2 DIN and Single DIN – Explained

The main difference between 1 DIN and 2 DIN is the size, with the 2 DIN being double that of a single – so what does this mean for the consumer? 

If technical information and tech lingo doesn’t sink in like Heat magazine on a Sunday afternoon, then you probably won’t care to hear about “2 DIN” and “single DIN”.  But there is a key difference that could impact on you as an end-consumer of electronic goods.    

If you’re not tech-savvy, it is probably just a load of mumbo jumbo that you leave to the sales people.  As long as you walk away with some sort of a purchase then you’re pretty much a happy customer, right?  But shouldn’t we know what we’re buying?  Or at least try and have a fair understanding of what our money is going towards? 

If a young and enthusiastic salesman approaches you and tells you that 2 DIN is better than single, he is right.  But what you might want to know is “Why?”

Doubling Up - Size Matters

A double DIN system means that you can get a much larger screen, and traditionally, this has been reserved for things such as satellite navigation for in-car systems.  DIN refers to a standardized radio/stereo size for vehicles by the International Standard ISO 7736. 1 DIN is large enough to accept a CD, and a 2 DIN allows for a much larger and more attractive screen size, making way for the all-in-one DVD and multimedia system. 

Shopping for Your In-Car DVD

When shopping for in-car DVD players, you don’t necessarily need to know everything down to the technical nitty gritty, as most shop staff will be able to steer you in the right direction.  On most occasions, it won’t be necessary to download a whole load of new information to be able to understand what you are paying for.  2 Din simply offers you a much larger area for you to install a multimedia console, doubling the amount of units in comparison to the standard size. 

http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/new-electronics-magazine/

Talking Clocks – Innovative Designs

Whilst talking clocks were initially a slightly cool gimmick for clocks, it stands to reason that they have found a natural place in the homes of the visually impaired. Talking clocks help thousands each year with telling the time in their homes.

Talking clocks are available in a number of different forms and you will be able to find a solution for your own needs around the home. Talking clocks have grown in popularity massively over the last few years. Talking clocks aren’t a particularly new creation but it’s not until recently that they really started to find their niche – in helping the visually impaired. It makes perfect sense for those with poor vision or who are blind to have a talking clock in their homes because it makes the whole process of finding out the time much less laborious. Talking clocks are extremely affordable and stylish and will help to lighten the load for those who are visually impaired. There are obviously so many reasons for needing to know the time when in one’s home and talking clocks mean this is now possible for those with sight problems for whom normal clocks aren’t applicable.

Talking Clocks – The Technological Approach

Most talking clocks are fuelled by speech synthesis integrated circuits which allow the timepieces to announce the time at the touch of a button or at designated points throughout the day. This clearly has many tangible benefits for the blind and the visually impaired and talking clocks are well renowned for making the lives of such individuals easier. Of course, talking clocks are, in essence, a fairly simple piece of technology but the difference they are capable of making is huge and they are relatively inexpensive as well so there really is no reason not to consider a talking clock in the home.

Talking Clocks – Atomic Timing

Atomic talking clocks are really beginning to take the market by storm as they never need setting or adjusting and will consistently give accurate announcements of the time. This makes them the perfect talking clocks for the visually impaired or blind as it doesn’t entail any unnecessary fidgeting with knobs and buttons to set the clock to the time that you require. Talking clocks are all about making life simpler for the user and this is something which can certainly be applied to atomic talking clocks. Bespoke Software Development UK is at the heart of developments such as talking watches and this behind the scenes work gives us the fantastic products available today.

Hardwood TV Cabinets and Bookcases - Better than MDF Furniture!

If you're looking for new furniture such as TV cabinets and bookcases, 100% solid hardwood is better value for money than flat-pack furniture, in the long run.

When it comes to decorating the home, many people cut corners with cheap, flat-pack furniture.  When buying to let, or kitting out a student residence, those little flat-pack miracles can definitely be a wise purchase.  But when your, tables, chairs, TV cabinets and bookcases collapse before your eyes, you'll be wishing that you invested in 100% solid hardwood furniture. 

100% solid hardwood furniture is undoubtedly sturdier, safer and looks much better than the MDF or chipboard used in some flat-pack and catalogue furniture.  Hardwood tables, shelving, TV cabinets, bookcases and wardrobes can transform your home and give it a much more refined look.  There are so many cheaper options out there, but the reality of it is, like with most things in life, the more you pay for something, the better it will perform, look and feel.  This applies just as much to TV cabinets, bookcases and furniture. 

Good quality furniture will not use veneers, chipboard or MDFs in their furniture.  Even though 100% hardwood furniture is more expensive than flat-pack and catalogue furniture, over time, buying cheap substitutes for real, solid furniture will leave you out of pocket when your TV cabinets and bookcases just can't take the weight any more! 

Solid hardwood is exactly what it sounds like – wood that is hard, solid and sturdy. Solid oak furniture such as wardrobes, bookcases, coffee tables, beds, chairs and TV cabinets are hand-made with loving craftsmanship and care.  They are designed to hold heavy objects for a prolonged amount of time and you will find that you can rely on solid oak furniture for years to come. 

TV Cabinets and Bookcases Made with Love

Solid oak bookcases, TV cabinets and other furniture pieces are hand-made with details that just can not be found on cheap furniture made from MDF or chipboard.  Hardwood furniture looks bespoke because it is bespoke and most hardwood bookcases, TV cabinets, coffee tables and side tables will remain stylishly classic over time. 

Solid oak furniture is timeless and can instantly transform the look of your home.  So get solid oak tables, TV cabinets and bookcases for complete reliability and sheer opulence.  

Get Solid Oak Bookcases, TV Cabinets and More...

Oak Furniture Land sell only 100% hardwood furniture and do not use veneers, chipboard or cheap MDF materials in any of their bookcases, TV cabinets, tables or chairs.  All the furniture found at Oak Furniture Land are beautifully handmade and kiln dried using local techniques applicable to the country of origin. 

http://modernfurnituremagazine.com/usa-makers/usa-wood-furniture/

Too much TV? How you can limit how much TV your kids watch?

Do kids watch too much TV? It’s a common question, and one that arouses a lot of hot debate. How much is too much? Is it how long they watch it for, or what they watch that’s the problem?

Many parents say that their kids only watch “educational” television – this would be shows like Sesame Street and many of the specially commissioned children’s shows that have tough standards to reach. Anti-TV parents say that even this type of programme develops a short attention span and that pre-school children who have watched a lot of TV can’t concentrate properly when they get to school.

Parents of all children want to maintain a balance – a little healthy TV watching rather than the TV on all day, some downtime for the kids after school, and let’s face it, for many parents, the TV is the perfect 30 minute babysitter. An astonishing number of children, some as young as 4, have TVs in their bedrooms, and regularly watch movies and videos as well as children’s’ daytime TV content. As a parent, how can you help them to watch TV responsibly and limit the amount of time they watch per week?

Firstly, if your children are young enough, start setting their limits now, so that they know they type of shows you approve of and the ones you don’t. Make sure they’re watching the TV in a room downstairs so that if you’re not watching with them, you can pop in and out and check what’s on. Try not to let them watch TV in their room – you have no control over what they’re viewing.

Secondly, know what programmes are on, and what their content is. That way, you know which shows are appropriate for your child to watch.

Importantly, watch with them if you can. You’ll be amazed at what scares them and what makes them laugh and you are available to talk to them about anything that they see happening on the screen.

Try a TV timer. These timers allow you to set up to three timed sessions per day, which are protected by a pin number so that only you can change them. They can be used for the TV or for games consoles and can be a valuable aid in tracking and controlling your child’s TV habits. http://www.parentstv.org/

LCD TV – Why you should get an LCD TV for your home

There are, of course, a multitude of TV makes on the market but in terms of performance and picture quality few can match an LCD TV. Many homeowners are expected to opt for an LCD TV in 2009 and for good reason.

Buying a TV is something that shouldn’t be done on the spur of the moment and you should do your research when buying an LCD TV to make sure that you get one that is right for your own particular requirements. LCD TVs generally offer a higher resolution picture than other types of television and this can really enhance viewing pleasure. The benefits that typically emerge from having an LCD TV are many and varied and this can help consumers decide what style of LCD TV that they are after. An LCD TV, for example, is capable of minimising glare as a result of not having a curved screen which makes it capable of dealing with light better which, in turn, improves the overall picture quality and viewing pleasure. Technology improves all the time and this is something that certainly applicable to LCD TVs and the picture quality and size of screen are constantly undergoing improvements with the overall excellence and the generation of LCD TVs available in 2009 are likely to be extremely impressive and heavily sought after by consumers.

LCD TV – Explaining how an LCD TV Works

Essentially, the key component of an LCD TV is a thin layer of liquid crystals which is responsible for producing the picture of such clarity. More and more homeowners are becoming aware of just how good the picture is with an LCD TV and they are choosing to deploy them in various locations throughout the home ranging from the living room to the bathroom. Generally speaking LCD TVs are available in sizes of around 26” to 42” but there are some smaller or larger ones on the market. The size that you choose for your LCD TV is obviously dependent on a number of factors such as where you intend to place it and what sort of budget you have. Obviously, the larger an LCD TV is, the more expensive it will be but you are paying for quality. Many people use large LCD TVs for home cinema set-ups due to the picture clarity that they offer and this means that they are great for watching movies or sport.

LCD TV – The Future’s Bright

One highly noticeable feature that makes an LCD TV so impressive is the brightness of the pictures that it creates. An LCD TV really is capable of producing vivid and colourful pictures that bring movies to life in a way that a conventional television cannot. In addition, the slim-line nature of an LCD TV also means that it is a great space saver and you no longer have to put up with the imposition of impossibly bulky conventional televisions.

Or for the very latest in TV luxury compare passive 3D TVs which are becoming more and more popular and available.

It Always Pays to Shop Around for Branded Laptop Screens

If you're looking for branded laptop screens and need something fast you might not want to shop around. However, taking a few minutes to compare prices online could end up saving you money in the long run, as well as finding you the right display. Look for cheap laptops at Schtrade.

cheap laptops at Schtrade

It's tempting to think that branded laptop screens are going to be prohibitively expensive when it comes to replacing the display on your machine. However, this isn't always the case and there are plenty of ways of saving money when it comes to getting the new screen you want.

Shop online

By far, the easiest way of making some cost savings is to do your shopping online. Many internet suppliers don't have physical stores and have very low overheads for operating their businesses. This means they can pass the cost savings on to you, the consumer, supplying replacement branded laptop screens at a much lower price than the manufacturers usually can.

Shop around

The internet will give you a lot of choice, so there's no need to go with the first price you find. There are a host of price comparison websites out there who will let you hunt down the best price for branded laptop screens, usually for free. A little patience when looking through these sites will go a long way, and don't forget to check out their 'special offers' section. You're likely to find a bargain or two there, and you might even pick up something useful that you hadn't realised you needed!

Do it yourself

Laptop users can also save money by installing their branded laptop screens on their own, instead of going to an engineer or sending their machine away. While this is sometimes a very convenient option that suits some people, for others it's a good way of keeping the costs down; by following instructions the new screen could be up and running within hours.

With a little patience and canny web surfing, you'll have that problem display sorted in no time, and at a fraction of the cost.