If you jazz an net transferral on your pc, that substance you're not harmless from an full army of computer virus, spywares, trojans, ad product, hackers and new online threats. Trait me; I spent a lot of clip online without equal informed that my PC has been pussy with viruses. You have to cognise how to stopover identity thieving, how to vanish win32 asiatic and how to get rid of spyware. If you were unable to screw production rapid, you're not deed to preclude your data from being unsuccessful. I thoughtful all of my treasured assemblage, videos, documents and poorness a laptop uphill track effort ride.

Prevention is outgo than aid. If you eff how viruses flack your PC, you can be fit to keep them.

Tighten up your PC security!
Before you begin your online meeting, do these things to secure maximum PC guard,

Enable your windows XP collective in firewall
Establish a saving opposed virus idea in your system
Use a better opposed spyware announcement
Enter your warranty softwares (opposing virus and spyware) on
Run updates for your warrantee software
Separate off java playscript and overactive X on your application
Bright the cookies and never store passwords online
Don't subject email attachments from suspicious senders
Run a loaded system icon regular

Why I demand separate Anti virus and Opposing spyware programs?

In the primaeval life, one opposing virus info was enough for all standard threats. Now life new threats are state matured unremarkable. Opposed virus package can deal viruses and new inside problems in the PC. If you're using net every indication for your affect, that capital you'll also pauperization an anti spyware software.

Anti spyware keeps flying all the dimension and has it's collective in firewall. It has a telecommunicate email infliction that can hide spam email. It checks downloaded applications, telecommunicate attachments and keeps an eye on suspicious sites, adwares and spywares.

Most of the opposed virus software has a collective in opposed spyware and most spyware removers has a shapely in anti virus system. No specified covering can manage spyware and viruses at the comparable indication. This is why you should enter one app for viruses and another one for spywares. If you spend your most of the period online, then purchase a fortunate anti spyware software which instrument forbear you living out of sweat.

Why I need habitue anti spyware updates?

Regularize if you have the prizewinning opposed spyware software, you're not out of strive. This is because familiar lots of viruses and spywares are state matured. Redemptive surety software developer regularly update their database with hump threats and make it getable as updates. If you're using a attempt subscription, you may not admittance new updates of the software this is why you should get a subscription to assure extremum security.

A peachy windows opposing spyware thought is NoAdWare. It has all the features you poorness for close warranty and it's a operative trojan racer antivirus. It can sight a limit of dardanian horses and knows how to take win32 asian from the method without plane re-partitioning your ossified thrust.

There is a strange dichotomy of information when it comes to criminal record research, with the most easily accessed and ‘technically advanced’ records frequently being outdated and less reliable than those held in paper files, microfiche and archive rooms. Most background checks have multiple components, including an Address History, Criminal Record Searches, Employment and Education Verifications, Credit Reports and more. The purpose of this article however, is to focus on criminal record research and how developments in technology are presenting employers and other end-users with additional options, and more importantly, decisions that can minimize or create legal exposure.

In today’s world of instant information, there is often an assumption that a single, electronically accessible source of all criminal records must be available. Not so. Even the FBI National Criminal Information Center (NCIC), which is available only to law enforcement and certain government agencies, does not contain all records. The bottom line is simple; our laws and record keeping procedures haven’t kept pace with advances in technology. Enter the key words “background check” in any search engine and within a few clicks, you’ll find promotions for “Nationwide Criminal Record Search” and “Instant Statewide Criminal Record Search”. These searches are database oriented and represent the growing availability of what is commonly sold as an instant and complete background check. The idea that a criminal records search can be ordered and completed within a few seconds is very appealing – a miracle of sorts for those experiencing a time famine. In too many cases however, users are focused on delivery time and not content. Would it surprise you to find that an “Instant Statewide Search” doesn’t include all records in the state or that a “Nationwide Search” really isn’t nationwide? Don’t be. Because there is no standard among states as to what should or should not be reported with regard to criminal records, data content varies widely from one state to the next. The Massachusetts CORI system for example, filters the publicly available criminal record data extensively – the North Carolina Statewide search produces an extensive history, all the way down to low level misdemeanors and infractions. Many counties in Texas, which requires all counties to report felony convictions to the state, simply lack the personnel to comply with state regulations, leaving volumes of criminal records unreported. And with Vermont, California, Louisiana and other states offering no widespread electronic access to criminal record databases, how can a search be advertised as ‘Nationwide’? The answer to that question lies with the provider and is a valid consideration when selecting a vendor.

Of equal importance is how records reported from instant database sources can or cannot be used. If the reported information is from sources that are updated monthly, quarterly or even annually, then it isn’t considered to be the most current information available. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), if a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) is reporting information that could have an adverse impact (such as a criminal record), they must either notify the consumer (applicant/employee) of what is being reported and to whom it is being reported; or have strict procedures in place to insure that reported information is the most accurate and up-to-date information available. In most cases, this means the records reported from the database would need to be verified with a County Court Criminal Record search.

Instant criminal record searches definitely have a place in your screening program – it just isn’t as the primary means of research. The most effective and FCRA compliant method of criminal record research is a County Court Criminal Record search conducted in each county of residency and employment during the past 7 years, supplemented by Statewide Criminal Record searches or a Multi-State Criminal Database search. County Court searches generally require a visit to the courthouse; usually Superior Court where felony and serious misdemeanors are handled. These searches produce the most current information available along with at least two identifiers. The Statewide and Multi-State database searches are an excellent means of broadening the geographic scope of the search. Even though most cases occur in a county of residency or employment, there are certainly occasions when individuals violate laws outside these areas. If a record is identified by one of the instant database searches and you plan to use it in making an employment decision, it should be verified via a County Court search.

Eventually, technology at the County Courts will advance to the point where up-to-the-minute information will be available on all records. When that point is reached, the ability to run a truly instant FCRA compliant criminal record search will have been realized. Until then, stick with the standard 7 year County Court search, and use the instant database searches as a supplement to improve your screening program.

Introduction:

As at current, we see that CMOS technology is the driving technology of the microelectronics industry, and the conventional way of fabricating integrated circuits on bulk silicon substrates has illustrated problems such as unwanted parasitic effects, latchup, and the difficulty of making shallow junctions. In the recent years, the advent of Silicon-on-Insulator has proven superior in many aspects to their bulk counterparts, and the benefits include the absence of latch-up, the reduced parasitic source and drain capacitances, the ease of making shallow junctions, radiation hardness, ability to operate at high temperature, improved transconductance and sharper subthreshold slope. There are several approaches available to create SOI wafers, and we discuss two particular techniques over here. First, we seek to illustrate a heteroepitaxy technique through the Ultra-Thin Silicon (UTSi) process where high quality Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) material is formed. Next, we look at a homo epitaxy technique called Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth (ELO) technique which seeks to grow a homogenous crystal laterally on an insulator.

Ultra-Thin Silicon (UTSi) Process

Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) material was first introduced in 1964. SOS was recognized for its high speed and low power potential. The usage of Czochralski growth of sapphire crystals and the subsequent deposition of a silicon film in an epitaxial reactor had proved inefficient as there was high defect density due to lattice mismatch with defect densities near the Si-Sapphire interface reaching up to planar faults /cm and line defects/cm. This resulted in low resistivity, mobility, and lifetime near the interface. The silicon film deposited is also under compressive stress at room temperature due to different thermal expansion coefficients which may possibly result in relaxation in the film through crystallographic defects such as microtwins, stacking faults, and dislocations. Such consequences are undesired.[1]

Hence, these reasons advocate the need for better heteroepitaxy technique, and in which the UTSi process is one such potential candidate. The steps involved in a UTSi process are as follows: See Figure 1.

Step 1: Grow a relatively thick film of silicon on sapphire. Silane (SiH4) is commonly used as the source of silicon for SOS growth. Its pyrolysis reaction in a carrier hydrogen gas, SiH4 --> Si + 2H2, results in the deposition of a silicon layer over the sapphire substrate. The deposition temperature is usually kept below 1050 deg C in order to prevent the autodeposition of aluminum from the sapphire substrate to the silicon layer. The desired silicon orientation is , which has been achieved on various sapphire orientations, i.e., , , .

Step 2: Implantation of Si into the silicon film is carried out to amorphize the bottom 2/3 of the silicon film, with the exception of a thin superficial layer, where the original defect density is the lowest.

Step 3: A low temperature thermal annealing step is then used to induce solid-phase regrowth of the amorphized silicon, using the top silicon layer as a seed.

Step 4: The silicon film is then thinned to the desired thickness by thermal oxidation, and the subsequent HF strip of the SiO. What remains is the final product of Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS).

It has been demonstrated that UTSi process is capable of delivering relatively defect-free and stress free SOS material in which devices with a high effective mobility can be made.

One application of the UTSi process is seen in UTSi CMOS transistors. As seen from Figure 2, the fabrication process is much simpler since the deep implants and guard regions are unnecessary thanks to the insulating sapphire substrate, and undesired effects such as leakage currents, latchup, and the RF parasitics are eliminated since the devices now sit on an insulating layer. The performance of the CMOS process is enhanced by as much as two generations of process geometry reduction. The advantages of forming CMOS transistors in the ultra thin silicon layer over insulating sapphire include the following:

* Elimination of substrate capacitance, which allows higher speed at lower power and avoids voltage dependent capacitance distortions

* Fully depleted operation, improving linearity, speed, and low voltage performance

* Excellent isolation which allows integration of multiple RF functions without crosstalk

UTSi circuits are produced that compete in the rapidly expanding wireless and fiber optic markets at higher frequencies and data rates with lower power consumption than standard bulk CMOS, SiGe and GaAs circuits, while still using standard CMOS equipment and processing.

Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth (ELO) Technique

This technique allows the homoepitaxial growth of silicon on silicon, with the focus placed on growing the crystal laterally on the insulator. In ELO, we can perform this in an atmospheric or in a reduced-pressure epitaxial reactor. The technique consists of the epitaxial growth of silicon from seeding windows over SiO islands or devices capped with an insulator.

The steps involved in a ELO technique are as follows: See Figure 3.

Step 1: An oxide layer is grown on the (100) silicon wafer. Next, patterning is carried out on the oxide to demarcate the windows. The edges of the windows are oriented along the direction.

Step 2: Cleaning of the wafer is carried out

Step 3: Wafer is loaded into an epitaxial reactor and submitted to a high-temperature hydrogen bake to remove the native oxide from the seeding windows.

Step 4: Epitaxial growth is performed next, using e.g: SiHCl +H+ HCL gas mixture.

Step 5: Apply an in-situ HCl etch step to remove any crystallites that may be formed on the oxide due to nucleation of small silicon crystals with random orientation during the epitaxial growth.

Step 6: Once the small nuclei are removed, a new epitaxial growth step is performed, followed by an etch step, and this repeats until the oxide is covered by epitaxial silicon.

Some points we should note is that the epitaxial growth proceeds from the seeding windows both vertically and laterally, and the silicon crystal is limited by the and facets. When two growth fronts, seeded from opposite sides of the oxide, join together, a continuous silicon-on-insulator film is formed, which contains a low-angle subgrain boundary where the two growth fronts meet. A groove is observed over the centre of the SOI area. When more growth is done, this groove disappears.

As much as this is a simple technique to have homoepitaxial growth, a major disadvantage is the nearly 1:1 lateral-to-vertical growth ratio. On the other hand, the thick ELO film allows the design engineer to obtain SOI films of different thickness easily simply by polishing the wafers to required depths as needed. Also, the low defect density and low thermal budget needed to implement a ELO-SOI is considered superior to other technologies such as SIMOX (Separation by Implanted Oxygen) or other SOI processes for submicron devices.

Applications for this technique have been seen in three-dimensional and double-gate devices.

Variations in ELO technique has been witnessed in “tunnel epitaxy”, “confined lateral selective epitaxy” (CLSEG) or “pattern-constrained epitaxy” (PACE) whereby a “tunnel” of SiO is created, forcing the epitaxial silicon to propagate laterally instead of vertically. In effect, a 7:1 lateral-to-vertical growth ratio has been obtained, which is more efficient than the original approach

With the power of the Internet, you can now access the contents of the World Wide Web, which nowadays are like boundless stream of data and information. If you want to start a business and you need help, you don’t need to go anywhere for help. You’ll just have to seat down and with a little browsing in the Internet, you can find a detailed guide that would help you. Even going to school can be done online, mp3’s and almost all types of files are already downloadable in the Internet.

What else you could do? Well, you guessed it. You can now watch TV channels online. Some upgrade their pc’s to be able to watch TV on their pc and with an LCD monitor, you can really watch TV in high-definition color and do your work at the same time but if you have a good internet connection, why waste a lot of money on upgrade while you can watch the shows online?

What you need if you want to watch TV online:

First and the most important thing to consider is that you must a have a fast Internet connection. There are no real specifications on the exact speed for the buffering will also be based on the provider but you must have at least 1mb connection to have a considerable buffer speed.

Second is that you must know how to look for Internet TV channels. There are generally three types that you can find in the Internet. There are sites that will offer you to watch TV channels for free. It is good to have the word “free” but most of these sites are so slow that your fast Internet connection will look like dial-up. Some even let you sign-up something before you can start watching and be careful if it lets you download some files. This may contain viruses that can harm your pc. The second type is the site that let you watch TV shows with a price. It is a one-time registration fee and you could watch unlimited TV shows with an acceptable speed. But if you’re looking to high speed buffering. You can opt to choose a site that gives a fee for every channel you watch. Well, the option is yours to make.

Lastly, you must have all the necessary codecs and players installed so that your pc can play the shows correctly. Don’t worry, there are a lot of free downloadable players and codecs and if you have a missing codec it would automatically ask you if you want to download one and just click yes.

Most require a specific player to be installed in your system before you can start watching. Mostly it will require you to have windows media player and real player installed. Windows media player is already included in standard windows installation. For real player, there are free versions available in the internet for download.

Here are some of the channels you can watch online:

1 ABC Sports News
2 Hit Channel
3 Ireland Live
4 NASA TV at nasa.gov
5 Popp Tivi
6 Raisport
7 RTLZ
8 Video Music Network
9 Viva WOM
10 VPRO
11 VPRO Theme Channel
12 MTV Maleisia
13 Nation 217
14 Revelation TV
15 MTV UK
16 3 BTV
17 E-Music Television
18 Classic FM TV
19 RED TV
20 Hit Channel
21 Western Bonanza TV
22 GnF Movie Channel
23 Nickelodeon
24 Reelgood TV
25 Western Bonanza TV
26 NBC Los Angeles
27 MMC TV
28 MCM Top France
29 Islam Channel
30 Beat.one
31 Pulse 24

Yes there are six things you need to know before you buy a GPS for your car or truck. What do most people use a car GPS for? The most popular use is to get turn-by-turn directions while driving from point A to point B. Some popular car navigational units are the Magellan Roadmates, the Tomtom, the Garmin Nuvi units, and the new Navigon gps units.

1 - Screen Size and sound are important. Especially while driving. The screen should be readable and bright, Also Make sure the buttons are big enough for your fingers, so that you aren't pressing multiple buttons at the same time. Vehicles are noisier than you may think. Driving noise can make it difficult to hear weak audio. Be sure to check out the sound quality to make sure you can understand what is being said. It should be clear and loud so that you can hear it in your vehicle.

2 - Downloadable Maps and memory. Most gps units come with maps built in. A lot of them can download maps as well. It is a good idea to puchase one that has the ability to download maps, so that you map doesn't get outdated.

Memory - the more memory the gps unit has, the more locations, waypoints, landmarks, and maps you can save.

3 - The time it takes a GPS to find and display information. This depends on the number of channels a GPS has. The more channels the unit has the better the reception. Take this into consideration. You don't want to have to pull over and wait for it to get map data if you make a wrong turn.

4 - Does the unit speak street names? This is very helpful. If it does not say the street names and it tells you to turn right. You may have to glance at the unit to check the street name. This can be dangerous.

5 - What type of batteries are used with the GPS? Are they normal rechargeable AA batteries or are they special manufacturer batteries? Also how long do they last.

6 - Bluetooth is great for those who need to use cell phones while driving, With Bluetooth the driver can make and receive hands-free calls through the unit's speaker and microphone, and view their telephone book and access caller ID on the screen. What an amazing feature. Of course blue-tooth enabled units are little more expensive.

Those are the six things you need to know before you buy a GPS.

Heres a quick note about mapping data:

All Magellan Garmin and NAVIGON GPS units use NAVTEQ mapping data, while TomTom uses Tele Atlas. I've done research online and found that both NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas are both good and I would not base my decision on which mapping data the gps uses.

Where to buy?

A good place to check prices is at: www.gpsreviewvideos.com

This website has video reviews of numerous gps units and links to compare prices. That way you can watch a video of the gps unit, compare prices from multiple sources online and get the best price.

The popularity of Apple's iPod has spawned a huge industry of iPod accessories. There is such a wide variety to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones are important to look at and which ones are pointless fluff. Here's a look at the five iPod classic accessories that every iPod owner needs to consider.

Case

The first iPod classic accessory that every owner should purchase is a protective case. A case is especially important if you travel with your iPod, and if you shove it in your pocket or purse with your keys you're just asking for trouble without a case. The finish of the iPod classic is especially vulnerable to the dings and dents of everyday life. A protective case will keep your iPod looking pristine, and helps keep dust and dirt away from the vulnerable electronics inside.

Screen Protector

Almost as important as a case is a screen protector. Most cases do not cover the screen, because users want to be able to see the screen without taking it out of the case. A screen protector will protect the screen, which is even more vulnerable to scratches than the metal body. And a scratch across the screen is even more annoying than a scratch across the body, because you'll be looking right at it every time you look at the screen. Like the case, if you move your iPod classic around a lot, a screen protector is a valuable iPod classic accessory that will keep your iPod looking good.

Charger

An iPod with a dead battery is basically a paperweight. An extra charger or two is an iPod classic accessory worth having, both for convenience and to reduce the chance of running out of juice. Having an extra charger means you can charge your iPod at home and in the office, and you won't run out of power in the middle of the day. If you spend a lot of time in the car and listen to your iPod while driving (through speakers or an iTrip, please don't use headphones while driving), a car charger that plugs into the lighter jack will ensure that you have music the whole way.

Cables

Cables are another necessary iPod classic accessory. With just about every computer peripheral now using a USB connection, free USB ports may be at a premium on your computer. Fear not, because you can get a cable that lets you connect your iPod to your computer's FireWire port instead. Also, if you have iTunes installed on your computer at the office as well as your home computer, an extra sync cable will save you from having to transport the cable back and forth. There are also cables available that let you connect your iPod to your home stereo.

Speakers

Speakers are one of the most popular iPod classic accessories, and therefore come in a wide variety. Most speakers plug into the headphone jack, and are either battery powered or plugged into a wall outlet. There are also speakers that the iPod classic can dock with, which will have the added benefit of charging the unit while it's playing. Many of these speaker docking stations come with a remote, so you can skip songs and adjust the volume without going over to the unit. Speakers will generally give better sound than headphones, and will allow you to share your music with everyone in the room. If you're looking for portability, go with the battery-powered speakers. Otherwise, AC-powered speakers will sound better and can have the added functionality of being a docking station.

The wide variety of iPod classic accessories available can be overwhelming. Now, you've been given the information that should help you to decide on what accessories you need, and what ones you can avoid.

Bluetooth Makes it Easy for All Your Devices and Accessories to Work Together

Bluetooth is one of the latest marketing buzzwords for PDAs and cellular phones, along with PCs and especially laptops. It is a wireless technology designed to let products and accessories built by different manufacturers work together, without requiring special access codes or driver installation. Theoretically, any Bluetooth accessory should work with any Bluetooth-enabled device, and multiple accessories working with the same device shouldn't interfere with each other.

For example, if you pick up a Bluetooth headset for your current PDA, and then in a year's time replace it with a new PDA, the headset should work with the new PDA without any difficulties. With some older PDA Bluetooth accessories and devices, this is not always the case, but generally the more recent the design of the accessory or device, the more likely it is to work with other Bluetooth products.

PDAs, Cellular Phones, and Computers

New PDAs today resemble cellular phones as much as classic PDAs like the Palm Pilot. Most of these devices are Bluetooth-enabled, and even have the capability to link with other Bluetooth-enabled PDAs and cellular phones to exchange data. For models that are not Bluetooth-enabled, there are frequently PDA Bluetooth accessories available that will add Bluetooth capabilities to the unit. Bluetooth adapters are also available for PCs and laptops, usually plugging into a USB port, allowing you to easily exchange data between your computer and your PDA.

Just about any type of data can be transferred over a Bluetooth link, from electronic business cards and pictures to word processing documents and PowerPoint presentations. For transferring data from a PDA to a computer, special software is often needed and included with the Bluetooth adapter. However, PDAs running Windows Mobile can communicate natively with computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista.

Having a Bluetooth PDA and a Bluetooth adapter for your computer can eliminate the need for a docking station or sync cable, removing one more piece of clutter from your desktop. You can even set the two devices up so they automatically synchronize their data when they're in range of each other.

Other PDA Bluetooth Accessories

Headphones and headsets are the most common PDA Bluetooth accessories right now. Wireless headphones are great if your PDA has music stored on it, because you don't have an unsightly wire running from your head to your pocket or purse. Headsets and earpieces allow hands-free operation of your cell phone or smart phone, which is not only convenient but is also quickly becoming a legal requirement world-wide for using your phone in your car.

Printer manufacturers are quickly adding Bluetooth capabilities to their products, turning them into convenient PDA Bluetooth accessories. Previously, to print something stored on your PDA, you had to use the docking station or sync cable to download the information to your computer, then print it from the computer. With a Bluetooth-enabled printer, you can send your data directly to the printer without the intervening steps. If your computer is also Bluetooth-enabled, it can send data to the printer as well, eliminating the need to hook up the printer to the computer or network.

There are many other PDA Bluetooth accessories available for your PDA, and with Bluetooth it doesn't matter who manufactures either the device or the accessory. A Motorola headset will work with an iPhone, and a Palm Tungsten can print spreadsheets on a HP LaserJet. Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new PDA Bluetooth accessories to meet the demands of consumers. Bluetooth technology is making it easier for everyone to communicate.

What's the Point of Having a Tiny iPod Shuffle Then Tying It Down With a Big Speaker Docking System?

Apple's iPod shuffle, the most miniature version of the popular iPod available, is one of the most popular products for the portable music enthusiast. The earbud headphones that come with the iPod shuffle are good enough to make your on the go experience enjoyable, but there are many other iPod shuffle accessories which can further enhance your music listening experience.

Headphones and Speakers

Headphones are without a doubt one of the most popular iPod shuffle accessories. While the earbud headphones that come with it are good enough for many users, others prefer different headphones, either because they find the earbuds uncomfortable or because they want headphones that deliver crisper audio. Any headphones that use a 3.5mm stereo minijack will work with the iPod shuffle, from traditional over-the-ear headphones to simply different earbuds. After all, sometimes headphones break and you need replacements; fortunately there's no lack of selection, and decent-quality headphones can easily be found for under $10 a pair.

Speakers are another popular iPod shuffle accessory. Speaker technology has gotten to the point where crisp, power speakers come in small enough sizes that you won't feel silly hooking them up to the miniscule iPod shuffle. It is very important to remember that the iPod shuffle only has the minijack as an interface; this means that accessories like docking station speakers won't work with the iPod shuffle, because it lacks the standard iPod docking port. Only a speaker dock specifically designed to pass power through the minijack, like the shuffle's own included dock, will work with it.

Other iPod Shuffle Accessories

Also popular is the car charger. This iPod shuffle accessory plugs into your car's power adapter or cigarette lighter to deliver power to your shuffle to keep it charged while on the go. You can also find cables, connectors, or even FM transmitters that let you listen to your iPod shuffle over your car's stereo system, letting you listen to your music while you drive without worrying about the dangers of having your headphones on in the car.

An interesting accessory for anybody who spends a lot of their time on the go is the USB Travel Dock from Marware. This simple accessory is nothing more than a dock for the iPod shuffle connected directly to a USB connector, without the wire between the two that the standard dock comes with. While it may not sound like much, this iPod shuffle accessory will be appreciated by anybody who normally plugs their dock into their laptop and wants to have fewer cables around to get tangled up.

In the end, the use and perceived value that you get from your iPod shuffle is up to you. While the shuffle by itself is a great value, you can get much more out of it if you're willing to spend a little more on some iPod shuffle accessories. The great thing is that because the iPod shuffle only plays music, you don't have to worry about accessories that play video or scratch-resistant coverings for the video screen. In the end, every available iPod shuffle accessory has only one purpose: to help you listen to your music the way you want to.

HDTV - high-definition television: it is something that has been discussed for some time now, however not everyone has a strong sense of what it is and why he or she would want to have it.

Because all television stations will be required to broadcast a digital signal after February 17, 2009, many viewers are beginning to ask a lot more questions about how the new digital age of television will affect their personal viewing experience. They want to know whether or not their television set will be compatible, whether or not they will have to replace it, and what steps they will have to take in order to keep watching their favorite shows.

How To Identify If Your Television Is An Analog TV

Analog television has been with us since the inception of television broadcasting. Analog is the old way of processing a television signal.

Television technology took a big leap in the 1960's with the transition from television tubes to circuit boards, but that conversion failed to bring with it any major strides in the quality of the television picture.

If your current television does not have a logo on its front that indicates DTV (Digital TV), EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or HDTV, then your television set is an analog TV.

Understanding The Transition From An Analog Signal To The New Digital Signal

Digital image processing is a technology that began in earnest during the 1970's, when Japanese technology companies began to explore the concepts of HDTV. The Japanese TV manufacturers were exploring ways to improve the picture quality of the television image, as a way to find more customers for their television products.

While Americans were busy playing with building the computer industry, the Japanese were hard at work trying to build a better television set. The first HDTV systems developed by the Japanese still relied on the old analog system of sending a broadcast signal to their televisions, but they were still able to produce a better television viewing experience.

When initially introduced to the U.S. Government, the new HDTV system produced a myriad of concerns, which included the issue of an analog HDTV-system needing more bandwidth than what was currently allotted to the television broadcasters.

In 1993, a consortium of American researchers and manufacturers (known as The Grand Alliance) joined forces to find a way to bring HDTV-quality to the American public, while keeping the bandwidth requirements of broadcasters within the existing limits.

Researchers soon understood that they would need to push at least part of the television signal in a digital format to make sure that HDTV could be transmitted within the limits currently allotted to the television broadcasters. By the time they had finished their work, the Grand Alliance had created a system that was 100% Digital.

In 1995, after considerable opposition from the television broadcast industry, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission officially set the standard for completely digital HDTV broadcasting system. This put into motion the events that are just now coming to fruition, with the rollout of the new Digital Television broadcasting system.

Although most television stations have been broadcasting a Digital Television Signal now for a few years, analog television owners have been none the wiser. But that will all change on February 17, 2009.

Will My Analog Television Stop Working In 2009?

The simple answer is "yes", but that does not mean that you will have to buy a new television in order to get the new digital broadcasts. While you may not need to replace your television set, you may have to make changes in how you get your television signal.

There are in fact three ways that the average consumer can continue to get a television signal using their old television set:

1. Subscribe to a cable television service (and use their digital television converter);

2. Subscribe to a satellite television service (and use their digital television converter); or

3. Buy a DTV converter (Digital TV Converter) to receive signals from your analog antenna and to convert that signal back to analog, so that you can continue to use your analog television. (If you receive your television signal over-the-air, the Federal Government has implemented a Coupon Program to help consumers offset the cost of the DTV converter boxes.

Understanding The Three Facets Of The New Digital Technology

1. Lines Of Resolution

The newer digital technology is all about Lines Of Resolution. With more lines of resolution, the viewer will receive more image information, therefore bringing the viewer much more picture clarity and detail.

When the Japanese rolled out HDTV on the Japanese mainland, the lines of resolution numbered 1080. To put this into perspective, the standard analog TV signal exhibits 330 lines of resolution. This makes it more than clear that the original analog HDTV format really was a real issue for television broadcasters in the United States. To produce a resolution of 1080 lines on a system designed for 330 lines would have literally required three times the bandwidth of the current analog system.

Here are the standard television resolutions:

* Analog Television - 330 Lines of Resolution

* VCR's - 240 Lines of Resolution

* DVD's - 480 Lines of Resolution

* EDTV - 720 Lines of Resolution

* HDTV - 1080 Lines of Resolution

There is a caveat to this chart though. The minimum requirement of the FCC is that broadcasters must produce a minimum of 720 Lines of Resolution. As a result, some broadcasters like ABC chose the 720-resolution, and yet they can still legally call their programming standard, HDTV.

Other broadcasters like PBS opted for the higher 1080 format. Good for them.

In 1998, when the first HDTV's became available to the buying public, the Headline News newscasters were joking that with the rollout of HDTV, we the audience would be able to see every blackhead and blemish on their faces. Of course, they were probably correct in that assumption. The detail of the HDTV-signal is absolutely amazing.

2. Aspect Ratio

Another factor connected to the new HDTV-format is the Aspect Ratio.

In a standard analog television, the Aspect Ratio is a 4-by-3, which nearly looks square. The 4-by-3 ratio means that it can be measured 4-parts wide to 3-parts high.

With the new HDTV format, the Aspect Ratio has been changed to the same format seen in the movie theatre - a 16-by-9 Aspect Ratio, or 16-parts wide to 9-parts high.

3. Sound Quality

The third factor connected to the new HDTV-format is Sound Quality. In fact, most HDTV programming will carry with it Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, as frequently heard on DVD's. So long as you have a surround sound unit attached to your television set, the surround sound will enable to the television viewer to be immersed in the sound, so much so as it often feels as if you are in the middle of the action happening on your television set.

In Conclusion...

While it is true that you do not need to upgrade your television from the analog format to the new digital format, you might seriously consider doing so anyway.

Now that we are quickly approaching the end of the analog-television era, the cost of HDTV television sets has fallen considerably. Whereas five years ago, the average HDTV cost in the range of $3-4,000, the cost of most HDTV's has fallen to under $1200 today. After February 17, 2009, the cost of HDTV should drop again, making it much more affordable to the general public.

Although it will be possible to convert the digital television signal to analog, you will lose the extra picture detail on the conversion. So, if you stick with your analog television, you will be restricting yourself to the quality of picture you are currently receiving, even after the change in television broadcasting formats is complete.

Although color-technology was first introduced to audiences with the release of The Wizard Of Oz in 1939, color television did not become mainstream until the late-1960's. And although the technology of color was mainstream, black-and-white televisions were still being manufactured and sold well into the 1980's.

Fortunately, this transition will be a bit quicker than the conversion from black-and-white to color. Under the FCC rules for the transition to digital television, television manufacturers were required to include a digital tuner in all television sets manufactured after March 1, 2006.

This conversion is much like the transition from AM to FM as the standard listening medium in the radio industry. Radio listeners could not listen to FM stations until which time they had upgraded their radio from AM to the AM/FM format. The same thing will happen here as well. If you want to receive the beautiful, high-quality HDTV images, you will need to upgrade to a television set capable of displaying the HDTV images.

If you have any lingering doubts about the better HDTV standard, all you need to do is to visit your local television store and see for yourself just how awesome of a picture HDTV actually produces. Just as Dolby Digital Surround Sound enables the listener to feel as if they are in the middle of the action on the television, HDTV permits the viewer to feel as if they are standing in the same room as the actors, on the sidelines at the football game, or on the same beach as the models - it really is that good of a picture.