Short body
Tape recorders with a
shortened body.
In this case, shortened means a case that has a shallower depth than classic radio tape recorders equipped with CD drives. Due to this, such models are quite compact, which, in particular, simplifies installation and facilitates wiring. Of course, CD / DVD discs are not supported in principle by such radio tape recorders, but this is not a serious drawback — nowadays there are quite enough alternatives to such media. Also note that the shortened layout does not affect the mounting size (see above) — it can be 1 DIN or 2 DIN, and standard solutions are even larger.
Screen type
The type of screen matrix installed in the radio.
This parameter is indicated mainly in cases where the screen uses a high-end
IPS type matrix. This technology provides high colour quality, good brightness and wide viewing angles, and thanks to the improvement and reduction in price, the price of IPS screens is constantly decreasing. At the same time, it makes no sense to use this technology in a small display intended only for service information; therefore, the presence of an IPS matrix usually means a rather large screen, often a touch screen (see below).
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.
Number of fixed settings
The number of fixed settings (presets) provided in the car radio equalizer.
The presence of such settings can greatly simplify the adjustment: choosing the right preset is easier than manually adjusting each EQ band. At the same time, presets are often selected by the manufacturer for certain genres of music and have the appropriate names — "Rock", "Pop", "Jazz", etc.; this simplifies the task even more. And the more fixed settings in the device, the wider the choice of the user. In some radio tape recorders, in addition to pre-flashed ones, user presets are also provided — they can be programmed in advance and turned on in the same way as the preset ones.
RAM
The amount of RAM memory.
Many modern premium car radios, as well as regular models, are close in functionality to tablets or even laptops; this is especially true for models that carry a full-fledged Android operating system on board. Accordingly, information about such devices may also contain purely "computer" characteristics, such as the amount of random access memory (RAM). The more “RAM” (
4 GB or even
6 GB) provided in the system (ceteris paribus), the better it works under intensive loads, the easier it is to cope with “heavy” tasks (for example, resource-intensive applications) and performing several tasks simultaneously.
At the same time, note that manufacturers of radio tape recorders, usually, equip their devices with a volume of RAM that is quite sufficient for solving basic tasks and working with built-in programs (
2 GB or less). Therefore, quite often information about the amount of RAM is more marketing than practically significant — it is designed primarily to create an appropriate impression of the product. It makes sense to pay attention to this characteristic if you plan to run various additional programs on the device.
It is also worth noting that different software platforms have different requirements for RAM, and the characteristics of the processor (see below) also affect the overall performance. Therefore, only models w
...ith similar processors and software can be compared with each other in terms of RAM.CPU speed
The clock frequency of the processor (CPU) installed in the radio.
Many modern car radios (especially premium ones, with large displays and an abundance of additional functions, as well as regular models — see "Installation size") are actually multimedia computers. Therefore, their characteristics may indicate moments characteristic of computers — including the frequency of the processor. Theoretically, the higher this indicator — the more operations per second the CPU can perform and the higher its computing power. However, the actual speed of the processor depends on so many other factors that, compared to them, the clock speed is secondary; and it's not uncommon for a "slower" chip to be more powerful in fact. Do not forget that the capabilities of the entire system depend not only on the CPU, but also on the amount of RAM, the operating system used, and a number of other characteristics. And manufacturers usually select such processors that would allow radio tape recorders to cope with all the main tasks normally. In the light of all this, we can say that information about the frequency of the processor in fact has a purely reference and marketing (advertising) value.
