Basics of Car Audio System

Posted on 16th October 2009 in General
car audio


Long drive becomes boring and tiring without the in-car entertainment systems. Systems like audio and videos are the leading entertainment channels that are installed in cars. Most of the people fit audio systems to add pleasure and excitement to driving.

A car audio system is one of the most important entertainment systems installed in any car running on Indian roads. The working, operation and performance of a car audio system are completely different from the ones used in homes, restaurants, hotels and pubs. Some of the popular brands of car audio systems and audio accessories available in India are Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, Kicker, Kenwood and Rockford.

A regular car stereo comprises of a head unit, speaker and amplifier that is mostly installed by the car manufacturers. Driven by the increasing demand of style, elegance and class, many people especially youth upgrade the already installed stereo with innovative and advanced car accessories.

The latest innovation in car audio system includes MP3, Ogg, WMA, AAC, USB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support. These innovations are found in almost all luxury cars launched in India. In many cars the system is also loaded with features like LCD screens, DVD movies, back up cameras, MP3 players, and video touch screen that display output for navigation system, controlling and parking cameras.

Components of Car Audio System

The car audio system is a complete unit comprising of few basic components including head unit, preamp, amplifier, and speaker. If any of these are missing in the system, the driver is unable to enjoy the ecstasy of music.

Head Unit (Source): This is the most vital part that plays the music. The sources that support voice vary in accordance to choice and option. The standard sources are AM/FM tuner, CD player, MP3, WMA/AAC decoding, satellite radio, USB inputs, DVD player, LCD screen, I Pod connection, or even the traditional cassette.

Preamp: This is an electronic device fitted into the system to amplify weak audio signals and make sound adjustments. This section of the system comprises of various controls to adjust volume, balance, source selection, fader, and tone adjustments.

Amplifier: This section helps to boost the weak or low-voltage audio signals received from preamp to drive the speakers. Amplifiers are commonly available in two, four or six channels. These also ensure maximum power handling capacity of the speakers.

Speakers: Speakers emits the final output of the audio signals. Sound travels from the source to the speaker through preamp and amplifier. This is the main component from where the sound is emitted. Speakers are normally located on doors and rear shelves but the modern systems have speakers mounted in kick panels. Different speakers provide different frequencies based on its performance and efficiency.

Innovations in Car Audio Accessories



With the fast pace advancing technology for cars and automotives, the industry is also showcasing advancements and innovations in car audio accessories. Here are some of the common audio accessories that young drivers love to have installed in their cars.

Capacitors: Capacitors are not a compulsion but helps reduce voltage loss to various other car components. These are mainly used for power conditioning without affecting the sound quality. A capacitor transfers the stored power or energy when audio system demands more amps. In absence of a capacitor, the audio system pulls energy from the car’s electrical system or from the car battery.

Subwoofers: These are available in almost all high-end cars. These are used to provide high efficiency of low frequencies. The component used the bass to enhance sound efficiency and makes the car vibrate.

Tweeters: These are used to produce high frequencies of about 3000 Hz and above using very little power. The name ‘tweeter’ comes form the high pitched sounds generated by birds.

Equalizers/Crossovers: These are the latest advancements in car audio accessories. Equalizers help to balance sound and crossovers help to divide up the full range of sound frequencies. Crossovers are beneficial when the driver wishes to use different speakers at different range of frequencies.

 



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Would You Like A Free Car Rental Upgrade?

Posted on 16th October 2009 in General
car tips and tricks


An art form in itself, renting a car needs more than just skill. There is a misconception that because a person has rented cars frequently, they are getting the best deals. Getting the savviest deal requires some tips and tricks that many car rental consumers may not know about. With this article, today, we hope that changes will begin.

Let’s use upgrades as an example here. When you decide you want to rent a car, the class you request is not necessarily what you are going to get. Unless you are ordering a specific special car, this will be the case. Now I will further elaborate on this:

A lot of time and money have been spent by rent-a-car companies to discover what their clients want. Knowing how the costumers will react to the ever changing market has prompted many studies by these companies. They want to ensure the most profitable use of their investments. What many of these companies have found is that most consumers just want to find a bargain. The rental companies need the clients to believe their company offers the best bargain. Which can be very tricky and many agents need the help of their computers to achieve this.

An important thing to remember is that agents at a car rental agency get paid an hourly wage plus commission. This means that they may not have your best interests at heart and are often driven by a need to sell. A large part of their income is from what is call the “upsell” of product from the rental company. An example of an upsell would be a ten day car rental with an upgrade like a compact to a full-size vehicle which is an additional $10 a day. Therefore the agent would be netting an upsell of $10. All agents are required to maintain a specific amount of upsells to avoid being reprimanded but most limits are set relatively low. Often if an agent reaches a certain amount of upsells a day they will receive a bonus or “multiplier”. For example, an agent who averages a $5 upsell a day may make 1.25 times their normal commission.

Car rental agents want to sell as many rental upgrades as possible because of the manner in which they are paid. You can use this to your advantage and save money in the long run. Because smaller cars are easier to rent, agents will try to save this for “walk-up” customers – people who don’t reserve a car in advance, and who are less likely to upgrade. Selling to these customers is different from selling to customers who reserve cars in advance because they receive a different kind of commission for their work.

Most car rental agents will attempt to talk you into spending an additional $10-$25 per day by upgrading from one type of vehicle to a higher class of rental car. The upgrade can be from a subcompact to any larger vehicle, and the quote will be the same in most cases. When you are in the market for a rental, make sure you know how the market has been going. Perhaps you would really like to rent a convertible, but the normal charge is an additional $35 per day over the cost of a subcompact. A charge of only $10 per day to upgrade sounds like you’re getting quite a bargain! And, at least on paper, you are.

If you are planning to rent a car there are some things you should know. First of all, the car rental upgrade fee, ranging anywhere from $10 to $25, is not a legitimate fee. Rental companies use fees to make certain cars seem more desirable. For example, that convertible may carry a higher rental fee than a subcompact, but all the rental company really cares about is getting cars off the lot. The convertible makes them no money if it sits on the lot waiting for a premium price. When a car sits unused on the lot, the car rental agency loses approximately $15 per day. Have you ever noticed that the subcompact you booked is frequently unavailable? The reason is that the rental company often overbooks its most popular models so it can substitute other cars for them, thus getting more cars off the lot. So, in order not to lose money through inactivity, they will accept a lesser amount per day to rent that car.

Of course, many rental agents prefer to offer you a higher rate in order to up their commission. However, the low rate is a possibility. Renting at month end increases the possibility of obtaining a lower rate. One can often find an agent floating just below their threshold to receive a multiplier for the month who is more willing to give up their daily average to achieve the volume that could increase their commission.

One more thing you should know: any and every agent there can give you any car rental upgrade they have available – without penalty or risk. A gutsy consumer might try sweet-talking an agent, or bribing them with a much-appreciated gratuity or gift to get into an expensive car much cheaper than one could have imagined. You’ll have even better luck if you rent regularly from the company. Agents often keep “naughty and nice” lists. If you can make the nice list – your future just might contain some sweet, cheap car rentals.



Richard Edmunds worked as a manager of a big name Car Rental Agency for the past 20 years before retiring. He now spends his time writing his car rental guide for you about such topics as Rental Car Coupon Codes and How to Negotiate the Best Car Rental Deal

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Las Vegas Vacation-tips, Tricks And Cautions

Posted on 16th October 2009 in General
car tips and tricks


These “cautions”, “tips”, and “tricks” are offered to help make your Las Vegas Vacation as enjoyable, fast and easy to plan as possible. Whether this is your first trip to “Fabulous Las Vegas” or you are a veteran, you’ll find some useful tips and tricks here.

Las Vegas Travel Tips: First and foremost, the biggest mistake many travelers to Las Vegas make in planning a trip is to book the cheapest air fare/hotel package “available anywhere”. These are offered everywhere from your hometown newspaper to television ads to especially, e-mail spam. Beware!

Why? A Cheap Las Vegas Vacation is good, we agree! BUT, did you know virtually all Las Vegas Hotels have 2- 3 levels of room quality (or options)? Now, we mean even many of the five star, “big ones” many of these are just plain substandard rooms, maybe with a nice view of the air conditioning system! (This actually happened to me personally, and was it Loud!)

Things like older bed mattresses, no safes, old decorating, long walks to the casino, restraunts, shows, or even a taxi. Did you know there are monorail trains running right behind some of the rooms? How about a roller coaster right outside your window? And lots more. Just remember “cheapest” is just that. Ask at the front desk at check-in exactly where your room is, look at it before signing in if possible.

We aren’t pushing for only high dollar rooms here, just get the best quality room your budget will allow, you will be very glad you did.

Why book your Hotel first? Las Vegas is booked up an average of 94% year round, so plan ahead (at least 30+ days is recommended) to get the exact days you want, where you want, room quality you want. Plus, usually it’s less expensive to book well in advance. Did you know that Sunday through Thursday is less expensive? When you get your selected Las Vegas Hotel booked, then you can book a flight to fit the days in and out to fit YOUR schedule.

Makes sense doesn’t it?

Once you get your Las Vegas Hotel booked first. Then you can book the Las Vegas Shows that you want, when you want. Be sure to check to see if your particular show choice isn’t “dark” on your selected days. Holidays are a good example of dark days.

Then book your Las Vegas Tour. (If you have never experienced the thrill of a Helicopter Ride at night over “Glitter Gulch and Downtown”, or a daytime trip over the Boulder Dam and Grand Canyon this is something you will never forget!) It isn’t as expensive as you might think! Check our tours links for prices and times.

This is the entertainment capital of the World, so allow yourself enough time to take in as many attractions (dozens are free) as possible, it will make your Las Vegas Vacation much more memorable. If possible, book an extra night stay just to allow for a special Las Vegas Tour or a day of Las Vegas Golf.

Las Vegas Gambling Tips:

Gambling is the lifeblood of Las Vegas. You didn’t really think those billion dollar hotels were built by “winners” did you? Set a daily budget for gambling and stick to it! You do have a good chance at winning. Hundreds if not thousands of “Hand Pay Jackpots” are paid every day. Be careful though, those chips, tokens and ticket-in/ticket-out seem too much like “play money” they are not they are your real money! Stick to your budget! Did I say that already?

Get a “players card” everywhere you go and use it, or if you are a “table player” ask the pit boss to “rank” or “rate” you. They will track your play and comp you accordingly with all kinds of free stuff. Such as meals, rooms, clothing, limos, gift shop points and even cash. These really help put the odds in your favor.

Seems like my “budget” is always too small, but try your best to set a reasonable daily goal and stick to it, don’t tap into tomorrows budget! Just maybe you’ll walk away a big winner! It happens every day. Remember the phrase: “Walk away when ahead”!

It’s not my place to preach, but here are some very useful Las Vegas tips on handling your money. All that cash in the casinos you see everywhere attracts some pretty shady characters (read Crooks!) Security is excellent, but there are always a few, and it just takes one to ruin a perfect vacation.

Las Vegas Security:

Ladies, bring or buy a small purse with a neck strap or waste pouch, or fanny pack, something that is comfortable enough to keep on your person all the time. Never ever set your purse on the floor or next to a machine, or on a stool next to you. This is a magnet for thieves! Keep that strap around your neck.

Most thieves work in pairs, one to distract you, the other to snag your purse. Just a couple types of distractions they use are: one will drop a coin or dollar bill or two near you on the floor and ask you “is that your cash on the floor?” while the other grabs your stuff, or overly talkative “players” will sit down next to you and jabber to get your attention, while their partner grabs your stuff, or hits the payout button and walks away with your ticket. Believe me. This does happen. They are very slick and fast, so just be aware.

When you do accumulate a couple winning tickets, hide them in your wallet or purse until you are ready to cash them in, and then stash the cash. Remember the “walk away” tip?

Men: It isn’t degrading to wear a waste pouch. Okay, if you just don’t want to, then fold your bills and keep them in your front pants pocket. If they “pickpocket” your wallet with all your credit cards in it at least you’ll have your cash, or vice versa, just keep them seperated. And, watch those tickets.

If you do hit a good size jackpot, take the money to the safe in your room or take it to the Hotel desk for safekeeping. Or, ask for a Security escort to your room or car. They are happy to provide this service. Don’t walk around the casino or streets with a big wad of cash!

The Security at all Hotels and Casinos is excellent. With all those thousands of cameras (Eyes in the sky) every inch of the casino is being taped continuously. (Did you know that Nevada law requires casinos to have this level of security?) It is for your protection as well as the Hotel/Casino.

Now please understand, we are not trying to scare you away here, but rather just make you aware! It is real easy to get caught up in all the flashing lights, noise, overhead shows, people watching and normal distractions of a casino. Just don’t give them an opportunity to ruin your fun.

Follow these Las Vegas Travel Tips and they will make your Las Vegas Vacation a lifetime memory.

This article may be reprinted in its entirety for use, but must include this link to

http://www.lasvegas-discount.com

Copyright 2002-2007 DEN Publishing Co. Las Vegas-Discount.com, all rights reserved



Author Dennis Lauritsen is a Las Vegas expert, resident, and owner of Website: Las Vegas $Discount$. Cheap Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Tours and Bachelor Parties ARE available. Relevant Las Vegas information and articles at: http://www.lasvegas-discount.com

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Visit the Car Audio Stores for That Great Sounding Audio System

Posted on 15th October 2009 in General
car audio


For the car lover there is nothing as satisfying as a car that has all of the latest accessories installed. With these various accessories you can get the premium service that you have always dreamed about. One item that many car owners want is a great sounding audio system. To find this you will sometimes need to go and visit multiple car audio stores.

As this can sometimes be a bother you can utilize the internet as a research mechanism. When you type in the words car audio stores your favorite search engine will display many different pages that are filled with links that you can access. Going into these links will reveal the various car audios these stores have in stock. You can use their warehouse or shop section to see the different car audio that you like.

Now even though you are initially going to do some research the internet may tempt you to buy some of their goods from these car audio stores. To avoid this you should know a few facts about different car audio systems. With this information you can get good items that will help your car audio to sound really clear and nice.

Once you have looked at the various car audios that you can buy you should check out a few car audio reviews to see what other customers have to say about the different car audios. Their comments can help you to avoid car audios that will give you many problems. These facts can really come in handy at the various car audio stores that you will need to visit.

So what should you do once you reach these various car audio stores? Well the first thing that you should do is to browse the various systems that are available. You should find a sales assistant who can help you out and answer various questions that you may have regarding the different car audios that you see. Among the many questions that you can ask should be the specifications of these car audios and the price range of each.

You should wait until you have reached a few more car audio stores before you decide what types of car audio system you wan to have installed in your car. Once you have brought your car audio system all that remains is to follow the instructions and install the system. As soon as the system is completely fitted in you should give this new car audio a test run and enjoy the great sound poring into your car.



Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on car audio stores, visit his site at car audio stores

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Tips and Tricks to Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen

Posted on 15th October 2009 in General
car tips and tricks


                There is no doubt that auto theft is a serious threat to your personal security nowadays.  It was reported in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports that a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States every 26.4 seconds, and that the odds of your vehicle being stolen are about 1 in 200.  Basically, what this means is that there is a good chance that your car could be stolen, especially if you live in an urban area.  So, in order to help prevent that theft as much as possible, I am focusing this article on providing tips and tricks to prevent your car from being stolen.

 

                The first and most obvious thing that comes to my mind is to NEVER leave your keys in the car when you are not in the immediate area of your car.  A lot of people will think they can run in quickly to grab something they’ve forgotten, or maybe they will leave their car running on a cold winter day in order to heat it up first.  Interestingly enough, many car thefts occur when people just leave their car running in the driveway, which appears to be a blatant invitation for car thieves to do their handy work.  Even if you live in the smallest neighborhood of Timbuktu there is always the risk that some thief passing by will get the scent that there is a car to steal.  Don’t risk it!

 

                In addition, there are some great tips you can follow to decrease the chances your car will be stolen.  Location, location, location, plays a huge role in this.  If possible, it is always best to park your car beyond a gate or garage where it can be covered from roving eyes.  However, if you are like many others and have to park on the street, usually the surrounding neighborhood is a pretty good indicator of what you can expect there.

 

                Another good practice is to always have a copy of your vehicle registration and title at home somewhere secure.  The reason being, if your car is ever stolen, authorities will not have any clue what they are looking for if you can’t provide any information about the license plate or other pertinent information.  It is also helpful to prove that you are indeed the owner of the vehicle-in-question.

 

                Finally, I thought it might also be helpful to provide information regarding the most stolen cars in the U.S.  This is to serve as a guide in helping you to purchase a car that will be less noticeable and inviting to thieves.  The following table lists the vehicles most stolen in the year 2006:

1. 1995 Honda Civic

2. 1991 Honda Accord

3. 1989 Toyota Camry

4. 1997 Ford F150 Serues

5. 2005 Dodge Ram P/UP

6. 1994 Chevy 1500 P/UP

7. 1994 Nissan Sentra

8. 1994 Dodge Caravan

9. 1994 Saturn SL

10.1990 Acura Integra

 Source: http://www.auto-theft.info/Statistics.htm

 

                In the end, some of you may be thinking that it is a whole lot cheaper to have your car stolen than to pay for the gas that fills it up every day.  However, I hope that this information helps you out a little bit in protecting your car.  Granted, you can only do so much to protect your car, but thieves will generally look for the easiest way when stealing cars.  So, the more difficult you make it for them, the better!  Best of luck to everyone.



Gavyn Smith is an associate editor for the home security resource secure24seven. Please visit his site if you would like to see more about home security or read additional home security articles.

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