Useful Guitar Effects Pedal Cases

A guitar case is often the first case you think about getting when you play guitar, but if you have several effects pedals how do you transport them around in an easy and tidy manor? Save yourself the trouble of stuffing all of your effects pedals and cables into a rucksack and everything getting tangled together in the process, and save the time it takes you to fix it all when you get to practice or a gig.
Have you ever set out to go to a gig with everything in your backpack as neatly and organised as you possible could, then finding out that everything has still managed to get into a heck of a mess when you arrive at the venue. You might have only walked 10 minutes or put your bag into the car, but its somehow still in a mess.
A pedal board and case will go some way to helping to solve the problems. The good thing about a pedal case is that once you have it at home you can Velcro or screw all of your effects pedals into place on the board, they won't move from their allocated position no matter what. Your pedals will all be set out and connected up with patch cables, then all you need to do is connect one side to your guitar and the other into your amplifier. It saves you about half an hour of untangling the ball of mess that has been created in your bag in the trip from home to the practice room or show. Connect two leads and you are ready to go.
Not only do these cases save you from untangling everything they are really handy for moving everything from place to place. Zip up the cover or attach the lid and you are set to go in a few seconds. There are many models available at most good music stores, they can come with a comfortable handle or a strap that will go over your shoulder, leaving your hands free to carry your other gear. Normally they do come with both handle and shoulder strap.
Effects pedal boards and cases come in all sizes from small to massive. If you only need to take a few pedals with you there will be a small case just for you. They can of course only go to a certain size before it becomes silly, so if you have every pedal ever made then you will need to buy more than one case for all of your stuff.
Pedal cases come in hard and soft cases and as flight cases just like those your guitar. Hard cases are great if you have expensive boutique pedals, or just don't want your gear to get damaged by things falling onto them or being struck by something unexpected. Or go for a soft case if you want some a little bit lighter to carry around.
If you move your gear around a lot and normally do it with a backpack then you should should look into getting a proper purpose made effects pedal case. For saving time, protecting your gear and for how easy it makes moving from place to place they really are worth the money.

Motorcycle Headlights: Why Old Bulbs Could Be Putting You In Danger

Like any other parts, the life of your motorcycle headlights is finite. This means that over time they will wear out. What should you do? Let's investigate:
This has some impact on your safety, as when a bulb 'blows' it will leave you in darkness. In the daytime not a problem, but can you imagine trying to ride a bike in the evening or at night without a headlight? In this situation the sensible option is to change the bulb as soon as possible, but it's what happens before a bulb finally goes that we're interested in here.
Standard motorcycle headlights bulbs are commonly halogen bulbs with a tungsten element that is superheated to become white-hot and therefore give out light. This is OK, but a by-product of this old technology is mainly heat and not light and over time the tungsten element will literally burn away and leave a deposit on the bulb's glass, weakening its brightness.
In this situation you're less visible to other drivers and you have reduced visibility at night. The result of this? You're less safe, thanks to this one small component.
It also works your bike's battery harder, as older bulbs are energy-hungry as they need more and more power to run. This doesn't affect your safety, but it will lead to a worse fuel consumption and more wear and tear on your battery.
So motorcycle headlights are a small component with a big role to play. If you think that you have ageing bulbs it is time to start looking at alternatives.
The best option is HID motorcycle headlights.
These are the ultra-bright xenon lights that are about 3 times brighter than standard halogen bulbs. Not only do they give you more light and more visibility, but they also use less power and won't dim with age because they don't burn anything; and so you're immediately removing a weakened brightness due to build-up from the equation.
They are a bit more expensive than halogen bulbs, but you can pick one up from somewhere around 30 pounds. Bear in mind that this should last the lifetime of your bike! If you have an older bike just double check their compatibility before you buy as they are a very modern bulb and may not be available in a size that fits.
You could also choose LED motorcycle headlights.
Based on the humble LED, these guys also burn nothing and just emit light by passing electricity through a metal semiconductor. They are good for bikers as they light up immediately unlike any other bulbs which grow brighter as they 'warm up.' They are also very small which means that they make great indicator and brake lights too.
If you do serious mileage these could be the answer as they are very solidly built and have a minimum of separate parts and are therefore very resistant to vibration.
Again they are very energy-efficient and are brighter than halogen bulbs and so are a safe option, yet they lack the sheer power and brightness of HID bulbs.
Price-wise you're looking at around 20 pounds per bulb.
These bulbs sound hi-tech, but actually it's very easy to find them at a low price these days if you shop online. If you can just wait for a few days for delivery then you'll find that you can save an awful lot over buying from the garage or motorcycle dealership.

The aPad iRobot Looks to Be a Real Contender to Apple's iPad At Half the Price!

The aPad iRobot and Tablet PC's in general are the future... Or so say many of the biggest computer hardware manufacturers in the world. The heads of HP, Samsung, Nokia and of course Apple, with the iPad have sworn that this will be the new way we interact with and use computers. While Apple's iPad is already on the market, all of the other companies that want a piece of this computer segment continue to work through designs and re-designs to ensure that they get their slate or tablet PC's just right.
That hasn't stopped some smaller, yet very innovative companies from jumping on the tablet PC bandwagon, releasing various tablet pc's and form factors to try and compete with, and offer an alternative to, Apple's iPad. The operating system of choice for many of these small companies is Google's own ANDROID OS. Already popular in many smartphones that have come to market. It was originally designed only as a smartphone os, but works amazingly well as a full fledged touch control operating system on tablet PC's too. Much like Apple using their iPhone OS in a tablet PC, manufacturers are looking to the previously mobile only Android OS for their tablets as well.
One of the small companies I mentioned earlier developed and is shipping the aPad iRobot is poised to be a real contended in the tablet PC world. While companies such as HP and Samsung try and rush out tablets that we've only seen concept art for, the aPaid iRobot has already started shipping and aPad's are already in the hands of customers world wide.
While the company behind the aPad iRobot may be small, the aPad itself is BIG on features. Boasting expandable memory via MicroSD Flash cards and built in apps and videos, set up out of the box, to allow you to take your content with you anywhere you please. The aPad comes with a 7" touch screen and runs Google Android OS. With a built in camera - something the iPad from Apple lacks - it offers video conferencing from the moment you open the box and power up the unit.
It runs Android OS 1.6 and has built in support for GMAIL email, High Definition Videos, and access to all the Android Marketplace apps you can get your hands on. All installable and useable just like Apps from Apple's AppStore.
One of the things people complained about with the iPad was the lack of a standard or mini USB port, to allow third party accessories to be connected easily - and without having to spend more money on adapters. The aPad iRobot has that covered too, with the mini USB allowing you to add any USB Compatible device, including an external Hard Drive and USB keyboards too. And not to be out done by anything Apple. The Apad also has the built in G-Sensor so that it will automatically switch to the direction that you're holding the aPad - either vertically or horizontally.
An 600mhz processor powers the aPad, with an additional 600mhz for the DSP (digital signal processor) allowing HD movies to be watched. Our favorite time waster - YouTube, is just a touch away as an icon on the main menu. You'll instantly be on YouTube watching whichever video you want to watch. For all of the social networking folks out there, you're set to go as well. Facebook and every other major site can be accessed via the built in Google Browser that bring up web pages lightning fast on the high resolution 7" screen. Google Maps, Google Talk and PDF reader are all built in. Much like Apple's iPad, the aPad is a very capable and comfortable eBook reader too. And it's much more comfortable to read your eBooks on the aPad than on any mobile phone out there. Sometimes, bigger IS better. And this is really the case with the aPad iRobot.
And the best part of the aPad iRobot is the price. While Apple's entry level unit comes in at a crisp $499.00 - the entry level aPad can be had for less than half the price. At under $200.00 it's much more obtainable for the majority of people that want to try out a Tablet PC but don't want to spend $500.00 to do so.
I can honestly say that for most regular tasks, browsing the web, reading and responding to email, catching YouTube videos, etc... a Tablet PC - in this case the aPad, feels much more natural than any notebook or netbook out there today. There's just something about holding it in your hands and being able to carry it around with you to show videos or pictures to friends that really does make a tablet PC very attractive.

The Android Open Source Success Story

Developed by the Android, Inc., and financed by the Google, the first Android phone with Linux-based operating system had hit the market in October, 2008. The Google released this open source code under the Apache license with far more permissive licensing. This enabled device manufacturers to freely distribute and manufacture this unique software. This attracted many developers to compose applications in Java script.
This open sourcing has become the real strength of the Android operating system. It is now the most extensively used operating systems. It has over 700,000 different applications. The latest statistical survey shows that the Android capable Smartphones have over 75% of market share. There were over 1.3 million activations per day. There were 500 million activations in the third quarter of the year, 2012.
The software technology companies hunt for an operating system that is customizable, low-cost, and lightweight. The Android operating system exactly fits the slot. It achieved mass acceptance in no time. In addition to its use in phones and tablets, it has fed applications to the game consoles, television and several other electronic devices. It openness has found its use in community driven projects.
The user interface of the Android operating system responds to touching actions such as tapping, swiping, pinching, and opening. This fluid touch interface that directly manipulates on-screen objects are based on vibration capabilities. Some other hardware such as gyroscopes, accelerometers and proximity sensors give more response to user actions. The device orientation changes the screen from landscape to portrait mode. A rotation of the device rotates the steering wheel in a racing car game.
Android device boot the home screen. The home screen displays application icons and widgets. The application icons open up associated applications. The widgets display real-time content such as emails, weather forecast or a news crawler. The users may adjust the device to their choice. They customize favorite pages from the several pages available on the home screen. The user may re-theme the home screen through third-party applications. This way, different manufacturers present the same available applications and widgets with different priorities to showcase their product's competitiveness.
The versatility of the Android operating system could be gauged from the fact that several new and upcoming applications own it such as car CD/DVD players, headphones, mirrors, landlines, smart books, smart TV and smart cameras. The latest "Android@Home" is a technology for home automation. It controls home devices such as thermostats, light switches, power sockets etc.

High-Intensity-Discharge Lights (HID's) AKA Xenon Bulbs Or Lights - Which One is Right For You?

In the quest of customizing our rides, as well as getting better night driving visibility (and being noticed by onlookers), the most common aftermarket upgrade that auto enthusiasts do to their rides is replacing the halogen bulbs of the headlights for xenon bulbs, or to be more precise, High Intensity Discharge Lights (HID's).
The term "Xenon Headlight" is actually is a misnomer. There are several types of HID lamps, and those without xenon follow this sequence when turned on: A sudden bright flash of light, followed by the lamp turning dim, then slowly becomes bright as it reaches its normal operating condition. The xenon gas is only used to speed up this process and provide instant light upon ignition of the lamp.
Upon purchasing HID's, there are a multitude of Kelvin temperatures to choose from, usually starting from 3000K, all the way up to 12000K or even higher. Be wary of this as it is a common misconception that the higher the Kelvin temperature, the brighter the light. This is NOT TRUE.
The Kelvin temperature is also known as color temperature. Simply put, the color temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin, determines the color of the light output, not the brightness. The lowest color temperatures used in HID lights usually have yellowish hues, and as you go up the color temperature chart, it goes from white, to blue, to purple. The stock halogen bulbs are around the 3200K range.
So if you are to choose which one is right for you, well you first have to determine your application. Are you installing this for show, or are you looking to get the HID lights which can provide the most useable light output? If you are using this for show, then go ahead and purchase any color temperature you'd like to get to produce the desired look. But if you're looking for brightness and usable light output, then you're limited to a small range.
To give you an idea, manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes Benz use 4300K to 5000K HID lights on the models they release which have HID's as stock options. These are the models which usually come with the "Bi-Xenon Headlamps" or "Xenon Adaptive Headlights" tags. Why do they stick with this range? Because it is this these color temperatures which produce the greatest useable light output.
If you'd still want to mix "show" with "function", for safety reasons, HID's with color temperatures above 8000K should not be used as the main headlights but instead, as an accent to be used as foglights. Higher color temperatures tend to reflect off fog and rain, and therefore do a bad job in illuminating the road in poor conditions.
And going back to the example of Bimmers and Mercs, the reason why they come with halogen auxiliary fog or driving lights is because lower color temperatures are known to be better at penetrating water molecules. These compliment the HID's in poor road conditions. Low color temperature HIDs (yellow hue) should be able to do work the same way if used as fog lights.
4300K HID's have about 3100 lumens of output, which is more than 3x the light output of halogen bulbs. This is the color temperature which give the most output. The light is fairly white, with a slight hint of yellow when reflected off the road surface. OEM HID's come in color temperatures from 4300K to 5000K.
6000K HID's have about 2900 lumens of output, which is about 3x the light output of halogen bubs. The light output is white, with a slight hint of blue.
8000K HID's have about 2500 lumens of output, about 3x the light output of halogens. The light output is blueish white. The most popular aftermarket HID conversions are from 6000K to 8000K color temperatures.
10000K HID's have about 2300 lumens of output, which is more than 2x the light output of halogens. The light output is blue and approaching violet.
12000K HID's have about 2000 lumens of output, which is more than 2x the light output of halogens. The light output is blueish purple.
Though you should be warned about retrofitting HID's into headlamps meant for Halogen bulbs. These are not without fallbacks due to the scientific differences between HIDs and Halogens. But there are many different HID headlamp units available for various vehicle makes and models, making this upgrade very doable for almost any of your rides.

Audi Offers LED Headlights For Its Flagship A8

Audi has designed LED headlights out there as an optional extra on one more car, the fresh new A8. LED headlights are also available on the Audi R8 sportscar.
Audi states that that the complete LED headlights offer the A8 an "unmistakable look even in daylight, and a lot more so after the fall of darkness. By using a color temperature of 5, 500 Kelvin, their light appears like daylight and therefore is a lot easier on the eyes and reduces fatigue."
The LED lamps are "zero-maintenance" and intended for the lifetime of the car. They will also have very low power usage. The low beams, for instance, use up only 40 watts per unit, a bit less in comparison with the currently highly efficient xenon plus headlights.
The low beams consist of 10 small lens modules offering through the headlight in a eye-catching arc called as the "wing" due to its shape. Just underneath this is one more arc of 22 white and 22 yellow LED bulbs for the daytime running lights (DRLs) and the corner lights. All these appear to the viewers as homogeneous, ongoing strip of light.
Positioned over the "wing" are the high beams, in whose light is produced by 2 highly effective four-cell LED lights and a surface reflector-free system. An aid function changes in between the low beams and the high beams. Additional high-output LEDs generate the highway light and the cornering light. A independent fan and heat sink control the heat range of each headlight unit and avoid condensation.
With the exception of the reversing light, the tail lights are completely equipped with LED technology, with each side that contains 72 LEDs. The Audi used SMD LED lights, which can be packed closely along with high accuracy, in many places because of to the minimal amount of space out there.
The tail lights, which take only 9 watts per unit, form a trapezoidal contour that seems as an even, homogeneous strip. Its top section is a light guide-a plastic tube-and the lower segment is a distinctive, reflective freeform surface. It is wider than the upper section to optically lower the center of gravity of the A8's tail end. The turn signal is positioned on the upper segment of the tail light and forms a wide, horizontal stripe.
The five-portion brake light is positioned within the trapezoid. When the new A8 decelerates strongly, the brake light flashes rapidly to alert the traffic behind it. The hazard warning lights are triggered when the car comes to a stop. A number of of the LEDs in the brake light can be controlled in such as way as to function as the back fog light.
The A8 also has an optional background lighting package. LEDs will light up the center console, tunnel, door pockets and door sill trim. Drivers can select from three interior LED colors (Polar, Ruby, and Ivory), and can also adjust the brightness via the Audi Multimedia Interface (MMI).

Creative D200 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Review

I've been gushing about the Creative D200 for quite some time now on this site and it is only appropriate that I do a complete, in-depth review of these excellent Bluetooth speakers. Since I've already devoted plenty of reams to its smaller sibling - the D100, I'll ignore it for now and focus entirely on the D200, which is among Creative's best offerings in the wireless speaker space.
Creative D200 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Review - Design
Housed in a single, 19" long, sleek black case, the Creative D200 can certainly be given some points for its rather futuristic looks. At just 4.6lbs, this is a rather fleet footed Bluetooth speaker that is easy to toss into a car on a camping trip. Don't mistake it for one of those 'pocket' speakers (a la Monster ClarityHD or Soundmatters foxLv2) though, measuring 18.8 x 4.9 x 5.1 inches.
All in all, the Creative D200 won't stand out or draw attention to your home, but its clean lines will blend in perfectly with your home décor. And as they say, a good pair of speakers should rather be heard than be seen...
Creative D200 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Review - Setup
The Creative D200 deserves full marks on this scale, since setting up the speakers is - to use a cliché - a breeze, provided you own a Bluetooth capable audio player. The speakers instantly recognize any Bluetooth enabled device and stream music within seconds. Perfect if you want to use these speakers with your iPhone or other Bluetooth capable phone/music player.
If you don't own a Bluetooth capable audio player, however, you can either use the built-in AUX port, or even shell out extra cash for a wireless Bluetooth adapter. The former, despite being more cost-effective, kills the entire purpose of using these speakers (wires!). The latter will set you back by almost $40, but is well worth the price if you plan to use a non-Bluetooth device as your primary music player.
Creative D200 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Review - Sound
This is the most important battleground, the fields where speakers are vanquished or crowned kings and emperors. What good is a speaker, after all, if it can't deliver pitch perfect audio, handle heavy bass, and deliver thick mid-tones without flailing (and failing)?
The younger sibling - Creative D100 - has certain issues with bass heavy songs and doesn't handle high tunes quite so effortlessly. Fortunately, the D200 doesn't suffer from the same issues and delivers rich, deep bass and quite clear high tones. We hooked up our iPhone Touch filled with 32GB of music, and threw everything from Enrico Morricone and the Kill Bill soundtrack to Justin Bieber and Danger Mouse's 'Grey Album' at it. We tried some Pavarotti, and even some Indian classical sitar music by Pandit Ravi Shankar.
The results?
Justin Beiber and his ilk would be quite happy. Regular pop doesn't really stretch the speakers and the D200 delivered a great performance. The Kill Bill soundtrack was rendered with admirable precision as well - not quite as good as our $600 Bose speakers, but impressive nonetheless.
Pavarotti caused some problems, and the humming of the classical Indian sitar wasn't quite clear at times. But these were more or less isolated cases and for regular use, the sound is more than adequately powerful and clear.
Creative D200 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Review - Conclusion
At just around $100, the Creative D200 Bluetooth speakers are certainly very affordable. Despite the light weight, these speakers aren't very portable on account of their large footprint. The design is clean and classic and will look good in any living room.
The sound quality is solid, nothing more, nothing less. You won't be blown away, but you wouldn't want to climb into a corner with your ears stuffed with cotton wool either.
Overall, for the price, these are a very 'sensible' pair of speakers (a word we don't use very often). Setup is easy and the sound quality is above average. For $107, you'll be hard pressed to find a more well-rounded set of wireless Bluetooth speakers than the Creative D200.

Information on HID Lights and Kits

HID or High Intensity Discharge lights are high definition lights used mostly in high-ceiling places like warehouses and also in large outdoor areas like parking lots and big arena's. HID lights came into existence about 64 years ago when mercury vapor lamps developed. Light in HID lamps is usually provided by few high-wattage lamps or by many low-wattage lamps. The first approach minimizes electricity consumption whereas the second usually gives more uniform illumination.
HID lights are easily available and very easy to fit as well. So using them is not a problem. There are three general types of HID lights available: Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium's. There are also different variations within each type. Metal Halide's and High Pressure Sodium's are recent improvements on the Mercury Vapor design. However, all HID lights must be used with current-limiting ballast's. Most are position-sensitive; some are designed for base up use, some for base down and some horizontal. In spite of these differences, all make use of an inner bulb called the arc tube made of a material like quartz or ceramic that can withstand the extreme hot temperature of the arc.
All HID lights have an outer glass bulb. In some models this bulb is left clear and in some it is internally coated with luminescent phosphor. Hence the terms clear and coated are often associated with them. All of these lights need a warm up period before actually producing their full light output and they need what is called a "re-strike" time after a power interruption before they can come back on. It has been argued that there are certain safety concerns with HID lights. The rupturing of the arc tube is at the top of the list of concerns as it can cause the outer bulb to break and hot particles to go flying risking fire and harm to people. Breakage of the outer bulb while the arc tube is being operated is another concern as it causes exposure to excessive ultraviolet radiation's from the lamp. However, appropriate fixtures can eliminate these concerns.
HID lights function when the gases inside the fused alumina tube are heated to the point of evaporation. Tungsten electrodes are kept in the alumina tube, and when the metal elements begin to heat up, they strike the tungsten electrodes, creating an arc of light. Tungsten is a chemical element that is known for its high melting point and robust physical characteristics. It is used widely in electrical applications like lighting because of these properties. It is a hard, non-alloy metal that ranges in color from steel gray to tin white. It is shaped, or "drawn" into the very thin metal wires you see inside a light bulb.
Other than being useful in places that require high intensity lights to cover large areas, HID lights are also used in smaller areas such as department stores, houses and open areas like gardens. They can also be fixed on cars and bikes for more visibility which is very essential for driving. These lights have even been used for airbus 380- super jumbo airplane, pointing out that they are extremely useful and efficient.

Buy Cheap Refurbished LCD Monitors

LCD is an opto-electronic garget that is usually utilized as a display unit for note book computers, laptops, calculators, watches and many other devices in electronics.
Refurbished LCD monitors have a special circuitry that allows current to flow through the circuit with a specified quantity of a liquid crystal solution.
When the liquid crystal is charged, the solution reacts to the charge which in turn causes the crystals to be arraigned accordingly by blocking specific light passages.
By doing this in an orderly fashion will cause visible images to be displayed on the screen of the Refurbished LCD monitors. The greatest advantage with the liquid crystal display is that they are very much lighter and their power consumption is very minimal compared to the cathode ray tube monitor (CRT).
Compared to the other mode of technology of a cathode ray tube (CRT), the characteristics of the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) makes Refurbished LCD monitors very ideal to use their technology in; note book computers, desk top computers and even laptops for this will save you a great deal in the power consumption.
Liquid crystal display are very thin and occupy very little space thus they are very good to display electronic information like text, pictures in motions and also images.
There are several uses for the Refurbished LCD monitors. Some of the uses of the liquid display monitors are; televisions, computer systems, printers for the display panel, aircraft for displays in the cockpit controls and many more.
You will also find that in your day to day activities you also use the LCD monitors in your watches, DVD displays, telephone, cellular phone calculators etc.
Because LCDs are very light in weight, it makes it portable giving them the capability to be produced them in small sizes to larger sizes compared to the cathode ray tube mode of technology.
Due to its low power consumptions, it offers the device the greatest advantage to be battery powered.
LCDs have an electronic modulated mechanism that has vary many pixels that have a liquid crystal mixture which are aligned in front of a source of light or a reflective object that will be used to portray the images in mono chrome or multiple colors.
Liquid crystal display have pixels that consists of layers of molecules which are arraigned in the middle of two clear tubes and two other filters that are used for polarizing the pixels to offer display.

Portable Bluetooth Speakers - Benefits and Uses

Portable Bluetooth speakers make it effortlessly easy to listen to your favorite music on the go. Working on the same technology (Bluetooth) that allows you to send and receive files and data on your cellphone wirelessly, these portable Bluetooth speakers are easy to use, easy to set up, lightweight, and perfect for anyone who likes to carry his music with him.
I can think of dozens of scenarios where a set of portable Bluetooth speakers would be handy. Recently, on a picnic with friends, I found myself craving some good music. While I had plenty of songs in my iPod, I could listen to them only through my headphones. But at that moment, I wanted music to be a shared experience, to listen to it along with all my friends. In such a scenario, a set of battery powered portable Bluetooth speakers would have been very handy. Just plug it in into your iPod, and enjoy your favorite tunes with friends or a loved one.
And really, that is the primary job of these portable speakers: to make music more social. In terms of portability, nothing can beat a pair of earphones. But if you want to share the music experience with others, you will need to invest in a set of Bluetooth speakers. Imagine camping with a loved one, lying under the stars, and listening to your favorite tunes. This is possible only with portable Bluetooth speakers.
Let me forewarn you though that you should not expect the same performance from a set of Bluetooth speakers as you would from a regular 2.1 speaker system. These speakers are underpowered and lightweight. Their motto is portability, not large sound. Although some speakers, especially those by Bose and Altec Lansing deliver crystal clear and lucid sound, you can't expect to go too high in terms of volume. If you are expecting these speakers to play music for a party of 20 people outdoors, you may have to look for alternative arrangements.
In terms of price, portable speakers are slightly more expensive than standard speakers. Typically, the work through USB or single pin adapters. Major brands are Logitech, Altec Lansing, Creative, and Bose. Many speakers are designed specifically to work with an iPod and have special docks to play from the iPod directly, without any cables. If you are a heavy iPod user, you should look to buy one of these.
You can also buy desktop speakers which sacrifice portability for better, bigger sound. These are like any regular speakers, except that they work through USB.
Portable Bluetooth speakers are great for bringing your music with you, wherever you go. They make music a 'shared' experience. If you are a music aficionado, these should be pretty high on your purchase list.

Guitar Effects 101 - Understanding Guitar Effects

We always have this constant question on all guitar oriented forums -"what order do I put my guitar effects in? While there are some simple guiding principle, there is no "right" way to do it. It's all a matter of taste and your personal tone. Let your ears be the final Judge.
Guitar Effects are electronic device that connects a guitar and an amplifier or mixing board. Their main purpose is to modify and enhance the tone, pitch of the guitar and create special sounds using a guitar pedal or a combination of several pedals. These effects transform sounds in many ways and bring "life" to sound. It is usually used in in-recording studio accompanied with vocals and live performances. A Guitar Effects device consists of analog or digital circuitry which processes audio signals. Effects processing circuitry are similar to that found in music synthesizers; it may include active and passive filters, envelope followers or envelope modifiers, wave-shaping circuits, voltage-controlled oscillators, or digital delays.
Effects device come in several formats, the most common are the "stomp-box" and the rack-mount unit. A stomp box or "pedal steel" is a small metal or plastic box containing the circuitry which is placed on the floor in front of the musician and connected in line with the patch cord connected to the instrument. The box is typically controlled by one or more foot-pedal on-off switches and usually contains only one or two effects. Rack-mount effects unit contains identical electronic circuit, but is mounted in a standard 19" equipment rack. Usually, rack-mount effects units contain several different types of effects. These are typically controlled by knobs or switches on the front panel, and often by a MIDI digital control interface. "Guitar pedal boards" are used by musicians who use multiple stomp-boxes; these may be a DIY project made with plywood or a commercial pedalboards.
Nowadays, modern desktop and notebook computers have sound processing capabilities that rival commercially available effects boxes. Some can process sound through VST or similar plugins, such as LADSPA, RTAS or Direct X. Musicians in the modern world can play any instrument through a computer's sound card, emulating effects units or amplifiers. These VST-plugins can be downloaded for a little or no cost.
Guitar Effects are divided according to effects description; Amplitude based effects which composed of volume control, tremolo, auto tremolo, panning/ping-pong, gating/repeat percussion, compression, expansion, asymmetric compression, noise gating, attack delay, ADSR (Attack Decay Sustain Release), and limiting, auto swell. There is also Waveform distortion effects which can be done by Symmetrical clipping, asymmetrical clipping, infinite limiting, Half wave rectification, Full wave rectification and Arbitrary waveform generation. FILTER/FREQUENCY RESPONSE EFFECTS can be achieved through EQ/tone controls, treble/mid/bass boost, cabinet simulation, resonator, wah, envelope follower also called as Auto wah, tremolo wah, "vibrato", and phase shifting. For time delay effects; echo, reverb, true vibrato, flanging, chorus/ADT, slapback, and reverse echo/reverb. We can also add other miscellaneous effects such as octave division, harmony generation, phase lock tracking, Noise addition, talk box, and voice tracking. Leslie, aphex and enhancers are examples of common combinations effects.

35W VS 55W HID Conversion Kits: Which One Is Better?

HID conversion kits have been available for quite some time now so there are many different types and styles available to choose from and it may seem very confusing. A common question that gets asked is the difference between a 35W and 55W HID conversion kit. Besides the wattage, there are other differences such as brightness, heat, reliability, and color. Choosing the correct one for your needs is very important and there will be several factors that will play a role in your decision. This article will summarize the differences and provide a clear understanding of these two conversion kits.
The first difference is in the wattage and name itself. 35W HID lights is the standard output for most kits on the market as well as factory installed HID lights from manufacturers. 55w kits produce a significant increase in power output which results in a much brighter light. 35w HID kits are approximately three times brighter than the standard incandescent halogen bulb; 55w HID kits are even brighter and provide up to four to five times more output. These would be ideal for those looking for the best and brightest light available, but with the increased brightness does come with some downsides. The overly bright 55w HID bulbs may also cause excessive glare on many reflector based headlights, but to be fair, a 35w kit also causes some glare as these types of housings were not intended for HID usage. Having a projector housing will help with distributing the light to where you want it to.
One issue that a 55w HID conversion kit may face is overheating. Typically, HID lights run cooler than most incandescent halogen bulbs they replace, but a 55w kit creates excessive heat that can melt the housing or even the wiring that connects to the light. There are headlights that are made of metal which can withstand the heat better, but there are many headlights that are made from plastic that are susceptible to this kind of damage. The wiring can be upgrade to ceramic plugs instead of plastic to better handle the heat, but there will still be risks involved.
Next up is the reliability, 35w kits are designed with brightness and longevity in concern whereas 55w kits are not. 55w kits are intended for superior and maximum light output. The higher wattage allows the 55w kit to be brighter, but it does cause more evaporation of the electrodes and gasses that make up the HID bulb over time. 35w kits may outlive your vehicle when used properly, but a 55w kit may only last as long as a regular incandescent halogen bulb or shorter as the material evaporates every time the light turns on.
The last difference is the color for the HID bulbs. 6000K will look different on the two HID kits despite coming from the same manufacturer and this is due to the output. The colors in 55w HID conversion kits tend to be more "washed out" and stepped down so a 6000K will look similar to a 4500-5000K color. This difference in color is acceptable for most as white is the best color for the human eye to see in and would function very well in limited visibility conditions. While there are higher Kelvin temperature 55w HID kits available, it makes little sense to get it as the higher you go in HID Kelvin temperature, the output reduces; this would cause a 12000K 55w HID conversion kit to produce similar output compared to a 8000K 35W HID kit.
In concluding this article, there are obvious benefits of using a 55w HID conversion kit for your vehicle, but there are also downsides to it as well. In the end, the variables will have to be analyzed and studied as some may not apply to the application and some may. With this being all stated, there is a specific reason why factory HID systems are only rated at 35w. 55w kits are available for those who want the brightest light out there and like what basic economics state; when there is demand, there is always usually a supply.

LED Headlamps - A Hunters Best Tool

If you are still using a hand held torch for your lighting needs after dark, then you are missing out on a wonderful tool that could help you immensely in any after-dark task. No matter what great quality hand held flashlight you have, it cannot compare to the comfort and convenience of an LED headlamp. Even LED flashlights, while they are comparable in power and quality, are less convenient than the hands-free and hassle-free headlamps.
There is no task too big or too small for an LED headlamp to tackle, from working underneath your car or underneath your house to exploring caves, camping, and even performing rescue work at night when you certainly want both hands to be as free as possible. These lights leave your hands free for other important tasks, and the fact that you are not carrying them makes them almost drop-proof.
LED headlamps are superior to most other kinds of headlamp because of the high quality bulbs that they utilize. These bulbs burn brighter than traditional incandescent bulbs, putting out a brighter, whiter light. They also use less power, which means that the LED bulb will go through fewer batteries and work better and longer to give you the light that you need for many, many hours at a time.
Another great feature of LEDs is that they last much longer than incandescent bulbs, so once you get your headlamp going and fresh batteries installed, you can count on hundreds of hours of use time from your bulb. This is far better than worrying about whether your incandescent bulb might survive the next trip since it is almost impossible to carry a spare when you are going to be out in the wild.
A good LED headlamp will have fully adjustable straps to help you get the comfortable fit that you need to feel confident in your light. Your headlamp should fit you well and be able to remain in place no matter what activities you are taking part in, and should be able to utilize the hinged adjuster to put the light in just the right place for you. You will never have to worry about sparing a hand to aim a bulky flashlight again!
You shouldn't forget that the quality of light that comes from an LED headlamp is far superior as well. The light that comes out of a good headlamp will be bright white, and can be seen in some cases for up to 3,000 yards. Don't worry too much about blinding your entire party, though. An LED head lamp should also come with a dimmer switch to get your light at just the right level for whatever location and activity you find yourself participating in.
LED headlamps are perfect for camping because they leave your hands free for campsite chores. They are great for working in small spaces, great for emergencies, and full of uses for you to discover if you put your mind to it.

Ancient Basic Tools to Green Light Laser: The Evolution of Mining

Mining is the process of extracting minerals and geological materials from the earth. Miners help recover many elements. These materials are rare as they are not grown, agriculturally processed or artificially created. Precious metals, coal, diamonds, and gold are just some of these materials. Mining also helps man to unearth non-renewable energy source like natural gas, petroleum, and even water. The job of miners can be difficult and risky. Thanks to efficient mining equipment, the task is a lot easier now.
People of the ancient time made use of the earth for many purposes. One way to make a living at the time is by mining. Equipment were not fully developed but people managed to unearth many precious stones and different kinds of metals. They use these minerals and elements in making basic tools for hunting and warfare. High quality flints found in masses of sedimentary rocks were in-demand in many parts of Europe. People used these flints as weapons during the Stone Age.
Ancient Egyptians were among the first to successfully get minerals from earth. Their advanced level of civilization made it possible for them to produce quality mining tools. They mined malachite and gold. Malachites are green stones used for pottery and as ornaments. The Egyptians started to quarry for other minerals not found in their soils. They head to Nubia, a part of Africa. There they used iron tools as mining equipment. That was the time when fire-setting was used to extract gold from ores. This method involves setting the rock containing the mineral against another rock, heat it and douse it with water. This was the most effective mining method that time.
The Romans also played an important part in the history of mining. They were the first to use large scale quarrying methods. An example of this is the application of volumes of water to operate simple machinery and remove debris. This is the birth of hydraulic mining.
The demand for metal increased dramatically in the 1300s. This was the time when swords, armors, and other weapons were in-demand. For this reason, miners looked for more sources of iron and silver. There was also an increase in the demand for coins that caused shortage of silver. Iron, on the other hand, was utilized in building constructions. With the high value of these materials, machineries and other mining equipment became in demand in the market.
These machines and equipment were the mothers of the present mining tools that we have today. Miners today use bulldozers, explosives and trucks. More advanced form of mining tools includes the use of green light laser serving as saw guides and machine alignment. With all these modern equipment, miners now have a safer and faster process to break down rocks and even carve out mountains. All these materials are produced and applied with the principles of engineering.
As of today, there are five major mining categories. They are coal, metal ore, non-metallic mineral mining, oil and gas extraction. Oil and gas extraction is among the biggest industries in the world today.

Install LED Headlights on Your Car

LED headlights for your car comes with the advantage being efficient, longer lasting and easily available. Many car owners would love to have this type of lights for their cars even though the initial price of getting one is high. After the decision of getting the LED lights for your car, select the type of LED headlights that is best for you and your car. The installation process is easy to carry out and can be done without the help of a professional. It will make your car safer to drive and you won't have any problem with the law over the condition of your car.
First of all, disconnect the battery before installing any headlights. You can do this by disconnecting the negative battery cable and ensure that it does not touch any side of the car's body. Ensure you follow the vehicle service manual while doing this to avoid any accidents. Pop the car hood open and remove the bulbs for the front headlights. Ensure all screws have been removed and placed in a safe place where they can be easily found. Carry out area preparation through different activities such as sanding and drilling to make it accept the type of LED headlights you want to install.
Install the LED arrays on the already prepared surface. Ensure you do not touch the headlight while you are installing them or make them touch the headlight slot. Slowly and carefully secure the new LED lights with the screws and ensure that they are a perfect fit to prevent them from moving in their positions. After finishing the installation, return everything in place, connect the LED arrays to the battery and close the hood. Take the car for a test drive to check if the lights are in a good working condition. With these steps you can now enjoy your driving experience in a safer way.

Car Audio Amplifier Wiring Kit Guide

This article is about car audio amplifier wiring kits and what they contain and how to set one up in your car. The reason for wanting a car audio amplifier in your car is to drive a subwoofer or to deliver greater power and control to your speakers. Perhaps you want to have both a subwoofer and power your speakers from amplifiers. Whatever combination you want the fundamentals of what you need remain the same.
The first thing that you need to check is whether or not your head unit (cd player) in your car has a pre-out that (standard low voltage audio output) can be used for connecting it to a car audio amplifier using a wiring kit. This connection will be on the back of the head unit and will be phono connections which are red and white usually, although sometimes they are red and black. These are like the connections you can find on your home stereo or your TV. If you really don't know what I mean then just Google phono socket and check out the pictures. If there are multiple phono connections on the back of your head unit then they will most likely be labelled. You will probably find front, back subwoofer and maybe AUX. The AUX connection will be an input, the others are all outputs to the relevant areas of your car. For the purposes of this article we will assume that you are using a head unit with a single output as this is what most will have.
When using a head unit with a single phono output the signal will most likely be switchable between full range and low frequency. Full range would output all the sound whereas setting for low frequency only would be the setting for connecting to a subwoofer.
There will also be a remote cable on the back of the head unit, this is usually coloured blue, but I would recommend checking. This information is either on the top of the head unit on a sticker or in the book that came with it. This remote cable tells the amplifier to switch on when the head unit is powered up.
The first thing that you should do is disconnect the battery so that you remove the risk of causing any damage to the car electrical systems. This is very important that you do this as some damage could be expensive to fix and it is always best to minimise risks. The last thing you want to do is blow some components in your new amplifier or set off some airbags.
The earth cable should be connected from the amplifier to the chassis at a point that is not painted, for example where something is bolted to the chassis. The earth cable is the big black or brown cable which should be the same gauge as the red cable.
The power cable which is the big red cable should be fed from near the battery to where the amp is situated, do not actually connect it to the battery yet. It is important to have an inline fuse installed somewhere along this power cable. Make sure it is somewhere accessible, typically near to the battery but that is not always possible. The important thing is that it is relatively easy to change if you need to.
The phono output from the head unit should be connected to the phono input on the amplifier using a phono cable. The phono cable is a twin run of coaxial wire with phono plugs on either end. When you run the cables make sure that the phono cable is routed a reasonable distance away from the power cable as this will prevent any interference.
The remote cable should be connected from the head unit to the amplifier also. This will be clearly labelled on the amplifier.
The speaker cable should then be installed. This is a twin run of unshielded wire, which is most likely quite thick. The power that will be used to drive the speakers will determine the required gauge of cable. When wiring up any speakers make sure they are wired the right way round otherwise you will invert the phase which will cause cancellation and a reduction in sound at certain frequencies. By this I mean make sure that positive goes to positive and negative to negative for all the speakers. If you are just wiring one subwoofer then this is not as critical as you can usually invert the phase using the amplifier which will solve the problem.
Once you have all the cables set up as described above it is wise to check them to make sure everything is right. If everything looks good then it is time to reconnect the battery and also connect the red power cable to the battery. Once this is done your new amplifier should be installed and working. All that remains is to set it up correctly but that is for another article.

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