DVRs are very popular among car owners. In addition to their main purpose (help in restoring events in the event of an accident), they also have a number of additional features that make driving even more convenient and comfortable.
Such demand encourages manufacturers to produce a variety of models of registrars, equipped with various functions and markedly different in cost. How to choose a DVR for a car without getting confused in the range offered?
Of course, you can contact a specialized store with a request “help me choose a DVR” and hope for the honesty of the sellers, but it’s much better to try to figure it out on your own. How to choose a good DVR?
There is a lot of information on the Internet on this topic, you can easily find an informational article or just look at the review. The video recorder in the car is selected based on its functions, price-quality ratio, and the available budget.
Car DVRs are small devices, often equipped with a display. Their main function is to record in real time while the vehicle is in motion. In the minimum configuration, the car DVR has:
The registrar may or may not have additional functions, including this, as well as the manufacturer, depending on the price of the device.
How to choose the right DVR for your car? There is no single answer to this question, since the purposes for which a device is bought may vary. It is absolutely not necessary to buy the best registrar if its main purpose is ordinary video recording.
An inexpensive video recorder will do a good job with this task.
It will be correct to choose the DVR according to the parameters. It is based on them that you can decide which DVR is better to choose.
What criteria should be used to make a choice?
First of all, it is worth remembering that this device is necessary for video surveillance. Therefore, the main quality by which you can choose a car DVR should be the ability to record video in proper quality.
It, in turn, depends both on the software capabilities of the device (video in HD or Full HD), and on the specific optics installed in this model.
Full HD image quality is the most preferred, however, the price of recorders capable of recording video in this format is higher.
The most modern models write an image in Super HD format, it is quite possible that in 2017 they will completely replace Full HD matrices, and you can always switch from a higher video quality to a lower one in the settings.
The easiest way to evaluate the optical properties of the recorder is to watch a video on the Internet.
At the same time, you should definitely look for records made on a specific recorder at different times of the day and in different weather conditions in order to evaluate how the mechanism adjusts the image brightness.
Glass lenses have higher performance, while plastic lenses become cloudy and lose their properties over time.
Viewing angle
Another characteristic of video recording is the viewing angle covered by the recorder. The optimal value in this case will be 130-140 degrees.
There is simply no need for a larger angle: it will give slightly more information, but the quality of the video will deteriorate significantly.
On the other hand, it is also undesirable to choose a smaller angle: in this case, the surroundings will most likely not be recorded and important information may be missed. For example, a DVR with a low field of view may miss the “main road” sign posted on the side of the road, and in the event of an accident, it will be more difficult to prove your case.
Recording
Obviously, the video taken by the recorder must be recorded somewhere. The vast majority of car DVR models use a micro SD memory card. In rare cases, you can find models that write an image to an SD card or hard drive for a DVR.
The standard amount of memory for the DVR is 16 gigabytes, but almost all varieties are able to support larger cards. Also, some types of registrars are equipped with built-in memory, but its volume is extremely small and it is not recommended to use it.
To increase the amount of information recorded on the card, you can change the video settings by selecting the most convenient and appropriate video format, frame rate, and the type of encoding and compression used.
Obviously, HD video will take up less space than Super HD, for example, and 60 fps video will take up more than 30 fps.
Unfortunately, the capacity of even the largest memory card is limited and runs out sooner or later. Since the registrar should not stop recording even for a minute, the manufacturers chose this solution: after the space on the card runs out, the oldest files are overwritten. The stream itself is divided into parts, the duration of which is in most cases configurable. The length of one fragment is from 1 minute to 15 minutes.
A five-minute dubbing cycle is considered optimal for city driving. When you get into an accident, it will be much easier to navigate in five-minute fragments than in many short one-minute ones, moreover, it is likely that the entire incident will enter this segment. On the other hand, when traveling on sightseeing trips or talking with a traffic police inspector, it is more profitable to set a rewriting cycle of 15 minutes so that information is recorded in a continuous stream.
The selected DVR in the car must be securely attached to the windshield of the car, otherwise it loses its meaning: when shaking and vibrating, the video quality deteriorates noticeably, and it becomes impossible to make out the specific details of what happened on it.
The vast majority of models are now equipped with a suction cup mount. The advantages of this method are obvious: if necessary, the registrar can be easily transferred to another car, as well as removed at night for greater safety (unfortunately, this technique attracts increased attention of criminal elements).
The disadvantage of this method is that in the cold season it can be very difficult to fix the device.
When choosing, you need to pay attention to the bracket: on the one hand, the fewer parts it contains, the less the device will be shaken, but on the other hand, it is recommended to choose a bracket with 360 degrees rotation. Such a structure will allow, if necessary, to film what is happening in the cabin or on the side of the car (for example, a traffic police inspector).
Another disadvantage of the suction cup may be its massiveness. In combination with a large registrar, the system can cover a fairly large area of the windshield, thereby worsening the driver's view while driving.
The second common option is double-sided tape. Recorders equipped with it are usually small in size, often even without a screen. In this case, it is not expected that the device will be removed and transferred. They do not attract much attention, but they can still be the object of theft, and besides, they cannot be rotated to change the view.
Relatively recently, recorders for a car appeared, which are mounted directly on the mirror. They are almost invisible, and besides, they do not block the driver's view.
GPS sensor
This feature is optional, but it can make life much easier for the driver. With the help of software settings, the DVR will be able to warn about approaching cameras and radars, and show the trajectory of movement.
The main function of this sensor is to show the speed in real time and on the record. On the one hand, this is a definite plus: such an argument can easily break most of the accusations and prove the driver's innocence in a given situation.
Such a function is quite convenient if the screen constantly displays the maximum permissible speed for a given section of the road. But, on the other hand, if the speed limit is violated, such a record can also testify against the driver.
The best solution in this case are models for which you can disable recording speed on video when a certain mark is exceeded or at your own request.
G-sensor
This feature is also present in the vast majority of models. Otherwise it is called "shock sensor". Its essence lies in the fact that upon impact (the strength of which must be calibrated in advance), the record of a given time period cannot be deleted from the memory card by anything other than formatting. This protects the driver from accidentally destroying important information that can help restore the picture of the accident.
This function can also work autonomously in some models, which is very useful if the car was caught in a parking lot and fled the scene.
Screen
Strictly speaking, for video recording there is no need for a screen, but its presence greatly facilitates the life of the driver.
First, if you have a screen, you can best install the camera, adjust its viewing angle. Secondly, the screen can be indispensable in a dispute with a traffic police inspector (for example, in a situation where he unfairly accuses the driver of a violation).
In this case, it will be possible to immediately review the record of what happened, after which questions are usually removed. But the screen size is not important: in case of a conflict, a small screen is enough to establish a chain of events, and it is much more convenient to view the full recordings on a computer. There is no need for a big screen.
Length of cable
In most cases, the recorder is powered from the cigarette lighter. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the length of a standard cable when choosing: too short a size will limit the device's location, and too long will interfere with the right hand. The optimal cable length is one meter.
Other functions
Car recorders can be equipped with other functions: an additional slot into which a second memory card is inserted, LED backlighting, photography, HDMI-connector, interior recording and many others. However, often these features are nothing more than marketing ploys, without bringing any real benefit, but at the same time significantly increasing the price of the car DVR. It is better to avoid such functions when buying.
Manufacturer
Which is the best DVR manufacturer? Now Korean companies demonstrate the highest quality. A DVR from China and Taiwan has about the same reliability, but the latter look more attractive due to the higher quality case materials. Which brand of device to take depends only on personal preferences.
It is not necessary to purchase products of a well-known brand if there is no need for a truly functional and durable device. In ordinary everyday situations, inexpensive Chinese registrars will quite cope with their function, although their quality will be somewhat lower. Depending on the needs, the answer to the question of which DVR to choose will differ.
The TV industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. It has always been like this: once the world quietly moved from black-and-white to color screens.
Then - from huge CRT screens to miniature "flat" ones.
What are the main trends of today? How to choose a TV that will not become obsolete morally and technically within a reasonable time? There are, of course, criteria that are purely subjective. Well, for example. What diagonal to choose a TV? It all depends on the preferences of the buyer.
Where to place the device, how to choose a TV bracket, or what is the best way to place the TV on the stand? All these questions, of course, are relevant, but each owner will have to solve them individually. Because, as you know, there is no comrade for the taste and color. We will try to consider the technological aspect of the purchase of equipment.
TV: Plasma, LCD or LED?
The most modern display manufacturing technologies that are used by the electronics industry in the TV segment are LCD (their principle of operation is based on the physics of liquid crystals), LED (in addition to liquid crystals, they also use special LEDs) and plasma (work using gas-discharge elements ). Displays based on these three technologies are gradually replacing traditional CRTs (cathode ray tubes). How to choose a TV based on the pros and cons of each?
LCD and LED-displays are united primarily by their compactness (“flat screen”). Also, these technologies are characterized by reduced, in comparison with CRT monitors, power consumption. There are discussions about the quality of the image in the expert community. Some experts point out that LCD-TVs are characterized by a rather low level of contrast, there is a distortion effect when viewing the screen from different angles. Most LED devices do not have such disadvantages.
LED TVs are divided into two sub-segments, depending on the type of backlight. The most common today are Direct and Edge. The first type of backlight is characterized by the location of the diodes directly under the monitor matrix. The picture, thanks to this solution, is clear, bright and saturated. But such devices are also much more expensive than analogues that use Edge technology, in which the LEDs are located not under the matrix, but along its perimeter. In addition to low cost, this technique has another advantage - a small thickness (no more than three centimeters).
Among the disadvantages of LCD TVs (especially older models) is the presence of a "pause" between the signal on the screen and the actual projection of the image. This interval is called the "matrix response". When thinking about how to choose an LCD type TV, you should keep this in mind. The technology used in the screens of LCD devices implies the following feature: when current is applied to the matrix, the pixels begin to glow (give out a programmed color shade) not immediately, but after a certain period of time. The smaller it is, the higher the image quality, especially in dynamics (when there is an intense movement of the video sequence), is higher.
Plasma TVs are devices that use gas bulbs instead of liquid crystals and LEDs. Such devices are characterized by very high brightness and contrast. In terms of image quality, "plasma", as many experts believe, is significantly superior to LED and LCD TVs. However, it has a number of significant shortcomings. First of all, it is high power consumption. In addition, the features of the technology are such that the screen "pixels" burn out over time. In addition, the price of such devices is usually higher than that of LED and LCD counterparts with similar functions.
"And which TV is better to choose?" the reader may ask. There is no single answer. The buyer has to decide what is more important: picture quality, power consumption or the device's shelf life.
Projection TV: mini cinema in the room
Among the innovative types of TVs are projection ones. They are arranged according to the principle of a cinema, when a color image is projected on a white canvas. Their main advantage is their low price. Experts note, however, that such devices have the problem of pixel burn-in mentioned just above. In addition, the image for many users seems insufficiently bright and inconsistent when viewed from different angles.
Laser TVs: the ideal option at an immodest price
Another innovative type of TV is laser. Many experts consider them ideal in terms of picture quality and service life. There are no problems with pixel burn-in, their power consumption is low. However, the price is much higher than for LCD, LED, plasma and projection TVs.
Does the brand matter?
Having decided on the criteria for choosing a modern TV in terms of display manufacturing technologies, the buyer will surely pay attention to who made the TV. There is a version that almost all household appliances are assembled according to the same principles, similar or exactly the same technologies. Sometimes devices differ only in one brand logo on the panel. There are also opponents of this thesis, who believe that the quality of equipment still depends heavily on the manufacturer. In support of this, they cite figures on sales volumes, which clearly show that there are leaders and outsiders in the market. Which suggests that the quality of equipment produced by those and others is different.
Which TV to choose - Japanese, Korean, European or Russian? This question is answered, of course, by the buyer himself. But, of course, it is worth considering the peculiarities of the market positioning of leading brands. This will help to form an idea of the solvency, competitiveness of the manufacturer and give some hint as to which brand of TV to choose.
Alignment with SAMSUNG
In recent years, the Korean brand has been the leader in the Russian market in terms of TV sales (it accounts for about 30% of revenue in the segment).
The specificity of Samsung is that a significant part of the products are produced here, in Russia, at an electrical plant in the Kaluga region. It is possible that some TV buyers, thinking about how to choose a TV for home, first of all pay attention to the country of origin of the equipment. The fact that the device was produced in Russia may please patriotic citizens.
It is indicative that in 2012, when many of the largest market players went negative in terms of turnover, Samsung sales in Russia increased by 12%. Marketers note that the brand pursues a competent marketing policy, and also pays great attention to constantly updating the line of TV models. Some experts also emphasize the fact that the Koreans played one of the most important roles in promoting SmartTV technology in the Russian market, which is now rapidly gaining popularity.
PHILIPS breathes in the back
The Dutch brand Philips is the second in terms of sales in Russia after Samsung (about 20% of the market). Just like the Koreans, the European company opened its own production facilities in the Russian Federation - in Kaliningrad and in the village of Shushary (Leningrad region).
Experts praise Philips for a wide range of models in various price segments. Buy a good and at the same time inexpensive TV, thus, everyone has the opportunity. If the buyer is thinking about how to choose a TV diagonal, and at the same time he is interested in an acceptable cost of the device, he may need to pay attention to offers from the Dutch.
By the way, one of the samples of their technology has earned the title of the best 3D TV in Europe in 2011-2012. It is worth noting, however, that the brand's global marketing strategy was not very successful. Due to large losses, the concern sold the bulk of its shares to TPV Technology (Hong Kong).
TOSHIBA Honorable Bronze
The share of the Japanese brand TOSHIBA in Russia is about 12%. Experts attribute the company's success to the fact that the TVs it produces are usually very easy to learn, and it takes very little time to set them up. Just like Philips, the company is ready to offer the Russian buyer a wide range of models in a wide price range.
SONY: almost a pedestal
In fourth place in Russia is the Japanese brand SONY (about 10% of the market). Experts explain the popularity of the brand in the Russian Federation by the fact that the company has established itself well in the first years of its appearance on the Russian market. Until now, the SONY brand is associated among the inhabitants of our country with high quality. True, as in the case of Philips, the state of affairs at the global level of the Japanese company is not too good: the last few years, as analysts say, the company has been steadily incurring losses.
Other famous brands
There are other major players in the TV sales segment. Many Russians decide to choose LG TV - this brand has about 9% of the market share in the Russian Federation.
Panasonic also has a significant position, traditionally offering interesting innovative solutions to Russians.
Top 10 Most Important Options
After we have decided on the display technology and brand, the question will arise: "How to choose a TV based on the need for certain functions?" Consider the 10 most important criteria for modern TV that you can focus on when purchasing a device in a store. It should be noted that they are universal for all types of devices popular today - LCD, LED, plasma. So, our task is to choose a TV according to the parameters that are most significant for a modern buyer.
1. Matrix resolution
There are two main formats - HD Ready (considered a level below) and Full HD (more innovative). Experts note that it makes no sense to choose a matrix with Full HD (a TV that supports it, as a rule, costs more) if the device's screen is small - it will still be problematic to see small details. To see how good the picture is in HD modes, it makes sense to choose a 32-inch TV at least.
2. Support HDTV and UDTV standards
HDTV stands for High Definition Television. It is an innovative standard that achieves very high image quality by making the most of the device's high resolution in combination with digital transmission technologies. Also, the HDTV standard allows you to achieve the highest sound quality (due to multi-channel playback of the audio stream). A typical HDTV screen format is 16x9. In the process of further improvement of the technology, the UDTV standard appeared, which stands for "Ultra High Definition Television".
3. Screen resolution
Resolution is a parameter that determines the number of dots (pixels) per unit area. The more of them, the brighter, sharper, more saturated the picture. Resolution is usually specified in vertical units (for example, 1080 p or 720 p, where p is pixels), but the number of dots that form their image is almost as often indicated horizontally. For example: resolution 1920x1080. Full HD TVs tend to be at least 1080p.
4. Contrast
The higher the contrast of the device, the higher the image quality. This parameter is the ratio of the maximum brightness level of the monitor to the minimum. Contrast is one of the most important characteristics for LCD and plasma TVs.
5. Sound power
The higher this setting, the better the sound quality. Even if the nominal volume level of the TV is not high, with significant power we have less distortion of the sound stream. That is, the question is not the loudness of the speakers (including external, connected ones), but the level of technology of the sound subsystem of the device.
6. Availability of multimedia connectors: HDMI, SCART, VGA D-sub, USB
If the TV has an HDMI interface connector, this will greatly expand the functionality of the device. This technology allows you to transmit video and audio signals in digital format. Using HDMI technology, you can, for example, synchronize a TV picture and an image of a computer monitor (or mobile devices).
SCART is an innovative interface, which is a switching connector compatible with a large number of multimedia standards - S-Video, composite video, stereo sound, etc. Using the SCART connector, you can not only send a signal to a TV, but also receive a digital data stream from the device itself (for example, to record a video broadcast on a tape recorder or computer).
This interface is designed to transmit the video signal from the TV to other devices with minimal distortion. The VGA standard was first used in personal computers. Now it can be used to exchange information between many types of devices.
Another typically "computer" interface that has been introduced into the television industry is USB. Using this connector, you can connect flash drives, other drives, and a large number of other devices to the TV.
7. Support 3D
One of the most pronounced trends in the modern TV industry is 3D technology. They allow you to see the picture shown on the screen in a three-dimensional projection, that is, in a form as close as possible to the real one. Watching 3D movies and clips is very exciting for people. Many now and then think about questions of this kind: they say, I have a 3D TV. How to choose a good movie to watch tonight? And they forget about important pressing matters.
8.Support SmartTV technology
SmartTV is an attempt to "hybridize" TV and computer. If the TV supports this technology, then it turns into a kind of PC (or, with a certain platform architecture, into a “big” smartphone into which various applications can be downloaded).
Above, we noted that the popularization of SmatTV technology in Russia is largely due to the marketing of the Korean company SAMSUNG. Therefore, if the question is "how to choose a smart TV", then it may make sense to pay attention first of all to the offers from this Asian brand. It can be assumed that, occupying about 40% of sales of SmartTV-enabled TVs, SAMSUNG is able to supply Russian users with a wider range of opportunities - in particular, in terms of the number of specialized TV applications and their adaptation to the Russian market.
9. Picture in Picture
Before finally choosing a TV, having studied the specifics of displays, brand positions and analyzing the necessary options, you should pay attention to a number of additional functions that are quite useful in many cases. Among them - support for the "picture in picture" technology, in which not one, but two or more images from different sources can be displayed on the screen. This allows you to watch several channels at the same time (or, for example, a certain program and a DVD movie).
10. Child proof
Another useful feature is to protect the TV from children. Before wondering how to choose the size of the TV, it makes sense to think about whether it will turn out that something that is not quite compatible with the age of the audience will be shown on the big screen? And if so, maybe you should choose a device that allows you to limit the display of unwanted images (for children, for example)?
Moreover, many modern TVs have such options. With the help of a special code (or a sequence of actions performed by the user), access to certain channels or functions of the device can be prohibited. So, for example, you can block channels of the “adult” category. It is important not only how to choose the right TV, but also how to watch it correctly, in terms of the perception of a TV picture by different categories of viewers.
Choosing a TV antenna
Despite the dominance of digital technologies that allow you to watch TV programs in modes of unprecedented video and sound quality, the use of traditional TV antennas is still relevant.
For residents of dachas and country houses, it is much more important to solve the problem of installing a high-quality device for receiving a signal than the question of how to choose a good TV. What parameters should be taken into account so that the channels are well "caught"? Consider the characteristics that apply to devices for receiving a signal of any type. Knowing the features listed below can be useful to those who are interested in how to choose an indoor antenna for a TV.
1. Gain
The higher it is, the more chances to "catch" the signal, and the clearer the image will be. This parameter should not be confused with any of the values for a device called an "antenna amplifier". In this case, we are talking about conventional (“passive”) room equipment. Gain is measured in decibels. Experts call a value of 3 dB a good indicator.
2. Radiation pattern
Measured in degrees. This characteristic, according to experts, is one of the defining characteristics for indoor antennas. The range of the most common values is 40-80 degrees.
3. Anti-interference factor
Measured in decibels. The higher the coefficient, the better the TV picture will be. This parameter shows how big the difference in signal reception by different parts of the device is.
How to properly install an outdoor antenna?
Having decided how to choose an antenna for a TV, in terms of key technical parameters, we systematically approach the next question: "Where to place the device?". If possible, take the equipment outside - this increases the likelihood of "catching" more TV channels than when using an indoor antenna. Not to mention the quality of the picture - it is almost guaranteed to be higher.
First, if possible, there should be a line of sight between the device and the TV tower.
Secondly, the antenna should be clearly fixed. It should not turn around and sway strongly from the wind.
Thirdly, the cable connecting the equipment and the TV must have a sufficiently large cross section (the best option is 8 millimeters). In this case, the signal from the device to the TV will pass with minimal distortion.
Fourth, if there is an amplifier, you need to put it on the antenna itself, and not indoors. Only in this case its functionality will be fully utilized.
No matter how functional and technologically advanced modern digital TVs are, "how to choose a high-quality TV antenna" is a rather relevant question. We hope you received a comprehensive answer to it.
How to choose a laptop that meets all your requirements? Or just not to make a mistake in choosing in terms of price-quality ratio?
Laptop- a self-sufficient computer and a mistake in choosing will be more painful than choosing a separate component for a home computer.
With the help of this guide, you will learn all the necessary characteristics that you should pay attention to when choosing a laptop. Also, this article will help you not to overpay money for functions you do not need, and possibly tell you what you can safely save on in your case.
Laptop is selected for different purposes. Of particular priority: long battery life, home computer replacement(or as a second computer), for multimedia(movies, music) or just All In One*.
* all in one
Laptop for work and travel , should combine such characteristics as: working hours on battery, low heat dissipation, good display, strong structure and wear resistance, compact size, advanced communication opportunities.
Laptop as a replacement for a home computer and for stationary use, it should have such characteristics as: a large display, a variety of communication ports, a comfortable keyboard, a good processor and video card, a capacious hard drive and a lot of RAM.
Laptop for multimedia tasks - should combine such things as: a large and high-quality display, a productive processor (for playing movies in HD), a good sound system and a capacious hard drive.
AllIn One – quite rare specimens that combine all the characteristics from these categories, thanks to competent power management and overall thoughtfulness of the design of the laptop. Often have a video subsystem of two video cards(built-in and discrete), which allows you to greatly increase the laptop battery life. These laptops are equipped with processors that have advanced technologies to reduce power consumption when running on battery power. As a rule, they have rechargeable batteries with b O more sections and increased capacity.
All-in-one notebook by Asus:
High-quality display, advanced communication options (including a variety of ports), high-quality finishing materials, interesting design, a well-thought-out system for removing hot air - all this also applies to this class of laptops.
The only disadvantage of such versatility is their price. Not everyone is ready to part with so much money if most of the opportunities will not be used.
Let's start with manufacturers.
Notebook manufacturers .
It is the manufacturer that determines the quality of the installed components and the durability of the laptop. Even if they are identical in content. After all, it is the manufacturer who thinks through everything, from the cooling system to the quality of the display and BIOS firmware.
A very good indicator of the quality of a laptop is if the manufacturer also makes motherboards, cooling systems, displays, or possibly other electronic components ( ASUS, MSI , Toshiba, Sony, Samsung and others). In such laptops, in most cases, you can be sure that most of the stuffing and cooling systems are well thought out. It is also worth paying attention to the manufacturer's experience in the production of laptops, but this is not a guarantee of quality. Some manufacturers produce low quality products very consistently.
Also, each manufacturer has its own peculiarities, which are often used in laptops from all price categories. For example: attractive appearance and high-quality display (Sony); not easily soiled, scratch-resistant glossy case (Asus); better reception (Lenovo); not heated keyboard (Asus) and so on.
Display.
If you want to sit at a laptop for more than 2 hours a day, then you should make sure that the laptop uses a high-quality display. This is also worth considering if you are working with graphics or just want high-quality color reproduction and wide viewing angles.
In these cases, you should look towards laptops with matrices. They provide accurate color reproduction and high viewing angles. You can read about the types of matrices in our material:
Now there is a tendency to release displays for laptops only with, when instead of cold cathode lamps, backlighting is used. This allows you to make the top cover of the laptop much thinner and significantly reduces power consumption.
On the one hand, this is significant reduces power consumption, increases the brightness level and makes the laptop cover much thinner. On the other hand, the light from the diodes is more irritates the eyes, due to a light that is more unusual for the eye, and a lower flicker frequency than classical backlighting (cold cathode lamps). However, there are still more pluses and they are much more significant for a mobile device. Therefore, laptops are increasingly used LED display illumination.
Another important factor for the possibility of long work at the laptop, without eye fatigue - matte display. Many often face a choice - matte or glossy.
The only advantage of the glossy display is a sharper picture and slightly more vibrant colors.
Of the minuses - very strong soiled(your prints will be stored for a long time); glare, which all the time make the eyes focus on different points, which certainly leads to faster fatigue; the worst viewing angles(again due to glare); inability to work if behind bright source Sveta.
Hardware or laptop internals.
Availability powerful(multi-core, with high frequency) processor primarily affects: the overall speed of the OS and its interface, video encoding, the speed of working with photos, archiving, painless launch of several applications at the same time, an increase in performance in games and other applications that depend on processor resources. You can read about the choice of processor in our material:
It is also worth noting that in laptops – not used logic sets on Intelatom. If you have looked at just this one, this is. Which, although it will faithfully serve for Internet surfing, office applications and at the same time keep charging for a long time, it is not capable of more (of course, there are exceptions, but they are always very close in price to a full-fledged laptop).
It is always better to take a full-fledged budget laptop than an expensive netbook. After all, even the weakest, full-fledged dual-core processor (the same Celeron CULV 1.2Ghz), will be more powerful than the most powerful 2-core atom with technology Hyper Threading.
If you are going to periodically use your laptop for gaming, encoding music and video, watching high-definition video ( HD), work in photoshop and other graphic programs, then in any case you cannot get by with built-in graphic solutions from Intel (X 3100, Intel GMA****, 4500HD and so on).
For such purposes, it is necessary to have discrete(not built into the chipset, with its own own video memory) from manufacturers such as AMD And NVIDIA. This is a guarantee that your laptop will play without problems. HD-video, have good performance in graphic editors ( photoshop, Flash etc.) and feel good in modern games (depending on the video card model and graphics settings). At least the games of 2 years ago, in any case, will be within his power.
Quantity- primarily affects the speed of simultaneously running applications and the speed of work, OS loading.
Lack of RAM ( RAM) can lead to slow OS operation, "sluggish" execution of "orders" and brakes in games due to constant access to the paging file. As you know, there is never a lot of RAM, but still, if it is not enough for you in the future, its amount can be expanded by simply adding memory modules, if the laptop chipset allows it.
RAM- practically the only component other than the hard drive that can be replaced in a laptop. Sometimes you can change the video card, but for a similar one in terms of characteristics. The laptop processor is rarely replaceable, as it is often soldered directly to the laptop motherboard. Although recently there has been a trend to place processors in mobile sockets, and this is very good.
Pro hard disk capacity and the presence or absence of such things as CD Rom, I think everything is clear and at your personal discretion. The more disk space, the better. In terms of speed characteristics, mobile hard drives differ by a maximum of 10%.
A huge plus if a laptop uses a hard drive as a system disk and in addition to it. Either the only SSD large storage. The use of solid state drives significantly increases the speed of loading and operating the OS. Reduced response time, installation of programs and unpacking archives.
Communication possibilities.
Almost every laptop has a module. Exists several standards this wireless connection. The more supported standards, the greater the chance that your laptop will catch almost everywhere in the coverage area. Usually the standards switch themselves, depending on the type of access point equipment.
Existing standards: 802.11a/b/g/i/n. Usually enough b And g standards, but the presence 802.11n adopted in 2009 d welcome.
It's also nice to have on board ( 4G) or 3 G module.
Networks at these frequencies have very large coverage areas, but in any case, you need to have a subscription to them (there is no free cheese). If in your city and your region where you would like to use a laptop - there are no networks Wi—Max or 3G, then you should not buy a laptop with their support (surcharge is about 3-5 tr). And do not despair if these modules are not provided in the laptop. There are a lot of cheap external ones on the market. 3G/4G modems connected via .
When carrying a laptop over a distance of more than 100m, use laptop bags with security framework. They really save laptops in some cases.
That's all. We hope you choose a laptop that meets all your needs.
There is a rule - the higher the skill of using a PC, the more it needs a hard drive in terms of volume. Various collections of movies, games, pictures and home videos take up a lot of space in the PC memory, so users try to increase its capacity as much as possible. However, many people do not know what an ideal hard drive should be, which would have a lot of space, and be suitable in configuration, and work quickly. That is why further data will be given on what parameters it is worth choosing a drive, which one is more reliable and how to choose a device “for yourself”.
Hard drive selection rules
It is worth immediately warning that "hard drives" (as hard drives are sometimes called) are different, and their choice is fraught with some difficulties. First of all, you need to rely on the following basic parameters of the hard drive (hard drive):
- Volume. Figuratively speaking, how much data the hard drive can contain before the “hard drive full” warning lights up in front of you depends on the volume. Currently, you can buy hard drives with a capacity of 1TB, which is enough for any collection (within reasonable limits) of the most "heavy" games or films.
- Company manufacturer. Currently, several large companies share the title of "best railway manufacturer", but there is still no clear leader. From what firms create a hard drive, its reliability, performance and a good dozen other parameters directly depend.
- Cache sizes. The cache memory sets the data processing speed of the device, simply put, the better this indicator is, the faster the computer will boot, the data will be loaded more quickly, and some queries will be executed.
- Connector type. It depends on the connector whether the “hard” is suitable for your computer or laptop. Also, this parameter affects the quality of the device bandwidth.
- Spindle speed. This indicator also affects the speed of data processing, and accordingly, a faster hard drive will record information faster.
Needless to say, the best hard drives will have all the maximum characteristics, and, accordingly, their purchase will cost a pretty penny. However, combining the performance of the device with your actual needs will allow you to buy a good and inexpensive (comparatively) option that will ideally cover the user's needs. QwertyShop experts described the information on choosing a hard drive http://qwertyshop.com.ua/zhestkie-disk as clearly and usefully as possible so that everyone chooses the option correctly and to their taste.
With the development of computer technology, all devices from this category began to rapidly decrease in size, gradually “growing” to pocket options. The same situation happened with hard drives, as a result, external drives appeared, which are distinguished by ease of use and miniature size. The price, of course, has also gone up. However, it is not at all necessary to buy such device options, it all depends on the ultimate goal of the “upgrade”:
- Increasing the amount of memory. If the user's goal is simply to increase the available memory, then there is no need to spend money on external device options. Simply select the appropriate hard disk format for your computer configuration, and then simply connect it as a secondary storage platform.
- The main "hard drive" for the computer. In this option, you also do not need to waste money on mobile types of hard drives, but purchase an internal hard drive with good write speed and volume.
- Mobile data storage. If the user needs a bulky drive that is easy to carry and use, then you should pay attention to an external hard drive. As a rule, such devices have a USB connector, which allows you to connect them to any PC without opening the system unit and “digging” in the wires. In addition, external hard drives can be connected to other equipment - video players, laptops, TVs, and then read data from them.
As for internal devices, it is worth choosing them according to the following parameters.
Hard disk capacity
If you wish, you can purchase devices with different sizes, starting from 250 GB and ending with "terabytes", but practice shows that too large amounts of memory are unnecessary for most users. With the spread of the Internet, all data is stored not on the hard drive, but on the Internet, with the exception of games and programs. If the user considers himself to be among the “average”, then the HDD volume of 500 GB is enough for him. Larger devices require more resources for manufacturers, so they cost much more. 1TB is worth buying only for those people who like to collect collections of movies, pictures and other data, and such hard drives are also needed for games.
Cache
In fact, the disk cache plays the role of a working space where data of primary importance is loaded. The higher the setting, the faster tasks will run on the computer. A standard hard drive has clipboard sizes (another name for this section of memory) from 8 to 32 MB. This is quite enough for the average user who does not do programming, does not like powerful and productive games, but simply surfs the Internet and watches videos. The most productive HDD will be a device with an indicator of 64 MB.
Spindle speed
The hard drive itself looks like a big disk spinning while it's running. The spindle drives it, and the head, which has direct contact with the disk, is responsible for reading and writing data. The faster the spindle rotates, the sooner the hard drive performs its task - information processing. The average hard drive has a rotation speed of 5400 rpm, more expensive and productive models have a frequency of 5900 or 7200 units. Again, if the user wants a drive "faster", then it is worth looking at a HDD with a speed of 10,000 units - one of the most functional options for today.
Important information: you should also not forget about new types of devices that are gradually taking over the market - SSD drives. This option differs from the standard by the type of device - SSD drives work on solid media. No disks, no spindles, just storage chips. Such hard drives have a much faster speed, they do not make noise (more on that later), but the cost and reliability of these HDDs is much less. The cost is understandable, but the reliability needs to be dealt with. The thing is that it is impossible to recover data from an SSD - if the voltage jumps to the upper bar, then a similar version of the technique “burns out tightly”.
Interface
With the development of computer technology, hard drives have changed several times the connector through which it connects to the PC. The modern version has a SATA connector (for external - USB), it is used in almost all models of computers and drives. However, another interface, the IDE, has not yet completely gone out of use. The SATA version has much more bandwidth, so such a hard drive will process data faster, but if the user has an old PC, he should be careful - these two interfaces are incompatible.
Manufacturer
As for the manufacturer of this equipment, then the opinions of experts diverge greatly. Most of them believe that Western Digital and Hitachi are the leading firms involved in the development of railways. It is these companies that create the most reliable devices - their temperature is always at the level, breakdowns occur infrequently, and functionality is at its best. Some analysts oppose WD (Western Digital) to Seagate. The most unreliable, but popular HDDs are Samsung drives (editor's opinion).
The claims of unreliability of Samsung drives are made based on:
1. the number of warranty returns in the QwertyShop retail chain;
2. analysis of reviews in the Yandex.Market service;
3. Personal experience of editing short-life discs from this manufacturer.
Industry leaders, Western Digital, have special color codes for the reliability and quality of devices.
Noise level
Some users are annoyed by the noise that the hard drive makes during operation. It can crackle, buzz, rattle, and all this cacophony begins with the power supply to the computer, and ends with its shutdown. It is believed that Western Digital devices emit the least noise during operation, but this is a subjective opinion of the company's fans, so it is a stretch to take this into account. There are no other parameters for choosing a disk, in terms of the level of noise emitted by it, so you have to hope for luck.
If the hard disk works in "difficult" conditions for it, then it will quickly fail. To delay this moment as far as possible, it is worth considering the following expert advice.
- Use UPS. A high-quality "uninterruptible" will protect the HDD from power surges - the main killer of technical equipment.
- Apply control programs. There are a number of programs that regularly scan the state of the hard drive - temperature, spindle speed. If you look into them from time to time, you can catch the moment when the disk began to “hack” and give it in time for repair.
- Provide cooling. The HDD generates a lot of heat during operation, sometimes so much that the regular PC cooling system cannot cope with the load. If this situation is observed by the user, it is worth adding a couple of fans to the system unit.
- Choose the right power supply. If the user has an uneven power supply installed, he can apply high voltage to the hard drive, which is guaranteed to “kill” the device.
When it comes to choosing a projector, many of us want the highest quality technology at the lowest cost. However, often, guided by misconceptions about the necessary parameters of the projector, buyers have to pay twice. For example, you may find that the cost of replacing a burnt out lamp is comparable to the cost of buying a new projector.
By what parameters should you choose a projector so as not to be in a similar situation? The answers can be found in our article.
Ultra short throw projectors
Lamp life
First of all, you should decide for what purposes you will use your projector. If you are going to use it in educational institutions not only stand-alone, to show a slide show, but also to combine it with an interactive whiteboard, you should pay attention to such a parameter as lamp life.
Lamp life in cheap models is very short, and the cost of replacing it is equal to the cost of a new projector or even higher. Therefore, it is very important that the resource declared by the manufacturer be at least 10 thousand hours. High-quality projectors will last about 5 years and notify you in advance when the lamp needs to be replaced.
Our experts recommend Casio projectors. Projectors of this brand do not have lamps at all and last 20 thousand hours. In addition, Casio projectors are not afraid of sudden power outages. For cheap projectors, this usually ends with a lamp explosion. You can read about the rest of the advantages of Casio projectors in ours.
Projection Distance
Projectors also differ in the distance over which the image is broadcast. If you are purchasing an interactive whiteboard, then a short throw or ultra-short throw projector will be the best solution for you. These projectors have a lot of advantages. You will avoid the appearance of unwanted shadows on the screen that interfere with the learning process. And the bright light of the lamp will no longer blind the teacher. You also get a better quality image with the same lamp brightness. An important detail is the fact that the ultra-short throw model comes with a bracket. Therefore, you do not have to incur additional costs for its purchase. Installation of such projectors is simple, and the final look is more aesthetic.
Brightness
It is not uncommon for a situation when, having already bought and installed a projector, you turn it on and find that the picture is not bright enough to work in daylight. To at least slightly compensate for the lack of brightness, you can close the curtains and turn off the lights. However, this will significantly complicate the learning process and will be a clear hindrance to taking notes. And what to do in rooms in which there are no curtains?
It is important to think about this parameter even before purchasing equipment. If you plan to use the projector during the daytime, you should understand that the sun's rays falling on the projection surface will always make the picture less bright. Therefore, you should choose a projector with a brightness of at least 3000 lumens for the long throw model and 2600 lumens for the ultra short throw model.
Light source
You won't find this spec on most projectors because manufacturers aren't keen on disclosing this information. Now there are two technologies for forming a light source: Laser-Led (laser-light-emitting diode) and UHP (Ultra High Pressure Mercury Lamps). How do they differ from each other?
Laser-Led (Laser-LED)
. Does not contain mercury, which makes them environmentally friendly
. More energy efficient
. More durable (up to 20,000 hours of operation)
. Doesn't get hot so no cooling system required
. Has an instant shutdown option
. No loss of image quality throughout the lifetime
UHP (mercury lamp)
. Low cost
UHP projectors are already an outdated model. The replacement of newer and more efficient Laser-Led models from the market is hindered only by the low cost of UHP models, which buyers mistakenly focus on. Ignoring the obvious shortcomings of UHP projectors.
Imaging technology
Currently, manufacturers offer the following imaging technologies for ordinary users in their projector lines: LCD and DLP.
LCD-based projectors typically have three primary color LCDs (red, green, and blue). The matrices are translucent with a powerful light flux from the lamp. As light passes through them, individual pixels close or open, blocking or letting in color. The result is an image that is projected onto a screen.
The advantages of LCD projectors are good saturation, realism and picture stability. Among the shortcomings, one can note the relatively low contrast ratio and the "wire mesh effect" in some models. To equip the assembly hall, you should focus on this technology.
In systems with a DLP core, a matrix of micromirrors serves as the core, which forms the image. Each of the mirrors can be rotated by a small angle under the influence of a control signal, creating a light or dark pixel in the image. The light from the lamp, reflected from the mirror matrix, passes through the color filters and turns into an image on the screen.
The advantage of DLP technology is the high contrast of the image, and, as a result, deeper detail in shadows and blacks. Also, DLP projectors are usually more reliable and durable than LCDs. Of the shortcomings, one can note a slight flickering of the image in some models ("rainbow effect"). This technology is best suited for equipping your home theater with a projector.
Equipment
An important parameter is the configuration of the projector. As standard, you get a VGA video cable and a remote control. But, as a rule, this is not enough. Earlier, we mentioned the presence of mounting brackets in the package of ultra-short throw projectors. And this is an important fact. In our work, we often encounter the installation of projectors purchased from other companies. As a rule, these are long-focus (in order to save money) and short-focus models for equipping an interactive whiteboard. As a result, you have to buy an additional projector bracket for installation. It should be borne in mind that the price of high-quality wall brackets starts from 5000 rubles. A ceiling may not fit due to the height of the ceilings. Thus, the client not only does not save his money, but also bears additional costs. And this means that the most optimal solution would be to purchase an ultra-short throw projector, paying only 6,000 rubles extra. In this case, you do not have to bear the additional cost of the bracket.
A handy feature is the ability of projectors to transmit video wirelessly. In this case, in the description, the manufacturer writes about the presence of a wireless communication module WHDI (Wireless Home Digital Interface).
real resolution
When purchasing a projector for the classroom, you should not stop at models with a resolution of less than 1024x768 dpi. Otherwise, pixels will be visible in the image, and this will significantly reduce the image quality. It is important that the actual resolution matches the format of the board or screen. That is, when purchasing a widescreen board or screen, purchase a projector with a real widescreen resolution. In turn, a projector for an interactive whiteboard or a 4:3 screen must have a resolution of 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1280x800, 1366x1024, etc. If you doubt that you will purchase a suitable set of equipment, then contact the specialists of our company. They will help you find a compatible set of presentation equipment, as well as provide the necessary cables.
Contrast
Image quality and contrast are directly related to each other. The higher the projector's contrast ratio, the better the picture quality for multimedia viewing. However, you should not completely trust the numbers that are indicated on the manufacturers' boxes. The best option is to independently check how the projector works, evaluate the image quality, and only then make a purchase decision. In our showroom, you can evaluate the image quality of some projector models for yourself.
And yet, it is better to entrust the choice of a projector to competent specialists who do it daily and are well versed in the parameters of projectors. You can always come to our office or get advice by phone.
