What Are IPod Rivals Chances In The Battle For Mp3 Market?
Apple’s iPod has dominated the portable audio market so completely over the past few years. Giants like Sony and Microsoft where insignificant players in the mp3 players market.
Now, four years since the first iPod was introduced, the question remains: can the iPod’s rivals finally get the first position from the market leader?
Let’s take a look at the leader.
iPod is considered the most elegant music player on earth. Apple offers three levels of devices the iPod, mini, and Shuffle which can store between 120 and 15,000 songs.
iPod price is $99 to $449.
Let us see the rivals.
- Zune from Microsoft
The best Zune model has a 30GB hard disk drive that can store up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video. Zune experience centers around connection - connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.
The price for Zune is $249.99.
- Sony’s NW-HD3 Network Walkman from SONY
Sony’s NW-HD3 Network Walkman offers excellent sound and a menu that’s easy to navigate using a four-way directional button. The built-in 20 GB hard disc can hold the equivalent of 13,000 tracks or 900 CDs worth of music when using high quality ATRAC3plus audio compression technology
The company claims the player can go 30 hours without recharging.
Sony price: $349.
- Zen micro from Creative Technology
Zen micro is competing with iPod mini. Zen strengths are: the size only 3.3″ high, captivating design and colors (is available in 10 electrifying colors), the vertical touch pad (ZEN Micro’s vertical touch pad and touch sensitive controls are designed to be intuitive so that searching through songs or play lists is easy, quick and fun - try taking a cruise down this strip).
A new feature is the removable disk. Removable Disk lets you connect the player to the computer and directly copy the files you need.
The price for Zen micro with 6GB disk drive is $99.
- Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player
Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 is an ultra-thin digital audio/image/video player with 4 GB of flash memory compatible with MP3, WMA, and WMA-DRM10 music files. Sansa e260 keeps up to 1000 songs.
Sandisk Sansa e260 has high-strength because the back cover is made with an advanced Titanium alloy from Liquidmetal Technologies that is stronger than steel and highly resistant to scratches and wear.
The price for Sansa e260 is $130.
- Philips HDD6330 30 GB MP3 Playerultra-thin digital audio/image/video player with 4 GB of flash memory
Compact and stylish Philips HDD630 has an integrated 30 GB hard drive that can store up to 15,000 MP3 and WMA files (including DRM protected Plays For Sure WMA files from online stores and subscriber services)or 8,400 pictures. HDD630 has color LCD (220 x 220 pixels, 65 thousand colors, 8 lines of text) with the built-in photo viewer (compatible with JPEG image files).
The price for Philips HDD6330 is $159.99.
So who is winning so far?
According to best sellers list from Amazon.com the iPod products dominate. The first 5 mp3 players best sellers are made by Apple (Apple 30 GB iPod video Black, Apple 80 GB iPod, Apple 2 GB iPod Nano, Apple 1 GB iPod Shuffle and Apple 8 GB iPod Nano) Sandisk Sansa e260 comes on place no 6. The rest of the top 10 best selling Mp3 players positions are taken by: Apple 30 GB iPod White, Apple 4 GB iPod Nano Silver, SanDisk Sansa M230 512 MB MP3 Player and SanDisk Sansa M240 1 GB MP3 Player.
Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Black) is no. 13 in top sellers Mp3 players and Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player is no 16.
All Mp3 players have similar features and prices. The prices can make the difference in time.
For now Apple’ iPod is the number 1 choice when comes to Mp3 players. Microsoft and Creative are far behind and have a lot of catching up to do before they can really compete with Apple.
Dan Ionescu is the owner of http://www.gadgets-club.com the gadget blog and of http://www.giftideasblog.net the place where you will get gift ideas.
Car Stereo IPod Transmitter
You have just found out that you need to go cross country, and you most definitely aren’t flying there. This means that you will need to be taking a very long drive, which if you plan it just right, could become your vacation from work. The only things that you will need to make this an enjoyable trip will be your iPod, and your car stereo iPod FM transmitter.
With one of these, you will find that you have no need of taking along your iPod car kit with you. Everything that you need will be in this one little gadget. That is of course, if you buy the car stereo iPod transmitter which also functions as an iPod charger. Otherwise you might also want to think about taking along your iPod charger as well!
You will only need to take along a separate iPod charger if you have the wireless car stereo iPod FM transmitter. If you get one of the car stereo iPod transmitters complete with wires and therefore with a charger as well, you will find that life has became a whole lot easier.
Now, instead of having to take along your iPod, your speakers, your entire iPod car accessory kit, as well as your iPod charger, you have the luxury of taking with you only your iPod, the car stereo iPod transmitting device, and the iPod car holder as well to keep the iPod in one place. No extra cables are needed other than the one which come attached to your transmitter and which goes into the slot of your car’s cigarette lighter socket.
With this you will now be able to listen to your personal brand of taste in songs without having to listen to an impersonal and disembodied voice coming across the airwaves to keep you company on your long drive cross country.
Your car stereo iPod transmitter will also be able to get you through the long hours of the night when you might be unable to sleep. This is because your car stereo iPod transmitter can also be used with other FM receiving devices such as normal FM radios. This means that you can while away the long hours of the night, or lull yourself to sleep with the familiar sounds of your favorite music, using this device.
Although a car stereo iPod FM transmitting device isn’t expensive, it isn’t exactly cheap either so you might want to look around to see what you can get for your money’s worth. And since you will also have to buy an iPod car holder at the same time as well, you might even be able to get a bargain when you buy these two items at the same time!
If you want to get more infomation about iPods or other gadgets, please visist my blog at http://gadgetgoblin.blogspot.com
Case Study: Implementing Charge Capture and Optimizing Cash Flow
Most doctors enter the health care profession because they want to care for people. But it doesn’t take long for many to realize that they are spending just as much time running the business as caring for patients. Providing outstanding health care, while keeping the revenue cycle running smoothly, is a big challenge. But today’s technologies can make it easier and, as one physician practice has learned, it can be as easy as using a mobile phone or PDA.
Room for Improvement:
As pay-for-performance programs become the norm, terms such as efficiency, effectiveness,patient satisfaction and ease of doing business are becoming an integral part of the language of running a practice. These terms have become the watch-words of businesses around the world as they institute change to improve customer service and management of the financial side of the business.
At the same time, we have seen a shift toward a more consumer-driven healthcare system and demands for higher quality healthcare. Patients expect a comfortable office with efficient service, accurate billing, and a reasonable response time when they have an urgent question. In this environment, the business side of the practice has a bigger impact on the patient experience than ever before.
It’s time for the healthcare industry to take a page from general business management and gain the performance improvements that come from optimizing practice management. Several areas within a typical practice provide an opportunity for increased accuracy and optimization. Three of the most prevalent are coding, billing and collections, since they represent a significant opportunity for managing cash flow, with a high potential for solid financial returns.
Going Mobile: One Case Study
In one five-physician nephrology practice, an investment of $2,679 in coding, billing and collections generated an annual increase in revenue of $37,473.
The improvement process began with a thorough analysis of the practice’s existing processes and procedures, as well as the tools used during rounds and for billing and collections. Interviews of key personnel revealed issues in the following areas:
* Down-coding too frequently when code selection was not clear
* Reduced charges due to coding errors
* Lost charges due to misplaced forms
* Lower collection rates when records were incorrect
* Increased insurance denials due to late submissions
* High denied-charge write-off rates that seemed to track insurance denials
The physicians had been capturing patient information, diagnoses and codes using paper forms, which were collected throughout the day and returned to the office for processing at the next available opportunity. Frequently, the forms were misplaced, illegible or incorrectly coded, requiring the doctors to take extra time away from their patients to get them right.
Over the course of an entire year, the total revenue impact of this lost time alone totaled $12,558. The lengthy process also often exceeded the allowed processing time, and insurance companies were refusing to pay.
To overcome these challenges, this practice implemented a Web-based mobile software tool to capture patient information, procedures and diagnoses. Because these physicians spend the majority of their time away from the practice, working at patients bedsides in local hospitals, they needed a solution that would allow each doctor to capture data while on the go.
This charge capture solution can run on PDAs as well as other mobile devices, such as mobile phones. Data can be sorted by patient or by doctor, the software handles scheduling for rounds, and allows the transfer of patients between providers. It also provides a customized set of codes, so the doctors don’t have to page through codes that don’t apply to their specialty. It even has text recognition so a description can be automatically completed by the software after typing three to four initial characters.
These mobile devices synch with a central Web-based database, so all patient data resides in a central location accessible by authorized staff members, with no special technical expertise required. The mobile devices can synch utilizing multiple technologies such as cellular, blue tooth, wireless, IRDA or cradle. When synchronization occurs any new data on the mobile device is sent to the central servers and new data on the central servers is sent to mobile device. In fact, when one of the doctors devices was accidentally damaged he feared that he’d lost many records. But because the data had been synched with the central servers within minutes of finishing his rounds, all the data was intact on the central servers.
Best of all, the solution can be uploaded to a mobile device and operational in less than an hour.
Because the new system dramatically reduced errors and re-work time, the practice recaptured its $2,679 hardware and software investment in less than two months. Over one year, the practice increased revenue more than $37,400.
An Investment that Pays Off
By investing a small amount of time and money in implementing and learning a new technology, practices can dramatically simplify billing, coding and collections processes; increase charge capture and revenue collection; decrease denials and write-offs; and free up more time to spend with patients. And isn’t that why you became a physician?
James Casey is a certified six sigma black belt and project management professional (PMP). He has 15 years experience as a leader in the healthcare and technology industries implementing technology solutions.
To learn more about charge capture technology please go to http://www.medimobile.com
How To Download PSP Movies
PSP movies are all the rage nowadays. The reason for this is quite simple: The PSP is a very versatile piece of equipment. It allows portability for playing games in the form of small UMD discs that you can easily carry around.
The PSP was originally designed for portable video games.
However, recently more and more people start to use their Sony PSP as a portable video player to watch the latest movies in a quality that makes many other portable video player look like a gadget from the past.
Yes, you can buy many movies for your PSP on an UMD (Universal Media Disc), but if you are like me and you already have a huge collection of DVDs at home you don’t want to spend all that money again just to watch them on your PSP.
Insetad you want to convert your existing DVDs to your PSP - even if they are encrypted.
However apart from UMD disc, there are other ways of storing your PSP movies i.e. in your memory sticks. This is a simple guide on how to download PSP movies and games from your computer to your PSP.
When I am on a long distance flight and I already know the movies being shown - I pull out my PSP and watch my own movie or my favourite Star Trek episodes. Usually the batteries last for an 8 hour flight. This is becasue when watching downloaded movies the PSP only accesses the memory stick and does not read the movie from the UMD. What uses most of the energy is spinning the UMD. That’s why you can play 4 hours of video games (which are of course on a UMD) or watch 8 hours of high quality video.
What you will need is sufficient PSP memory stick. I would always recommend memory stick of at least 1GB, but if you do not have the sufficient resources (i.e. money) a 256MB Memory stick should be alright. Note: for a brand new memory stick you will need to format it. The other thing that you will require when installing a game to your memory card is your PSP Firmware version 1.5 or less. Later firmware version will not work. If you do have a later version of PSP, please consider downgrading you PSP.
In simple terms it is this; you will download your games from the internet into you PC and then transfer your game files to your PSP via a USB cable. When your computer is connected to your PSP, your PC will recognize your PSP as a detachable memory (similar to a USB drive). It will assign a drive (usually f:) and you will be able to drag and drop you PSP games file to your memory stick. These are some of the steps to download PSP movies and games.
Step 1
You must copy your PSP games or movie file to the correct path or the games simply would not work. The correct path is PSP-GAME (all the folder names are in caps)
Step 2
After the PSP games or movies are fully transferred to your memory stick, disconnect the PSP from your PC. In your PSP main menu, scroll to GAME and then select Memory Stick option. Press X, and list of available games in your memory stick will be displayed. If you find any error on your PSP, you might want to check your firmware version.
If you want to know where to go to download PSP movies and what software to use check out this site:
http://www.squidoo.com/download-psp-movies-easily
Improving Your Charge Capture Process
The revenue cycle of a physician group can be an amazing process. Especially when the process is simple, efficient and measurable. Unfortunately in many cases the management of the revenue cycle is not simple, efficient or measurable. How well does your group manage the revenue cycle?
There are 3 major components of the revenue cycle. Charge capture which includes the gathering of procedure and diagnosis codes. Claim processing which ensures the claim is formatted with the correct charges and patient demographics and sent to a clearinghouse. And lastly, collection of funds, from both payers and patients.
Process Engineers have a saying that pertains to the flow of a process, “Garbage In Equals Garbage Out”. In other words, if you do not perform the first step of the process well, the following steps will not have a good result. For this reason we will focus this discussion on the first step of the process,charge capture.
DEFINE YOUR CURRENT CHARGE CAPTURE PROCESS
The first step to improving your current charge capture process is to DEFINE it. I know you are thinking is this a joke? No. This is not a joke. I can not be more serious. It is the most important step you can take. Taking the time to define your process from beginning to end will allow you to quickly identify points of weakness, breakdowns in communication and immediate opportunities for improvement. Defining your process can be achieved through the use of a process flow chart.
MEASURE YOUR CURRENT CHARGE CAPTURE PROCESS
This step may sound easy, but potentially, this is where you will have the most difficult time. The reason you will have a difficult time is that most practices do not have the ability to measure their charge capture process. The important thing to remember here is what the process is trying to accomplish,and that is to capture the appropriate procedure and diagnosis codes then ensure they are delivered to the next step of Claims Processing. Below are some basic examples of measures this process should provide.
Example Measures:
* Number of Encounters = billable patient visits
* Number of Bills Submitted = bills submitted by physician (should equal patient visits)
* Physician Time = time spent on charge capture activities (filling out index cards, justifying codes, etc..)
* Lost Bills = number of encounters minus number of bills submitted
* Coding Errors = number down/up coding Events
* Cost of Coding Errors = dollar amount associated to coding errors.
* Cost of Lost Bills = dollar amount associated to lost bills
ANALYIZE YOUR CURRENT CHARGE CAPTURE PROCESS
This is where the fun begins. It is very important that you follow where the data leads you. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you know the problem. Yes, there will be some obvious issues that jump out at you and you need to take action on them. But, you can’t afford to stop there. You may have a severe process issue that is costing your practice money and it is imperative that you keep digging.
One of the most common tools for analyzing your process is a Cause and Effect Diagram. This is a simple tool that will allow you capture all the potential causes for a particular effect. Causes are categorized by using the Six M’s: Man, Machine, Method, Mother Nature, Materials, and Measurement.
Example:
Effect = Lost Bill
Potential Causes of Lost Bill:
* Man: 1) physician misplaces index card, 2) billing offices misplaces index cards
* Machine: 1) fax transmission failed 2) scanned image corrupted
* Measurement: 1) manual reporting of activity, 2) incorrect manual reconciliation
* Method: 1) current process does not validate receipt of transmission of bill 2) Process does not regulate security of index cards.
IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS TO YOUR CHARGE CAPTURE PROCESS
Now that you have analyzed your process it is time to implement changes to that process. This can range from simple tweaks to a complete overhaul of the process. Once again, let your findings lead you to develop a step by step plan that outlines each of the changes you want to make. For instance, you may determine from your analysis that a primary reason for lost charges is that you are currently on a paper based index card system and that bills are lost due to physicians and/or billing office staff misplacement of the index cards. Your primary improvement action could be as simple as providing a secure lockbox at the hospital for the physicians to drop their index cards or it may be a complete overhaul of the process to include implementation of an electronic charge capture system.
Each improvement action should have an assigned accountable owner. Each improvement action should also have projected start and end dates. It is vital that you have tollgate reviews during the improvement phase to mark the progress of change implementation.
CONTROLING YOUR IMPROVEMENTS FOR YOUR CHARGE CAPTURE PROCESS
Process improvement is a never ending adventure. You must constantly measure your performance. This will be much easier now that you have defined your measurements. You can utilize simple tools like trend charts to measure data points prior to your improvements and then trend your performance after the improvements. This is such an important step because it allows you to determine very quickly if you are driving toward your expected outcomes. You may need to revisit your analysis and improvement actions to determine where the process still needs to be tweaked or if you need to contact your boss and ask for a raise because you just saved the company money and improved revenue.
In summary, charge capture is the most important step in the overall process of the revenue cycle because it is the first. If you put garbage in the first step of the revenue cycle you will get garbage out of the last step which is collections. Improving your charge capture process can be very easy if you follow 5 simple steps. 1) DEFINE your process, 2) MEASURE your process, 3 )ANALYZE your process, 4) IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS to your process and 5)CONTROL your improvements for the new process.
James Casey is a certified six sigma black belt and project management professional (PMP). He has 15 years experience as a leader in the healthcare and technology industries implementing technology solutions.
To learn more about charge capture technology please go to http://www.medimobile.com
Take Your Projector Anywhere With You! Don’t Leave Home WIthout It!
Projectors are an indispensable part of every seminar, presentation or meeting. There are innumerable ranges of projectors offered in the market and potential buyers face a dilemma of choosing from the overwhelming array of features and options. There is always a list of key-features which may govern the requirements and demands of every customer and these needs are to be considered before purchasing any projector.
The most basic and the key specification features of portable projectors are Resolution, Luminosity, Dimensions, Room and Computer Connectivity and additional high-end classification like Contrast Ratio, Aspect Ratio etc. A novice buyer would only need to look at the fundamentals key parameters to choose the correct projector.
The resolution of a projector is measured by the number of pixels which are projected onto the screen or more specifically by the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. The greater the number of pixels results in a comparatively tighter packing of pixels on the screen and thus a relatively smoother or finer display of the image. The generalized terms used to refer to the pixel resolution on the screen by the different configurations are - VGA (640×480 pixels), SVGA (800×600 pixels) Standard, XGA (1024×768 pixels), high resolution which is the build technology in laptops, SXGA (1280×1024) mostly used for CAD, GIS and other special graphic applications and UXGA (1600×1280) large format. The projector should match the number of screen pixels on the laptop computer which is driving the projector to ensure the best projection display on the wide screen.
The luminosity factor of the projector is the brightness or the quantity of light projected onto the screen which is measured in terms of an international ANSI standard called Lumens. The visibility factor of the displayed image is directly proportional to the luminosity in a way so that higher luminosity results in a brighter and more clearly visible image and similarly, a greater number of Lumens are required for image projection in case of a greater distance between the projector and the screen. Typically, a projector supporting a minimum 1000 lumens is required to project at a distance of 20 feet.
The dimensions and weight factor of a projector would be decided by the place where the projection is done. The roadside or constantly movable projections demands a small and a lightweight projector between 6 and 10 pounds. Also available are ultra portable projectors which weigh between 2 and 6 pounds. The projector comes with a robust and sturdy case to keep it safe in case of moving and transferring.
The room where the projection is held should comply with certain regulations to portray a projected image and similarly the type of the projector also depends on the room specification. For example, the lighting facilities in the room, the size of the room governs the amount of lumens to ensure the image brightness and its clarity. The lightning in the room would be made keeping in mind the requirements of the target audience and their needs. The setup of the projector and the screen should be made according to these factors and experimentation with the projection and distance between the screen and projector, lightning, etc should be done earlier to ensure a perfect presentation.
The connectors of the projector should be compatible with the laptop computer used with it and can be checked in the “full specification” section of the projector information book. The common connector’s features are the number of pins on the interface cables - 15-pin, VGA, S-Video, RCA, etc.
More great resources for projector parts, visit
http://www.projectorpartdirect.com
Buying a Listening Device For Your Audio Book
Listening to audio books has become a regular pastime for ever-increasing numbers of people. Many portable audio device suppliers now provide consumers with technologically adept portable listening devices that more easily accommodate audio book aficionados.
When you get hooked on audio books (and you will), you will want to have a device that provides the very best in portability, style, capacity, memory, battery life and, of course, price.
Portability:
Initially the size of a portable listening device may not have much significance for you, however as with most digital technology, smaller is often better. Plus, you want a unit that is light and easy to carry since you will probably want to have it accessible at all times.
Try to select a device that is small enough to accommodate your preferences while not scrimping on screen quality. Some versions come equipped with clip on straps or that can be carried in a shirt pocket. After all, the whole idea of purchasing a portable device is, well, its portability.
Style:
Portable listening devices equipped with a click wheel are more readily adaptable to audio books than other models. You will want to choose a device that allows easy and rapid scrolling capabilities so navigating backwards and forwards through various parts of the book is performed with ease. Shuffling devices do not have that capability and since linear structure plays such a big role in audio book reading, you will probably be happier with a less random method of selection.
Style is a completely personal, so you should choose a unit that is easy to carry and appeals to you visually.
Memory:
Do not confuse portability with capacity. Always look for a portable device with the largest memory capabilities. You will want to store other digital information such as podcasts, music, photographs and contacts in addition to your favorite audio books, so adequate memory is important. Most new devices come with anywhere between one and four gigabytes of space, which is generally plenty for the average listener.
Battery Life:
It is still surprising to realize that despite the technology advanced strides being made daily, manufacturers of batteries seem to be a step shy of reaching the top rung of the ladder. Your best bet is to obtain a device with the longest possible batter available and make sure it comes bundled with a convenient recharging method.
Price:
Prices vary from one manufacturer and distribution outlet to another. Traditionally, prices drop on particular models when a newer version hits the shelves. Most good portable listening devices retail from $150 USD and up, but just like with any other purchase you should shop around for the best deal.
Your choice of portable listening device will ultimately be dictated by your life style. With some research, you should be able to get a good portable listening device that is not only good for your pocketbook, but fits very neatly into your pocket.
BookAudioJunction.com is a fully-stocked online audiobook mega-store containing a vast selection of downloadable audio books in over 160 categories. Visit http://www.bookaudiojunction.com today and pamper yourself to an audio book.
Behold the JBL On Stage II
JBL has a new product to add to its range, the JBL On Stage II, retailing at around 120.00 USD), complete with remote control, looks set to be another well evolved step forward in personal sounds in conjunction with the iPod. Available in black or white, powerful and compact, this high performance iPod sound system is also able to accommodate numerous other types of MP3 player. Circular in shape, with a round hole in the middle (this donut shape providing surprisingly even 360 degree sound), as with most docking stations this multitalented machine attaches with media devices at its centre. A powerful volume and clear, crisp JBL sounds can be selected with the remote control at up to 50m away, as well as through walls. Apart from the iPod shuffle, pretty much all iPod models are able to dock with this device, including nano, mini and 5G forms available.
A stereo mini jack connection means that you are able to relish top quality sounds from a host of other devices like desktop computers, laptops, CD and MP3 players.
Controls are simple, the volume, mute mode and other system functions are all modified with simple touches on pads. The level of the volume is remembered if a system shut down happens.
Being small and compact this device is easily transportable and lightweight.
OnePoint iPod connectors enable a connection with your computer. When the standard iPod cable is attached to the back of the JBL On Stage II your iPod will not just be docking, but also recharging and synchronizing.
Charging your iPod when not connected to the computer is a simple case of plugging your iPod wall charger into the back of the JBL On Stage II.
The majority of surfaces represent no problem with this machine since it has grippy rubber feet. An auxiliary audio input cable is also supplied as standard.
Strong neodymium magnets drive each of the four aluminum-domed transducers, enabling the full spectrum of sounds, from deep bass to the sharp, high pitches.
The graphic equalization is computer controlled. High levels of sound output are not a problem since specific compression technology is amply administered.
The nitty gritty details are:
Power output is at 6 Watts for each channel
Frequency response is 80Hz-20Hz
Input impedance is less than 5k ohms
Signal-to-nose ratio is less than 80dB
Voltage input of 120V AC U.S. (100V AC Japanese, 230V AC Europe)
Overall weight is 450g
Dimensions: 175mm diameter, 50mm height
So, although not able to compete with the vastly powerful and highest quality home theater system speakers, or even 300 USD iPod speaker systems, the JBL On Stage II holds its own in its price bracket with value and great music quality.
Rest your eyes on our iPod dedicated webpages at http://www.ipodtipsandtricks.org and enhance your personal media world!
How To Buy A Wireless Spy Camera
A Hidden Wireless Spy Camera Can Be Used for Many Purposes Including Catching Abusing Care Givers, Cheating Spouses, Nosey Landlords, Thieving Roommates, Employee Theft.
1) There are Color or black and white spy cameras.
Color wireless spy cameras are better at distinguishing different items in the field of view but may be a little bit more expensive. Black and white models usually produce slightly higher resolution images and are a little bit cheaper cheaper than their color types.
2) Sensibility to low light.
Measured in LUX. The lower the number the better the camera sees in low light conditions. For a spy camera to see in low light, go with a unit with a lux of 0.05 . For pitch dark covert operations opt for a lux of 0.03 .
3) Image quality.
Measured in lines of resolution. The higher the number, the better the image quality. 380 lines of resolution is usually good enough even for professional private investigators.
4) Is the Receiver included?
The receiver is what you connect to your TV, VCD or DVD to view the images and sound from the wireless spy camera. If the receiver is not included as part of the camera cost, ask how much one would cost and see if it fits your budget if it is an extra change.
5) Transmission frequency used.
This is the frequency the wireless spy camera uses to transmit the video signal to the receiver. There are currently 434mhz, 900mhz, 1.2ghz and 2.4ghz transmission frequencies. Most good spy cameras are 2.4ghz and is sufficient for all covert surveillance operations.
Because of interference, you should stay away from 434mhz and 900mhz models. 1.2ghz and 2.4ghz are the better options.
6) Transmission range
Measured in ‘line of sight’, it is a measure of the maximum distance the spy cam can stand away from the receiver and still receive the signal with no obstruction and interference between the two. The range is usually between 300 feet and 2000 feet depending on the model. Many wireless spy cameras specify a line-of-site range and the range if there were wall obstacles present.
7) Hidden Camera or Stand Alone
There are Wireless Spy Cameras that can be mini and wireless that you can attach to a pole, hide in a box or flower pot and there are mini wireless cameras that are what they call Hidden Wireless Spy Camera. These cameras are placed into ordinary looking every day objects that we see in our environment every day, like smoke detectors, lamps, teddy bears, air fresheners, mirrors and many other objects. So depending on your application, you may want to get a hidden wireless spy camera and you are all set. You still use a receiver like the stand alone spy cameras but hidden cameras are more convenient and easier to place in your home or business.
WARNING: This figure can be misleading. Interference and obstruction are things you will probably be dealing with to some degree, so never accept the transmission range advertised as the real world effective range. Ask the store for a more realistic figure.
So now, you now have the necessary knowledge to buy a quality wireless spy camera on your own for any number of secret covert operations so please keep in mind these 7 basic factors when choosing one. It will make the difference between getting the evidence you want on that cheating husband, abusing nanny or thieving employee and a house decoration!
Glenn Freiboth is an author for Surveillance news and lives in Illinois.
Surveillance Equipment products can be found at http://www.spygearco.com/hidden-cameras.htm
How To Record Hidden Spy Camera Video Surveillance On Your PC
Normally when you buy a hidden camera there is a small board camera is built into an everyday item like a Air Freshener or CO2 Detector, Alarm Clock.
The spy camera can be wired which means it is connected to the DVR or VCR using a cable. The camera can also be wireless, in this case the camera transmits a signal to a receiver that is connected to the DVR or VCR. There are many hidden cameras that come in all kinds of devices.
But many people want to use their PC to view or record hidden camera video surveillance from their hidden cameras. There are two devices that you can use to view and record all hidden surveillance viewed by your spy camera. This article will describe these two devices.
1) The USB Video Adapter for PC also known as the DVD-Maker, allows you to watch and record live video and audio from any of your hidden surveillance spy cameras on your computer. In addition to this you can grab images plus have video conferencing capabilities all from the comfort of your favorite PC without having to even opening your PC!
DVD-Maker is an external device which connects your VCR, camcorder or video camera to your PC or Laptop. Plug the DVD-Maker into the USB port and you are ready to watch hidden camera video surveillance in a resizable window, right on your PC screen!
DVD-Maker digitizes video using high quality 4:2:2 video sampling. And you can work on applications while simultaneously watching video in a resizable window.
Watch, capture or record live video from your VCR, camcorder or video camera! DVD-Maker connects to any S-Video or composite video source and plugs into your PC or laptop USB port. DVD-Maker video digitizer turns your analog video into digital video, and then sends 30 digital images per second over the USB (1.1 or 2.0) bus.
Spice up your multimedia presentations! Create digital movies in the Microsoft AVI file format with the included video Capture application. The included software allows you to edit and author DVDs, VideoCDs and S-VCDs.
Add video clips to your Web Page: Creative Webmasters can incorporate still frame video highlights or motion video clips on their web sites!
Videoconference* over the Internet: DVD-Maker is a video digitizer and can be used with Internet videoconferencing applications such as Microsofts NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe and more! Videoconference* with your friends an family around the world right from your desktop!
Desktop Publishing: With our exclusive WinTV SnapShot application, you can quickly save video images! Capture 24-bit still video still images in TIFF, JPEG, BMP in color or black/white. Also great for web design.
With the Win USB Video Adapter Installation is a snap! The easiest way to get TV into your PC or laptop! WinTV-USB is an external device with a 125 channel cable-ready TV tuner.
2) Install the WinTV-USB in your PC or laptops USB port and you are ready to watch TV of hidden camera surveillance video in a resizable window, right on your PC screen!
WinTV-USB offers features usually only seen on high-end television sets, like previewing 16 channels at once. And it goes further! Record your TV shows to your PC or laptops disk using MPEG encoding with our SoftPVR. Record video movies from your camcorder or off the air. And with WinTV-SnapShot, snap and print video images from whatever you are watching in high resolution up to 1600 times 1200 pixels!
Make MPEG digital hidden camera surveillance video recordings with our new SoftPVR. SoftPVR uses your PCs processor to digitally record videos to disk, from live TV or from an external video source. Schedule your TV recordings with WinTV Scheduler. Then use your PCs CD burner to create VideoCDs, with up to one hour of video.
Bring live hidden camera surveillance video into your PC or laptop from camcorder, VCR or video camera. With Hauppauges WinTV-Capture, you can record video movies in Microsofts AVI file format for use in web pages or to create your own high-impact multimedia presentations.
Videoconference* over the Internet: Your WinTV-USB is a high performance video digitizer, and can be used with Internet videoconferencing applications like Microsofts NetMeeting, Windows Messenger, CU-SeeMe and more! Videoconference with your friends and family right on your PC!
Spice up your multimedia presentations! With SoftPVR or our WinTV-Capture application, create digital movies in the Microsoft AVI file format or as MPEG movies.
Snap video still pictures: with Hauppauges SnapShot feature, you can capture still hidden camera surveillance video images in adjustable high resolution modes. WinTV-USB digitizes video using high quality 4:2:2 video sampling. And you can work on applications while simultaneously watching TV in a resizable window.
Now you know 2 of the best well known methods and devices to take advantage of recording spy videos on your PC. In a future article I will describe in detail a service that is easy to hook up for a low cost that will allow you to use any of your spy hidden cameras to watch covert surveillance video remotely, anywhere you have an Internet connection.
Glenn Freiboth is an author for Surveillance news and lives in Illinois.
Surveillance Equipment products can be found at http://www.spygearco.com/USBVideoAdapterforPC-DS.htm