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Paving The Way For HI FI Systems

instructionmanuals — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:22:47 +0100

High
fidelity or Hi FI
system is a term commonly used by home audio enthusiasts and home
stereo listeners to associate denote high quality reproduction of sound that is
very close to the original master recording. It was during the 1950s and 1960s when HI FI system became popular. During those periods, HI FI strictly refers
to equipment that has negligible or barely discernible level of noise and
distortion. Over the past decades, it
applies more broadly to any mid-level stereo systems.

The introduction of electronic
amplification, microphones, and the use of quantitative engineering techniques
to audio reproduction in the 1920s might have started the HI FI fad. When radio started to become popular,
loudspeaker and tube amplifiers for a period of time were considered a good
combination to enjoy music. In the
1930s, the motion picture industry began incorporating sounds to film
productions. Subsequently, there is a
need to equip movie theaters with very good quality sound. To achieve this, loudspeakers with separate
segments for high (“woofers”) and low (“tweeters”) frequencies were
employed. When World War II ended,
several home-audio innovations were introduced such as reel-to-reel audio tape
recording, FM radio (with wider audio bandwidth), 33^1/3 RPM Long Play
(LP) microgroove vinyl record, and enhanced amplifier designs. In the 1950s, sound producers used the term “high fidelity ” as a marketing strategy
to offer records and equipment that produces realistic sound reproduction. During the early 1960s, home-audio system
went through advancement when the Westrex single-groove stereophonic record was
introduced.

Modern
HI FI equipment normally includes digital audio devices such
as CD players ,
HD Radio tuners, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) and DAT (Digital Audio Tape),
loudspeakers, and amplifiers. Sophisticated HI FI Systems can be linked using USB (Universal Serial
BUS) ports, fiber optic TOSLINK cables, or WiFi support.

The Magic of Film Scanner

instructionmanuals — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:19:59 +0100

A
device that scans a photographic film directly to a computer is called a film
scanner ; there is no need for any intermediary printmaking or any other
equipment. Film scanners provide several
advantages such as direct control of the photographer over aspect ratio and
image cropping. Some models also come
with specific software or paraphernalia that helps in removing scratches, film
grain or enhance the color duplicate of old negatives. Film scanners generally accept 35 mm strips
or 120 film and individual slides. This
functionality allows the scanning platform to be utilized for various sizes and
packaging.

They
may seem insignificant and but dust and scratches can be a huge problem. A Film scanner has resolution greatly higher
over a regular flatbed scanner . Usually it has between 2000 samples per inch
(spi) and 4000 spi or more. With these
resolutions, dust and scratches on the film are not anymore negligible, quite the
opposite. Tiny flecks of dusts can
result to unclear group of several pixels. Various techniques and technologies have been developed in order for
film scanners to read films strips without too much difficulty such as median
filter, infrared cleaning, and the old fashioned way of film restoration. Film scanner makers typically have their own
name or label for such technique. Kodak
launched ICE and is licensed by Nikon , Epson and Microtek. Canon produced its very own FARE (Film
Automatic Retouching and Enhancement) technology.

How Does a Film Camera Work?

instructionmanuals — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:35:19 +0100

A
Frenchman named Louis Lumiere is frequently recognized for inventing the first
motion picture camera . In 1895, he invented the “Cinematographe” – a
portable motion-picture camera, projector and film processing device, all in
one invention. Motion pictures started
to become very popular after the introduction of Cinematographe. Of course it didn’t stop there. The technological era produced various and
more sophisticated equipment for the movie industry. Movie cameras have significantly evolved for
the last century. But how does a film camera work? Read on the rest of this article and see for
yourself…

A
film or
movie camera works by capturing a series of images. This is in contrast with still cameras that
take a snapshot at a time. These series
of images is called a “frame” and is achieved by using a sporadic
mechanism. The frames are then replayed
in a movie projector at a certain speed, known as “frame rate” (the number of
frames by second). So actually, the film
camera and your eyes and brain are responsible for creating the illusion of
motion by merging the individual pictures. Commercial films like those produced in Hollywood uses the standardized frame rate of 24
frames per second while the standard width 35 millimeter. Other film formats that are also widely used
include PAL, plays at 25 frames per second and NTSC (common in Japan and North America ) at 29.97 frames/s. People in the movie industry find rendering
from one format to another as one of the technical difficulties they have to
face.

Majority of film
cameras in the market do not capture the sound internally. The
sound is record independently using a precision audio device. This setup
is referred to as “double-system”. There is also the so-called
single-system. These are new film cameras that have either an optical or
magnetic recording apparatus inside. If you have seen those clapper
boards in film production with the guy holding it and yelling these words “Title
of the movie take 3 action”, they not jut simple boards. Aside from
the fact that it normally starts a take it used as a reference point in
synchronizing the picture with the sound. Furthermore, it allows scene and take
numbers or any other important details to be included on the film itself.
Currently, the most frequently applied system is unique identifier digits
displayed on the border of the film. This whole process is accompanied by
a computer editing system. Every film stock manufacturer has its own name
for such identification system, Kodak call their version as KeyCode .
There are cameras as well that have low-accuracy film systems. They are some dubbed as
“non-sync” or MOS. MOS cameras are used in for second-unit work and other
jobs that do not require standard filming speed. The most widely used 35
mm cameras today are Arriflex, Moviecam and Panavision versions.
PhotoSonics is used in high speed filmmaking.

The History of Camcorder

instructionmanuals — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:32:22 +0100

A
video camera and a VCR are
two inseparable devices during the time when camcorder was not yet out in the
market. JVC introduced VHS while Sony launched Umatic and Betamax making video recording more mobile. The VCR comprised of a detachable cassette
player and a television tuner unit. Since during that time video cameras were initially intended for TV
broadcasting purposes, the introduction of portable VCR’s and camera made
significant impact to the broadcasting industry.

The
giants that were responsible for the popularity of portable video recording
made another history in 1982 when they initiated the camcorder
era . JVC launched the VHS-C format Sony started selling Betacam , considered as the first
professional camcorder. The VHS-C was
basically a reduced-size cassette version of the VHS. On the other hand, Betacam was designed to be
a standard for professional camcorders. It provided more superior images because of the component video it
utilizes. But it was not accepted
instantly since handling and operating of the VCR was the responsibility of a
video engineer. When Betacam came to the
scene, cameramen were obliged to manage both the video
camera and VCR . Nevertheless
this downside was immediately disregarded by the fact that cameramen have more
freedom to move around because the cables between them and the VCR were
eliminated. Since then Sony’s Betacam
promptly became the standard for studio video editing and news gathering
coverage.

The
Japanese corporation was not contented with the success of Betacam. In 1983, it launched the first consumer
camcorder, the Betamovie. The unit was
huge and is normally resting on a shoulder since one hand is not enough to hold
it. A lot of other consumer
camcorders were released to the market after then which are even bigger
than the Betamovie. Sony’s version had
only optical viewfinders with no rewind or playback functionality. Using its VHS-C format, JVC soon marketed its
own camcorder. The VHS-C cassette can
hold tape that record 40 or 120 minutes of video whereas the mechanical adapter
had playback capability. But Sony was
not ready to lose the fight and redesign the Betamax lineup to build the Video8 standard. This new device used a tape that has a width
almost 35% smaller that VHS and Betamax tapes. Video8 made use of an all-new metal composition vide cassette that
removes the trouble of short running time. In 1986, Panasonic made an entry by releasing its full-sized VHS/S-VHS
camcorders version that record up to 3 or 9 hours of video time. It was a success to many videophiles,
university TV studios and industrial videographers.

Camcorders continued to evolve
significantly over time and the digital era was an exception. The DV and miniDV were launched in the
mid-1990s. The cassette tapes for these
devices were even smaller than their Video8 predecessors. The miniDV also featured a more enhanced
audio and video quality. Digital8 and MPEG2-based DVD camcorder
were the succeeding variations of the DV. Currently, an entry-level camcorder will cost you about US$100.

Everything You Need to Know About Binocu...

instructionmanuals — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:27:36 +0100

For almost 300
years, binocular telescopes , or
simply binoculars, have been part of almost every human activity. It is
use in astronomy, leisure, military, marine, science, tourism, and
security. From the time since binoculars have been discovered, its
features and functionalities have evolved and become more and more
sophisticated. So if you still think that binoculars are just gadgets to
view distant objects, then I suggest you read further.

Uses of binoculars :

Security – binoculars are not just all
pleasure and fun. They are also helpful in assisting various groups
in maintaining and assuring safety and orderliness. Police personnel
use binoculars to monitor suspected criminals at a distance without being
notice.

Sightseeing – nothing is more
breathtaking than taking a closer look at magnificent places and
structures without moving your feet. Coin-operated
binoculars are very common in most tourist destinations.
Binoculars are practical and handy devices that every traveler should
bring especially for those who are always on the go.

Hunting – timing, speed, good reflex
and of course effective gadgets are what you need when you are out there
tracking. Binocular telescopes specifically night-vision ones are great
partners especially for adventurers who enjoy nocturnal excitement.

Astronomy – if you love observing
stars, comets and other astronomical bodies then I do no have to give you
reasons why binocular telescopes can be your best buddy. There are
binoculars that still perform to their utmost performance even when
weather is bad or other natural hindrances impend. Now it is easier
to be amazed by these galactic phenomenons anytime and anywhere you are.

Marine – binocular telescopes used in
various marine goings-on generally can withstand effects from extreme and
weather occurrences such as temperature, fog, pressure and of course
water.

Types of binoculars :

Compact – they have the same
functionalities and features as their big brother counterparts plus
portability and convenience. Compact
binoculars are quite popular to frequent travelers and
vacationers because of its handiness.

Waterproof – this type of binoculars
are suggested for people who do marine activities and quite exposed to
harsh environment. Waterproof binoculars are usually
nitrogen-filled, fog proof and some models also float in case you
accidentally dropped it overboard. They also have special materials
like rubber coated case, improved lens caps, and customized straps.

Zoom – for activities and applications
that require precise and detailed capture, zoom binoculars are the way to
go. Zoom binocular telescopes are excellent for military exercises, sporting events, and other extreme
observations.

Night vision – they say it is the toy
for the big boys. With night vision binoculars, anything is possible
even when the sun is down. Thermal imaging, image enhancement,
improved magnification are just some of the key features of night vision
binocular telescopes.

Digital Camera – this is a combination
of a digital
camera and binocular telescopes . This type of
binocular is recommended for watching or observing objects that are
usually in motion. One can instantly take a photograph those hard to
capture moments without changing equipment.

The World of Digital Cameras

instructionmanuals — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:19:00 +0100

A digital
camera is a camera that captures images on a light-sensitive
sensor. It can record video or still photograph, or both. It has
many features that are not available in film
cameras such as displaying an image on the screen right after it was
taken, the capability to save thousands of pictures, the ability to revise and
delete images, and record video with sound. Nowadays, digital cameras are
integrated in almost every high-tech gadget like PDA’s, notebooks, mobile
phone , and even astronomical equipment.

Nearly every digital camera uses some kind
of storage device to store image data. Some of the most common removable
storage tools include CompactFlash (CF-I), Memory Stick, Microdrive (CF-II),
MicroSD, MiniSD Card, MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital Card (SD),
SmartMedia, USB flash drive, and xD-Picture Card (xD). The general data
formats for digital camera images are the Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and
Joint Photography Experts Group (JPEG). Though there are a number of
cameras, particularly DSLR cameras, that support a Raw format. A raw
image data is an unprocessed set of pixels found from the camera’s
sensor. Some manufacturers have their own formats to save raw data.
Nikon has NEF type, CR2 or CRW for Canon, and MRW for Minolta. If you are
planning to buy a digital camera or already have one, you may want to check the
types of digital cameras listed
below. The more you know about your gadget, the better you can take
advantage of its potentials.

Bridge : Also
referred to as SLR-like cameras, bridge types are high-end cameras that are
sort of the combination of DSLRs and compact cameras thus called
“bridge”. Models of bridge cameras currently out in market include the
Fujifilm FinePix S100fs, Canon PowerShot S5 IS, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 and Olympus SP-570UZ.

Compact
Digital : For informal and “snapshot” uses, compact
cameras are highly recommended. They are small and very handy
but the disadvantage with this type is some functionalities are
compromised. Mainly all compact cameras have built-in flash typically of
low power, restricted capability for motion picture, and macro
capability.

Digital Single
Lens Reflex (DSLR) : It is a type of digital camera that applies
an automatic mirror mechanism that guides light from the lens all the way
through the viewfinder eyepiece. One of the reasons why DSLR has so much
popularity despite its very high cost is its ability to replace and attach
specialized lenses based on one’s photographic
requirements .

Digital
Rangefinder : A camera equipped with a rangefinder is
called a rangefinder camera. It uses a focusing mechanism that permits
the photographer to gauge the distance of the subject before taking the shots
that are in sharp focus. This is in contrast with most digital cameras
that have automatic focus. The first ever digital
rangefinder camera is the Epson R-D1 which is the result of Epson
and Cosina’s partnership.

Video
Camera : This type are used to record images in motion
such as professional video cameras (used in TV and movie production);
camcorders (used by beginners and includes a microphone to record sound); and
webcams (for people chatting over the internet).