Consumer Awareness

Select Consumer Awareness

Camcorders

Select Camcorders - BasicsCamcorders - FeaturesCamcorders - FormatsCamcorders - HD vs. StandardCamcorders - Zoom

Computers

Select Computers - BasicsComputers - Desktop vs. LaptopComputers - DesktopsComputers - DVD CDromComputers - Graphic CardsComputers - LaptopsComputers - Speed MemoryComputers - MonitorsComputers - Mouse KeybordComputers - OtherComputers - PrintersComputers - ScannersComputers - Webcams

Digital Cameras

Select Digital Cameras - BasicsDigital Cameras - LensDigital Cameras - MegapixelsDigital Cameras - Memory CardsDigital Cameras - MotionDigital Cameras - Photo LightingDigital Cameras - TipsDigital Cameras - TypesDigital Cameras - Zoom

DVD Players

Select DVD Players - BasicsDVD Players - DecksDVD Players - Portable DVD PlayersDVD Players - Types

GPS Units

Select GPS Units - GPS Part 1GPS Units - GPS Part 2GPS Units - GPS Part 3

Home Theater

Select Home Theater - BasicsHome Theater - LightingHome Theater - ReceiversHome Theater - SpeakersHome Theater - Subwoofers

MP3 Players

Select MP3 Players - BasicsMP3 Players - Accessories

Optics

Select Optics - Binoculars ScopesOptics - Binoculars Scopes

PDA's

Select PDA's - BasicsPDA's - Accessories

Phones

Select Phones - Cordless Phones

Printers Scanners

Select Printers Scanners - All in OnePrinters Scanners - BasicsPrinters Scanners - DyesPrinters Scanners - InkjetsPrinters Scanners - LaserPrinters Scanners - Scanners

Radar Detectors

Select Radar Detectors - Part 2

Security Camera Systems

Select Security Camera Systems - Basics

Televisions

Select Televisions - BasicsTelevisions - ConnectivityTelevisions - ContrastTelevisions - HDTVTelevisions - HDTV SourcesTelevisions - ResolutionTelevisions - ResponseTelevisions - TermsTelevisions - Types

Camcorders - Basics

Camcorders have evolved a great amount in recent years and through this evolution they have gotten a whole lot smaller and a whole lot better. New camcorders offer ease of use, incredible clarity through digital recording, and all at a reasonable price.

Camcorders - Features

There are certain features that you should look for when shopping for a camcorder. Check to see if the camcorder has a light, this will allow you to take video even in darker surroundings. Another feature that has to do with filming in the dark, is a night shot feature that allows you to film in practically no light situations. It can also be annoying to watch video that you have recorded, and all you see is a blurry bouncy image, because you had a shaky hand. In order to avoid this problem look for a camcorder with some form of image stabilization, this will allow you to film a clear and steady picture all the time. If you are trying to kill two birds with one stone, and you want your new digital camcorder to also be your digital camera then look for a camera that will allow you to take digital still images as well as video. Once again when you are buying a camcorder it is very important that you also prepare yourself with plenty of tapes or discs, that way you don’t have to worry about running out of film at the wrong time. Now, what good is film if you don’t have a battery to power the camcorder? I also recommend an additional battery especially for use on vacation, that way you will always have enough power to record and playback your video.

Camcorders - Formats

Camcorders can record on a few different formats, disc, tape and flash memory. In the end, however, it all boils down to what you want. If you want the convenience of tossing a disc in your DVD player? Then MiniDVD would be a great option for you. These camcorders record digital video on 3" discs, which can be played in almost any DVD player. You can even insert them into your computer for editing or copying. Just like DVD movies, you can access each scene individually without rewinding or fast-forwarding—simply choose from among the displayed images. Some camcorders also let you edit while the disc is still in the camcorder. If you want to record high-quality footage and be able to edit that footage on your computer? Then check out MiniDV or Digital8® camcorders. These compact camcorders record digitally on little tapes. With a USB or Firewire cable, you can easily transfer footage to your computer for editing, emailing and/or saving to a disc. The sound and picture quality are comparable to DVD movies. You can even watch your tape directly from the camcorder by connecting it to your TV with A/V cables. If you want tons of storage without the hassle of discs or tapes? Consider a hard disk drive camcorder. These camcorders record onto a built-in hard disk drive, making them amazingly small with the added convenience and savings of not having to buy tapes or discs. Snap thousands of digital stills or record hours of high-quality video and still have storage to spare. If you want an incredibly small camcorder with multimedia capability? Look for camcorders that record footage on flash memory. Because the recording medium is so small, this camcorder can fit inside your purse or pocket. Generally they can record videos, pictures and music for a convenient all-in-one solution. If you want a low-cost way to record family events? Then look for a Hi8 or VHS-C camcorder. These analog formats record on mid-size tapes, offer decent picture and sound quality and a few editing options. They are easy to use and very affordable. To watch your video, simply connect your camcorder to your television or buy a VCR adapter to play the tapes in your VCR.

Camcorders - HD vs. Standard

High def camcorders offer you quality that is virtually unbeatable. The picture that is recorded on an HD camcorder is at least double the quality of a digital camcorder, and about four times clearer than a standard camcorder.

Camcorders - Zoom

Just like on the digital camera, camcorders offer both a digital zoom and an optical zoom. Optical zoom is the more useful and important of the two because it’s gets you closer to your subject without sacrificing quality. Digital zoom will get you closer to a subject, but at the expense of clarity and detail. Fortunately, digital zoom doesn’t kick in until you’ve expanded beyond the range of the camera’s optical zoom.

Computers - Basics

Computers now play such a central role in so many aspects of our lives that it has become a complex process to decide which kind to purchase. We use computers at work and at play, in all forms of writing, budgets, art, photography, video, shopping, games, entertainment, and research. The basic questions you must ask are whether you want a PC or Macintosh computer, whether you are going to use it for graphics or mainly word processing, emailing, and the internet, and whether you want a laptop or desktop model. Your answer to these questions will help determine how much memory will you need, what size screen you’ll want, how fast the processor should be, and how much expandability you’ll want. If you are going to use your computer for graphics, photography, and video you will want as much memory and speed as you can get. Any computer will perform some graphics as well as word processing, but get as powerful a computer as you can afford if you want lots of graphics capability.

Computers - Desktop vs. Laptop

Lap Top computers are the obvious choice if you want to work on the go. They are often seen as companions to a desk top computer so you can work while traveling or at home and transfer your work to the desk top at the office. Generally, desk top computers offer more expandability , processing power and speed, and larger screen sizes. A desk top is probably your choice for a main work station, but many now choose lap tops as their main computer. You may find that one of todays powerful laptops will perform all the functions you are looking for.

Computers - DVD CDrom

Your computers ability to read files brought in and to make copies of files, pictures, and video to share is determined by the type of CD / DVD drive built in. You can get computers with drives which will only read CD’s and DVD’s and ones that will also write CD’s and DVD’s. Some will read and write CD’s and only read DVD’s. If you want to copy videos you will need DVD read-write capability. If you will be mainly sharing text files and pictures, and just want to occasionally view DVD movies, a drive which reads and writes CD’s but only reads DVD’s will suffice.

Computers - Graphic Cards

If you are into computer games, you will want to look at what kind of video card is included with your computer. As with other aspects of computer function, memory is a major factor here. In order to play advanced games with 3D graphics you will need a built in video card with 64 megabytes or more of memory. If you don’t intend on playing such games you don’t need to pay for the extra memory in the video card and 16 megabytes is sufficient. Another factor which affects video card performance is the speed of its connection to the rest of the computer. The video card should at least have a AGP, or Accelerated Graphics Port. There are faster connections available as well, but look for at least a AGP.

Computers - Speed Memory

There are three main types of memory in a computer, the Hard Drive , the RAM, or Random Access Memory, and the ROM, or Read Only Memory, which come on CD’s and DVD’s and is read when you place a disk in the computers disk drive. The hard drive is a spinning magnetic disk which functions like the storage cabinet of the computer, holding all the programs and files. It is best to get as large a hard drive and as much RAM as you can afford. Hard drives typically come in sizes ranging from 20 gigabytes to 100 gigabytes. External hard drives can be purchased later to augment the built in hard drive. Remember, one hour of digital video can use up 13 gigabytes of hard drive space. The RAM is like the size of the desk available to spread out your work. When you choose a program to use and open a new or old file it all is fit temporarily into the RAM while you work and is filed back into the hard drive when you’re done. RAM may come in between 128 megabytes or 256 megabytes. Given the difference in price it makes sense to get the larger sized RAM. You can add to the RAM of your computer later as well. Cache memory is another type of memory which is like RAM that is permanently devoted to a certain program. This permits faster speed than accessing the same information from the hard drive and is usually dedicated to programs the user is constantly using. The speed of your computer is expressed in megahertz or gigahertz. You can choose a PC or Mac computer based on the speed of the processor which affects the price. In PC’s a Celeron processor is slower and less expensive than a Pentium processor, but it may be sufficient to your needs. In Macs, a G5 processor is faster than a G4 or G3.

Computers - Monitors

When considering various specifications and add ons to your computer, remember that nothing is more important than the monitor or what is sometimes called the display. Everything you do is viewed there, so if you must cut corners, you may still want to get the best, largest monitor you can. There are two types of monitors, LCD and CRT. CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube monitors are the boxy kind which have been around the longest. They take up a lot of space on your desk top and can flicker causing eye strain, but are very bright. A new generation of flat screen CRT monitors are smaller than in years past. LCD or Liquid Crystal Display monitors have finer resolution and do not flicker. They are also much flatter, freeing up a lot of desk space, and are more energy efficient. In addition, a LCD monitor provides more usable picture area, so a 17” LCD screen provides a bigger picture than a 17” CRT.

Computers - Mouse Keybord

If you choose a computer package that includes the computer, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse, you will probably get a standard mouse and keyboard with USB or PS/2 wire connections. You may want to look at other options for your mouse and key board as there are many new choices. A mouse comes in mechanical or optical types and can be wired or wireless. The optical mouse uses a laser to detect the mouse movement and is very accurate and responsive compared to the mechanical mouse that uses a track ball and mechanical sensors in the mouse to determine its movements. A wireless mouse will provide the most freedom of movement. Keyboards also come in wired and wireless varieties and can be found with differing designs meant to relieve hand and wrist strain. They can be purchased as sets including a mouse in the wireless or standard designs.

Digital Cameras - Basics

Digital cameras offer amazing convenience for everyday fun and advanced photography. One of the coolest benefits is the ability to view a picture instantly. This means that if someone blinked or it’s blurry, you can just press a button and delete it, so no more wasting money on printing pictures you don’t want. Photos can also be edited, stored on a computer, printed at home and emailed to friends and family. This is the perfect time to go digital, so let’s find out how to choose the camera that’s right for you.

Digital Cameras - Lens

“Do I want to get a full frame picture of that lion 100 yards away, or do I need to get a picture containing every corner of my living room, or do I want to do both?” Your answer to this question determines the type of lens you need on your camera, and whether or not you will need the ability to add an accessory lens. Point and shoot digital cameras generally come with 3x to 10x optical zoom lenses. Using the language of 35mm film cameras, these are the equivalent of 35-105mm and 35-350mm lenses. Get a camera with a 5x to 10x zoom lens if you want to bring distant subjects closer. To get that wide view of your living room or landscape, get a camera that has the equivalent of a 28mm wide angle lens. In a camera with a 3x zoom, that would be around 28-90mm instead of 35-105mm in the language of 35mm film photography. A cameras digital zoom blows up a portion of the picture and thus reduces quality, so use the optical zoom rating of the camera to make your choice. If you want to increase the wide angle or telephoto range of your camera, choose one that has the capacity to add on accessory lenses.

Digital Cameras - Megapixels

Digital cameras use little dots of color to make a picture, and the more little dots of color that comprise the picture, the better it looks. The number of dots is measured in mega pixels. So how many mega pixels do you need? If you are planning on just emailing and printing photos look in the 3 to 4 megapixel range. Your snapshots can be printed at home, through an online service or at the local drugstore. They will look terrific up to 8” x 10”. If you are planning on enlarging your pictures then go for at least 5 to 6 megapixels. At this range you can make professional-quality enlargements (up to 11” x 17”) for work presentations and simple enlargements for decorating. Plus, portions of your images can be blown up while still maintaining complete clarity. If you want to take that perfect picture that will capture the world around you, then check out 7-megapixel and higher cameras. You can do pretty much anything when you’ve got this much resolution to work with. Let your creative impulses go wild, because from extreme enlargements to extreme cropping, you’ll get great results.

Digital Cameras - Memory Cards

There are a few different types of memory cards that are available, including CompactFlash, MultiMedia (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), xD-Picture Card, and Memory Stick. Depending on which manufacturer and which model camera you get, you will need to get the appropriate type of memory card. Some of the newer cards are high speed cards that offer a few different benefits such as. Less lag time from when you push the button, to when the camera takes the picture. Quicker shots when using a quick shot mode on the camera. Faster downloads from the card to the computer. High speed cards can also use less battery power. What size card you get is determined by how many pictures you plan to take. If you take video on your camera get a much larger card because video will take up a lot more memory. If you plan to travel or go on vacation, get two or more large capacity cards, especially if you will not have access to a computer where you can transfer the pictures. Flash memory card capacity* 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB. JPEG sizes vary based upon camera model and default settings.

Digital Cameras - Motion

Some manufacturers offer image stabilizers in their cameras. This feature can be very useful for hand held pictures taken in lower light situations when a flash is undesirable or prohibited. In lower light without flash, your cameras computer will keep the shutter open longer, increasing the chance that any camera shake will show up as blur. An image stabilizer will compensate for the shaky movements of hand held cameras that would result in blurred pictures. Image stabilizers will not freeze fast moving subjects like runners or racecars that can also blur when the shutter is held open, but they will compensate for blur resulting from camera vibration.

Digital Cameras - Zoom

Digital cameras feature two types of zoom: digital and optical. Optical zoom is the more useful and important of the two because it’s gets you closer to your subject without sacrificing quality. Digital zoom will get you closer to a subject, but at the expense of clarity and detail. Fortunately, digital zoom doesn’t kick in until you’ve expanded beyond the range of the camera’s optical zoom. One neat thing you can do with the digital zoom is when you are viewing a picture on the LCD after taking it. You can actually highlight an area of the photo you’ve taken and zoom in on it. The level of optical zoom that you are looking for once again depends on what kind of pictures you are taking. If you primarily take family snapshots, look for a smaller zoom—1x to 4x. You’ll find this zoom on pocket-sized cameras. If you’re a soccer mom or dad and want a close shot of your star player from the stands, check out 5x zoom and higher. If you’re taking intense nature shots from across the mountain, look for 10x or 12x optical zoom. Expect zooms this large to come in bigger, and more expensive, cameras.

Televisions - Basics

So you’re deciding to buy a new TV, that’s great, but where do you begin? With all the changes that have been going on with televisions, getting a new TV is not as simple as it used to be. There's style, size, price and—yikes—a whole new digital world to consider. You might be tempted to jump immediately to what size TV you want, but first lets consider the placement of the TV and the lifestyle by which you will use it, simply put where will it go and how will you use it. Are you looking for something small for the bedroom or kitchen or do you want something big so you feel like you are part of the action at all of your favorite sporting events? No matter what the situation there is a TV out there for you, let’s take a look at a few different types of TVs.

Televisions - Types

TV’s come in all shapes and sizes, there are flat panel TVs that range in size from 7 inches all the way up to 60 inches or more and come in two types, LCD and Plasma. There are conventional Tube TVs that are bulky and range in size from 13 inches to 36 inches.Finally there are projection TVs, which are big TVs that range in size from 42 inches to over 60 inches. Flat Panel LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) TVs offer slim designs that are ideal for hanging on the wall, while also providing an incredible picture. LCD’s range in size from 7inches up to over 60 inches, they provide wide viewing angles and incredible glare reduction. Another benefit to LCD TVs is that they are usually pc compatible, and screen burn is virtually impossible to get on an LCD, so don’t worry about playing video games or watching news channels with the ticker on the bottom. Flat Panel Plasma TV’s are also slim TV’s that are ideal for hanging on the wall and are also capable of delivering an amazing picture. Plasma TVs range in size from 37 inches up to over 60 inches. Plasmas also produce wide viewing angles, but are slightly susceptible to screen burn. Projection TVs come in a variety of types, conventional big bulky heavy sets that deliver a nice picture when you sit directly in the center of the screen, and then there are the new slim line Projections that are known as micro displays. DLP(Digital Light Processor), LCD projections, and LCOS(Liquid Crystal on Silicon). When getting a projection TV you want to make sure that there is limited side seating at extreme angles. The micro display sets also use a lamp that will have to be replaced roughly every 2 years.