Things To Look For When Buying A Computer Microphone

Things To Look For When Buying A Computer Microphone

Computer microphones are a valuable addition to any PC and they greatly increase interactivity and communication levels. You can use a microphone for performing various tasks, both business and fun related. For example, you can hold a conference with your business partners, over the Internet, or you can chat with your friends online, instead of doing that on the phone. Of course, in order to enjoy accurate and high quality communication, you have to choose a good PC microphone. There is a huge variety of models on the market, ranging from microphones that you can buy for a few dollars and going all the way to expensive, high tech desktop microphones. So which PC microphone is right for you?
Price Vs Quality
You can pay for a microphone, or you can pay . So where’s the difference, apart from the price? Well, cheap microphones have low prices for some good reasons: they offer average to low quality sound, they break down more easily and you can’t use them successfully in all applications that support a microphone. The materials they are manufactured from have to be cheap, which eliminates the idea of high quality, so the end product is of lower reliability. And at this price, you can be sure bulk manufacturing is present and quality tests are quick and far from rigorous. Microphones that come for a higher price have, in most cases, better sound quality and more features. Such microphones will have noise canceling filters, which help diminish background noise. Distortion filters and integrated circuits also help keep voice sounds clear and accurate. The materials used for more expensive microphones also last longer – plastic doesn’t crack so easily and if you drop it on the floor you know that the internal components are well protected.
Choosing the right computer microphone
Determining what price range you are in and what model to purchase depends heavily on the purpose you have in mind for the microphone. Are you going to use it just to chat with friends online? In that case, spending a lot of money on a professional computer microphone is not justified. Do you plan to hold business conferences over the Internet? Then maybe you should get a better microphone that will allow the discussion to be continuous and clear, without noise distortion. Giving vocal commands to your computer or dictating to word processing software with speech recognition capabilities is another use for desktop microphones. Quality should be first here – speech recognition software is very sensitive and demands a high quality microphone and sound card. Recording your voice and inserting it into music tracks is possible, but a high quality microphone is absolutely essential in this case.

Your Computer Can’t Keep Time

Your Computer Can’t Keep Time

A computer needs a certain amount of information to operate; for example, the date and time, the amount of memory installed, the number of drives and their configuration, and so on. In the early days of computers, either the user typed in this information each time the computer started, or it was set using DIP switches and jumpers. Today, computers store this information in a CMOS chip that uses a small battery to retain the information when the computer is shut off.
CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) is type of chip that consumes very little power; therefore, while the computer is turned off, the battery discharges very slowly. But the battery will totally discharge if you leave your computer turned off for a year or so. Even if you turn your computer on every day, the battery is designed to last only a couple of years. Occasionally a battery will fail prematurely.
Today’s plug-and-play computers can detect most of the necessary settings, but if your CMOS battery is dead, your computer will not be able to retain the date and time. The computer will also lose any custom settings, for example, the boot sequence. If you set a password in CMOS, you may be locked out of the computer. If the CMOS battery does fail, you might receive the message “System Configuration Lost” when you start the computer. It would be wise to record all the CMOS settings as a precaution.
To record the CMOS settings, watch for an on-screen prompt when you first start your computer. The prompt tells you to press a key, usually the Del or F2, to enter CMOS. To enter the CMOS configuration utility, you have to press the indicated key while the message is on the screen. After the CMOS configuration screen appears, follow the instructions provided to page through all the screens and record all the settings.
If your computer loses its time setting overnight, the CMOS battery may not be holding a charge. The CMOS battery is located inside the case on the motherboard. Changing the battery is usually a job for a computer technician. In fact, a layman might not even be able to find the battery.
If you want to locate the CMOS battery in your computer, be aware that a static discharge from your hands can damage components inside the case. After taking proper precautions, open the case and look on the motherboard for a battery. If you have a diagram of your motherboard, locate the battery on the diagram first.
Different motherboards use different types of batteries. The battery may be shaped like a barrel or a coin. Some motherboards use a component that resembles a chip which contains the CMOS and the battery (made by DALLAS or Benchmarq). Batteries come in different voltages, so make sure you get an exact replacement.
Sometimes the battery is mounted in a holder. Sometimes it is soldered to the motherboard. De-soldering and re-soldering a battery is usually a job for a computer technician. An inexperienced solderer can cause a lot of damage. If you want to try to do it yourself, first practice on an obsolete circuit board. You may change your mind.
If the CMOS battery has failed because it’s too old, this might be an opportunity to upgrade your motherboard. When upgrading a motherboard, the most important considerations are to make sure the new motherboard is the correct form factor for your case, and that the new motherboard has the correct bus connector slots for your expansion boards.
Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp
Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

Customized RF Spectrum Analyzer

Customized RF Spectrum Analyzer

Radio frequency analyzer is technically necessary as measuring tool. For electronic enthusiasts inclined to this specialized analysis of signals and frequencies, having rf spectum analyzer is one of the most wanted device for collection, just like the need for having oscilloscope for amateur and professional use. The question is: would you rather have a customized assembled rf spectrum analyzer or would you avail commercially available ones?

When it comes to rf frequency analyzers, there is no simplicity not directly proportional to the cost. The varying designs could mean a lot to the convenience of the user as far as function is concerned. Special IC chips are integrated to ease up the technology of rf frequency analyzers.

A good one must include the important elements necessary like amplifier, mixers and the visual display. It has the commercial requirement to read range of regions from 50khz to 70 khz, plus the capability to go through VHF and UHF. But above all of the most important aspect, it should produce accurate results. This is what makes acquiring spectrum analyzer critical.

Making your own customized RF frequency analyzer is the best solution for serious use. Nowadays, the equipment can be integrated to computer to save cost. The most expensive consideration is the display screen, which can be substituted by a computer monitor. It means, when computers are used in designing personalized RF analyzer, it is dealing with digital setup. With the visual capacity and accuracy of computers, the task is always better.

Analog RF spectrum analyzers still work well, but in the advent of modernity its components are replaced by IC (integrated circuits), making the assembly compact and rigid. Computer programmers and analysts can compile programs especially for this purpose.

The advantage of creating your own RF spectrum analyzer is already becoming popular even in the Internet. There is even an option to combine the analyzer with built-in oscilloscope as two powerful tools in one assembly. Doing this combination is not impossible. In fact, other customized add-ons can be achieved, aside from manipulating desired dynamic frequency ranges. It only takes the right diagram and knowledge to make it a goal.

Experimenters are more interested in using their skills with the help of a computer programmer to expand the capacity of their personalized RF spectrum analyzer. Even when computers get updated faster, the assembled kit will not be affected for quite a while. It will be at one’s discretion to adjust and make his equipment updated.