Whether you're a seasoned credit card pro or someone who's new to the world of plastic, there are five rules you'd do well to remember. After all, credit cards can make or break your credit rating. You don't want it to be the latter. With that in mind, here are five credit card rules to live by...
1. On Time Every Time
Think one late payment won't hurt? Think paying a day late can't harm your credit card situation? Think again. One late payment and your credit card company can hit you with the "universal default" rate (usually about 30 percent) instead of the great rate you signed up for.
Even if you don't get hit with a higher interest rate as punishment for that late payment, you will end up paying a late fee. Unless you want to pay $30 because you paid your credit card a day late, I suggest paying on time every time.
2. Read The ToS
The ToS (Terms of Service) that is sent with your credit card is not simply paper padding to protect the thin piece of plastic as it goes through the mail. It's actually important reading. It tells you what your grace period is, what your interest rate is, what the default interest rate is and other important information.
It's a pain in the rear. The print is small and the material isn't exactly exciting, but you are obligated to read these Terms of Service. The minute you use your credit card, you are agreeing to them. Technically, the ToS can say "you give us the right to your first born child" and if you didn't read them, you'd never know.
3. Stay True
Jumping from one card to another to take advantage of their teaser rates may sound like a good idea, but if you close accounts once you do so you're actually hurting your credit rating. Part of your credit score is determined by the length of the relationships you have with your creditors. If you're maxing your credit card relationships out at six months, your score is going to take a hit.
4. All or Nothing
A credit limit is not a license to spend. If you have a credit limit of $5,000 it doesn't mean you should go out and max out your card. Only spend as much as you can pay off in any given month. If you can't pay your bill in full at the end of the month, you're going to be paying interest and that's not a good thing. Bottom line - don't charge more than you can pay off unless it's a dire emergency.
5. Know Your Cards
Almost all credit cards come with some type of perk. Whether it's as basic as online account management or as extravagant as 24/7 concierge service, know exactly what your credit card offers and take advantage of these perks.
And there you have it... Five credit card rules to live by. The credit card game can be a confusing one, and many have played and failed. Fortunately, many more have played to win. Put yourself in the winner's circle by playing by these five credit card rules.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The luxury in the 2008 Lexus LX 570 Full-Size Luxury Utility Vehicle by Gertrude Sayzer
The all-new third-generation LX features more technological advancements that provide additional power, safety, roominess, both on- and off-road capability, and most importantly, luxury.
Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, of Lexus Division Group said the all-new LX 570 is packed with the luxury appointments and seamless technology our buyers expect of a Lexus vehicle. He also said this vehicle sets a high-water mark for Lexus by providing more on- and off-highway prowess than ever before, while at the same time providing the amount of interior space, comfort, luxury and ride quality our customers demand.
This all-new car from Lexus has improved power performance from. It is equipped with a powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine that will produce 381 horsepower. The engine will be matched to a new six-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission designed and built for large tasks. Both the engine and transmission are controlled and linked by sophisticated electronic management systems that help ensure optimal performance and fuel economy, with minimal emissions at all times.
With its upgraded power train matched with a new chassis and suspension system, the LX 570 has a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds.
A Four-Wheel Electro-Hydraulic Suspension with Active Height Control (AHC) and Adaptive Variable Suspension is used. The new cross-linked system allows each wheel to react to the driving surface it is in contact with and also to react to the actions of the opposing wheels. Using a valve at each corner and a center or master valve, the cross-linked suspension system detects the extension or deflection of each of the LX 570's 20-inch wheels and counters that with appropriate response at the opposite wheels.
The Lexus LX 570 also includes a new Crawl Control feature for increased throttle control when maneuvering over rough or difficult surfaces. In low range, Crawl Control will help maintain appropriate low speeds allowing the driver to concentrate on steering the car on the desired path. Similar to cruise control in maintaining vehicle speed, Crawl Control also actuates a set of virtual locking differentials to minimize tire slippage and to maximize chassis behavior.
While Crawl Control can be compared in some ways to cruise control, the driver constantly maintains control over the vehicle. Without canceling the Crawl Control mode, the driver can reduce vehicle speed by braking, or alter the speed higher or lower by adjusting a speed selector switch.
The new LX 570 also features a multi-terrain ABS braking system. This new technology is designed to help reduce stopping distances on slippery surfaces such as sand or gravel.
Among its other advanced technologies, the Lexus LX 570 also offer a new blind corner monitor feature designed for use in urban settings such as exiting a parking garage. With cameras located within the grille and under the passenger side-view mirror, the driver can easily check hard-to-view areas by simply pressing a button on the dashboard and viewing the camera images on the navigation screen.
The luxury styling of the new LX 570 emphasizes the Lexus identity by combining the muscular strength and sense of security expected in a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle with the simplistic originality of the Lexus L-finesse design theme. It is therefore more dynamic and refined than its predecessor. The bold theme of the new LX carries over from front to rear with a wide stance and brawny cabin proportions that are accented with subtle character lines and luxury touches such as chrome-plated door handles and moldings. Added to these is the cargo rack.
The LX 570 is huge and very masculine that the cargo racks, at a glace can be seen as a truck cargo tracks. These are very essential in putting up additional loads to the vehicle.
The cut-line above the front fenders adds to the performance image of the new LX while the wheel arches add an element of ruggedness to its clean profile. The running boards are fitted closer to the body to provide a more integrated appearance.
In the rear, the LX features a sculpted rear door for a more dynamic look and wide combination lights for a large size vision. The combination lights and license plate are accentuated with tasteful chrome accents. A six-spoke 20-inch alloy wheel design creates a two-dimensional appearance that is very sporty yet elegant. The styling is complemented with Adaptive Front Headlights, a power back door, puddle lamps, headlight washers and a front wiper deicer.
The interior is very spacious. And for enhanced safety, the new LX features a segment-leading 10 standard airbags including driver- and front-passenger knee airbags, second-row seat-mounted side airbags and third-row curtains. Among the many safety features on the new LX are Active Front Headrests, a first for a Lexus utility vehicle, second-row seat belt, and a direct tire pressure monitor system.
The Lexus LX 570 has indeed several luxury amenities. Additional to those mentioned earlier are theclimate controlled front seats and heated rear seats, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with Reference Surround Sound and a hard disc drive capable of storing up to 2,000 songs, a rear seat entertainment system with a nine-inch screen, the Lexus Intuitive Park Assist, a first-in-its-class Pre-Collision System with Adaptive Cruise Control and Lexus Link.
Luxury packages further include semi-aniline leather interior trim, a cool box in the front center console, illuminated scuff plates, unique wheel finish, a Smart Card key, and Bubinga wood trim, a wood used to craft fine furniture, instruments.
Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, of Lexus Division Group said the all-new LX 570 is packed with the luxury appointments and seamless technology our buyers expect of a Lexus vehicle. He also said this vehicle sets a high-water mark for Lexus by providing more on- and off-highway prowess than ever before, while at the same time providing the amount of interior space, comfort, luxury and ride quality our customers demand.
This all-new car from Lexus has improved power performance from. It is equipped with a powerful 5.7-liter V8 engine that will produce 381 horsepower. The engine will be matched to a new six-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission designed and built for large tasks. Both the engine and transmission are controlled and linked by sophisticated electronic management systems that help ensure optimal performance and fuel economy, with minimal emissions at all times.
With its upgraded power train matched with a new chassis and suspension system, the LX 570 has a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds.
A Four-Wheel Electro-Hydraulic Suspension with Active Height Control (AHC) and Adaptive Variable Suspension is used. The new cross-linked system allows each wheel to react to the driving surface it is in contact with and also to react to the actions of the opposing wheels. Using a valve at each corner and a center or master valve, the cross-linked suspension system detects the extension or deflection of each of the LX 570's 20-inch wheels and counters that with appropriate response at the opposite wheels.
The Lexus LX 570 also includes a new Crawl Control feature for increased throttle control when maneuvering over rough or difficult surfaces. In low range, Crawl Control will help maintain appropriate low speeds allowing the driver to concentrate on steering the car on the desired path. Similar to cruise control in maintaining vehicle speed, Crawl Control also actuates a set of virtual locking differentials to minimize tire slippage and to maximize chassis behavior.
While Crawl Control can be compared in some ways to cruise control, the driver constantly maintains control over the vehicle. Without canceling the Crawl Control mode, the driver can reduce vehicle speed by braking, or alter the speed higher or lower by adjusting a speed selector switch.
The new LX 570 also features a multi-terrain ABS braking system. This new technology is designed to help reduce stopping distances on slippery surfaces such as sand or gravel.
Among its other advanced technologies, the Lexus LX 570 also offer a new blind corner monitor feature designed for use in urban settings such as exiting a parking garage. With cameras located within the grille and under the passenger side-view mirror, the driver can easily check hard-to-view areas by simply pressing a button on the dashboard and viewing the camera images on the navigation screen.
The luxury styling of the new LX 570 emphasizes the Lexus identity by combining the muscular strength and sense of security expected in a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle with the simplistic originality of the Lexus L-finesse design theme. It is therefore more dynamic and refined than its predecessor. The bold theme of the new LX carries over from front to rear with a wide stance and brawny cabin proportions that are accented with subtle character lines and luxury touches such as chrome-plated door handles and moldings. Added to these is the cargo rack.
The LX 570 is huge and very masculine that the cargo racks, at a glace can be seen as a truck cargo tracks. These are very essential in putting up additional loads to the vehicle.
The cut-line above the front fenders adds to the performance image of the new LX while the wheel arches add an element of ruggedness to its clean profile. The running boards are fitted closer to the body to provide a more integrated appearance.
In the rear, the LX features a sculpted rear door for a more dynamic look and wide combination lights for a large size vision. The combination lights and license plate are accentuated with tasteful chrome accents. A six-spoke 20-inch alloy wheel design creates a two-dimensional appearance that is very sporty yet elegant. The styling is complemented with Adaptive Front Headlights, a power back door, puddle lamps, headlight washers and a front wiper deicer.
The interior is very spacious. And for enhanced safety, the new LX features a segment-leading 10 standard airbags including driver- and front-passenger knee airbags, second-row seat-mounted side airbags and third-row curtains. Among the many safety features on the new LX are Active Front Headrests, a first for a Lexus utility vehicle, second-row seat belt, and a direct tire pressure monitor system.
The Lexus LX 570 has indeed several luxury amenities. Additional to those mentioned earlier are theclimate controlled front seats and heated rear seats, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with Reference Surround Sound and a hard disc drive capable of storing up to 2,000 songs, a rear seat entertainment system with a nine-inch screen, the Lexus Intuitive Park Assist, a first-in-its-class Pre-Collision System with Adaptive Cruise Control and Lexus Link.
Luxury packages further include semi-aniline leather interior trim, a cool box in the front center console, illuminated scuff plates, unique wheel finish, a Smart Card key, and Bubinga wood trim, a wood used to craft fine furniture, instruments.
Installing a Sound Blaster Sound Card by C E Smith
1. The first thing you need to do is gather the equipment you'll need for the installation. One flat-head and one Phillips-head screwdriver should be all you need. If you want to be extra careful, use an anti-static wrist strap with an alligator clip.
2 Uninstall any existing sound card that your computer has, and turn off the computer and disconnect the cables from your PC.
3. Move the PC to a clear, flat surface r a desk, or countertop would be fine.
4. Remove these screws and slide the panel back. 5. You will see the white slots are called Peripheral Component Interconnect or PCI slots. The color may vary, but all PCI slots are physically the same, so if yours are not white, that's ok. Your new Sound Blaster sound card will fit into one of your available PCI slots.
6. At the back end of the case, you'll see some covers. Take your screwdriver and remove one that is directly across from an available PCI slot.
7. Take your Sound Blaster sound card and align it with the PCI slot. It only fits in one way. Do NOT force it as it could potentially damage your PC or your Sound Blaster. Use solid pressure while slightly wiggling the card from side to side.
8. When it's properly installed, the end of the card should fit snugly against the slot that you opened up and the card should be sitting evenly in the PCI slot.
9. Secure the card into its slot with the screw you removed from the slot cover earlier.
10. Replace the case cover and re-secure it with its screws.
11. Connect the cables to the back of your PC, power it up, and you are ready to install the software.
12. Windows XP will automatically know that you have installed new hardware and ask you for a software installation CD. Although Windows can do a fine job of installing device drivers it cannot install all the software that will allow you to take full advantage your Sound Blaster sound card.
13. Cancel the requests that Windows will have for a device driver CD.
14. Once you've closed all driver CD requests from Windows place your Sound Blaster installation disk into your CD or DVD-ROM drive. After a few moments, you will see a splash screen pop up. From here, simply follow the step by step instructions on how to install your new Sound Blaster software package.
After you have completed the software installation, you'll be request to reboot. Once you have rebooted and returned to Windows. Then you'll be ready to enjoy your new Sound Blaster!!
2 Uninstall any existing sound card that your computer has, and turn off the computer and disconnect the cables from your PC.
3. Move the PC to a clear, flat surface r a desk, or countertop would be fine.
4. Remove these screws and slide the panel back. 5. You will see the white slots are called Peripheral Component Interconnect or PCI slots. The color may vary, but all PCI slots are physically the same, so if yours are not white, that's ok. Your new Sound Blaster sound card will fit into one of your available PCI slots.
6. At the back end of the case, you'll see some covers. Take your screwdriver and remove one that is directly across from an available PCI slot.
7. Take your Sound Blaster sound card and align it with the PCI slot. It only fits in one way. Do NOT force it as it could potentially damage your PC or your Sound Blaster. Use solid pressure while slightly wiggling the card from side to side.
8. When it's properly installed, the end of the card should fit snugly against the slot that you opened up and the card should be sitting evenly in the PCI slot.
9. Secure the card into its slot with the screw you removed from the slot cover earlier.
10. Replace the case cover and re-secure it with its screws.
11. Connect the cables to the back of your PC, power it up, and you are ready to install the software.
12. Windows XP will automatically know that you have installed new hardware and ask you for a software installation CD. Although Windows can do a fine job of installing device drivers it cannot install all the software that will allow you to take full advantage your Sound Blaster sound card.
13. Cancel the requests that Windows will have for a device driver CD.
14. Once you've closed all driver CD requests from Windows place your Sound Blaster installation disk into your CD or DVD-ROM drive. After a few moments, you will see a splash screen pop up. From here, simply follow the step by step instructions on how to install your new Sound Blaster software package.
After you have completed the software installation, you'll be request to reboot. Once you have rebooted and returned to Windows. Then you'll be ready to enjoy your new Sound Blaster!!
Home Security Checklist - 10 Simple Steps to Securing Your Home Interior Property - Securing Your Residential Property by Carl Chesal
Homeowners can stop most Residential Break and Enters (B & E). B & E offences are perpetrated mostly by unsophisticated criminals who seize immediate opportunities. Unfortunately, opportunities provided by homeowners themselves.
Specific things (opportunities) the potential offender looks for:
1) Homes which appear unoccupied (i.e. Owner/renter on vacation) - lawns not mowed, newspapers piled at the front door, mail accumulation, no lights at times (usually night) when a family might be expected to be at home; 2) Homes and neighborhoods where the owners/renters appears to be at work - mail in mailbox, packages at door, advertising flyers left at front door. A simple act of ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door can confirm this;
3) Homes in upscale neighborhoods (more to steal);
4) Open garages (entry point to the house, place to hide or steal contents);
5) An easy method of entry offering concealment - fenced-in or hedged back yards, rear or side doors/windows completely or partially shielded from view by fences, screened patios, shrubs, sheds, basement window wells;
6) Easy entry points - unlocked doors/windows, easy-to-open doors/windows (sliding windows or patio doors that can be lifted out of their tracks), breakable glass in or near doors that could allow door to be unlocked, doors that can easily be forced open using a foot, plastic card, crowbar or chisel (poor quality locks or poor installation).
Here are 10 ways to Target Harden your Dwelling whether you are away for the day or for a lengthy trip:
1) Create Light and Sound. Use automatic timers for your lights inside and motion detector lighting outside your house. New timers have a random on/off time and battery backup in case of power outages. Make it look like your house is occupied both during the day as well as at night. Attach lights and radios to these timers.
2) Leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbor so they can check every 48 hours on your home. Some home insurance policies stipulate such regular checks of your home or you void your insurance coverage. Consider a house sitter.
3) Create that lived-in look. For lengthy trips away from home, have a neighbor park a car in your driveway, keep your front door clear of newspapers/brochures and mow grass/remove snow.
4) Ensure all windows, all doors and all garage doors are locked. Disconnect power to automatic garage doors. Proper dead bolt, hinge, lock, latch and door frame installation is important to ensure doorways and windows cannot be pried open, spread apart or screws removed to allow easier forced entry into your home. Change locks on new homes or if your key has been lost. If they want in make breaking glass their only option. And you can harden glass, especially in and near doors, with special break-proof laminates and plastics. Use steel solid exterior doors only. Install peep through-door viewers to ensure you can see who in at your door before you open it.
5) Install an alarm system. Just like the flashing alarm light in your automobile, have a similar visible indicator in your front and back windows. Make potential intruders know that you have a burglar alarm.
6) Install bars or grill work in your basement windows (these can be opened from inside in case of fire). A window well provides a convenient place for a would-be thief to take lots of time to enter your home through the basement.
7) Don't leave your garage door opener in your car when you are at work. If a thief breaks into your automobile they know your address from your vehicle permit and if you leave your garage door opener in the vehicle, they now also have easy access to your home.
8) Take Photos and/or Videotape all your valuables. Every year video your entire home, belongings and property. Record serial numbers on large valuables. Store all this information off-site. You now have a record of all your property incase of theft or fire.
9) Register and mark valuables through Operation Identification. Obtain an engraver from your Community Police office or buy one. Etch orengrave your driver's license number on valuables. If stolen and later found, Police can check with Motor Vehicles for your name and address. Keep minimum cash and valuables in your home. Secure valuables off-site (bank safety deposit box).
10) Maintain a good neighbor community. Organize a Neighborhood Watch. Look out for each other. That snoopy neighbor can be a perfect burglar alarm system.
Your home and property are part of a community and neighborhood. There is always strength in numbers. Expand your home security network. Work to have your community burglar unfriendly. Clearly let the bad guys know, "Go Somewhere Else"!
Specific things (opportunities) the potential offender looks for:
1) Homes which appear unoccupied (i.e. Owner/renter on vacation) - lawns not mowed, newspapers piled at the front door, mail accumulation, no lights at times (usually night) when a family might be expected to be at home; 2) Homes and neighborhoods where the owners/renters appears to be at work - mail in mailbox, packages at door, advertising flyers left at front door. A simple act of ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door can confirm this;
3) Homes in upscale neighborhoods (more to steal);
4) Open garages (entry point to the house, place to hide or steal contents);
5) An easy method of entry offering concealment - fenced-in or hedged back yards, rear or side doors/windows completely or partially shielded from view by fences, screened patios, shrubs, sheds, basement window wells;
6) Easy entry points - unlocked doors/windows, easy-to-open doors/windows (sliding windows or patio doors that can be lifted out of their tracks), breakable glass in or near doors that could allow door to be unlocked, doors that can easily be forced open using a foot, plastic card, crowbar or chisel (poor quality locks or poor installation).
Here are 10 ways to Target Harden your Dwelling whether you are away for the day or for a lengthy trip:
1) Create Light and Sound. Use automatic timers for your lights inside and motion detector lighting outside your house. New timers have a random on/off time and battery backup in case of power outages. Make it look like your house is occupied both during the day as well as at night. Attach lights and radios to these timers.
2) Leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbor so they can check every 48 hours on your home. Some home insurance policies stipulate such regular checks of your home or you void your insurance coverage. Consider a house sitter.
3) Create that lived-in look. For lengthy trips away from home, have a neighbor park a car in your driveway, keep your front door clear of newspapers/brochures and mow grass/remove snow.
4) Ensure all windows, all doors and all garage doors are locked. Disconnect power to automatic garage doors. Proper dead bolt, hinge, lock, latch and door frame installation is important to ensure doorways and windows cannot be pried open, spread apart or screws removed to allow easier forced entry into your home. Change locks on new homes or if your key has been lost. If they want in make breaking glass their only option. And you can harden glass, especially in and near doors, with special break-proof laminates and plastics. Use steel solid exterior doors only. Install peep through-door viewers to ensure you can see who in at your door before you open it.
5) Install an alarm system. Just like the flashing alarm light in your automobile, have a similar visible indicator in your front and back windows. Make potential intruders know that you have a burglar alarm.
6) Install bars or grill work in your basement windows (these can be opened from inside in case of fire). A window well provides a convenient place for a would-be thief to take lots of time to enter your home through the basement.
7) Don't leave your garage door opener in your car when you are at work. If a thief breaks into your automobile they know your address from your vehicle permit and if you leave your garage door opener in the vehicle, they now also have easy access to your home.
8) Take Photos and/or Videotape all your valuables. Every year video your entire home, belongings and property. Record serial numbers on large valuables. Store all this information off-site. You now have a record of all your property incase of theft or fire.
9) Register and mark valuables through Operation Identification. Obtain an engraver from your Community Police office or buy one. Etch orengrave your driver's license number on valuables. If stolen and later found, Police can check with Motor Vehicles for your name and address. Keep minimum cash and valuables in your home. Secure valuables off-site (bank safety deposit box).
10) Maintain a good neighbor community. Organize a Neighborhood Watch. Look out for each other. That snoopy neighbor can be a perfect burglar alarm system.
Your home and property are part of a community and neighborhood. There is always strength in numbers. Expand your home security network. Work to have your community burglar unfriendly. Clearly let the bad guys know, "Go Somewhere Else"!
Sounding off on some of the Best Sound Cards for Your PC by Bill Healey
Did you know a small piece of hardware is more important to listening to music on your computer than speakers? That small piece of hardware is called a sound card or audio card and it's much more important that you think. Sound cards are nifty pieces of hardware that makes all those pretty sounds come from your speakers. Without a sound card, you would never be able to listen to anything.
Uses of sound cards can basically be divided into three main categories: People who want to watch DVDs or listen to music on their computer, those who want to hear every little audio bit of the latest video game, and those people who want who want to make and mix their own music on their computer. All three of these things can be done on your OE soundcard but you'll be missing out on a lot of sound quality.
The role of audio for your computer is increasing with the popularity of Ipods, music streaming, the digitalization of music and home theater systems being run through PC's. That's a lot of music and sound quality to be wasted by using an outdated or overwhelmed soundcard. With all these different uses for your computer, here is a list of the best PC audio cards that you can use for your desktop PC.
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum - The Creative Company has been involved in the accelerated PC audio hardware market since its beginning. Now, they are one of the last and only companies to offer any type of hardware acceleration in a PC audio card with their latest X-Fi line. Their Platinum model is not the best model around but it does offer a lot of features, including a multimedia remote and an inter-connect box allowing for audio connections on the front your desktop computer.
Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic - This is the one for those looking for high quality computer audio for gaming, movie watching or audio creation but don't need any add-ons which normally come with expensive X-Fi models. It comes with the same audio processor as some of the more expensive models do so it can still perform tasks like sampling rates, surround sound up-mixing, surround simulation and 24-bit Crystalizer. This is without doubt a great choice for those wanting a better feel in their gaming experience.
Auzentech Xplosion 7.1 - Computers are quickly becoming a major and central component for home entertainment systems. The problem with this is that the majority of PC audio cards use individual audio connectors for each channel instead of a standard digital surround sound standard like Dolby Digital. The Xplosion 7.1 does just that. Its support of Dolby Digital Live allows the card to automatically encode audio from the computer to connect with a home theater Dolby Digital audio receiver for a high quality surround experience.
Turtle Beach Montego 7.1 DDL - Much like XPlosion's audio card, the Montego DDL card supports the Dolby Digital Live for connecting to home theater systems, as well. Unlike the X-Plosion card however, the Montego offers both an input and output optical SPD/IF connectors giving it more flexibility. The prices are about the same as well as the Xplosion with all of the same features, so the choice really comes down to any driver support and connectors that you will need.
M-Audio Revolution 5.1 - If you're not looking for any elaborate surround sound support or hardware acceleration but still want a reliable good quality audio card to replace your desktop's integrated audio solutions, the Revolution 5.1 is perfect for you. This is a great yet inexpensive audio card which works for music, movies and gaming.
Uses of sound cards can basically be divided into three main categories: People who want to watch DVDs or listen to music on their computer, those who want to hear every little audio bit of the latest video game, and those people who want who want to make and mix their own music on their computer. All three of these things can be done on your OE soundcard but you'll be missing out on a lot of sound quality.
The role of audio for your computer is increasing with the popularity of Ipods, music streaming, the digitalization of music and home theater systems being run through PC's. That's a lot of music and sound quality to be wasted by using an outdated or overwhelmed soundcard. With all these different uses for your computer, here is a list of the best PC audio cards that you can use for your desktop PC.
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum - The Creative Company has been involved in the accelerated PC audio hardware market since its beginning. Now, they are one of the last and only companies to offer any type of hardware acceleration in a PC audio card with their latest X-Fi line. Their Platinum model is not the best model around but it does offer a lot of features, including a multimedia remote and an inter-connect box allowing for audio connections on the front your desktop computer.
Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic - This is the one for those looking for high quality computer audio for gaming, movie watching or audio creation but don't need any add-ons which normally come with expensive X-Fi models. It comes with the same audio processor as some of the more expensive models do so it can still perform tasks like sampling rates, surround sound up-mixing, surround simulation and 24-bit Crystalizer. This is without doubt a great choice for those wanting a better feel in their gaming experience.
Auzentech Xplosion 7.1 - Computers are quickly becoming a major and central component for home entertainment systems. The problem with this is that the majority of PC audio cards use individual audio connectors for each channel instead of a standard digital surround sound standard like Dolby Digital. The Xplosion 7.1 does just that. Its support of Dolby Digital Live allows the card to automatically encode audio from the computer to connect with a home theater Dolby Digital audio receiver for a high quality surround experience.
Turtle Beach Montego 7.1 DDL - Much like XPlosion's audio card, the Montego DDL card supports the Dolby Digital Live for connecting to home theater systems, as well. Unlike the X-Plosion card however, the Montego offers both an input and output optical SPD/IF connectors giving it more flexibility. The prices are about the same as well as the Xplosion with all of the same features, so the choice really comes down to any driver support and connectors that you will need.
M-Audio Revolution 5.1 - If you're not looking for any elaborate surround sound support or hardware acceleration but still want a reliable good quality audio card to replace your desktop's integrated audio solutions, the Revolution 5.1 is perfect for you. This is a great yet inexpensive audio card which works for music, movies and gaming.
How to Record Digital Audio from VHS Tape for Transcription by Anne Hickley
What you need
A VHS player
A PC/laptop
A twin phono to 3.5mm (1/8 inch) Stereo Jack Lead (available from (for example) Maplin - UK, RadioShack -USA)
A SCART phono out adaptor (available as above)
Sound editing software such as Goldwave (Shareware) or Audacity
Setting up
Put the VHS cassette into the player and check that it's the correct tape! With the VHS machine turned off, put the SCART adaptor into the SCART socket. If you're planning to record video as well as audio, now or in the future, you're better off purchasing the slightly more expensive SCART to phono/S-vido input-output adaptor, which does exactly what it says on the tin - allows you to both input and output sound and video. To output video to your PC though, you would also need an S-video card.
In order to transfer audio only, plug the twin phono sockets (red and white) at one end of your lead into the matching colours on the SCART adaptor.
Plug the other end of the lead into the microphone socket of your PC.
Using Goldwave
In the control box set preferences as follows:
Record tab: record mode: unbounded
Volume tab: Device: your sound card (e.g. NVIDIA sound card in my case)
Device tab: Playback device: Primary sound driver
Device tab: Record device: Primary sound capture driver
You can chose the time in advance e.g. if you know the video is 1 hour long you can set to record for one hour. Or you can leave it to just record. If you record a lot of blank at the end you can 'save selection' (from the file menu) and select the relevant bits.
The settings I use are 'mono' at a sample rate of 44100 if it asks, but I have to confess that I don't really understand sample rates fully and would welcome advice from an audio wiz!
In Audacity I believe you have to set the file as x amount of silence and then record over it, but I'm not sure about that as I've only used Goldwave.
Recording
Press record in your sound editing software.
Press play on your VHS machine.
The VHS is recorded into digital audio.
Finishing
When the VHS has finished press stop on your VHS machine and stop in your sound editing software.
Now you MUST save your file - this is a bit slow for a large file, but if you don't do it you lose it!
I believe Goldwave automatically defaults to WAV files (see my article on digital file types if you're not sure what file type to use) but if WAV is too large for you e.g. if you need to send the file to your transcriptionist, you can convert. Probably due to my settings and through no fault of the software itself, I get very poor results converting to wma (a really compressed file) but I get excellent results converting to mp3 (fairly compressed). To do this simply 'save as' and choose mp3 from the bottom box in the dialogue box.
You should now have a fully functioning audio file which can be sent to your transcriptionist or loaded into your transcription software.
A VHS player
A PC/laptop
A twin phono to 3.5mm (1/8 inch) Stereo Jack Lead (available from (for example) Maplin - UK, RadioShack -USA)
A SCART phono out adaptor (available as above)
Sound editing software such as Goldwave (Shareware) or Audacity
Setting up
Put the VHS cassette into the player and check that it's the correct tape! With the VHS machine turned off, put the SCART adaptor into the SCART socket. If you're planning to record video as well as audio, now or in the future, you're better off purchasing the slightly more expensive SCART to phono/S-vido input-output adaptor, which does exactly what it says on the tin - allows you to both input and output sound and video. To output video to your PC though, you would also need an S-video card.
In order to transfer audio only, plug the twin phono sockets (red and white) at one end of your lead into the matching colours on the SCART adaptor.
Plug the other end of the lead into the microphone socket of your PC.
Using Goldwave
In the control box set preferences as follows:
Record tab: record mode: unbounded
Volume tab: Device: your sound card (e.g. NVIDIA sound card in my case)
Device tab: Playback device: Primary sound driver
Device tab: Record device: Primary sound capture driver
You can chose the time in advance e.g. if you know the video is 1 hour long you can set to record for one hour. Or you can leave it to just record. If you record a lot of blank at the end you can 'save selection' (from the file menu) and select the relevant bits.
The settings I use are 'mono' at a sample rate of 44100 if it asks, but I have to confess that I don't really understand sample rates fully and would welcome advice from an audio wiz!
In Audacity I believe you have to set the file as x amount of silence and then record over it, but I'm not sure about that as I've only used Goldwave.
Recording
Press record in your sound editing software.
Press play on your VHS machine.
The VHS is recorded into digital audio.
Finishing
When the VHS has finished press stop on your VHS machine and stop in your sound editing software.
Now you MUST save your file - this is a bit slow for a large file, but if you don't do it you lose it!
I believe Goldwave automatically defaults to WAV files (see my article on digital file types if you're not sure what file type to use) but if WAV is too large for you e.g. if you need to send the file to your transcriptionist, you can convert. Probably due to my settings and through no fault of the software itself, I get very poor results converting to wma (a really compressed file) but I get excellent results converting to mp3 (fairly compressed). To do this simply 'save as' and choose mp3 from the bottom box in the dialogue box.
You should now have a fully functioning audio file which can be sent to your transcriptionist or loaded into your transcription software.
Credit Repair Firms - Why You Don't Need Them by Jon Arnold
You see the ads all over town and many places you surf to on the Internet - fix your credit now. The advice is sound and well founded. In today's society, a consumer's credit score is being used for many more things than just for a lender to make an informed decision about whether to approve a request for a new line of credit or a credit card. These days, a consumer's credit score is used by many employers before they offer a job to a potential job candidate, and carries almost as much weight as that candidate's qualifications for the job. Car insurance companies use a consumer's credit score to determine how much they should charge for car insurance. This is supposedly due to studies done by the insurance industry which shows that people with bad credit have significantly more claims filed than those with good credit.
So you should be able to easily see why it is important to keep your credit as clean as possible, and if you have bad credit, to take steps to fix it. Even if you have "ok" credit, good credit should be a goal of every consumer.
But do it yourself. There is nothing that a credit repair company can do that you cannot do yourself. Most times, a credit reporting agency will not even talk to someone else about your credit, or if they will, they will first insist on seeing a document that says this company has your permission for them to talk to the company.
Note that you are leaving yourself wide open for a case of identity theft. You have given this credit repair company permission to represent you, and they therefore have every bit of information about you that would be needed to very easily steal your identity. They have your address, your date of birth, your phone number, your social security number, probably your driver's license number, as well as the account numbers of many of your financial obligations. From this point, it is an extremely easy step for them to go to the next level and steal your identity, since you have willingly given all this personal information to a complete stranger, perhaps based solely on a web page that you saw or a billboard or newspaper advertisement. Is that really a smart idea?
Most of these companies rely on the fact that you do not know that there are laws in place to protect you. The credit reporting agencies take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information they distribute from credit inquiries. Their view is that they only report the news, they do not make it, and if a creditor reports financial information about you incorrectly, then it is reported incorrectly for years, since there is no mechanism in place to automatically fix the incorrect information.
Again, a credit repair company cannot perform magic and they cannot do anything more than you can do yourself, except collect the fee you pay them. If there is negative information on your credit report and it is accurate, it must be reported, and a credit repair company has no power to get it removed, despite what they may claim.
Credit repair companies are not evil or dangerous for the most part, but they are relying on the uninformed consumer believing that they can fix the consumer's credit, where that consumer does not realize he can do all this himself without paying their fees.
Find out what you need to know about raising your credit score and the steps you need to take to make that happen. It will take time and effort to accomplish, but it does not require you to pay a fee to a credit repair company.
So you should be able to easily see why it is important to keep your credit as clean as possible, and if you have bad credit, to take steps to fix it. Even if you have "ok" credit, good credit should be a goal of every consumer.
But do it yourself. There is nothing that a credit repair company can do that you cannot do yourself. Most times, a credit reporting agency will not even talk to someone else about your credit, or if they will, they will first insist on seeing a document that says this company has your permission for them to talk to the company.
Note that you are leaving yourself wide open for a case of identity theft. You have given this credit repair company permission to represent you, and they therefore have every bit of information about you that would be needed to very easily steal your identity. They have your address, your date of birth, your phone number, your social security number, probably your driver's license number, as well as the account numbers of many of your financial obligations. From this point, it is an extremely easy step for them to go to the next level and steal your identity, since you have willingly given all this personal information to a complete stranger, perhaps based solely on a web page that you saw or a billboard or newspaper advertisement. Is that really a smart idea?
Most of these companies rely on the fact that you do not know that there are laws in place to protect you. The credit reporting agencies take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information they distribute from credit inquiries. Their view is that they only report the news, they do not make it, and if a creditor reports financial information about you incorrectly, then it is reported incorrectly for years, since there is no mechanism in place to automatically fix the incorrect information.
Again, a credit repair company cannot perform magic and they cannot do anything more than you can do yourself, except collect the fee you pay them. If there is negative information on your credit report and it is accurate, it must be reported, and a credit repair company has no power to get it removed, despite what they may claim.
Credit repair companies are not evil or dangerous for the most part, but they are relying on the uninformed consumer believing that they can fix the consumer's credit, where that consumer does not realize he can do all this himself without paying their fees.
Find out what you need to know about raising your credit score and the steps you need to take to make that happen. It will take time and effort to accomplish, but it does not require you to pay a fee to a credit repair company.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hiring Illegal Aliens by Joseph Ryan
Not long ago National Public Radio reported a story headlined "Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers." It seems a fence-building company in Southern California had hired illegal aliens to help build the fence the feds planned to use to keep illegal aliens out of the country. The company was fined nearly $5 million and two of its executives were sent to jail.
This case epitomizes the current illegal aliens muddle in the United States. On the one hand, there's a strong movement afoot to stop all illegal immigration. On the other hand, there's no doubt that the U.S. economy badly needs the very immigrants it's trying to keep out - so badly, apparently, we even need their help building the border fence! This is a knotty problem, that, so far, the U.S. Congress has not been able or willing to unravel. And given the failure of immigration reform in `07, nobody really expects a new reform bill until after the '08 elections.
Meanwhile the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is stepping up its enforcement of the old, flawed 1986 Immigration and Reform Control Act, which basically puts the responsibility on employers to police the border by refusing to hire illegal aliens. Until recently even ICE didn't seem to take this too seriously, and in the unusual case where an employer was found guilty of knowingly hiring illegals, a slap on the wrist was administered and the matter forgotten. That's all changed under strident Department of Homeland Security director, Michael Chertoff. Some apparently upstanding people are now paying hefty fines are even being sent to jail for hiring illegal immigrants.
Take the case of Nagappan Mylappan Chettiar, a legal immigrant from India who arrived in New York in 1986 in his 20's, virtually penniless. By his 40's he had several restaurants in Arizona and was a millionaire. However Chettiar was recently convicted of knowingly employing illegal Mexican workers. The judge admitted his accomplishments but fined him $250,000, sentenced him to two years of supervised parole, and required him to give up his permanent residency in the U.S. and return to India. Sound stiff? The U.S. Attorney's office appealed the sentencing, on the grounds that it was too lenient, calling for a sentence of one year in prison. (The case is still under appeal). This is just one of hundreds of such cases in recent months.
Thus the times have changed radically, and it is now very risky and unwise for any business, large or small, to knowingly employ illegal aliens. In fact, in today's atmosphere, owners and executives can find themselves in hot water even for unknowingly hiring illegals, that is, for failing to exercise what the government considers reasonable diligence in screening out illegal aliens in the hiring process. It gets worse. Your company can even find itself in legal jeopardy if you hire contractors or temporary workers who are undocumented. You are prohibited from using employment agencies or contractors that you know or "should know" employs illegal immigrants. The "should know" is what the government refers to as "constructive knowledge."
Therefore, say lawyers, if your company utilizes employment agencies or contract employees, it's important to have standards or policies in place which you let the contractors know they must meet. And only contract with them if they do meet those standards.
You should also be aware that some states now have immigrant hiring laws of their own which are even more stringent than federal law, especially Georgia, Colorado and Arizona. Your employment lawyer is your best guide there.
HOW TO AVOID HIRING UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANT WORKERS
Every new employee has to complete an I-9 Form documenting his/her authorization to work in the U.S., even if the employee was born here and is a U.S. citizen. Companies face fines up to $1,100 per form for violations, plus possible civil and criminal penalties. As is well-known, the Department of Homeland Security has greatly increased its work site auditing in recent months. These audits typically begin with an inspection of an employer's I-9 Forms.
The I-9 process should start the day an employee begins work. The employee completes the first section of the I-9 and provides supporting documents (e.g., passport, permanent residency card, driver's license + social security card, etc.) on the day of hire. The documents must "appear reasonably genuine." If the required documents are not presented, the employee must be suspended and removed from the payroll (though not necessarily terminated) until correct documentation is provided. Employment lawyers caution, however, that employers shouldn't normally request documentation before making an offer of employment. Reason -- possible discrimination claims.
Employers should keep I-9 Forms for all current employees, and for at least one year after termination for terminated employees. It is not necessary to retain copies of supporting identity documents and in fact some lawyers recommend against doing so.
You should also be aware of "re-verification requirements." If an employee is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, they are probably working based on a status with a defined end date, in which case the employer must note the expiration of their documents on the I-9 and then must pull their I-9 Form before the expiration date and re-verify that the worker's status has been extended.
Avoiding I-9 violations is extremely important these days, given the severe penalties being imposed. According to many employment lawyers, one of the best preventive measures is to conduct an internal audit of your company's I-9 files to see if there are violations. In addition, you should set up a re-verification tickler system to ensure I-9s are checked in a timely manner.
"NO MATCH LETTERS" AND SAFE HARBOR PROCEDURES
The death of comprehensive immigration reform spurred the Department of Homeland Security and the SSA to instigate a new enforcement strategy - sending out controversial "no match" letters to employers, notifying them that certain of their workers have Social Security numbers that do not match the appropriate names. SSA is said to be planning to send out almost 150,000 of these letters. Employers who receive no-match letters may understandably feel they are suspected of having intentionally hired illegal aliens. But they can avoid any presumption of guilt by following what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) terms as "safe-harbor" procedures. The safe harbor procedures, in a nutshell, are these:
- Within 14 days after receiving the no-match letter, check company records to determine whether there's been a typographical or clerical error in submitting the employee's name and SSN to the Social Security Administration and inform SSA if such an error is found.
- If step 1 did not resolve the discrepancy request that the employee review his social security card and confirm that he/she provided the correct name and number. If the correct name/number was provided, advise the employee to contact SSA to resolve the discrepancy. If SSA finds an error that can be corrected, the employee should obtain confirmation of this from the SSA, and then the employer should verify with SSA that the correction has been made.
- If the discrepancy is not resolved within 60 days of receipt of the no-match letter, the employer is required to repeat the I-9 verification process but this time the employee can not use any documents that were the subject of the no-match letter. In addition, any document used to establish identity at this point must contain a photo of the employee. If employment authorization cannot be verified, the employer must terminate the employee.
PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM
There are a lot of problems with the system described above. ICE plans to hold employers responsible if they accept fake identity documents unless such documents "appear reasonably genuine." But drivers licenses and SSN cards are ridiculously easy to fake and forgeries can be obtained cheaply over the Internet and elsewhere. What's more, the law prohibits an employer from refusing a document that "appears" genuine on its face.
Employers can call the SSN (1-800-772-6270) or use an Internet site (ssa.gov) to verify that the SSN card submitted by the prospective worker belongs to the person whose name is on it - however that doesn't mean that that SSN card belongs to the worker who is presenting it. It just means that it belongs to that name. And verifying a drivers license can be just as difficult since many states won't divulge personal information for fear of violating privacy laws.
In an effort to comply with the law many employers have signed up for USCIC's Basic Pilot Program. This voluntary program was designed to test ways for employers to verify that employees hire workers authorized to work in the U.S. However, some experts complain that USCIC now routinely conducts audits of employers who have enrolled - so if you enroll, you're likely to be audited for I-9 compliance, and if mistakes are found, you'll be fined or even criminally-charged. So why, they ask, would you sign up for such a program?
Given the ambiguous and risky situation employers face, what should be done? According to Charles Kuck, national vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, all employers who hire immigrant workers should conduct their own internal I-9 audit. "Go through every I-9 you have for your company and make sure you filled it out correctly," says Kuck. "You have a right under the statute to go back and correct erroneously completed I-9s at a later date, as long as you initial and date and corrections you made. We recommend you do those corrections in a different color pen." He adds, "This self-audit goes a long way toward eliminating any fines or legal action against the employer."
Car Alarms A Danger For Thieves by David Faulkner
If you desire to think regarding a car alarm in its simplest shape, it is not anything but one or additional sensors associated to some type of alarm bell. The extremely simplest alarm would have a button on the driver's door, and it would be wired so that if someone opened the door the siren would begin howling. You could put into practice this car alarm with a knob, a pair of pieces of wire and a siren. Some car alarm tracker systems are used by the Police to pull through stolen vehicles without you having to notify them of the cars locality, the Police can login on a PC and outlook a map. On a more vital system you would have to look on your PC and phone the Police, prefer a system that permits the car to be immobilizer by the use of text message first so that the car is motionless when you call them.
Just Go For Car Security Alarm:
A car alarm is an immense thing. It is great because an impending thief cannot probably know that you have a car alarm until they do something amazing to set it off. This is why the car alarm can be so helpful. Some people do leave their highly priced belongings within their locked and that too for long periods. These goods abandoned can act like bait for the thieves. If you own an older model of car, probability is that you do not have a car alarm. There are lots of first-class grounds to fit a car alarm. Thus, if you do not have one fixed in your car, you must think about getting one for your protection.
Car Security Systems Required Even For Most Safe Cars:
Car windows are moreover one central access spot for thieves. Nearly all instances they immediately bust the windows and hot rod the car; pretty efficient, too. New glass skill made it promising for glasses to resist a quantity of bashing. Glass durable with plastic is generally used. One universal window sensor is a flouting sound detector. The sound of breaking glass has its inimitable sound frequency that the system notice, and if triggered liberates a bursting alarm siren. A car pager alarm accessory will have an input connection which joins to an alarm yield so when the alarm is triggered a indication is sent to the pager to convey a radio gesture or dial up and send an text message. All SMS text message car pager alarms involve a SIM card; this can be pay as you to keep expenses down.
Credit Repair Firms - Why You Don't Need Them by Jon Arnold
You see the ads all over town and many places you surf to on the Internet - fix your credit now. The advice is sound and well founded. In today's society, a consumer's credit score is being used for many more things than just for a lender to make an informed decision about whether to approve a request for a new line of credit or a credit card. These days, a consumer's credit score is used by many employers before they offer a job to a potential job candidate, and carries almost as much weight as that candidate's qualifications for the job. Car insurance companies use a consumer's credit score to determine how much they should charge for car insurance. This is supposedly due to studies done by the insurance industry which shows that people with bad credit have significantly more claims filed than those with good credit.
So you should be able to easily see why it is important to keep your credit as clean as possible, and if you have bad credit, to take steps to fix it. Even if you have "ok" credit, good credit should be a goal of every consumer.
But do it yourself. There is nothing that a credit repair company can do that you cannot do yourself. Most times, a credit reporting agency will not even talk to someone else about your credit, or if they will, they will first insist on seeing a document that says this company has your permission for them to talk to the company.
Note that you are leaving yourself wide open for a case of identity theft. You have given this credit repair company permission to represent you, and they therefore have every bit of information about you that would be needed to very easily steal your identity. They have your address, your date of birth, your phone number, your social security number, probably your driver's license number, as well as the account numbers of many of your financial obligations. From this point, it is an extremely easy step for them to go to the next level and steal your identity, since you have willingly given all this personal information to a complete stranger, perhaps based solely on a web page that you saw or a billboard or newspaper advertisement. Is that really a smart idea?
Most of these companies rely on the fact that you do not know that there are laws in place to protect you. The credit reporting agencies take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information they distribute from credit inquiries. Their view is that they only report the news, they do not make it, and if a creditor reports financial information about you incorrectly, then it is reported incorrectly for years, since there is no mechanism in place to automatically fix the incorrect information.
Again, a credit repair company cannot perform magic and they cannot do anything more than you can do yourself, except collect the fee you pay them. If there is negative information on your credit report and it is accurate, it must be reported, and a credit repair company has no power to get it removed, despite what they may claim.
Credit repair companies are not evil or dangerous for the most part, but they are relying on the uninformed consumer believing that they can fix the consumer's credit, where that consumer does not realize he can do all this himself without paying their fees.
Find out what you need to know about raising your credit score and the steps you need to take to make that happen. It will take time and effort to accomplish, but it does not require you to pay a fee to a credit repair company.
Home Computer Sound Card and Device Tools
Home computer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
home computer was a class of personal computers entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s.[1] These computers typically cost much less than business, scientific or engineering-oriented desktop personal computers of the time, and were generally less powerful in terms of memory and expandability. However, a home computer often had better graphics and sound than contemporary business personal computers, and was usually sold for purposes of education, game play, and personal productivity use such as word processing. Advertisements for early home computers were rife with possibilities for their use in the home, from cataloging recipes to personal finance to home automation,[2][3][4] but these were seldom realized in practice as they usually required the home computer user to learn how to program; a significant time commitment many weren't willing to make. Still, for many the Home Computer offered the first possibility to learn to program.[5]
The home computer became affordable for the general public due to the mass production of the microprocessor. In contrast to their predecessors, which had front-mounted switches and blinkenlights to control and indicate internal system status and often came in kit form, home computers were designed to be used by the average consumer, not necessarily an electronics hobbyist. [6] These machines were pre-assembled, with keyboards and plug-in peripheral devices such as screens, cassette tape recorders, joysticks, and (later) disk drives. Usually the manufacturer would provide all the peripheral devices practical to add to any system as extra cost accessories. Often peripherals were not interchangeable between brands of home computer (or sometimes even between successive models of the same brand).
Very typically a home computer would have had a version of the BASIC programming language in read-only permanent memory.[7] To save the cost of a dedicated monitor, the home computer often would have connected either directly or through an RF modulator to the family TV set as video display and sound system.[8]
Contents[hide] |
Most home computers, such as this Tandy Color Computer 3, featured a version of the BASIC programming language.
Background
A RadioShack TRS-80 released the late 1970s.
The Commodore PET released in 1977.
After the success of systems like the RadioShack TRS-80, the Commodore PET and the Apple Inc. Apple II in 1977, large numbers of new machines of all types began to appear during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some home computers sold many units over several years, such as the BBC Micro, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Atari 800XL and Commodore 64, and attracted third-party software development.
To some extent, low-end home computers competed with video game consoles. The markets weren't entirely distinct, as both had the ability to be used for games. A common marketing tactic was to show a computer system and console playing games side by side, then emphasising the computer's greater ability by showing it running user-created programs, educational software, word processing, spreadsheet and other applications while the game console showed a blank screen or continued playing the same repetitive game. Books were available for most models of computer with titles along the lines of "64 Amazing BASIC Games for the Commodore 64" and were a popular means of both learning to program and software distribution. Some video game consoles offered "programming packs", consisting of a version of BASIC in a ROM cartridge. For the ColecoVision console Coleco even announced an expansion module which should convert it into a full-fledged computer system, but this never materialised, and instead the Coleco Adam was announced.[9] During the peak years of the home computer market, scores of models were produced, usually with little or no thought given to compatibility between different manufacturers or even within product lines of one manufacturer. [10] The concept of a computer platform did not exist, except for the Japanese MSX standard. [11]
The introduction of the IBM Personal Computer in August 1981 would eventually lead to standardization in personal computing, largely due to the system's open architecture, which encouraged production of third-party clones of the unit. While the Apple II would be quickly displaced by the IBM PC for office use, Apple Computer's 1984 release of the Apple Macintosh created a new model for the home computer which IBM-compatible computers would eventually imitate.
The declining cost of IBM-compatible "personal computers" on the one hand, and the greatly increased graphics, sound, and storage capabilities of dedicated video game consoles on the other, caused the market segment for home computers to vanish in the early 1990s in the US. In Europe, the home computer remained a distinct presence for a few years more, with the Amiga and Atari ST lines being the dominant players, but today a computer purchased for home use anywhere will be very similar to those used in offices - made by the same manufacturers, with compatible peripherals, operating systems, and application software.
Technology
A Commodore 64c system, showing the basic layout of a typical home computer system of the era. Pictured are the CPU/keyboard unit, floppy disk drive, and dedicated color monitor. Many systems also had a printer for producing paper output.
A KC 85/3 by VEB Mikroelektronik Mühlhausen released in 1986 and based on an East German Zilog Z80 clone.
Many home computers were superficially similar. Most had a keyboard integrated into the case; sometimes a cheap-to-manufacture chiclet keyboard in the early days, although full-travel keyboards quickly became universal due to overwhelming consumer preference. Most systems could use an RF modulator to display 20–40 column text output on a home television. The use of a television set as a display almost defines the pre-PC home computer. Although monitors dedicated for use with a computer were available for this market segment, it was often a later purchase only made after users had bought a floppy disk drive, printer, modem, and the other pieces of a full system. This "peripherals sold separately" approach is another defining characteristic of home computers. Many first time computer buyers brought a base C-64 system home to find they needed to purchase a disk drive or Datassette before they could make use of it.
In the early part of the 1980s, home computers were mostly based on 8-bit microprocessor technology, typically the MOS Technology 6502 or the Zilog Z80. A notable exception was the TI-99 series, announced in 1979 with a 16-bit TMS9900 CPU.[12]
Processor clock rates were typically 1–2 MHz for 6502 based CPU's and 2–4 MHz for Z80 based systems, but this aspect of performance was not emphasized by users or manufacturers, as dealing with the systems' limited RAM capacity, graphics capabilities and storage options took priority. Clock speed was considered a technical detail of interest only to users needing accurate timing. To economize on component cost, often the same crystal used to produce color television compatible signals was also divided down and used for the processor clock. This meant processors rarely operated at their full rated speed, and had the side-effect that European and North American versions of the same home computer operated at slightly different speeds and different video resolution due to different television standards.
Many home computers initially used the ubiquitous compact audio cassettes as a storage mechanism. Most implementations were notoriously slow and unreliable, but floppy disk drives found on more costly business-oriented microcomputers were expensive and used disks eight inches wide at the beginning of the home computer era. Costs declined toward the end of the 1980s as sales of microcomputers increased and large production of 5.25" drive mechanisms enabled economy of scale. The 5.25" floppy disk drives would become standard, with 3.5" drives being made available for most systems toward the latter part of the decade. Most software for home computers remained sold on 5.25" disks, however; 3.5" drives were used for data storage. Standardization of disk formats was not common; sometimes even different models from the same manufacturer used different disk formats. Various copy protection schemes were developed for floppy disks but most were broken in short order, and many users would only tolerate them for games as wear and tear on disks was a significant issue in an entirely floppy-based system, and having a backup disk of vital application software was seen as important. Copy programs that advertised their ability to copy or even remove common protection schemes were a common category of utility software.
In contrast to modern computers, home computers most often had their OS stored in ROM chips. This made startup times very fast - no more than a few seconds but made upgrades difficult or impossible without buying a new unit. Usually only the most severe bugs were fixed by issuing new ROMs to replace the old ones at the user's cost. The user interface was usually only a BASIC interpreter coupled to a character-based screen or line editor, with applications performing all other OS duties themselves. As multitasking was not common on home computers until late in the '80s, this lack of API support wasn't much of a liability. Application programs usually accessed hardware directly to perform a specific task, often "switching out" the ROM based OS to free the address space it occupied. In an enduring reflection of their early cassette-oriented nature, most home computers loaded their Disk Operating System (DOS) separately from the main OS. The DOS was only used to send commands to the floppy disk drive and needn't be loaded to perform other computing functions. One notable exception was Commodore, whose disk drives actually contained a 6502 processor and Commodore DOS in ROM. Many home computers also had a cartridge interface which accepted ROM-based software. This was occasionally used for expansion or upgrades such as fast loaders, and application software on cartridge did exist, but the vast majority of cartridges were games.[13]
From about 1985, the high end of the home computer market began to be dominated by "next generation" home computers using the 16-bit Motorola 68000 chip, which helped to enable the greatly increased abilities of the Amiga and Atari ST series. Clock rates on these systems were approximately 8 MHz with RAM capacities of 256 kB (for the base Amiga 1000 system) up to 1024 kB (1 megabyte, a milestone, first seen on the Atari 1040 ST). The Amiga and ST both had GUIs inspired by the Apple Macintosh, but at a list price of $2495 (over $5000 in 2007 dollars), the Macintosh itself was too expensive for most households.
Radio frequency interference
After the first wave of computers landed in American homes, the US Federal Communications Commission began receiving complaints of electromagnetic interference to television reception. By 1979 the FCC demanded that home computer manufacturers submit samples for radio frequency interference testing. It was found that "first generation" home computers, which often included their own screens, emitted too much radio frequency noise for household use. Some manufacturers appealed to the FCC to waive the requirements for home computers, while other manufacturers (with compliant designs) objected to the waiver. Many manufacturers had to supply an external RF modulator to allow their units to connect to a home television receiver.[citation needed] Eventually techniques to suppress interference became standardized.[14]
[edit] "The Home Computer Revolution"
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, from about 1977 to 1983, it was widely predicted [15] that computers would soon revolutionize many aspects of home and family life as they had business practices in the previous decades.[16] Mothers would keep their recipe catalog in "kitchen computer" databases and turn to a medical database for help with child care, fathers would use the family's computer to manage family finances and track automobile maintenance (note the gender roles). Children would use disk-based encyclopedias for school work and would be avid video gamers. Home automation would bring about the intelligent home of the '80s. Using some sort of computer technology, television would be interactive. Morning coffee would be brewed automatically under computer control. The same computer would control the house lighting and temperature. Robots would take the garbage out, and be programmable to perform new tasks by the home computer. Electronics were expensive, so it was generally thought that each home would have one computer for the entire family to use, with interfaces to the various devices it was expected to control.
All this was predicted to be commonplace sometime before the end of the decade, but virtually every aspect of the predicted revolution would prove not to be or be delayed. The computers available to consumers of the time period just weren't powerful enough to perform any single task required to realize this vision, much less do them all simultaneously. The home computers of the early 1980s could not multitask. Even if they could, memory capacities were too small to hold entire databases or financial records, floppy disk-based storage was inadequate in both capacity and speed for multimedia work, and the graphics of the systems could only display blocky, unrealistic images and blurry, jagged text. Before long, a backlash set in—computer users were "geeks", "nerds" or worse, "hackers". The North American video game crash of 1983 soured many on home computer technology. The computers that were purchased for use in the family room were either forgotten in closets or relegated to basements and children's bedrooms to be used exclusively for games and the occasional book report.
It took another 10 years for technology to mature, for the graphical user interface to make the computer approachable for non-technical users, and for the internet to provide a compelling reason for most people to want a computer in their homes. Predicted aspects of the revolution were left by the wayside or modified in the face of an emerging reality. The cost of electronics dropped precipitously and today many families have a computer for each family member, or a laptop for mom's active lifestyle, a desktop for dad with the kids sharing a computer. Encyclopedias, recipe catalogs and medical databases are kept online and accessed over the world wide web not stored locally on floppy disks or CD-ROM. Our coffee may be brewed automatically, but the computer is embedded in the coffee maker, not under external control. As of 2008, robots are just beginning to make an impact in the home, with Roomba and Aibo leading the charge.
This delay wasn't out of keeping with other technologies newly introduced to an unprepared public. Early motorists were widely derided with the cry of "Get a horse!"[17] until the automobile was accepted. Television languished in research labs for decades before regular public broadcasts began. In an example of changing applications for technology, before the invention of radio, the telephone was used to distribute opera and news reports, whose subscribers were denounced as "illiterate, blind, bedridden and incurably lazy people".[18] Likewise, the acceptance of computers into daily life today is a product of continuing refinement of both technology and perception.
[edit] Use today
As many older computers have become obsolete and in some cases nonfunctional, it has become popular amongst enthusiasts[19] to virtually "recreate" these machines, their environments and popular software titles[20] with emulation software. One of the more well-known emulators is the Multiple Emulator Super System which can emulate most of the better known home computers. One system for which many emulators exist is the MSX. A more or less complete list of home computer emulators can be found here. Games for many 8 and 16 bit platforms are becoming available for the Wii Virtual Console. As of 2008, game consoles are beginning to incorporate most of the most common uses for PCs in the home - all of the current console generation feature web browsers and music playing capability in addition to gaming. The Xbox 360 also features instant messaging. Through the web browser component, word processing, email and photo editing is available. Future home computer users may opt for the all-in-one simplicity of a console over a standard PC.
Retrocomputing is gaining in popularity, with many enthusiasts using real Commodore 64 hardware to perform modern tasks such as surfing the web and email. The 64 has also been repackaged as the C-One and C64 Direct-to-TV, both designed by Jeri Ellsworth with modern enhancements.[21]
Collecting
Many enthusiasts have started to collect home computers, with older and rarer systems being much sought over. Sometimes the collections turn into a "museum", often the collections are presented on web sites. [22]
Notable home computers
The 1977 Apple II with 2 Disk II disk drives and an Apple monitor
The list below shows many of the most popular or significant home computers of the late 1970s and of the 1980s. The most popular home computers in the USA up to 1985 were: the TRS-80 (1977), various models of the Apple II family (first introduced in 1977), the Atari 400/800(1979), the Commodore VIC-20 (1980) and the Commodore 64 (1982) which is still the highest-selling single model of personal computer ever, with over 17 million produced before production stopped in 1994 – a 12-year run with only minor changes. [23]
Until the introduction of the IBM PC in 1981, computers such as the Apple II and TRS 80 also found considerable use in office work.[24]
(For a comprehensive overview of home computers, i.e. not just the most notable ones given below, see the List of home computers.)
1970s
Three microcomputers were the prototypes for what would later become the home computer market segment; but when introduced they sold as much to hobbyists and small businesses as to the home.
- June 1977: Apple II (North America) (color graphics, eight expansion slots)
- August 1977: Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 (N. Am.) (first home computer for less than US$600) (used a dedicated monitor for FCC rules compliance).
- December 1977: Commodore PET (N. Am.) (first all-in-one computer: keyboard/screen/tape storage)
The following computers were also typical of the home computer segment:
- 1979: Atari 400/800 (N. Am.) (first computer with custom chip set and programmable video chip and built-in audio output)
- 1979: TI-99/4 (first home computer with a 16-bit processor)
1980s
No computer has sold more units than the Commodore 64.[25]
- 1980: Commodore VIC-20 (N. Am.) (under US$300; first computer in the world to pass the one million sold mark)
- 1980: TRS-80 Color Computer (N. Am.) (Motorola 6809, optional OS-9 multi-user multi-tasking)
- June 1981: Texas Instruments TI-99/4A (based on the less-successful TI-99/4, first to add sprite graphics)
- 1981: Sinclair ZX81 (Europe) (£49.95 in kit form; £69.95 pre-built) (released as Timex Sinclair 1000 in US in 1982)
- 1981: BBC Micro (Europe) (premier educational computer in the UK for a decade; advanced BASIC with integrated 6502 machine code assembler; designed with a myriad of I/O ports)
- April 1982: Sinclair ZX Spectrum (Europe) (best-selling British home computer; "made" the UK software industry)
- August 1982: Dragon 32, became, for a short time, the best-selling home micro in the United Kingdom.
- August 1982: Commodore 64 (N. Am.) (best-selling computer model of all time: ~ 17 million sold)
- Jan. 1983: Apple IIe (Apple II enhanced. Reduced component count and manufacturing costs enabled high-volume production. The IIe would not be discontinued until 1993.)
- Apr. 1984: Apple IIc (Apple II compact. No expansion slots, and built-in mouse port for pseudo-plug and play ease of use. The Apple II most geared to home use, to compliment the Apple IIe's dominant education market share.)
- 1983: Coleco Adam (one of the few home computers to be sold with an integrated printer; cousin to the ColecoVision game console; one of the first systems to be "orphaned" by its manufacturer, a casualty of the North American video game crash of 1983.)
- 1983: MSX (Japan) (a computer 'reference design' by ASCII and Microsoft, manufactured by several companies: ~ 5 million sold)
- 1983: VTech Laser 200 (entry level computer aimed at being the cheapest on market).
- 1984: Amstrad/Schneider CPC & PCW ranges (Europe) (British std. prior to IBM PC; German sales next to C64)
- 1985: Atari ST (N. Am.) (first with built-in MIDI interface; also 1MB RAM for less than US$1000; Motorola 68000 processor.)
- 1985: Commodore 128 (N. Am.) Final, most advanced 8-bit Commodore, retained full 64 compatibility in a complex multi-mode architecture
- July 1985: Commodore Amiga (N. Am.) (custom chip set for graphics and sound; multitasking OS with both GUI and CLI interfaces; Motorola 68000 processor.)
- 1987: Acorn Archimedes (Europe) (based on the powerful Acorn-developed 32-bit ARM microprocessor; most powerful home computer in its class on its debut)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)