Media types
Media types supported by the car radio.
— CDs. Support for optical discs usually assumes at least
compatibility with CD, the ability to work
with DVD is somewhat less common . For more information about these types, see "Disk Types". Here we note that nowadays, disks are gradually being replaced by more compact and functional media — in particular, memory cards and USB devices; so many modern radio tape recorders, including high-end ones, do
not have optical drives at all.
—
Memory cards. Ability to work with removable memory cards, usually SD or microSD; the module for reading them is called a card reader. This feature is convenient primarily because such cards are supported by many other devices — in particular, laptops and photo / video cameras. The card reader facilitates the exchange of data between these devices: for example, a selection of music from a laptop can be written to a memory card. Note that the specific type of supported cards needs to be specified separately — the (micro)SD format includes several varieties that are not quite compatible with each other.
—
USB drive (front). The ability of the radio to work with external USB-drives — "
flash drives ",
hard drives,
MP3 players, etc. — to pla
...y content directly from them. In this case, it means connecting such media to the USB connector located on the front panel of the radio — it is convenient because the connector is in close proximity, right at hand.
— USB drive (rear). Connecting USB drives (see above) through the rear panel. However, the external device is connected not directly to the rear panel, but to an external USB connector, which, in turn, is connected to the rear panel with a cable. Such a connector does not take up space on the front panel, but you can place it on a shelf under the dashboard — and the connected drive will not stick out of the radio, but lie neatly on the shelf. But in standard radios (see above), the “rear” connection can be carried out a little differently — there the cable from the rear panel can be connected to the standard USB socket on the instrument panel using a special connector.
— Connecting an iPod/iPhone. The ability to connect portable devices from Apple to the radio — primarily iPods and iPhone smartphones — through a special docking connector. Even the simplest options for such a connection, in addition to playing music, provide a number of additional features — in particular, control of the player's functions (for example, switching a track) from the control panel or remote control of the radio itself. And the most advanced models have a proprietary CarPlay system; for more information about it, see "Control functions".
— Android connection. The ability to connect smartphones and other devices based on the Android operating system to the radio. Connection methods may vary: for example, some radio models support only a wired connection, others can use Bluetooth (see "Multimedia"). The same applies to the set of functions available in each case, this point should be clarified according to the manufacturer's official data. Specific features include direct playback of music from the phone (with control through the radio), working with the contents of its drive, watching videos, using the radio as a car kit for receiving calls, etc. And in high-end models, there is support for Android Auto smartphone integration technology; for more information about it, see "Control functions".Resolution
Display size in dots (pixels) horizontally and vertically. The higher the resolution, the more detailed and smoothed the image is capable of producing the screen. High resolution is especially important for large diagonal displays; on the other hand, it significantly affects the cost of the device, and for a small screen it may even turn out to be superfluous (since the image will turn out to be too small).
Number of bands
The number of bands in the radio equalizer.
In this case, the band means a separate part of the frequency range, the volume of which can be adjusted using the equalizer independently of the other parts. The more bands the equalizer has, the more accurately it allows you to adjust the overall sound of the car radio acoustics. However, note that multi-band equalizers are quite difficult to set up, therefore they are recommended primarily for experienced users.
Video output (composite)
The number of
composite video outputs provided in the design of the radio.
"Full size" composite interface includes 3 RCA ("tulip") sockets - one for video signal and one each for left and right stereo channels. However, other outputs are used in radios for transmitting an audio signal, so in this case we are talking only about a video output - usually it has a characteristic yellow color. The video signal via the composite interface is transmitted in analog format, its quality is average, resistance to interference is relatively low. At the same time, for connecting most car screens - for example, monitors built into the backs of the front seats - this is more than enough. And several composite outputs allow you to simultaneously connect the appropriate number of screens without the use of additional equipment (splitters).
Backlight
The colour of the backlight plays primarily an aesthetic role, allowing you to choose a radio for the design of the dashboard and user preferences. In addition, some colours have a practical meaning. So, the
red backlight is extremely popular nowadays also because it is almost perfect for the dark time of the day: this shade does not knock down "night vision" and has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. And
green, on the contrary, relieves excessive nervousness and promotes peace of mind. Other popular colours in modern times include
white,
blue,
orange,
yellow,
purple ; they do not have such pronounced effects, here the main selection criterion is “like or dislike”.
Also note that in many models several backlight colours are indicated at once. This means that the device has a backlight with adjustable colour selection. At the same time, there are models with a choice of a full range of RGB colours.
