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    31 May 2018
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Mangosman's Reviews
 
Setting and comparing displayed picture brightess
Posted21 November 2019
The different display technologies perform differently. What the manufacturers don't specify in their specifications is the maximum luminance (brightness) of the white and the minimum luminance of black.
This could be measured by Choice using a luminance meter measured in candela/m² (cd/m²). The meter contains a lens, The image should be a pluge (Picture line up generating Equipment) which is a rectangle of white, a rectangle of grey and a near black bar of very dark grey and another which is "blacker than black". The rest of the image is black. The bars allow the setting of the brightness control so that only one bar can be seen and the contrast is used to set the white. The amount of light falling on the screen will affect this setting. This test pattern can be downloaded for free.
This is the way a broadcaster and production house get to set the brightness and contrast of may screens to look identical.
The Maximum luminance could be included in the comparison table as could the contrast range(as a ratio to 1) is the maximum divided by the minimum,. The meter would have to be aimed at the black and it will also include any room light.
+9points
10of 11voted this as helpful.
 
Missing specifications
Posted19 November 2019
From the start of TEN transmitting High Definition TV in 2007 SD only TVs disappeared from the market. In 2009 some manufacturers introduced MPEG-4 decompressors but Choice did not mention this is in TV reviews.
In 2016 all networks started full time HD broadcasting using MPEG-4. All new TVs will receive it and those older TVs which are also MPEG-4 compatible.
We now have a similar situation with the broadcast of Ultra High Definition which will require a DVB-T2 tuner and an HEVC or H.265 decompressor.
The H.265 decompressor is required for Netflix UHD. So when is Choice going to include in the comparison of receivers table a tick if both DVB-T2 and H.265 so the cycle of incompatible TVs is not repeated?
For the broadcasters to transmit UHD all TVs must be capable of DVB-T2/H.265 (even if the other programs are HD), or the viewer will need a set top box capable of DVB-T2 reception which are available in other countries.
+9points
12of 15voted this as helpful.
 
Analog Telephone Adaptor
Posted12 November 2019
As a user converts to the NBN they loose their landline phone service unless the user has a digital phone or an older analog phone and an ATA. This is not mentioned in your article.
If you wish to connect a phone to the NBN you have two options
1. use your existing analog landline phone being corded or cordless. This will not work unless you connect it to an analog telephone adaptor, which is then connected to the phone connector on the modem.
2. Buy a new landline phone. Look for one which says it is NBN compatible and all the current ones are. These devices will plug straight into the modem.
The modem connects to the NBN and the internet service provider connects you to the phone network.
The advantages of a new phone are;
most have displays which will show caller Identification just like mobiles do. If you put your favourite numbers in the phone, they will show as names if they ring.
The other advantage is there is much less to go wrong.
The price of an ATA is about the same as a cordless mobile phone.
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Planned Obsolencence and prevention of competition
Posted2 August 2018
It is common practice for printers to contain a print counter which when exceeded the printer will then no longer print. It says it needs some type of maintenance which is not cost effective and they recommend you replace the printer.
The counter reset technique is kept secret. There are internet sites saying that they will do it for a price.
I have a multifunction printer which not only stopped printing but also scanning (it has a copy function).
As a result I found I had bought a new set of 6 ink cartridges for over $160 which are now unusable!
Additionally manufacturers also put a chip inside the printer cartridges to prevent you using a third party's version as well as preventing refilling of cartridges.
Henry Ford said he would rather give the cars away for free, and sell the spare parts. Printer manufacturers are using the same policy but substitute the spare parts for ink.
Why don't manufacturers have to put the quantity of ink on the cartridges. Percentage more than another cartridge and number of prints are not a valid comparison because to print a photo which is largely dark to a document with a few lines makes comparison impossible.
So my recommendation before selecting a printer is to compare print cartridge price per ml.
+45points
45of 45voted this as helpful.
 
Reception comparison missing
Posted31 May 2018
Choice should be testing the sensitivity of the phone signal receiver in the phone and its radiated power because they are rating the phone not the coverage signal strength of the telco. There are still many farmers with very poor mobile coverage.
If it is the variation in the coverage area, then an unlocked phone can have it's SIM card changed to the network with the strongest signal.
I would also like to point out that since 2014 there has been a new lower frequency (700 MHz) band which will cover larger areas and is less affected by obstructions. Most new phones will tune this band.
Last time Choice measured phone coverage they used farmers who live in a remote area which contains a single phone tower and flat surrounding land. The then drove away from the tower in and measured the distance to the tower using GPS when the calls dropped out. If this is done again, broadband speed tests should also be used as the speed drops as the signal in the air deteriorates.
This is a legitimate test provided all phone cover the same path at approximately the same time.
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
 
The reason why FM radio is not in some mobile phones
Posted31 May 2018
Your comparison table gives the following reason "Some smartphones still support FM radio when you use the headphone as an antenna, but this is becoming less common as more users move to apps to get their music and news. "
An examination of the table shows that none of the iphones or Google phones are able to receive radio. This is to protect the profits these companies. If you listen to FM radio you won't buy their music from iTunes or Google play. In addition the telcos have a lot to gain by coercing the phone manufacturers to leave out radio, because to listen to the radio using an app the user has to pay data charges to the telco.
In addition the battery stays charged for a lot longer using the FM radio rather than the app. This is because when the app is used the phone has to keep transmitting so that the telco knows to which phone tower to send the data.
A major disadvantage of leaving out radio is that in times of bush fires the use of the app to find out where the fire is by many people overloads the phone towers thus preventing genuine requests of assistance. In addition, mobile phone towers and their power lines are likely to be burnt down, because they are on the top of hills where the fire goes.
The USA's National Association of Broadcasters has been pressuring the phone manufacturers and the Federal Communications Commission to make FM radio compulsory there.
+4points
6of 8voted this as helpful.