Blu ray is a next generation optical media format developed by the Blu ray disc association, a group of leading consumer electronics and technology companies such as Apple, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony, TDK to name, but a few.

The format was developed for high definition video, as well as storing large amounts of data. A single layer Blu ray disc can hold 25gb of data, which is the equivalent to over 2 hours of high definition television or more than 13 hours of standard definition television. There are also dual layer versions of Blu ray that can hold up to 50Gb of data.

While current optical media uses a red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser instead. Despite the different type of lasers uses, Blu ray drives can be made backwards compatible.

The benefit of using a blue laser is that blue light has a shorter wavelength so that it can be focused on a smaller target area than a red light laser. This allows data to be packed in more densely allowing more space for data in the same sized physical space.

Blu ray is called Blu ray because it uses a blue light laser to write data onto the disc.

Blu ray is expected to replace VCRs and DVD players and recorders over the coming years because Blu ray offers so much more capacity. Although it will take time for Blu ray technology to be come wide spread because the cost of DVD drives and media is so much cheaper than Blu ray at this time.

Chuck Red runs several websites including http://blueraystore.co.uk and http://blueray-media.co.uk

The other day my son said to me, what else could anyone possibly invent? Sometimes it would seem that way, but I think that couldn’t be further from the truth. Back in the late sixties and early seventies someone realized that light emitting diodes could be used for indicator lights. They only were available in the color red, but that didn’t stop anyone, in fact we all became quite familiar with that red color in things like calculators and hand held games. That is pretty much where LED’s stayed until a few years ago.

Suddenly LED’s were available in different colors. A new super bright LED was developed. Controllers made color changing possible as well as mixing colors to create almost any color in the spectrum. A whole new market is emerging now. Many municipalities have started to change over the traffic lights to LED bulbs. I am sure you have seen them; they appear as many small dots of light for the Red and the Green. Car manufacturers are using them inside indicator lights.

The most exciting aspect of LED lighting for me is the entrance of LED’s into residential lighting. They can be used for accent lighting in many applications such as under cabinet lighting and inside cabinets. Cove lighting is another application where they can be used. There are LED bulbs that can replace some existing bulbs like an MR 16 low voltage bulb.

As of right now in their development accent lighting is where they are best suited, the time for them to replace conventional light bulbs is not far off. As an example of where LED’s can really shine is a pool light that can change into seven different colors just by turning the regular switch on and off to change modes. There are other types of color changing bulbs that can be used for decorative purposes. If you want to do some really creative lighting projects, you need to look into LED’s.

If your wondering what is so great about LED’s, let me explain. They have great advantages over conventional light bulbs. Here is a list of just a few things:

· Huge energy savings, possibly as high as 80% - 90%
· Very long life some claims as high as 100,000 hours
· Durable and resistant to heat, cold, shock and vibration
· Endless color possibilities
· Instant on with no flickering
· Small size allows lights in tight spaces
· Almost no heat and no UV rays

The one place they still are weak in is general lighting use. When they have that ability though the energy savings will be on a huge scale. The traffic lights I mentioned earlier use a 10 watt LED bulb to replace a 150 watt bulb used in the past. To give you an idea how much this saves at 12.5 cents a KWH, the savings for a single bulb in one year is about $75. Pretty amazing, especially when you consider some 150,000 traffic lights across the country have been retrofitted with these new LED light bulbs. That is an energy savings of over 11 million dollars. (c)Paul Forte 2005

If you would like to know more or see some of the great LED products available, follow the link below or visit http://www.forteelectric.com/LEDlighting.html

Paul Forte has been in the lighting and electrical field for over 25 years. He has helped countless homeowners across the country with their lighting needs, through his website. Learn more about LED lighting or visit Forte Electric

In electronic repair, most of the time i came across five band resistor color code. The purpose of using the five colour band resistor in a circuit is that it provide a more accurate value compare to the four color band. For example in order to get the value of 22.6kohm, with four colors band resistor you will not be able to find it. The most you can get is 22k (red,red,orange and gold). If with the five color band you will be able to calculate it (red, red, blue, red, brown)the last color which is brown represent 1% tolerance. You may go to google search engine and type resistor color code, resistor color coding, resistor color code calculator, or resistor color code chart to know more about how to calculate a five band resistor values.

If you open up an analog multimeter you will understand what i mean. Most of the resistor circuit inside the multimeter are using five color band. Why? Because the reading that you get whenever you measure current, voltage or ohm, the panel will show the nearest value. For instance, if you measure a 9v battery the needle will point to may be 8.9v,9v,or 9.1 volt. If that particular multimeter was designed using four color band resistor the result that it gets may be 8.5v,9.5v or even 10 volt. In other words the use of five color band resistor is to make a circuit more precise and output the desire result as what the engineers want it to be.

There’s a interesting five color band resistor which is unique. In fact i have already seen quite a number of them. I will reveal the calculation about this unique five color band resistor. The colors are orange, orange, red, gold, white. Actually it is a four color band resistor. Just ignore the white color and proceed to calculate using the four color band formula. As to why the resistor manufacturers add this ‘extra’ white band i really do not know. However, from forum someone said that it is for the military purposes. If you know the answer i would like you to email me so that i can share with other fellow electronic repairer thru this info repairing newsletter.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information on electronic repair please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

Wireless headsets are headphones that are not physically connected to the main device with a wire. These headsets use radio or infrared waves to receive signals from the main source. They provide extremely flexibility to do anything while wearing them-walk, jog, skate or even ski.

Wireless headsets are becoming fairly common even for household use like watching TV or listening to music. Since they are not connected by cords to the main equipment, they allow flexibility to move around and do things like cooking, exercising or any other household chores.

Some wireless headsets use infrared rays for receiving signals, like a remote control. These have a limited range of receiving of a maximum of 30 feet. Cordless headphones, on the other hand, use radio waves. The headset should be adjusted in frequency with the base station so as not to interfere with other devices. These headsets have a greater frequency of up to 2.4 GHz and can reach up to 300 feet.

When buying a wireless headset consider the following: is it comfortable? Does it stay securely in place for long hours? Is the microphone flexible and unobtrusive? Are the volume and other controls easily accessible? Is the sound quality on both the lines clear?

Most wireless headsets these days come with advanced features like standard/voice tube/ noise canceling, the solution type (telephone use/ mobile use/ headset adapter/headset accessory), the kind of ear piece (monaural/binaural), the kind of phone or computer connection to be used with the headset (Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm/ Analog), the compatibility (to music), the kind of computer usage (VoIP, Computer Gaming), the range of bass/treble, the speaker power, etc. The kind of battery should also be considered since the length of use is dependent on the strength of the battery. Some wireless headsets use rechargeable batteries.

The leading manufacturers of wireless headsets are Plantronics, GN Netcom, Headsets.com, Sennheiser, Jabra, and Sony. The Internet is a good source for locating the ideal wireless headset. There are several web sites that provide comprehensive information about the wide range of wireless headsets available in the market today. Manufacturers also provide the support of online specialists to help you select the best headset, including discounts and warranties.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

Headsets, also known as headphones, are hearing devices that are actually miniature speaker systems. They are stereo hearing systems that can be worn near the ear, thus providing mobility to the user. Traditional headsets were bulky and large with two speakers for both the ears encased in padded ovular ear cups. These ear cups were attached to a headband in the shape of an arch that went over the head. Each of these ear cups had a signal wire joined down together as a single wire, which was connected to the audio player or radio through a headphone jack.

Today’s headsets, especially radio headsets, are technological wonders-extremely lightweight with no irritating cords, almost negligible in appearance, sound quality, durability and comfort. They are equipped with superior technologies like push-to-talk and duplex wireless transceivers. These can transmit scrambled digital signals in a spread spectrum format for ensuring complete security and privacy to the user. Radio headsets also have the noise cancellation option for better acoustics.

Radio wireless headsets have wider ranges of up to 300 feet or 90 meters. They use frequencies of 2.4GHz and can be receive transmission even through walls. Sound quality, speaker power, bass and treble range are some features to look for in a radio headset. Other options are the accessibility of the controls like volume and frequency. The battery is also important as the total cost of ownership depends on the batteries. Some radio headphones use rechargeable batteries. The style and comfort are other factors to be considered while buying a radio headset.

There are several manufacturers of radio headsets like David Clark, BHI, Kenwood, Warren Gregoire and others. The Internet is the best source to find out more about buying a radio headset. There are many websites that provide information about the products, along with other offers, discounts and warranties. A good radio headset is around $30, though it varies according to model.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

Headsets for phones are becoming more and more popular with the increased use of the telephone. Using the phone for long hours can be a real pain in the neck-literally. Complaints of neck and shoulder pain after extended phone use are increasing-phone headsets are an ideal solution for this problem.

Another major advantage? Headsets set your hands free and enable you to cook, type deed the baby-all while talking on the phone. The idea product for today’s multi-taskers

There are several other advantages, especially in the office. Apart from increasing the comfort level, phone headsets also help to lessen the external noise in the office and enable to concentrate better on the voice over the phone. Many employers, especially those in the contact centers, are thus increasingly considering investing in phone headsets for employees. An ideal phone headset should be comfortable, soft, durable, easy to use and also inexpensive. Adjustable headbands, accessible switches and controls, clear sound, good acoustical fit, adjustable listening and speaking volumes, compatibility with the phone are some of the things to be considered in a good phone headset.

There are several models available. These differ on the basis of mobility (wireless/ corded), the kind of ear piece (monaural/ binaural), the phone connection (Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm/ Analog), the compatibility (to music), the kind of computer usage (VoIP, Computer Gaming), the range of bass/treble, the power of the speakers, noise-canceling ability etc. Most cell phones can accommodate the 2.5 mm plug that is generally offered with standard cellular headsets. However, some phones like Nokia, Ericsson and Nextel require special adapters for headsets.

The leading manufacturers of phone headsets are Plantronics, GN Netcom, Headsets.com, Sennheiser, Jabra, and Sony. The Internet is a good source for locating the ideal phone headset. There are several web sites that provide comprehensive information about the wide range available today. Manufacturers also provide online support specialists to help you select the best headset including discounts and warranties.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

Headsets or headphones are actually miniature speaker systems. They are stereo hearing systems that are wearable, thus providing mobility to the user. Traditional headsets were bulky and large with two speakers for both the ears encased in padded ovular ear cups. These ear cups were attached to a headband in the shape of an arch that went over the head. Each of these ear cups had a signal wire joined down together as a single wire, which was connected to the audio player/ radio through a headphone jack.

Today’s headphones are technological wonders-extremely lightweight with no irritating cords, almost negligible in appearance, with built in savoir-faire like noise canceling, sound quality, durability and comfort. These headsets are no longer meant for just listening to music or for professions like aviation or the military. Headsets today are making even activities like video conferencing, computer gaming, talking on the cell phone in noisy environments, and other activities extremely comfortable. Besides, these headsets also provide extreme flexibility to the user to do other things simultaneously like walking or even skating or skiing. Some headsets are so advanced that they cancel out external noise discriminately by eliminating only the undesirable noises. These are highly useful for recording studios and other musical environments.

Modern headsets also contain microphones for headsets that are meant for telephone or computer use. These are extremely useful in offices like contact centers where the main activity is to speak into a phone for hours. They enable hands-free operation and thus prevent stress on the neck, shoulder and hands.

There are different kinds of headsets available depending on the style (over-the head/ on-the-ear/in-the-ear/ behind-the-ear/ convertible), the options available (standard/voice tube/ noise canceling), the solution type (telephone use/mobile use/ headset adapter/ headset accessory), the mobility allowed (wireless/corded), the kind of ear piece (monaural/binaural), the kind of phone/computer connection to be used with the headset (Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm/ Analog), the compatibility (to music), the kind of computer usage (VoIP, Computer Gaming), the range of bass/treble, the power of the speakers etc. Manufacturers also provide the support of online specialists to help you purchase the best headset, including discounts and warranties.

When buying a headset ask yourself the following: is it comfortable? Does it stay securely in place for long hours? Is the microphone flexible and unobtrusive? Is the cord long enough for easy movement? Are the volume and other controls easily accessible? Is the sound quality on both the lines clear?

The leading manufacturers of headsets are Plantronics, GN Netcom, Headsets.com, Sennheiser, Jabra, and Sony. Headsets are also very inexpensive, depending on the kind of model. A good pair of headphones costs around $10 though an extremely advanced model with all the works may be priced at $150-$200 or higher. The Internet is a good source for locating the ideal headset. There are several web sites that provide comprehensive information about the wide range of headsets available in the market today.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

Have you ever come across power problem where once you switch on the power supply and the fuse blow? You have checked all the components in the power (primary) and secondary section and all the components seems to be ok! Where is the fault? A fuse blown are usually caused by a shorted bridge rectifier, defective posistor, power transistor or FET, shorted primary winding of switch mode power tranformer, shorted secondary diode and etc. But in this article i’m gone to show you another secret of electronic troubleshooting tips.

I got frustrated as to where is the cause of power problem. Everytime when i switch on the power supply the fuse blow immediately (the fuse became dark color and this indicate that there is a major short circuit in the power supply). I have checked all the components in the power supply and can’t find the culprit! What i do is i desoldered all the suspected parts one by one and replaced with a known good component. I eventually found the caused of the power supply problem. Guess what? It was the main filter capacitor (220 microfarad 400 volt). After replacing the filter cap the power supply worked perfectly fine. I begin my detective work to find out why this capacitor can caused the fuse to blow eventhough i already confirmed it ok with my meters.

The meters that i used to check the filter cap were analog meter, digital capacitance meter and esr meter. In this article i will not explain about how to check capacitor or testing capacitor and how capacitor work. I believed most of you know how to check capacitors and also generally using this type of meters. Measured with analog it showed capacitor charging and discharge, with digital capacitor tester it showed around 220 microfarad and with esr meter it showed low esr reading!

This proved that the bad capacitor breakdown when under full operating voltage. Then, how do i confirm that this filter capacitor is faulty? By using an analog insulation tester. When i connect the faulty cap to the meter and press the go button-it showed a very low resistance and this is the proved of short circuit between the plate when voltage applied! There is nothing to do with bad electrolyte. A good capacitor will just showed a charge and discharge in the insulation meter just like you are checking a capacitor using analog multimeter. In the market there is quite a number of ranges that you can buy. It has the range of 50v, 100v, 250v, 500v, 1000v and even 5000v! If you want to test a capacitor of 100 microfarad 160v then you have to select 100v. If you select 250v, it will blow your capacitor that is under test.

If you have the SENCORE TEST EQUIPMENT such as the sencore lc meter LC102 OR LC103, these meters have the capabilities of checking any type of capacitors with four tests:
-testing for capacitor values
-checking for leakage
-equivalent series resistance (ESR) and
-Dielectric absorption

It can check aluminum electrolytic capacitor, film capacitor, ceramic, high voltage capacitor and etc.

Conclusion-Different capacitor manufacturer produced different type of quality of a capacitor. Perhaps the bad capacitor that I encountered are from the lowest grade one. A capacitor failure when under load is very rare. Using ESR capacitor meter alone can solve most of the electrolytic capacitor problem.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more electronic repair information please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

For most companies, communication is a major prerequisite for maintaining good customer relations. And the most cost effective way to do this is through telephones. Call centers or contact centers specialize in the activity of communicating with customers over the phone for complaints or for sales. And most of the communication is done over the telephone.

Call center executives use the telephones for hours on end. This has been found to cause a lot of discomfort as well as health problems like neck, shoulder and back strain. This is the reason why most call centers are shifting to the use of headsets with their telephones. Headsets give them hands-free comfort and also the ability to multi-task. This has increased the productivity of call center executives.

The main aspects to be considered while choosing headsets for call centers are: the noise level in the office, the mobility required by the user, the cost of ownership, the product range, various options like the kind of ear piece (monaural/ binaural), the kind of phone or computer connection used with the headset (Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm/ Analog), the compatibility to computer hardware and software, the kind of computer usage (VoIP, video conferencing), the range of bass or treble, the power of the speakers, the comfort in wearing the headset, and durability.

Advanced call center headsets have unique options like discriminatory noise cancellation ability that minimizes external noise and also improves the voice of the caller. They also have dynamic voice control options to keep the volume at a pre-set level. Other options include the conference call feature that enables internal conferencing of up to five people; intercom function, push-to-talk function with mute option, wall mounted system for space optimization, and so on.

To find the best headsets, locate a good vendor who understands call center requirements. The vendor should also be able to update your inventory whenever required and effectively minimize transaction costs. The vendor should also be able to offer training to the call center agents for using the headsets. Some vendors provide online support and training through videos and websites. Headset management is also an important aspect, which is best left in the hands of a specialist. Headsets, like any other electrical device need to be serviced regularly and maintained in good condition.

There are several websites over the Internet that offer advice as well as call center headsets for sale. Manufacturers update their web sites regularly to include special offers of warranties and discounts.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

Pilots use aviation headsets. Longer flights are very uncomfortable, especially with an ill-fitting headset. The wrong headset can cause head clamps, hotspots and pinching, which is why most manufacturers are designing aviation headsets with adjustable options. Ergonomics is very important. The main properties are the dome cavity design, weight, and the electronics, position of the microphone and shape and size of the ear seal.

Another important thing in aviation headsets is the noise cancellation ability, since there is high noise level from wind, propeller, and exhaust. Most advanced aviation headsets have active noise cancellation abilities of 20-30 db. This works on the principle of electronic noise cancellation, which is possible by generating a signal that is identical to the sound pressure level, but inverted, so that they cancel out each other.

Some aviation headsets also have audio interface options, which enable them to be connected to a CD or an MP3 player. Some are also cell phone compatible. Aviation headsets need powerful batteries. A battery life of 30-40 hours is ideal.

Refurbished aviation headsets are also available. The electronic and mechanical components are updated and put in order. These are generally offered with a one-year warranty. Most headsets are priced at around $400-500 or higher for a more advanced version.

The Internet is a good source for locating a headset. There are several web sites that provide comprehensive information about the wide range available today. Manufacturers also provide online support specialists to you select the best product including discounts and warranties.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.