When it comes to recreating music in our cars, the weakest link in the chain will be the downfall of the entire system. Knowing this, if we start with the best recordings possible, the chances of our music sounding more realistic and lifelike increase astronomically. The equipment required to record, master and distribute high-resolution music helps to ensure that our mobile entertainment systems sound amazing.

What Is High-Resolution Music?

By definition, any music that is recorded with a bit rate (sampling rate) and bit depth (resolution) higher than that of a compact disc is considered high-resolution. This means 48 kHz and higher sampling rates and 24-bit resolution are required. Higher sampling rates capture some harmonic information, but transmitting and reproducing those sounds is extremely difficult.

Where Can I Get High-Resolution Audio Files?

Perhaps the best-known source for high-resolution music is hdtracks.com. This website rightly boasts that it has the widest collection of high-resolution music available. You have a choice of purchasing and downloading albums in AIFF, ALAC, FLAC and WAV formats at resolutions up to 192 kHz/24-bit as well as 2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz DSD files. File formats vary by album.

Another popular source for buying high-resolution albums is Acoustic Sounds. Acoustic Sounds Super HiRez specializes in DSD format. The itrax.com website is another great source.

If you’re into streaming, you will definitely want to check out Tidal.com and Qobuz.com.

Why Should I Buy High-Resolution Music?

Some people will tell you that humans can’t hear audio above 20 kHz and that we don’t need more than 16 bits of resolution to accurately recreate a listening experience. Let’s say these statements are completely accurate. Why then would we want to buy high-resolution music? The answer is noise and accuracy.

The effort required to build a microphone that records to 40 or 50 kHz requires serious attention to detail. Capturing the upper end of the audible range is child’s play for products of this caliber.

The second benefit of high-resolution recording is a reduction in noise. This reduction comes from the fact that there’s an increased number of bits to work with (65,536 vs. 16,777,216) and the fact that the equipment used must be of a higher performance specification. Digital interfaces capable of working with high-resolution microphones from companies like RME, Presonus, Apogee and Focusrite deliver amazingly accurate digital conversions of the analog signal from the microphone. If you’re a numbers geek, as many of us are, here are some specs from the best studio-quality interfaces:

Frequency Response: 2 Hz to 92 kHz at -1 dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 113 dB unweighted
Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.00032%
Channel Separation: >110dB

How to Reproduce High-Resolution Audio in Your Car

Buying great music is one thing, reproducing it in a vehicle is another challenge. Companies like Audison, Sony, Brax, Zapco and Kenwood all make audio components that will output or process high-resolution audio file formats. Of course, to hear that level of detail, you’ll need amplifiers capable of playing to at least 40 kHz and speakers with similarly impressive specifications.

Finally, and most crucially, how these components are integrated into your vehicle is also very important. To make the best use of the high-frequency information audible from high-resolution recordings, your tweeters will need to be mounted on-axis with the listening position or bounced off the windshield from a dash-mount location. If not, the directivity characteristics that are inherent in every speaker will make those sounds inaudible.

A Great Source Helps Ensure a Great Performance

If you’re passionate about your mobile audio system, drop by your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer today and ask them about upgrading your car stereo to support high-resolution audio formats like FLAC, DSD, WAV, ALAC and AIFF. We know you’ll be blown away by the accuracy and detail.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

It was only with the adoption of 3G cellular service that streaming video from our phone systems became a reality. 4G cellular services offer a bump in data transfer speed with a theoretical maximum that is more than 50 times faster than 3G, making it easy and reliable to stream high-resolution video. Dashcam manufacturers like BlackVue have developed cloud-based solutions that allow you to use a Wi-Fi hotspot in your vehicle, smartphone internet access tethering or proximity to a hotspot in your home or office to keep tabs on your vehicle. Let’s look at how it works.

Dashcam Internet Connection

Once you’ve had your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer install your dashcam for you, all you need to do is use a smartphone app to connect your dashcam to an internet connection. Many General Motors vehicles include Wi-Fi hotspots, and Ford recently announced they’d be including 4G connectivity in upcoming models. You can also source a mobile hotspot solution from most key cellphone companies like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint in the US and Telus in Canada.

Once the connection is set up, you can connect to your dashcam anytime it’s powered to see what it sees. You can also configure notifications to be pushed to your smartphone should the motion sensor be triggered while your vehicle is parked or if someone or something comes into the camera’s field of vision. If you are worried about vandalism or theft or want to know which cat is walking across the hood of your vehicle, this is the way to go.

Several models of Thinkware cameras can send notifications about driving impacts or when the camera enters or exits a preselected zone.

Because these dashcams have an integrated GPS antenna, they can be used to provide an alert if someone tows your vehicle away. The difference between the solutions we’ve discussed is in the ability to see the camera image remotely.

Will We See Dashcams with Built-In LTE Connectivity?

Absolutely! In fact, many are already on the market. The Waylens Secure360 4G is one option. Waylens offers several data plans that vary in bandwidth and cost. There are some solutions from lesser-known brands out there. We haven’t tested them in terms of image quality and video compression nor have we determined how easy their interfaces are to use. Be sure you check those things out before purchasing.

The Importance of a Quality Dashcam

As we’ve discussed in detail, having an inexpensive dashcam is great if you want to know if a light was green or red when you entered an intersection or the direction a car was travelling when it hit someone. If you want to capture details like license plates, something that is crucial in identifying vehicles that have left the scene of an accident, then you need a camera with a high-resolution image sensor, high-quality video compression algorithms that preserve detail and excellent hardware that will ensure the system works when you need it. Expect to spend at least $300 on a good quality dashcam plus the cost of installation.

Protect Yourself with a Premium Dashcam

Undoubtedly, we’ll see more and more dashcams with Wi-Fi cloud solutions and LTE connectivity come onto the market over the next few years. Where a dashcam is like having a co-pilot keeping tabs on everything that happens in front and behind your vehicle as you drive, a connected dashcam is your personal night watchman, guarding your pride and joy all through the night. If you are interested in a video recording system for your car or truck, visit your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer today.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Many new cars and trucks come with a feature called stop-start technology. This system senses when the car is stopped at a red light or stop sign and shuts down the engine to save fuel. As soon as you release the brake pedal, the engine starts up again, and you’re on your way. The question for those of us who are interested in upgrading our vehicles is, does this technology work with our new electronics? Read on to find out if your new high-power amplifier, dash camera or radar detector will get upset when your car stops and starts.

How Does Stop-Start Technology Work?

Almost all new cars are controlled by computers. As such, the act of turning off your engine at a stop light is as simple as cutting spark to the ignition system and fuel injectors. To restart the car again, the vehicle initiates the start-up sequence as though you pressed the start button on the dash. The radio keeps playing, the climate control system keeps running and all the lights stay on while the engine is off. Other than an eerie silence and a split-second hesitation when it’s time to drive off, you don’t really notice anything.

In the background, the computer in your car is monitoring several systems to determine when it should stop the engine and when it needs to start it again. If it’s summer and you’re running the air conditioning, the computer will monitor the temperature in the vehicle. If it starts to warm up, it starts the engine so the compressor can run. If it’s winter and you have the heated seats and rear window defroster running, the system pays close attention to the current draw on the battery and its voltage. Brake pedal pressure, the position of the clutch (if you have one), engine coolant temperature, a buckled seat belt and many other conditions determine whether the engine will stop at a light and when it will restart.

What’s the Problem with Stop-Start Systems?

While saving fuel seems like a great idea, there is a drawback to this system in terms of aftermarket electronics in your car. When the engine starts, there is a large draw from the vehicle battery. In some cases, the battery voltage can drop well below 9 volts. For many years, electronic devices designed for use in cars had a low-voltage cutoff around 10.8 volts. In cases where the voltage drops into the 9V or less region, your amplifier, signal processors, source unit, dash camera or radar detector may shut down, then restart once the voltage increases. If the voltage drop is extreme, problems with the microcontrollers in your devices may occur.

Dealing with Stop-Start Vehicles

If you own a vehicle equipped with one of these fuel-saving technologies and are interested in adding aftermarket electronics, search for a specialist mobile enhancement retailer who is familiar with how they operate.

For low-power devices like signal processors, radar detectors, laser jammer and dashcams, voltage stabilization modules are available to help keep everything happy. Companies like ARC Audio design their new amplifiers and processors to handle these low-voltage conditions. Audison offers a product called the ES3 that will help maintain voltage to certain low-power devices. Work with your salesperson to choose products that list stop-start compatibility in their feature list.

You will also want to make sure that the battery or batteries in your vehicle are in good condition. Even after a few years of regular use or in even harsher conditions involving multiple short trips, batteries can build up a layer of sulfate on their lead plates that can dramatically reduce their current delivery efficiency. A high-quality battery charger with maintenance capabilities can be a great investment in maintaining the life of your batteries and, of course, will ensure that your vehicle is ready to go whenever you are. Some companies offer maintenance chargers specifically for start-stop batteries.

Choose Your Technology Upgrades Wisely

If you’re thinking about upgrading the technology in your new car or truck that has stop-start technology, visit your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer and ask them about the solutions they have available.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.