Home electronics
Home electronics include all those elctronic devices that are used in homes. And these devices consume 40% of the total electricity in a general home. In the United States, this matches the yearly output of 17 power plants. The various Home Electronics devices consuming electricity are discussed below.
Battery Charging Systems and Cordless Phones
Battery Charging Systems are used to recharge several cordless products like electric shavers, power tools and small appliances. A total of 230 million products in need of battery charging exist in the United States. If these battery charging systems are energy efficient, they can save more than 1 billion kilowatt hours energy/year. In turn, this results in the prevention of 1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Analog phones use conventional radio waves to carry sound. These waves are modulated. Digital phones have only two values 0 and 1 to carry sound. They have more security and less interference with a better range. The digital spread spectrum technology makes it impossible for a third person to hear a conversation.
Combination Units and Digital to Analog Converter Boxes
Combination Units include TV and VCR or TV and DVD. Such products are in need of less space, a simplified set-up, less number of cables, less energy and require less remotes. But, if compared to Standalone products they have less features, less versatility, more difficult to replace or repair and the cost is more. The digital to analog converter box transforms the digital television broadcast signals to analog signals. Gradually, the technology would change to only-digital broadcasts. Those having analog televisions will require this box to view the broadcasts. It is expected that 22 million converters would be required in the United States.
DVD Products and External Power Adaptors
In DVD, Single disc players can play only one disc at a time. After one is over, the second has to be placed manually. In Multidisc players, more than one disc can be held at a time. This eradicates the need to have a separate storage for the discs. Some products also have the facility to remove or exchange discs, while another is being played. Many new products can play home-recorded CDs on CD-R or C-RW discs or MP-3 formats. External power adaptors are called as power supplies or battery chargers. These transform high voltage AC supply from the wall outlet to low voltage DC power. This output is used by Personal Digital Assistants, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Cordless phones, Laptops and Mobile phones.
Home Audio and Televisions
The term Home Audio includes CD players, Receivers, Speakers, Home Theatre Systems and Surround Sound. Televisions have a new type of technology due to which analog signals are being replaced by digital signals. The digital ones have a better picture and less interference. Analog devices would require a converter. Plasma and Liquid Crystal Display are more light and super-thin as compared to the earlier televisions. Digital Televisions can provide a better resolution picture than analog televisions. They are classified into Standard Digital TV and High-Definition TV. There are other models called as the Projection TV, Widescreen TV and the Picture in Picture.
Other Articles