Currys Electronics Shop, UK: Shopping At Currys Electronics Has Never Been So Easy

Currys Electronics Shop, UK: Shopping At Currys Electronics Has Never Been So Easy - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A AMD Athlon AMD are the world's second largest processor manufacturer and their Athlon range provides cutting edge technology processors. They are ideal for all home computing applications and will give a superb computing experience. AV Socket Ideal for those who want to use the TV to connect to a games console or a camcorder. Accurate Viewfinder - Cameras Because you view through the lens viewfinder what you see is exactly what you will get in your picture. Amps This is a measure of the amount of current the product consumes. A product which uses a high number of amps is more powerful than one which uses a lower number of amps. The power consumption in Watts = 240 times the amps drawn. Anti-shock technology - Personal CD Players Anti-shock technology lets you listen to digital quality music on the move without the music missing a beat. A specified number of seconds of the music is memorised in advance by the CD player so that it can compensate for any skips in reading the CD. Aperture/Shutter Priority - Cameras Semi-manual mode allows you to add your own creativity to an image by adjusting either the shutter speed or the aperture size manually. The camera will automatically optimise the other setting. This gives greater control and flexability than automatic mode, but is easier to use than fully manual mode. Auto Cook Programs Microwave ovens – automatically cooks and reheats food once the weight has been entered. Auto Install Automatically sets the TV up when you first switch it on. Auto Weight Sensor Microwave ovens - system to measure the weight of food automatically. Very convenient when used in conjunction with Auto-Cook programmes allowing food to be cooked without the need to enter weight, time or power. Automatic Modes Most SLR cameras have pre-set programmes for specific subjects such as portrait, sport or landscape. Select a programme and the camera will take over the exposure and focus settings to give you a professional result at the push of a button. B Bi Directional (PC cables) This shows whether the cable is bi-directional i.e.Input and Output are carried on the same cable. Bluetooth Bluetooth is the latest in low power radio technology to connect two electronic devices, without the need for cables. This can be achieved up to 10 metres apart without the need for those devices to be in line of sight, as they would have to be with infra-red. Boom Mic Handsfree mobile phone kits have a small microphone attached to the headset called a Boom Mic. Built-in Flash - Cameras A built-in flash enables you to use the camera in varying light conditions. Many flashes also reduce the “red eye” effect. C CD Compact Disc. CD Radio Cassettes CD Radio Cassettes allow you to play your favourite music almost anywhere - whether it's on Compact Disc, cassette or radio. They also enable you to create your own cassette compilations recorded from CD for your personal use. CDR Recordable CD offers Digital quality in a format that's probably already in your home CD. When recording onto Recordable CDs there is no loss of sound as it exactly reproduces the sound and as with normal CDs there is no deterioration in sound quality over time. Recordable Compact Disc also allows up to 650Mb of data to be stored very cheaply on a Compact Disc. Data is written to the CDR using a special CD Writer, but once written, is permanently burned into the CD. If you need to be able to record, erase and re-record data, please see CDRW. CDRW Recordable and Re-writeable Compact Disc - this allows up to 650Mb of data to be stored very cheaply on a compact disc using a special CD Writer. Unlike CDR, data can be written to the CDRW more than once. Camcorder A portable video recorder - can be digital (uses memory cards) or analogue (uses conventional video tape - usually in a smaller cartridge) Camcorder Tape There are different tape formats for different camcorders including 8mm, VHS-C, Digital 8 and Digital. Capacity Cu ft Microwave ovens - the internal capacity of the oven in cubic feet. Card Readers - Cameras Plug into your PC and insert memory card for quick and easy download of images from memory card to PC. Charging Time The length of time it takes to fully charge a rechargeable battery. Cinema Quality Sound - DVDs DVDs can give earth shaking digital surround sound playback that's unbelievable. Digital sound can be separated into discrete channels, making full cinema surround sound, with stereo sound from your rear speakers, possible in your living room. Creative Control - Cameras More advanced photographers can set the focusing and exposure manually to control depth, motion or sharpness of the subject. Crystal Clear Picture - DVDs DVDs have 540 lines of resolution, which makes a crisper, sharper image than VHS, which rely on around 240. D DAB Digital Audio Broadcasting: Along with the revolution in digital TV comes the revolution in digital radio. Although still in its infancy, digital radio will end hissing, sweeping and those annoying warbling noises on weak signals or between stations. The level of signal needed to achieve a perfect signal on digital radio is far lower so you can achieve greater audio clarity more of the time. DS Screen - Laptops A Dual Scan Screen is divided into simultaneously refreshed sections giving fast refresh rate. Offers low power consumption, but inferior sharpness & brightness. DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting This is the transmission standard for digital television, a DVB digital tuner delivers a crystal clear picture, superb audio performance and interactive services in addition to the extra channels available. In a few years current analogue transmissions will cease and a digital tuner will be required. DVB, future proof TV. DVD Digital Versatile Disk. The most widely known DVD format is currently DVD-Video, the digital version of VHS, and designed for storing full-length movies on a single disc similar in size to a CD. DVD can give earth shaking digital surround sound playback that's unbelievable and has 540 lines of resolution, which makes a crisper, sharper image than VHS, which relies on around 240. Data card Some digital mobile phones can be connected to a notebook computer to send and receive data and fax messages over a mobile phone network. Not all phones can do this. Even those that can normally require a data card to connect them to a computer. A few of the latest phones have the necessary electronics built in and require a cheap cable for the link. Databack - Cameras The databack facility records and prints the time and date of the photograph, which means you'll never forget when the picture was taken. Digital TV Digital TV offers digital quality picture and sound: More channels to enjoy – and the numbers growing all the time Interactive services - e-mail while you watch your favourite programmes and there are interactive games No installation - subscribe today and you could be watching digital TV tonight - and its all through your existing aerial Digital Theatre System (DTS) Alternative system of encoding six-channel digital surround sound, used in some cinemas and on some DVD discs. Digital Tuner Radios with digital tuners can tune into stations automatically, so you don't have to. Many digital tuners also allow you to preset stations, so you can select your favorite station at the press of a button, just like a TV set. (Note: radios with digital tuners are different to DAB Digital Radios - see DAB jargon buster for more information)' Digital Zoom Enlargement of a selected area of the image using digital technology. Dolby Digital Dolby Digital brings cinema sound to your home. Sound is divided into 5 channels, 3 at the front (including one centre channel) and 2 at the rear to completely surround you with sound. You also get a sub-woofer to fill the room with bass. Dolby Pro Logic Dolby Pro Logic takes Nicam Stereo Sound & adds 3 extra speakers to create a true Cinema at Home Sound System. Virtual surround sound creates a surround sound effect using your TV's stereo speakers. Dolby Pro Logic Surround Dolby Pro Logic surround sound uses 5 speakers to recreate the sound used in the cinema. 2 speakers for the front left and right sound, 2 speakers for the rear left and right sound and a fifth central speaker for any dialogue. Drop-In Loading - APS Cameras Brings an end to worrying if your film has wound on correctly! Simply drop the tiny film cartridge into the camera and the film automatically winds onto frame one! Dual Grill (Microwaves) Microwave ovens – powerful grilling both from the top and bottom of the microwave. Dual Recording Mode Take a still image while shooting continous motion video. E Exposures The number of pictures on a film (usually 24 or 36). F Fan Assisted Oven Enables even heat distribution and quicker cooking. Fastext Use the coloured buttons on your remote control for easy instant access to Teletext pages. Fill-in Flash - Cameras This feature adds light when the background light is not strong enough and the subject is too dark, but it is less harsh than a full flash which can lead to photographs looking washed out and to excessive red-eye. Film Format This identifies the type of film - different cameras require different formats. Examples include 35mm, 110mm or APS (for Advanced Photo System cameras). Film Speed Film speed measures a film's light sensitivity. Different film speeds perform better in different lighting environments. For example, 100 ISO works better in bright lighting conditions, whereas 400 ISO more sensitive to light and is good in poor light or when photographing fast moving action, when a faster shutter speed is required. Fixed Focus/Autofocus - Cameras Basic camera models are fixed focus which is fine for general shots but compact cameras with autofocus produce sharper images automatically, as they measure the distance between the camera and the subject. Flatscreen Flatscreen improves picure definition and minimises screen reflection. From wherever you sit in the room the picture will not be distorted unlike ordinary screens. Floppy Disks Removable disk used for storing information for a PC. These disks used to be "floppy" but are now encased in a rigid plastic case. Standard floppy disks hold 1.44Mb of data. Four Heads - Video Recorders A four head video gives perfect freeze frame and long play playback. All Nicam stereo videos have at least 4 heads. Frequency Range (Headphones) For headphones, the 'frequency range' is the audible range of the headphones (ie the range from the lowest note to the highest note which the headphones can reproduce) measured in Hertz (Hz). Frequency Range (Speakers) For speakers the 'frequency range' is the audible range of the speakers(ie the range from the lowest note to the highest note which the speakers can reproduce) measured in Hertz (Hz). G GPRS (general packet radio service) GPRS is a packet-based data transfer technology that provides increased capacity and higher data rates for quick access to the mobile internet. The so-called 2.5g technology promises data rates up to 114,000 bps. Gb (Gigabyte) A measure of computer data storage capacity and is approximately 1000Mbytes or 1 billion bytes. A conventional floppy disc has a storage capacity of 1.44Mb, a powerful PC hard drive may have a capacity of 20Gb or more H HPA screen (High Performance Addressing) - Laptops HPA is Short for High-Performance Addressing. A passive-matrix display technology that provides better response rates and contrast than conventional LCD displays. Although HPA displays aren't quite as crisp or fast as active-matrix (TFT) displays, they're considerably less expensive to produce. Consequently, HPA is being used by a number of computer manufacturers for their entry level notebook computers. Handsfree Usually related to an accessory for a mobile phone, which enables you to use an earpiece to connect to and use your phone. Hard Disk Drive Essentially, this is your computer's memory. The hard disk usually contains the computer's system software and applications. Headphone Socket Allows you to connect a headphone set so you can watch TV without disturbing others. I ISO Override - Digital Cameras Manual override enabling you to take a varied style of images from fast action to low light. Image Stabiliser - Camcorders Reduces camcorder shake and is especially useful when using the zoom. Index Print APS Cameras This feature allows you to view your developed film at a glance. Each image is printed on a quick-reference sheet to make ordering re-prints and enlargements easy! Inputting Device - Handheld PCs Most palmtop computers and many handhelds have a touch sensitive screen which can recognise your handwriting or run on-screen keyboards. Others have a conventional keyboard or use a combination of both. Intel Celeron Processor Intel are the world's largest PC chip manufacturer. Their Celeron range provides high quality technology at outstanding value and is ideal for all home uses. Intel Pentium III Processor Intel are the world's largest PC chip manufacturer. Pentium III is the name of Intel's highest speed range of processors on the market. It offers the very latest in processor technology. Interpolation - Cameras In-built software used to enhance image output quality. J Joysticks - games Programmable buttons, hat switches, throttle control and force feedback technology make games feel real. Ideal for flight simulation games. K Keyboard Tutor Some keyboards include a tutorial programme that teaches you how to play. L LCD Screen - Digital Cameras The cameras Liquid Crystal Display screen can be used as a viewfinder as well as to immediately review your images. Lens Quality SLR These camera lenses are of a very high quality which produce a professional result. Plus, because lenses are interchangeable, you can switch between different focal lengths to create a range of effects – a telephoto lens magnifies a distant subject, and a wide angled lens allows you to get more into the photograph. Lux Low Light - Camcorders A low lux rating means your camcorder can be used in dark conditions. M MP3 MP3 is the latest thing in the world of digital music technology. Simply put, MP3 is a file format that allows sounds to be compressed and stored digitally. Because of this, music can be downloaded from the internet onto a PC much more quickly than would otherwise be the case. The compression process works mainly by removing noise that is outside the range of human hearing so loss of quality is minimised. MPEG Stands for 'Moving Picture Experts Group'. MPEG is a computer file format (usually digital video and audio files) which reduces the space needed to store the information. Maff Rating (Microwave ovens) Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries power consumption rating for Microwave ovens - A is the lowest rating, E is the most powerful. Food preparation instructions refer to the Maff rating when proposing cooking times. Mb (megabyte) A megabyte (Mb) is a measure of computer data storage capacity and is approximately a million bytes. Conventional floppy discs have a capacity of 1.44 Mb. Micro Hi-Fi Systems Micro Systems are defined by their amazingly compact size, so are ideal for places where space is at a premium, like most kitchens and bedrooms. The best micros give a large and punchy sound and can come very well equipped with features such as remote control, a graphic equaliser, a single CD player, and of course, a pair of speakers. They often come as one single unit and are quick and simple to set up and use making it great for every member of the family. Many come with a built in timer and clock, so are ideal for the bedroom, replacing the need for a radio alarm clock. Mid-Roll Change - APS Cameras Many APS cameras have the facility to remove a partly used film and then replace later without wasting any frames of film. This feature is useful if you want to change the speed of your film to suit different conditions. Mini Disc MiniDisc is a high quality digital alternative to tape; an amazingly versatile medium that offers advanced editing functions including move, divide and combine. MiniDiscs can be re-recorded over 1 million times Modem Modem stands for Modulator-Demodulator. It is a device for transforming a digital signal from your PC into an analogue signal which can travel down a normal telephone line. A modem at the other end reconverts this signal back to digital. Having a modem in your laptop computer allows you take advantage of email and the Internet via a compatible mobile phone or telephone line. Most laptops are internet ready with built-in modems. Motion Picture Recording Allows you to record a clip of moving image directly onto the memory card to review, download to PC or e-mail. Multi Camera Angle Facility This means you can choose to view the action on-screen from a choice of camera angles, rather than the fixed cinema version. This facility is not available from all DVDs. N NTSC Playback The ability to play back pre-recorded video tapes which are in the NTSC format as used in the USA. Nicam Stereo Nicam is the transmission system for the reception of Hi-Fi sound on your TV or Video. O Objective lens: - Binoculars The larger the size of the objective lens, the more light is allowed into the binoculars resulting in a brighter, sharper image. Optical Zoom Image magnification without the loss of optical quality. P PDC - Video Recorders Programme delivery control adjusts your videoplus timer setting if the programme is delayed or overruns. Parental Lock (DVD) Allows discretionary 'locking' of software using a code so that undesirable or inappropriate sections are automatically skipped (software dependent). Personal CD Players Personal CD players allow you to listen to digital quality music wherever you are. Look out for the latest anti-shock technology which lets you listen on the move without the music missing a beat. Plus listen to your favourite music while travelling in your car with 'in-car kits' . Picture Effects - Digital Cameras Add your own effects to your images such as Black and White, Sepia and Borders. Picture Quality Most convential TV's are 50hz. A 100hz TV scans the picture twice as fast, making the picture more steady, clearer and sharper making watching TV much more easier on the eye. Picture and Text View one channel on the left hand side while checking the Teletext of that channel on the right. Picture in Picture Allows you to display another channel as a small picture in the corner of your screen while viewing the channel of your choice. Pixel Resolution - Digital Cameras Image quality is determined by the pixel resolution. The higher the pixel resolution (shown in millions), the better the quality of the image. Plug & Play Plug & Play will detect and automatically update your system files when adding new hardware to your PC. Processors This is really the 'brain' of a PC and is a key factor in deciding which PC is right for you. In general terms, the faster the processor, the faster the PC will work which is especially important for surfing the Internet or for games. The speed of a processor is measured in Megahertz (MHz). Programmed AE Modes - Camcorders Set modes for different situations (eg sport), your camcorder will then focus automatically for best results. Q Quartz Grill Microwave ovens – standard microwave grill giving even heat distribution. R Red Eye Reduction - Cameras This feature reduces the very annoying 'red eyes' effect that can ruin a special photograph. Region Code - DVD Playback management system making discs specific to a particular region. The UK is within region code 2, so only region 2 or region-free discs will play on UK DVD players. Remote Control Operate your TV form the comfort of you sofa. Removable Memory - Digital Cameras Record and store digital still images on a removable memory card, then download to a PC via card reader or cable. S SCART Socket A Scart connector is a 21 pin electrical lead that connects one audio-visual product with another (e.g. a television and a video recorder). Essential when linking stereo video and stereo TV. SD RAM/RAM Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory increases the number of instructions a computer can perform at any one time. For example, the more ram you have, the more applications can be run at the same time. SLR Single Lens Reflex Cameras use a single lens for both viewfinding and image capture. A prism diverts the image coming through the lens from the viewfinder to the film at the instant the shutter is depressed. SLRs give ultimate picture quality, with total creative control. Self-Timer - Cameras Why shouldn't you be in the photograph? With a self-timer you can be, so you don't miss out! Sleep Timer Set the TV to switch itself off. Steering Wheels - games Programmable buttons, gear paddles and non-slip pedals provide control, while force feedback technology lets you feel every bump and slide. Still Shot Facility Take still images and store on camcorder tape or removable memory card.