HAVING EARS - HEARS
It seems that more recently, the receiver in the car was considered a generous gift from the manufacturer. And today, radio cassette recorders are found only in low-cost models. Increasingly, we listen to music on CDs. To find your favorite song, just enter its number. And disks live longer than magnetic tape - they adequately withstand electromagnetic radiation, constant changes in temperature and humidity.
Modern equipment reads not only ordinary CDs, but also compact digital MP3 discs. Their main advantage is that almost all albums of a favorite group fit on one “record”. And in order not to change the drive on the go, car audio specialists offer changers hidden, usually in the trunk or in the “glove compartment”. Before the long journey, we “fill” it with music, and on the way, by pressing a button, we select the desired drive.
The keys and knobs of the audio system are located on the center console next to the drive - conveniently and logically. But to increase comfort and safety, they are often duplicated on the joystick (usually somewhere under the steering wheel) or on the helm itself. In expensive models equipped with multifunctional on-board systems, such as i-Drive (BMW) or MMI (Audi), only those control buttons that the driver often uses are turned on to the instrument panel: turning on the CD player or radio, adjusting the volume, searching for radio stations or songs. Minor settings, such as the parameters of the subwoofer or amplifier, are laid down in the menu - you need to click the joysticks and buttons.
ATTENTION ON SCREEN
In today's cars, you can not only listen, but also watch. But taking care of safety, manufacturers do not allow turning on the TV in motion. The latest news or your favorite show will appear on the screen only if the parking brake is applied.
Telescopic antennas and so-called pins that receive television and radio programs are used less and less. They create additional aerodynamic noise, become victims of vandals, spoil the exterior. One alternative is the antennas glued to the rear windows. They pick up radio waves, receive analogue and digital TV channels. By the way, nearby are GPS and GSM standards antennas for the navigation system and phones. The amplifier is installed nearby - under the trunk floor, in the wing or rack. It's funny that on some models the rear window heating is switched on not by wire, but also by radio. Sometimes antennas are prescribed on other body parts. For example, in roadsters, where the rear window is cleaned along with the roof, they are placed on the bumper.
Is there nothing else to watch on TV? Insert a fresh DVD movie into the player, and … let the whole world wait. Passengers in the rear seats have individual monitors traveling from the ceiling or integrated into the front head restraints. They, of course, work on the go.
WITH SOUND AND CHIC
For expensive models, car and audio manufacturers are developing sophisticated, high-quality music systems. Due to the individual characteristics of the cabin - the shape, location of interior elements, decoration materials - for each model, equipment is selected separately, and optimal places for speakers are determined. By the way, the latter in the Audi A8 or the new Mercedes-Benz S can be as many as 14.
Getting surround sound in a car is much more difficult than, say, in a room. The salon is too small compared to a concert hall or cathedral where the organ sounds. The problems are created by both the form of “philharmonic society” and the location of passengers, or rather, listeners. In addition, the device must combat aerodynamic noise and rustling tires, changing the frequency of the signal and maintaining high sound quality. By the way, it even responds to the voices of those sitting in the cabin.
The difference between a good stereo, which most of us listen to, and a surround sound system will be felt even by unpretentious people. One snag - the cost of such equipment with installation reaches … 10 thousand dollars.
MOBILE IN MOBILE
A cell phone is no longer a luxury. It is likely that soon each vehicle will be equipped with a communication facility at the factory. The basic information - own number, names and phones, settings - is stored by the SIM-card. It is enough to remove it from a pocket mobile and insert it into the one in the car. You can not remove the SIM-card from your phone, but transfer the functions of a mobile phone via Bluetooth to a stationary device. Then everything is as usual: dial the number on the handset or portable keyboard and talk with the desired person.
Many modern devices allow you to communicate "without any hands." A microphone is installed in front of the driver (usually on the ceiling next to the sunshields), the voice of the subscriber sounds from the speakers. Electronics itself will muffle music or hold the call if the driver cannot answer for any reason. A car phone will even protect the driver from unwanted conversation - just mark the phone numbers you don't like. Receiving calls, choosing phone numbers from a notebook, and adjusting the volume is usually also possible without taking your hands off the steering wheel. On the helm - the corresponding buttons. Well, the highest level of comfort is communication with the system using voice commands. It is enough to name the name of the subscriber, the computer will find it in the phone book and dial the number. However, a few words can already be exchanged not only with the phone, but also with audio equipment and navigation.
