monitor which offers even more capability than the TriMetric.
Another alternative if you are on a limited budget is a simple digital multimeter. Available from just £5, a digital multimeter can be used to measure the voltage of your battery bank, and the current (amps) being put into or drawn from the batteries when being charged or under load.
Probably the best known battery system monitor is the Bogart Engineering Tri-Metric 2020 Battery System Monitor. This device displays battery voltage, amps, amp-hours, battery percent full, and five other data functions, and works with systems from 12V to 48V for around £100. Great value as it costs the same as one decent battery and should increase the lifetime of your batteries:
Bogart Engineering have now introduced the new PentaMetric Battery Monitor which offers even more capability than the TriMetric.
Another alternative if you are on a limited budget is a simple digital multimeter. Available from just £5, a digital multimeter can be used to measure the voltage of your battery bank, and the current (amps) being put into or drawn from the batteries when being charged or under load.
Shunt Regulator
A Shunt Regulator is a small electronic component that clamps a power supply voltage at a fixed level. Hundreds of times per second it checks the power supply voltage, and if the voltage is over the limit (set by adding a couple of resistors to the regulator in a small circuit) then the extra voltage is bled off through a resistor. If the voltage is below the fixed maximum, then no current passes through the resistor.
How can shunt regulators be useful to alternative energy generators. Well, for example a solar panel rated at 12V will actually generate up to 20V. If this panel is to be connected directly to equipment requiring an input of 12V, that equipment could be damaged if the voltage is too high. Therefore, by passing the solar panel's generated current through a shunt regulator circuit, the voltage reaching the equipment can be clamped at 12V very accurately.
Rather than dumping the excess power into a resistor and losing it in the form of dissipated heat, it is possible to put it to better use, for example to heat or pump water.
A common shunt regulator used in solar applications is the LM431. This is a 3-terminal adjustable shunt regulator which can have its output voltage set to any value between 2.5 and 36V by the correct selection of two resistors. LM431's are available for example from eBay at just $4.50 for 25.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Shunt-Regulator.htm
How can shunt regulators be useful to alternative energy generators. Well, for example a solar panel rated at 12V will actually generate up to 20V. If this panel is to be connected directly to equipment requiring an input of 12V, that equipment could be damaged if the voltage is too high. Therefore, by passing the solar panel's generated current through a shunt regulator circuit, the voltage reaching the equipment can be clamped at 12V very accurately.
Rather than dumping the excess power into a resistor and losing it in the form of dissipated heat, it is possible to put it to better use, for example to heat or pump water.
A common shunt regulator used in solar applications is the LM431. This is a 3-terminal adjustable shunt regulator which can have its output voltage set to any value between 2.5 and 36V by the correct selection of two resistors. LM431's are available for example from eBay at just $4.50 for 25.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Shunt-Regulator.htm
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Fuse And Solar Panels
It is essential to fuse the wiring between a solar panel set up and the battery bank for safety. If the current flowing in the circuit is higher than it can safely handle overheating occurs. An overload is most commonly caused by a short circuit. An appropriate fuse will cut the current flow if a short occurs in the wiring between the solar panel and the battery. The size of the fuse should be just a little over the maximum current provided by the solar panels - for example, if the highest current from a solar panel is 3A then a 4 or 5A fuse should be used. If a short occurs the fuse will burn out and the short circuit be over within hundredths of a second before serious damage can occur. A short circuit is extremely dangerous, and if not prevented will often lead to fire breaking out when dealing with 12V lead acid batteries. The fuse should be positioned on the positive side of the circuit as close to the battery as possible. Each battery should have its own fuse.
Automotive blade type fuses and fuse holders (pictured below) are excellent for this purpose as the fuses are easily accessible if they need changing, and it is clear if a fuse has blown. Blade fuses are available in many different sizes, each being a different colour.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Fuse-and-Solar-Panels.htm
Automotive blade type fuses and fuse holders (pictured below) are excellent for this purpose as the fuses are easily accessible if they need changing, and it is clear if a fuse has blown. Blade fuses are available in many different sizes, each being a different colour.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Fuse-and-Solar-Panels.htm
Monday, September 24, 2007
Electronic Pet Doors
When it comes to electronic pet doors, there is a huge variety in the market to choose from. These pet doors are made a little differently from the flap doors; they are more like grooved, sliding doors that reduce draft, in turn reducing the loss of heating and air conditioning. Being power driven, these doors are electronically operated by the sensor attached to the pet’s collar, allowing only your pet to come in and go out and not the strays.
The opening and the distance need to be adjusted until the pet becomes familiar with the door. Made up of golden brown, transparent lexan, it is framed in strong, black aluminium that is anodized. The interior plate is made up of textured acrylic, which can be painted black to match the exterior trim plate. These doors operate on 115 volts of current. The power cord is supplied, along with the kit, which contains two sensor keys (these sensors are of different sizes for small and big pets) and an attachable clip for the pet’s collar.
These doors can be installed anywhere from walls, doors, sliders to French windows and can be installed by the home handyman, too. Also available are electronic doors made of unbreakable lexan with a four-way setting. It includes a breakaway collar and batteries but locks only in one direction, which could perhaps be a disadvantage.
Infrared pet doors could also be an option. In addition to keeping the house safe, these doors also restrict entry to unwelcome pets from outside. This door comes with two infrared keys, along with the collar and an optional power transformer that allows you to use regular power so that you can save on batteries. Ideal for small pets, these doors can be fitted onto doors of a maximum of two inches depth, or on walls or glass.
Most of these doors have common features like magnetic collar keys, restricting the pet’s movements, and nearly all of them can be installed on a door, glass, or walls. There is another kind of a door that needs to be fitted onto a panel. These electronic panel doors have the same features as the other electronic doors except that they fit into an assembled panel. The large-size panels have various size and height options. Small and small/medium-sized doors come with collar keys, while smaller keys that are more appropriate for cats can be bought for a bit extra.
Whether one opts for an electronic pet door or an infrared door what matters most is the convenience these doors offer the pet owner and of course, pets, too.
Pet Doors provides detailed information on Pet Doors, Electronic Pet Doors, Patio Pet Doors, Magnetic Pet Doors and more. Pet Doors is affiliated with Luxury Pet Beds.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Riverside
The opening and the distance need to be adjusted until the pet becomes familiar with the door. Made up of golden brown, transparent lexan, it is framed in strong, black aluminium that is anodized. The interior plate is made up of textured acrylic, which can be painted black to match the exterior trim plate. These doors operate on 115 volts of current. The power cord is supplied, along with the kit, which contains two sensor keys (these sensors are of different sizes for small and big pets) and an attachable clip for the pet’s collar.
These doors can be installed anywhere from walls, doors, sliders to French windows and can be installed by the home handyman, too. Also available are electronic doors made of unbreakable lexan with a four-way setting. It includes a breakaway collar and batteries but locks only in one direction, which could perhaps be a disadvantage.
Infrared pet doors could also be an option. In addition to keeping the house safe, these doors also restrict entry to unwelcome pets from outside. This door comes with two infrared keys, along with the collar and an optional power transformer that allows you to use regular power so that you can save on batteries. Ideal for small pets, these doors can be fitted onto doors of a maximum of two inches depth, or on walls or glass.
Most of these doors have common features like magnetic collar keys, restricting the pet’s movements, and nearly all of them can be installed on a door, glass, or walls. There is another kind of a door that needs to be fitted onto a panel. These electronic panel doors have the same features as the other electronic doors except that they fit into an assembled panel. The large-size panels have various size and height options. Small and small/medium-sized doors come with collar keys, while smaller keys that are more appropriate for cats can be bought for a bit extra.
Whether one opts for an electronic pet door or an infrared door what matters most is the convenience these doors offer the pet owner and of course, pets, too.
Pet Doors provides detailed information on Pet Doors, Electronic Pet Doors, Patio Pet Doors, Magnetic Pet Doors and more. Pet Doors is affiliated with Luxury Pet Beds.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Riverside
Electronic Pest Control Is The Silent Killer
Pest Control is always for most in our minds around the end of spring and the beginning of summer when we see the pests come out in mass. There are several types of methods for best control including electronic pest control. Rats are one type of pest that we strive to get rid, not only are they unhealthy creatures, but they nibble at everything and damaged food sources. So electronic pest control has become more popular in order to get these and other pests under control.
Electronic pest control devices prevent pests from gaining access to a home, storage, or other areas on our property. The device has an ultrasonic sound that it emits, which the pests do not like. It’s kind of like creating a force field they can't step around.
Other factors related to electronic pest control are the silent operations of the device. While we cannot hear the device the pests certainly can. Unlike a bug zapper the electronic pest control device for rats and other vermin keeps silent so as not to disturb us.
Bug Zappers For Pest Control
Let us take a minute to look at the bug zappers. These are also an electronic pest control form. The bug zapper is for flying insects. The insects are attracted to the light inside and when they go to investigate they get zapped. These electronic pest control units are very handy for killing bugs, but they are not silent, in fact if you are out in the country without traffic sounds and other disturbances the bug zapper can be a little irritating. Of course so can the bugs.
Electronic pest control devices are safe for your children and pets. Unlike pesticides the electronic pest control route offers a safe way to keep the pests off your land or in the case of bugs killing them safely. You will want to check the devices to make sure they are working properly before you place them around your home. While it does not happen often there can be some defective devices. So make sure you test them before using them.
Safe Is Always Better
When you elect to use the safer method of electronic pest control devices you will find that they may work for a short time only before the pest such as locusts, rats, and other vermin reappear. It is best to check the devices regularly to make sure they are working. There are plenty of claims on either side of the fence that the electronic pest control devices work or do not work. The best way to find out for you is to research the products on the market and try them out.
Electronic pest control devices can help keep the pests away from your home. You may elect to use a couple of different methods for pest control, but know that the first defense is the electronic pest control devices.
You can also find more info on Pest Control Services and Rodent Pest Control Companies. Homepestcontrolhelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Homepest Control.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins
Electronic pest control devices prevent pests from gaining access to a home, storage, or other areas on our property. The device has an ultrasonic sound that it emits, which the pests do not like. It’s kind of like creating a force field they can't step around.
Other factors related to electronic pest control are the silent operations of the device. While we cannot hear the device the pests certainly can. Unlike a bug zapper the electronic pest control device for rats and other vermin keeps silent so as not to disturb us.
Bug Zappers For Pest Control
Let us take a minute to look at the bug zappers. These are also an electronic pest control form. The bug zapper is for flying insects. The insects are attracted to the light inside and when they go to investigate they get zapped. These electronic pest control units are very handy for killing bugs, but they are not silent, in fact if you are out in the country without traffic sounds and other disturbances the bug zapper can be a little irritating. Of course so can the bugs.
Electronic pest control devices are safe for your children and pets. Unlike pesticides the electronic pest control route offers a safe way to keep the pests off your land or in the case of bugs killing them safely. You will want to check the devices to make sure they are working properly before you place them around your home. While it does not happen often there can be some defective devices. So make sure you test them before using them.
Safe Is Always Better
When you elect to use the safer method of electronic pest control devices you will find that they may work for a short time only before the pest such as locusts, rats, and other vermin reappear. It is best to check the devices regularly to make sure they are working. There are plenty of claims on either side of the fence that the electronic pest control devices work or do not work. The best way to find out for you is to research the products on the market and try them out.
Electronic pest control devices can help keep the pests away from your home. You may elect to use a couple of different methods for pest control, but know that the first defense is the electronic pest control devices.
You can also find more info on Pest Control Services and Rodent Pest Control Companies. Homepestcontrolhelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Homepest Control.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins
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