iFi is kicking off 2021 with the self-proclaimed best battery-powered DAC/headphone amp it has ever produced – the iDSD Diablo. Engineered to sit proudly at the top of iFi’s range of mobile and transportable devices, the Diablo is, says the firm, built for purists.
Similar in size to other amps in the company’s Micro iDSD series, the built-in battery makes it portable, but its sleek new design and red supercar-esque finish mark it out as distinctly different – and there’s a strong engine and plenty of tech nestling under the hood.
Like a high-performance vehicle designed for uncompromising speed, iFi explains that the iDSD Diablo sets aside some facilities offered by other iFi DAC/amps – sonic tailoring options and Bluetooth connectivity, for example – to focus on pure sonic power. It boasts the ability to drive any headphones on the planet, too. iFi invites you to connect your digital source via USB or S/PDIF, plug in your headphones, then sit back and enjoy the musical ride.
(Image credit: iFi)
The iDSD Diablo’s digital stage incorporates the Burr-Brown DAC chip used extensively by iFi, but here, two of these chips are installed in a custom ‘interleaved’ configuration – this enables four pairs of differential signals (two pairs per channel) which promises to lower the noise floor, improve channel separation and enhance the DAC’s ability to resolve fine musical detail and micro-dynamics.
The iDSD Diablo also uses a new low-latency XMOS microcontroller with enhanced processing power – compared to the current generation of eight-core chips, iFi claims this new 16-core IC delivers double the clock speed (2000MIPS) and four times the memory. Extensive jitter-eradication technologies are applied to the digital stage, including an enhanced version of iFi’s GMT (Global Master Timing) femto-precision clock featuring a new crystal oscillator.
The boxes are checked for hi-res audio support too, including handling PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, all levels of DSD up to DSD512, and single- and double-speed DXD. And to get a bit more technical, thanks to that Burr-Brown DAC chip’s four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways – this enables DSD, as well as PCM, to remain ‘bit-perfect’ in their native form right through to analogue conversion. This is often not the case with DAC devices – many such DACs convert DSD signals to PCM.
MQA – the hi-res streaming codec used by Tidal’s ‘Masters’ tier – is also supported through the USB and S/PDIF inputs, with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of that new 16-core XMOS chip. This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’.
(Image credit: iFi)
Sit tight though, because the digital stage is only half the story in any DAC/headphone amp. When it comes to the crucial analogue circuitry, balanced, differential analogue circuit design has long been championed for its ability to reduce noise and cross-talk within the signal path by fully separating the left and right channels. However, it’s expensive. This costly upgrade over single-ended circuitry has traditionally remained the preserve of high-end hi-fi components.
iFi has gradually introduced fully balanced circuit design across its range – first in its flagship Pro Series components, then in the entry-level Zen Series devices. The company’s two newest DACs, the mains-powered Neo iDSD and the new transportable iDSD Diablo, benefit from further refinement to this circuit concept which iFi calls ‘PureWave’.
iFi promises the iDSD Diablo will drive all manner of headphones with ease, from highly sensitive in-ear monitors to current-hungry planar headphones, delivering prodigious power up to 5000mW. Three settings enable the user to adjust power and gain to suit whatever the amp stage is tasked with driving: ‘Turbo’ ramps up the level of drive for current-hungry headphones, ‘Eco’ dials down the power to suit high-sensitivity in-ear monitors and/or extend battery life, and ‘Normal’ sits between the two.
At the front of the unit, alongside a standard 6.3mm single-ended headphone socket, resides a 4.4mm Pentaconn output for headphones offering balanced connection. In terms of power, the balanced headphone output delivers 12.6V/4980mW into 32 ohms and 19.2V/611mW into 600 ohms, while the single-ended output supplies 8.8V/2417mW into 32 ohms and 9.6V/153mW into 600 ohms.
At the back of the chassis are two digital audio inputs: USB-A and an S/PDIF socket that accepts both electrical and optical signals, the former via a 3.5mm connector and the latter via a supplied adapter.
Unusually, the USB-A input features a ‘male’ connector, rather than a typical ‘female’ port – this arrangement promises greater mechanical integrity than the USB/Micro USB ports commonly used by other DAC/headphone amps. It also offers an advantage to users of iPhones and iPads with Lightning ports, because it accepts Apple’s Lightning to USB Camera Adapter directly without requiring an additional female-to-male USB adaptor. A separate USB-C charging port is also provided, along with a fixed line-level 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced output to connect an external amp.
(Image credit: iFi)
iFi has been rather generous with the iDSD Diablo’s bundled accessories, too. Since DAC/amp may be powered from the mains as well as by its built-in battery, the company has included its iPower 5V AC/DC adapter. It promises significantly less noise thanks to Active Noise Cancellation – and it sells separately for £49.
Also included is a 4.4mm Pentaconn to XLR balanced interconnect cable, enabling the iDSD Diablo to be connected to an amp and speakers, a short (15cm) USB-C to USB-A audio cable, an extension cable – all USB3.0 compliant – plus a USB-C charging cable and an adapter to connect headphones with a 3.5mm jack to the 6.3mm single-ended output. Even a travel case is included.
To top it all off, the first iDSD Diablo production run includes iFi’s iPurifier3 in the bundle – retailing separately at £129. It’s billed as a USB ‘noise-buster’ to tackle all aspects that degrade sound quality over USB, thanks to a mix of tech including Active Noise Cancellation. It adds up to a package of accessories worth around £300.
iFi’s iDSD Diablo is available at selected retailers from today, Friday 15th January, for £899. Pricing for the rest of the world isn’t yet known, but that roughly equates to $1228 (or AU$1585).
MORE:
Read all our iFi reviews
See the best headphones for 2021
Check out 10 of the best tracks to test your headphones
Windows 10: Find errors with on-board resources and external tools Standard handles Search specifically for errors Performance Monitoring External tools The hard drive is making strange noises, a file cannot be deleted or small hackers keep appearing. But why is it?
Now you can install some third-party diagnostic tools and thus rely on the Search. But Windows itself has several useful tools that can be used to track down and solve problems.
You can even solve many problems without knowing exactly what the problem is. Family administrators who want to help remotely can get their PCs back on the road with little effort. If these tips don’t help, you should systematically search for errors. With the event viewer, the task manager, or the performance monitoring. If you cannot cope with the built-in Windows tools, you can also install additional system and diagnostic tools for Windows – often from Microsoft itself.
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In 2020 we were introduced to a for our new cable brand: Ricable. At this Italian manufacturer, everything revolves around feeling and experience, as befits a good Italian company. From that country, but via Omera in Vlaardingen, we received a large box with various cables for review. We are not only charmed by the entire look & feel, the fresh orange color of these cables has mainly had a positive influence on our mood.
Ricable from Italy For many of you, Italy will evoke many pleasant thoughts. Some people will immediately think of a delicious Chianti when it comes to Italy, on hot days like the past few weeks maybe a sparkling bottle of Prosecco and true gourmets will undoubtedly have their mouths watered at the thought of a blissful Barolo. The car enthusiasts among you will be thrilled by the beautiful lines of a Maserati Quattroporte or the V 12 – orchestra of a thoroughbred Ferrari. Even the German accent of the new generation Lamborghini V 10 engines cannot quench the love for the Gallardo and Huracán models. Italy breathes emotion in many areas.
For many, Italian territory equates to sacred ground for anything that elevates normal life to a premium lifestyle. It is with good reason that many multinationals based outside Italy eagerly make use of Italian design studios or respond to this sentiment when branding new product lines with Italian-sounding brands and color schemes. And then of course we have the authentic Italian companies, including various globally respected hi-fi manufacturers. Despite the Italian brands that have been doing serious business for many years, not all music lovers will be equally familiar with all of these parties. Maybe Sonus faber, Audia Flight or Gold Note sound familiar, but it ends there. The same goes for Ricable, the authentic Italian cable manufacturer you may not have heard of before. Until today.
Premium Unpacking Party At the very end of winter we receive a large box from Oleggio, located in the north of Italy «. Given the developments at that time, we first put the large box in storage for about seven days as a precaution. On the day we finally get to open the box, it feels a bit like the Christmas ritual during our childhood. First impatiently open a door of the December calendar every day and with a view of the packages under the Christmas tree, wait for the moment that the scissors are allowed in.
After opening the first box, we were positively surprised to find four brown cardboard boxes with a product sticker and a shiny gold quality control sticker. When opening these boxes, we expect to find a plastic bag or blister containing the cable. Completely unexpected, our eye falls on a beautiful product packaging that is more similar to a box of an exclusive Swiss watch than to the packaging of a hi-fi audio cable. The product packaging is enclosed in a matte cardboard wrapper with an Italian flag, chic spot UV lacquer and an openwork ellipse with a glossy chrome Ricable logo.
After carefully sliding the th box out of the wrapper, we take the lid with a subtle die-cut weave. Our eye falls on the beautiful orange Dedalus RCA Signal Cable. This is held together by a cable tie with brand name and again an Italian flag. The bottom of the package and the top of the lid are lined with soft-finished foam rubber, and the package features a Lifetime Warranty card.
Believe us, convey it such an experience is really only reserved for Italians. Now the packaging and the entire experience during unpacking is a nice plus, in the end it is mainly about the build quality and the gain in sound quality that the content of the packaging brings us. Premium Build Ricable cabling is entirely handcrafted in the home country. In order to deliver the highest possible quality, the cable is checked and measured after each step in the production process. The basis for the Dedalus cabling originates from the AM-RCC conductors that have been further developed into MARC conductors for the Dedalus, Invictus and Magnus cable series.
These new conductors are made of 7n copper (99. 99999% purity) and are made up of tiny veins. Ricable then chooses for each cable for its own cable geometry and sometimes unconventional insulation materials with perfect dielectric properties for audio application.
The Dedalus speaker cable, like the mains power cable, is fitted with two twisted 6.4mm2 7n MASC copper conductors with R-TEC insulation. For the speaker cable, Ricable uses RNR technology with Germanium semiconductor material that protects the conductors against influences of EMI / RFI. This reduces the level of the background noise and, according to the manufacturer, background details remain clearly visible. The power cables are double shielded by a mix of copper, aluminum and mylar. This keeps the influences of EMI / RFI to an absolute minimum.
Are you still there? Yes, always difficult with those technical terms. Without becoming even more technical, according to the manufacturer, this construction method has the advantage that the soundstage, transparency and detail thus substantially increases, without affecting the neutrality of the hi-fi set.
Ricable does not opt for ready-made connectors that negate the sound quality of its cables, but for high-quality copper connectors. These connectors are manufactured with CNC technology and equipped with a 26 – carat gold protective coating against corrosion. Ricable therefore deliberately opts for a significantly more expensive production method, but if you want to profile yourself as a cable manufacturer in the current hard-won market, this may also be the only right way.
At Ricable, the concern for quality goes so far that the connection between cable and solder contact in the plugs sealed airtight with a dot of glue to protect this connection against corrosion for a long time. Great class. This cabling exudes craftsmanship in all areas.
Look and feel The build quality and the fit of plugs and connectors of the cabling is very good . The cabling has a beautifully braided orange sheath and is assembled with high-quality materials. The analog and digital interlinks are not interchangeable and therefore the digital interlink has a jacket with a different color. The cabling is wonderfully smooth, so that we can easily route it behind the set. The RCA connectors slide friction-free over the chassis parts and after tightening the locking mechanism they clamp perfectly to the chassis part. Also unscrewing is no problem.
The banana plugs of the speaker cables are made of copper tellurium alloy and clamps excellent. The plug parts of the mains cables have OFC copper contacts and the grip of the connectors is made of solid aluminum on both sides. We experience a premium-plus level of quality and, moreover, these plug parts stop the effects of unwanted radiation very effectively. With this, these Ricable cables can easily compete with the major players in the market.
Listening For this review we have the powercable connected to the power supply unit of our Bryston BP 26 preamplifier, we have included the RCA cables between our BDA3 DAC and the amplification. The BDP3 network player is connected to the DAC by means of the digital Dedalus interconnect. Our Usher Dancer Mini 2s are controlled by two 7B3 mono blocks and the beautiful orange Dedalus loudspeaker cable stands out in between. Now it is time to listen to the sound and sound effects of this cabling on our reference set.
Since hi-fi cables always need a little while to â ???? on soundâ ???? to come, we will give the cabling at least a week to get used to the new Dutch environment before giving an opinion.
Now something happens that almost never happens. Contrary to most cabling that we have reviewed in recent years, our set, which is partly equipped with Ricable cabling, immediately sounds remarkably good. We have been listening to various albums from our music collection for a long time from the start of recording. We notice that this cabling reproduces these albums musically and very relaxed. The reproduction in the low is powerful and even the lowest frequencies can be heard perfectly. The sound image is not quite as we are used to when cold out of the box, but the sound is less analytical in character than before.
Over the next few days, we notice that the definition, detail and top-end each increase a fraction while playing in, but this is not such that this will affect every listener or every listener. audio set will be equally discernible. They are more very subtle nuances in sound. However, the sound image does improve. This becomes wider, slightly deeper and especially the placement in the sound image improves considerably. We also hear more speed in the music, which increases the realism of stringed instruments and vocals. In total we estimate an increase of a few percent compared to our reference cabling, but it is precisely these few percent that give us a â ???? wowâ ???? moment. Time to get the review forms.
Love for pings or for the music? Nowadays hi-fi authors are mainly technical listeners who listen far too often to pings and the place where those pings are located. Whether the ping does not sound loud or sharp and whether we can detect other unheard pings besides the ping. And we can then enjoy it intensely. But this technical way of listening is not fun at all, in fairness. But: even now something happens that never actually happens. Armed with pen and paper, we set up albums and then completely forget that we have to take notes. We listen to â € œthe musicâ € and not to that pin that is somewhere and of which we have to determine that the pin with these cables is displayed at exactly the right place and size.
We listen without realizing to warm bass lines, music lines, background nuances and rhythmic variations. Piano music is moved to a higher level. We not only feel the deep foundation, but also experience the attack of the hammers and through the speed with which the music is reproduced we listen to the music in the finest details. We immerse ourselves in it without being bothered by possible sharp edges in vocals, the possible lack of a bit of top-end or that the ping in question might disappear in the background. We just don’t pay attention. During each attempted listening session that follows, a similar ritual takes place. We always commit ourselves to exactly 2: 45 minutes at -say- track 6 to listen to whether that unique kraakje sounds realistic to us at t rack 12 to realize that we (again) forgot to listen to those specific elements.
Focus on the small details This cabling shows us the experience music albums with a very pleasant and excellently balanced sound. We listen to an extra level in the deepest layer in combination with a bone-dry mid bass. Percussion has a significant impact and sounds wonderfully dry. The midrange is reproduced with excellent definition so that rasps and tufts of an instrument are wonderfully released in the music. The treble is reproduced subtly and in detail without the treble receiving an unwanted boost.
To give a few handles, we would like to highlight a few highlights. Electric guitar, in this case in the track Minor Details from Jan Akkerman’s album of the same name, has an authentic raw sound. Every guitarist will have the idea of listening to a guitarist with a portable guitar amp and a backing track in the living room. So authentic.
One of the tracks that we also like to put on is Me And My Monkey on the album Escapology by Robbie Williams. Not a high-quality musical piece, but a track that is placed very wide and deep in space. Despite this extreme breadth and complexity of the song, all elements are clearly separated from each other and rendered with a sharp focus.
After this we switch to Bloody Buccaneers from the Golden Earring. When listening to the track Going To The Run, our neck hairs stand up again and again. The song sounds lively, rich, deep and open. Hay’s vocals are strongly bundled from the musical center and due to excellent definition we can focus our attention fully on the bass lines and the typical playing style of bass player Rinus. However, this album has the disadvantage that with a less well-balanced set at higher volumes it can quickly start â ???? scream â ???? by drowning out the powerful lead vocals. This time the volume can be turned up a few peat.
Final verdict While we wired the cabling after the listening sessions Taking it one by one from the set, it becomes clear to us what differences the individual cables have compared to our own reference. The Ricable mains cable takes the musical stage a big step into the foreground and adds a considerable amount of realism and precision. The interlinks make the sound balance warmer and more pleasant to listen to. In combination with these interlinks the bass has more energy, the vocals are put back half a step and the whole sounds especially more musical. The digital interconnect lets the music play without any sharp edges. Finally, the speaker cables. Despite the length of three meters per side, the sound image is wide, deep and the focus is significantly sharper than with our current speaker cabling. Especially the speed and excellent phase behavior of these speaker cables are remarkable. In a general sense we can say that the combination of cabling presents our music more directly and with more involvement.
The level of finish, choice of materials, the sound quality delivered and the fact that this cabling is manufactured entirely by hand in Italy gives us the impression of playing with the most exclusive cable line from Ricable. Although the Dedalus cable line belongs to the high-end series of the manufacturer, this is not the most exclusive variant in the product range. The Ricable Dedalus RCA cable from a stereo meter costs … 325 Euro . Both speaker cables with a length of 3 meters? 552 Euro. The 1.5 meter mains power cable costs only 441 euro. One meter coaxial digital cable: 212 Euro. All prices include VAT. No idea how to interpret this, but we are certainly quite enthusiastic about this.
Conclusion The entire The experience surrounding the Ricable products makes our musical heart beat faster. The brand affects us differently than usual. It’s those little details that matter. This starts with the packaging and further translates into excellent quality of the product itself. With this Dedalus cabling from Ricable we listen to a classic piece of violin music in which the violinist plays an exclusive Stradivarius, not like a musician with just any violin, but experience the compositions with our heart without even thinking about the musician, let alone the instrument. In our opinion, this is the best compliment a manufacturer can receive.
Sound quality: 5 out of 5
Finishing: 5 out of 5
Presentation: 5 out of 5
Price / Performance: 5 out of 5
More information: Â www.ricable.nl | Importer: Â Omera â ???? Hifi and Streaming Media
Blue Origin New Shepard is the system launch which includes first stage and manned capsule of Jeff Bezos’ company. Yesterday afternoon, Italian time, a new test was conducted which ended with complete success.
by Mattia Speroni published 15 January 2021 , at 09: in the Science and Technology channel Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos’ company, Blue Origin , successfully completed the NS mission – 14 of its launcher New Shepard bringing a mannequin called Mannequin Skywalker to suborbital altitude ), which simulated the presence on board of a crew. A relatively “simple” mission profile but which, as always, has many unknowns, from departure to landing. Everything went smoothly thus taking the company one step further in the project.
Blue Origin New Shepard NS – 09: everything went as planned
The company broadcast its attempt live allowing so users from all over the world to see what was happening on the launch pad and in the finish areas. As specified by Ariane Cornell (by Blue Origin), this is a step towards flying with real astronauts and the 2021 promises to be a decisive year in this sense.
We remind you that New Shepard has a structure that provides a first stage with a capsule in the upper area . The latter can be separated and landed autonomously as well as the first stage which can return to the ground and be reused. This should help reduce costs, as we have already learned with SpaceX.
The capsule, called RSS First Step (Reusable Space Ship), landed approximately 10 minutes after take-off (braked by three parachutes). The maximum altitude reached by the Blue Origin capsule was approximately 106 km crossing the Karman line and therefore officially arriving in Space, even if we are at much lower altitudes than those of the ISS, which orbits at about 400 km.
Both first stage and capsule were new and had never flown in precedence. This is partly because the capsule had a new internal structure to be more comfortable where six seats fit. For example there are new seats with integrated sound system and new screens to show astronauts what is going on.
There have also been improvements regarding the regulation of the ambient temperature and a better soundproofing. This should allow, once there are human beings on board, to have a pleasant experience.
Among the curiosities it is worth mentioning that Mannequin Skywalker had part of the in the pockets of the suit thousand postcards sent by students from all over the world. Now all that remains is to wait for the next tests and the possibility of sending a human being into space. Of course, we are still a long way from what SpaceX of is now able to do Elon Musk , but the goals of Jeff Bezos are however very important and also include the Moon. According to rumors, the next unmanned mission will be within six weeks while the first manned mission could be scheduled six weeks later.
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With the corona crisis, many new words have found their way into everyday language: no one has to look up incidence, intensive capacities or R-value. In the school sector, the word creations and paraphrases for the new pandemic-related non-normality are particularly diverse: “presence operation”, “restricted regular operation”, “alternate model” or “hybrid teaching”. And meanwhile it is called “homeschooling”, “distance learning” or “distance learning” again. With some parents and students, however, the hairs on the back of their necks stand up when they hear this. There are complaints that there can be no talk of “teaching”.
“Effective teaching looks different.” Sabrina Wetzel, Deputy Chairwoman of the Federal Parents’ Council, reports on emails from parents describing various problems. “Many parents are overwhelmed by supporting their children, school administrators, teachers and students are frustrated because the programs are not yet really running smoothly.” Crashes, poor WiFi, sound and picture failures – “effective lessons look different”, says Wetzel.
Frustration also resonates with Dario Schramm, Secretary General of Federal Schoolchildren Conference. The 20 – year old goes to the 10. Class of an integrated comprehensive school near Cologne. “The federal and state governments now have to take money into their hands and massively expand server capacities. Otherwise these weeks will end in disaster.” For many, everyday school life is currently looking very dreary: Download documents in the morning, edit them and upload them again in the afternoon. “This process is just as terrible as it sounds. The social and communal learning, which should be a core component of education, is currently massively lacking.”
Whether there is feedback and video conferences depends very much from the teacher, says the student representative, who also takes the pedagogues into protection. “How are you supposed to set up the” perfect “digital teaching without any reasonable further training and functioning technology?”
Federalism as a brake This is where a topic comes into play that has been discussed since the summer, but on which obviously nothing is moving: service laptops for teachers. A program for 500 million euros for the acquisition of the devices was agreed in August at a “school summit” in the Chancellery. Not a single cent has flowed from this, as is evident from a response from the federal government to a request from the FDP parliamentary group that the dpa has received. The answer comes from 13. January. It states that no funds have yet been paid out because the corresponding agreement between the federal and state governments on the 500 million package has not yet been reached has been signed by all federal states.
Nationwide projects in education are repeatedly slowed down by federalism. The federal states are each responsible for education and schools. The federal government is actually not allowed to have a say and simply inject money, which is why so-called administrative agreements between the federal government and all 16 countries are negotiated and then all have to be signed individually. That takes.
“The fact that the federal and state governments have not yet managed to sign the agreements for the purchase of teachers’ laptops is just shameful,” says the FDP chairman for digital infrastructure Bundestag, Torsten Herbst. “While parents, children and teachers have been doing their utmost for weeks to compensate for the loss of face-to-face classes as much as possible, politicians do not even manage to do the simplest administrative homework.”
Technology not up to the number of users According to the digital association Bitkom, the fact that the learning platforms of the federal states sometimes get stuck and jerky is due to the fact that the technology is not up to the user because these platforms are not up to the large number of users. Another obstacle to good distance learning is, according to Bitkom President Achim Berg, “the lack of pragmatism in data protection”. Worldwide leading IT companies have been investing hundreds of millions in conference and learning systems for years. “It’s not easy to recreate. In the pandemic, high-performance systems that are customary on the market should also be made available to schools.” So why don’t they also take place as standard distance learning so that teachers and students stay in touch? That is not the free decision of the individual teacher, said Heinz-Peter Meidinger, President of the German Teachers Association. The prerequisite is that the school has a corresponding license for software and that the necessary data protection is guaranteed. “It is therefore not permissible for a teacher, for example, to invite the students to a zoom session from home.” And with the state learning platforms there is usually no really functional video system.
One must also free oneself from the thought that the digital transmission of lessons in video conference systems is automatically the most effective form of teaching alone or even primarily says the former head of a grammar school who retired in the summer. “A mere transmission of a lesson by video without an intensive feedback culture is not very effective. An intensive exchange via e-mail with worksheets and student contributions can be quite effective and successful.”
Not all bad Meidinger also warns against blanket judgments about distance learning. Given more than 10 million students and 40. 000 Schools should not create an impression that is entirely justified in individual cases is not representative. “My impression is that things are going better overall than in the spring, also because many, but unfortunately by no means all, loan devices have been given to children who have not been able to use a keyboard-compatible computer at home.” Student representative Dario Schramm also sees positive developments: “The truth certainly also includes the fact that there are individual pioneering schools that can offer their students really good distance learning.”
Lockdown, winter, Friday evening … How about a “show today” to get other thoughts? So I start my new Macbook, go to the media library and, in anticipation, plug in the HDMI cable from the home theater (with the HDMI-to-USB-C adapter I bought as a precaution!) While the familiar opening melody plays badummbummbumm *. But the sound goes silent and only an error message about HDCP appears on the screen.
What the fuck?
Meanwhile – a few hours later – I even understand what is happening. But that doesn’t make it any better. On the contrary!
Jürgen Schmidt – aka ju – is the managing editor of heise Security and Senior Fellow Security at heise. Graduated physicist by profession, he has been working at Heise for over 15 years and is also interested in the areas of networks, Linux and open source.
Behind the scenes Short and slightly simplified : My Macbook and the AV receiver coordinate within the scope of the HDMI handshake:
Mac : “I can do 4K Ultra-HD”
AVR : “Cool, me too”
Both : “Great, let’s do it for us ”
Small side effect: For Ultra-HD, the two must activate High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) 2.2 according to the specification. Since both support copy protection, that’s not a problem yet. But when the AVR tries to output the image, it realizes that the projector is only talking to the older HDCP 1.4. That’s enough for Full-HD (1080 p) and the projector can’t do more anyway. By the way: I’ve never had the feeling that I was missing something. With HDCP 2.2, however, each device must play along in the entire chain. So there is the error message:
This content is not displayed because your TV does not support HDCP 2.2
Unfortunately, neither the Macbook nor the AV receiver can be convinced that Full HD is completely sufficient for me and you can therefore confidently do without the HDCP 2.2 frills. With the Playstation 4 Pro that was still possible: You could limit it to HDCP 1.4 and Full HD in the BIOS. With the Macbook I only have the following options:
1) I sell the new Macbook Pro and buy a used, older device that only supports HDCP 1.4 (ran on my friend’s older Macbook today’s show without any problems – but of course with some malice).
2) I throw away my fully functional projector and buy a new, 4K-capable device that I don’t need.
3) I buy a so-called HDMI-HDCP converter like the one here from Assmann. It costs around 30 euros and, according to the description, converts HDCP signals from 2.2 to 1.4 and vice versa.
4) I buy an HDMI splitter with a so-called “HDCP Bypass” for around 15 Euro. It pretends to be an HDCP-capable device to the AV receiver and still plays the video signal on the connected devices without HDCP. Problem solved.
At least the last option with the HDCP bypass is illegal in Germany. Yes, you read that right: I only want to look at content that actually does not have to be subject to copy protection, such as self-made presentations or material from the public media library co-financed with my fees. But it would be illegal to buy and use equipment that enables me to do so. Do such laws actually prevent criminal pirates from doing their illegal activities? Or rather, are there to persuade stingy consumer refusers like me to finally buy the latest hot shit?
A legal way out means that I throw even more money down the throat of the manufacturers of the copy protection infrastructure with the acquisition of new devices. Something is going terribly wrong. These are protection money methods, as we know them from organized crime, known as the Mafia. This is exactly how blackmail Trojans work: “If you want to see your data, you have to pay.” Copy protection, which prevents me from legally viewing content on my devices to which I have all necessary rights, is unfortunately not illegal – but in any case extremely anti-social.
What do you think for which of the options I have decided? Tell us in the comments about your experiences in which copy protection got in the way of very legal activities.
Jimmy Wales is the face of Wikipedia. He co-founded the online encyclopedia 2001, headed up to 2006 the Wikimedia Foundation, the foundation behind Wikipedia, and has a seat on the foundation’s board of trustees to this day. c’t he answered questions about the origins of the platform, his role in the project and the future of Wikipedia.
c’t: In the year 2001 you had earned some money as a stock market trader and founded your first start-up: Bomis.com. How did you come up with the idea of starting an online encyclopedia?
Jimmy Wales: I came into contact with the free software movement then. And I thought to myself: You could actually use this type of collaboration for anything. Writing an encyclopedia seemed like an obvious first choice to me.
c’t: Was there a special need for an online encyclopedia or was it just a matter of experimenting with the new form of collaboration?
Wales: Both were the case. It was pretty obvious at the time that an encyclopedia was needed on the internet. There have been millions of websites with specific knowledge, but often you are only looking for an abstract. There was a need for an overview of established knowledge.
c’t: In addition to the technical basis for Wikipedia, the decision to make the encyclopedia a non-profit project is also decisive for the character the Wikipedia. How did this come about?
Wales: Wikipedia is in many ways a child of the dot-com crash. It was not clear at the time whether any viable business model or investors could be found to further develop the project. Many of the volunteers were very much in favor of us developing Wikipedia as a non-profit organization. It immediately made sense to me: an encyclopedia is similar to an institution like a library or a school. The decision turned out to be very good for us. For one thing, we are still here today. On the other hand, a free and advertising-free Wikipedia is what comes closest to our original vision.
c’t: Would advertising funding have changed the character of Wikipedia?
Wales: Possibly. How you make your money has a huge impact on organizations – whether it’s a company or a non-profit organization. The incentives for tackling certain problems are shifting. People only donate to Wikipedia when they feel the project is making a meaningful impact on their lives. If we had relied on strategies like clickbait headlines or deliberately provocative content, this would not be the case.
c’t: There were a lot of commercial challengers. Did any of these bother you?
Wales: Not really. We were very successful very early on. I’ve looked at a few projects that have been labeled in the press as possible Wikipedia killers. I realized very quickly that they didn’t have the potential of Wikipedia. For example, Microsoft Encarta allowed users to change their posts at some point. I thought: This is definitely an interesting change of course. So I signed up and tried it out. However, once I sent off a change, I got feedback that within a week someone would look at my change and decide if my work would be accepted. It was clear to me: This is no competition for Wikipedia. It won’t really be fun for anyone to wait a whole week for a change.
But since we never had commercial ambitions at Wikipedia, we were able to approach the work relatively relaxed. We were just a couple of geeks having fun. If people like it – great. If we hadn’t liked it, we would still have had fun.
c’t: Many of the geeks who enjoyed Wikipedia came from Germany .
Wales: We had a strong community in Germany right from the start. A lot of people developed a real passion for the project. Not just when writing articles, but also with the developers who advanced our software. The German community also helped us structurally. A German Wikipedian once told me a joke: What do you call two Germans? A club. What do you call three Germans? A club with problems. (laughs) So the community in Germany really wanted to create an organization. And what was created here at the time became a model for all local associations that have been founded around the world since then.
c’t: You once compared your role in the Wikipedia community with that english queen. Is that still like that?
Wales: I think it’s still like this: I have a certain role in the community – but I don’t really have any power. I try to remind people of the values on which Wikipedia is based. When there is a dispute in the community, I try not to get involved too much. But sometimes I do speak up.
Recently there was an example. There were two candidates for political office in the United States. We had an article about the incumbent but not one about her challenger. I asked why that is. It turned out: there was no targeted decision against the challenger. The fact that her article was deleted was the result of a whole series of decisions, for example about the relevance criteria of Wikipedia. It looked like a bug to me. It should be the goal of an encyclopedia that voters can find out about the candidate of one of the major parties for an important political office. But my role is not just to make the decision or to change the rules – I just made people aware of it.
c’t: For many people who are new to Wikipedia want, it is frustrating that they cannot understand the decisions. How would you describe the decision-making process?
Wales: (laughs) Even for people who have been involved in Wikipedia for a long time, this is sometimes frustrating. It is a very complex process, with many traditions. Sometimes the rules are written down, sometimes not. Much of it works on a social level. Some people have acquired a high status with their work, which makes it easier for them to enforce certain decisions than others who are new – especially if they are quick-tempered.
c’t: One The primary goal of the Wikimedia Foundation was to make Wikipedia big in developing countries. But a success like that in Germany is still missing. Why is this?
Wales: There are a number of reasons. Where there are problems with financing education and generally available Internet access, Wikipedia has a harder time. My view is that we as Wikimedia should invest more money in these countries. Of course, some of the pilot projects will fail. But in my opinion this is extremely important for the mission of Wikipedia.
c’t: One of the newest sister projects of Wikipedia is Wikidata. In just a few years, it has brought together a billion factual statements.
Wales: I am fascinated by Wikidata. I think the project has great potential. We know that many services such as voice assistance systems are based on a treasure trove of data that is proprietary. Google, Apple and Amazon control all of this knowledge. I see that as a problem. In contrast, Wikidata is completely open. My hope is that there will be many developers who know what to do with this treasure trove of data.
c’t: Companies like Google, Apple and Amazon love Wikidata and some of them already use the database quite extensively. Is that what you want?
Wales: I think it’s like open source software. People can use it if they can find a use for it.
c’t: A new project is trying to generate readable articles from Wikidata’s data repository. Is this the future of Wikipedia? Can you imagine articles being written by artificial intelligence rather than humans?
Wales: I think there is still a long way to go. For example, a lot of people are very impressed with the texts that are created using the GPT-3 AI model. But the reality is: Even if the lyrics sound plausible, many of the results are pure nonsense. On the other hand, I see many uses for AI technology. Programs could search Wikipedia for statements that seem to contradict each other. But these results should then be checked by a person.
Significantly more complex applications would also be possible, for example to check whether an article has a certain bias or really reflects what is in the linked source stands. Of course, this is not a program that you can hack together in C ++ in five minutes. If the result has an acceptable success rate, then using AI for Wikipedia could make a lot of sense.
folder 3 / 2021 In c’t 3 / 2021 we tested WiFi routers. We wanted to know what advantages Fritzbox & Co. with Wi-Fi 6 bring over the previous models. How you can secure your communication reliably and without loss of comfort, we explain in a major focus. Many users are currently working from home and have to share the management with their family members – a new tariff and short contract periods could help. We also tested fast SSDs, inexpensive 5G smartphones and much more. You can read these and other topics in c’t 3 / 2021. The output is from 15. 1. 2021 available in the Heise shop and at the well-stocked newspaper kiosk.
The end has finally come for Adobe Flash on the Raspberry Pi. What once powered many memes and early Internet games is no more. With the latest update to Raspberry Pi OS, Adobe Flash has been removed from the official Raspberry Pi operating system but this brings about an issue of its own.
Adobe Flash was once the darling of the late 1990s and early 2000s web. Embedded games, interactive interfaces and full blown applications were built with Flash, but over time it became bloated, buggy and a security risk. The removal of Flash from Raspberry Pi OS has been on the cards for quite some time and with the January 11 update they have finally removed it. The removal of Flash does have one impact on Raspberry Pi OS. The popular Scratch 2 programming application will now no longer work as it relies upon Flash. So before you update your Raspberry Pi to the latest OS, ensure that your projects work with the Scratch online editor.
Looking through the release notes, the other changes to Raspberry Pi OS in this release are largely bug fixes for the new PulseAudio configurations introduced in the December 2020 update. There are a few fixes for the Chromium web browser, notably removal of artifacts in Google Maps 3D view. An updated Linux Kernel, now 5.4.83 and updated Raspberry Pi firmware keeps your Pi securely up to date.
Raspberry Pi OS is available from the Raspberry Pi website, where it can be downloaded as a disk image, or via the Raspberry Pi Imager tool.
Let’s be honest. This wasn’t the CES anyone wanted. We’ve been covering North America’s largest tech show for years, so we can definitively say that, without in-person booths and demos, it’s just not the same. The most interesting things at any show happen outside of the scripted press conferences where we get to see and touch products in person, talk to product managers off the record or wander the halls, looking for the unexpected.
However, even in a down year, there were some bright spots that give us hope for a tech-filled 2021. From a new generation of powerful AMD laptops to a super-sleek compact chassis and even an RGB mask, these are the hottest new products unveiled this week.
Best CPU: AMD Ryzen 5000 Mobile
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series granted the company the performance lead over Intel in desktop PCs for the first time in more than a decade, and now AMD has brought that same powerful Zen 3 architecture to laptops — and in record time.
The four-, six- and eight-core ‘Cezanne’ Ryzen 5000 Mobile series should bring the best of Zen 3 to laptops, granting the company the lead in single- and multi-threaded applications over Intel’s Tiger Lake chips that still top out at four cores. These powerful new chips will also find their way into gaming laptops hosting the fastest mobile GPUs, finally giving us high-end options for AMD’s mobile platforms.
The entire Ryzen 5000 Mobile lineup comes with threading enabled, higher clock speeds than their predecessors, and brings AMD’s innovative new boost technology to laptops for the first time, which promises higher performance in lightly-threaded work and longer battery life. AMD even threw in two new overclockable HX-series models that support core, memory, and fabric overclocking, which could be a potent combination with the company’s RDNA2 mobile GPUs that land later this year. — Paul Alcorn
Read more:AMD Announces Ryzen 5000 Mobile ‘Cezanne’ Processors, Zen 3 and Overclocking Comes to Laptops
Best GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 12GB
(Image credit: Nvidia)
Nvidia effectively wins this one by default, because nothing else was really announced. Sure, GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs are coming to gaming laptops as well, but those are just power-optimized versions of the Ampere GPUs we already know and love — well, those of us who are lucky enough to have found one in stock, at any rate.
The GeForce RTX 3060 sounds like an amazing value proposition. Performance looks like it should come pretty close to matching the RTX 2070 Super, a card that launched at $500. What’s more, Nvidia has elected to go with a 12GB VRAM configuration, which is more memory than any of the other RTX cards outside of the RTX 3090 and Titan RTX. It’s about time, I say! Plenty of games won’t need 12GB, but there are enough that now creep past 8GB that it’s a welcome change, and 6GB definitely wouldn’t feel right on a $330 mainstream card that’s supposed to last a few years.
The real question: Is there a chance in hell that Nvidia and its partners will have enough RTX 3060 cards available at launch to satisfy the demand? My crystal ball is literally laughing at me for even asking, and suggesting I check back around Computex time to see if things have improved. — Jarred Walton
Read more:Nvidia RTX 3060 (12GB) Coming in Feb for $329
Best Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
(Image credit: Lenovo)
In the ultraportable category, CES 2021 was dominated by business laptops to go with the launch of Intel’s 11th Gen vPro mobile processors. Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Titanium impressed with its looks and the thoughtfulness given to its design. The 3:2 aspect ratio on the 13.5-inch, 2K display is great for all types of work, as it provides a taller screen. It also makes for a much better tablet experience than a 16:9 laptop. That display also promises Dolby Vision HDR support, while the audio will come from Dolby Atmos speakers.
At 0.45 inches thick, the Titanium Yoga is the thinnest ThinkPad ever, but still tested to military standards. While we haven’t had hands-on due to the virtual nature of CES this year, it looks like it will be a stunning and lightweight convertible 2-in-1at just 2.54 pounds. — Andrew E. Freedman
Nvidia’s new RTX 30-series mobile GPUs and new processors from both Intel and AMD meant a slew of gaming notebooks at this year’s CES. But the MSI Stealth 15M was one of very few to utilize both a new processor and GPU. This laptop is, at 0.6 inches thick, somewhere in-between full-on gaming and an ultraportable. It’s combining a 35-watt Intel Core i7-11375H CPU with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q GPU, which should be somewhat formidable for most games.
The all-aluminum stylings and black and white color options appear quite slick. Some of MSI’s other ultraportable gaming options, like GF75, will offer a 45W processor and similar GPU, but it’s also a bit bulkier. For those who want it thin, the Stealth is one of a few laptops in an area we’ll keep a close eye on. — Andrew E. Freedman
Read more: MSI Debuts Stealth 15M With Tiger Lake H35, Powerhouse GE76 Raider
Best Case: iBuyPower Revolt 3 MK3
(Image credit: iBuyPower)
Taking credit for perhaps the most improved product at this year’s CES, iBuyPower’s Revolt 3 MK3 desktop is a drastic departure from the
Revolt 2
’s RGB and glass-heavy horizontal design. Instead, what we’ve got here is a compact tower with no glass or RGB but plenty of vents on all sides.
Not only does that give it a more understated look that’s easier to fit into your typical office and plenty more space for air to enter and escape the machine, but it’s also more equipped to take advantage of the small form factor footprint that unifies the Revolt line. A handle on the top makes this case easy to pick up for transport, plus it’s got a hook on either side for holding peripherals like headsets.
The side of the case also has a swing-out door for housing a 280mm radiator, plus you can also add on an optional 80mm exhaust fan at the top. The case also comes with a 700 W SFX-L power supply pre-installed alongside pre-routed cables, which makes for one less component you’ll need to buy and should make for less cable clutter.
The key drawback here is the potential for noise. We’ll have to get our hands on it ourselves to say anything definitive, but all those holes do mean you’re probably not going to have much sound dampening.
But that’s an easy tradeoff for such a step forward in usability and looks compared to the oddly-shaped Revolt 2. Plus, you’ll be can get the Revolt 3 MK3 in white too. — Michelle Ehrhardt
Read more: iBuyPower Goes Back to Basics (In a Good Way) With Revolt 3 MK3 SFF PC and Case
Best Motherboard: EVGA Z590 Dark
(Image credit: EVGA)
Intel’s Rocket Lake-S CPUs may not quite be here yet, but motherboard makers rarely let a CES go by without a cadre of new boards to show. And over the last couple of days, we’ve seen details of nearly 50 Z590 motherboards land in our inboxes. While many are intriguing, the EVGA Z590 Dark stands out.
The design of the E-ATX board has an understated aggressiveness, with its large copper heatsinks and black…well, pretty much everything else. The board backs up its aesthetics with a crazy overbuilt 22-phase VRM and a 10-layer PCB. Most of the connectors are angled, to help in hiding cables, which is aided by a cutout in the area of the 24-pin power and USB header connectors.
The board’s primary oddity is a CPU socket that’s rotated 90 degrees. That could complicate some cooler setups, and you only get two RAM slots. But the latter is a nod to memory overclockers, who often get better results on two-slot Mini-ITX boards. No word yet on rated supported RAM speeds, but you can bet they’re going to be among the fastest on the market. And while you lose RAM slots, the board ships with an extra pair of SATA ports (8 total), so you can probably plug in every functional SATA drive you’ve got in a drawer or a box in the back of your closet. For faster storage, the EVGA Z590 Dark has three M.2 slots. And if 11 drives isn’t enough for you, you may want to consider a drive storage rack, or perhaps talking to a professional about your digital hoarding disorder. — Matt Safford
Read more:
EVGA’s New Z590 Dark Motherboard Offers The Meanest Look
Best Monitor: LG UltraFine 32EP950
(Image credit: LG)
There’s no denying the image quality boost offered by OLED, with its deliciously deep blacks. When it comes to PC monitors though, finding an OLED screen in a size that can comfortably sit atop a desk has been virtually impossible. Enter the LG UltraFine 32EP950, an OLED stunner in an eye-pleasing 31.5-inch form factor.
LG’s 4K OLED monitor targets professionals with a lot of color (a claimed 99% of DCI-P3). But enthusiasts of any kind will appreciate the bevy of ports, which includes DisplayPort, HDMI and even USB-C with 90W charging.
But what really makes this UltraFine ultra fine is that it brings us closer to being able to put the amazing contrast of OLED right in our home office without necessarily breaking the bank — or desk like you would with the more common, larger OLED TV alternatives. — Scharon Harding
Read more:LG Debuts 31.5-Inch OLED Monitor At CES 2021
Best Concept: Razer Project Hazel
(Image credit: Razer)
CES 2021 was different this year, for all the reasons our lives are different right now. But we certainly didn’t expect to see Razer, a gaming-focused company, make a concept mask that might even make the category kind of cool.
Project Hazel is not for sale — and may never be. But the ideas make sense. It’s clear to allow you to see others’ emotions, as well as for the hard of hearing to be able to read lips. There are voice amplifiers so that you aren’t muffled by the mask. The case is also a charger, and it has UV lights to disinfect the mask. The whole thing would be an N95 respirator, and oh, yeah, there are two Chroma RGB rings.
There are some questions we have, like if the mask’s ability to let in fresh air and expel CO2 would completely protect against an airborne virus like the one that causes COVID-19. But the thoughtful ideas could make for an improved mask in a world where it looks like we’ll be wearing them more often. — Andrew E. Freedman
Read more: Razer’s Project Hazel Is an RGB Face Mask for Our New Normal
Best Keyboard: Asus ROG Claymore II
(Image credit: Asus)
Tenkeyless (aka TKL) keyboards are very popular with gamers, because they save space by doing away with the numeric keypad many people only use for work. However, there are times when you really need those extra keys and Asus’ new ROG Claymore II keyboard has the answer: a numpad that slides on and snaps into its right side.
The Claymore II works in both wired and high-speed 2.4 GHz wireless modes. You can also swap out the USB-C cable with one of your own.
This keyboard also uses Asus’s own opto-mechanical keys in either Blue or Red style. This allows for less key wobble than traditional mechanical keys and lets more RGB light through. — Avram Piltch
Read more:Chop off Your Numpad with the Asus ROG Claymore II
Best Mouse: Thermaltake Argent M5 RGB Gaming Mouse
(Image credit: Thermaltake)
We didn’t see a lot of mice at this year’s CES, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t still a clear winner. Thermaltake’s peripherals have been less than beautiful in the past, but this year’s CES saw a change in direction for the company with its new Argent line. Meaning “silver,” the idea behind Argent is to pair Thermaltake’s impressive technical features with premium build quality and silver finishes.
Take the Argent M5 RGB Gaming Mouse, our favorite mouse from this year’s show. While it does separate itself from the rest of the Argent line with a black main body, it’s still got a slick, symmetrical look that’s highlighted by RGB alongside its sides and bottom and a textured metallic silver scroll wheel on top. Achieving that symmetrical look means that the design here is ambidextrous, which can be a mixed bag for right-handed gamers, but lefties will be sure to appreciate the extra usability.
On the inside, the Argent M5 is packing DPI support from 100 to 16,000, plus a polling rate under 1ms and 64Kb of memory. The mouse’s 8 programmable buttons also use Omron switches, and the wired version’s cable is both braided and detachable.
That’s right- the Argent M5 also comes in both wired and wireless options, which gives it plenty of versatility. The wireless version of the mouse does lose RGB along its bottom and sides, likely to save battery life, but in exchange, it can connect over either Bluetooth 5.0 or 2.4GHz using a USB adapter.
All of this leaves us with a powerful, versatile Thermaltake pointer that finally looks the part. — Michelle Ehrhardt
Read more: Thermaltake’s Attractive Argent Peripherals Pair Silver and RGB Elements
Best Headset: Lenovo Legion H600
(Image credit: Lenovo)
It’s hard for a headset to stand out in an all-virtual CES. After all, we can’t test the audio quality, comfort or even durability. But what makes the Lenovo Legion H600 innovative actually has nothing to do with any of those characteristics. The standout feature is the wireless headset’s ability to charge wirelessly. But unlike other wireless charging gaming headsets we’ve seen, the Legion H600 gets its charge all while hanging attractively in its headset stand.
Sadly, you’ll need a specific headset stand to make this happen. The Legion S600 Gaming Station comes at an additional cost but also brings its own Qi wireless charger, as well as two USB Type-A passthrough ports. We’d rather the cans and headset stand/charger come bundled together. But if you’re willing to make the investment this looks like a clean, clever way to charge and store your cans, as well as other devices. — Scharon Harding
Read more:Lenovo’s Legion H600 Is a Wireless Charging Headset That May Actually Make Sense
Samsung’s big Unpacked event is in the books and with all the limelight focused on the three new Galaxy S phones, it’s would be easy to miss out on the Galaxy Smart Tag – Samsung’s latest Bluetooth tracking tile. It comes in two variants – Smart Tag that uses Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy (LE) and Smart Tag+ that leverages Ultrawide Band (UWB) and will launch later this year.
Both trackers help you locate missing items when you attach them to whatever you see fit. You can clip them up to your keys, wallet, backpack or even to your pet’s leash. They pair with Samsung’s SmartThings app and you can then check out the tag’s last location, and play a sound to help you locate it in tight spaces. The trackers have a range of 120m.
They also serve as a one-touch IoT control meaning it can switch on or off connected Samsung appliances like TVs, robot vacuums and other appliances. Both are IP53 water and dust resistant.
The Smart Tags will be compatible only with Galaxy smartphones, tablets and wearables, though, which limits their use case.
The regular Galaxy Smart Tag goes for $29.99/€34,90 while the Tag+ will retail for $39.99. Both will be available in packs of two as well which will lower the price per item. Sales are scheduled to being on January 29.
Creative Technology announces Sound Blaster Z SE , the latest addition to the popular Sound Blaster Z series. It features game profiles, such as EQ presets for microphone and headphones
by Rosario Grasso published on 14 January 2021 , at 19: 21 in the Peripherals channel Creative Sound Blaster
Equipped with the same high quality audio specifications of the its predecessor with an SNR up to 24 dB and a bit rate of 24 – bit / 192 kHz, Sound Blaster Z SE offers an additional boost for gaming and entertainment audio. Includes additional optimized profiles and EQ presets for the microphone.
The return of Creative with Sound Blaster Z SE
Sound Blaster Z SE now supports virtual 7.1 on the headphones and the 5.1 discrete on the speakers and includes a list of profiles for headphones, so as to offer the best possible listening experience. Among the headphones for which the profile is available, we find Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, Corsair HS 50 and Philips Fidelio X2HR . The Sound Blaster Z SE card is equipped with headphone amplifier capable of powering studio headphones up to 600 Ω.
Sound card supports also the ASIO protocol (Audio Stream Input / Output) for low latency and high fidelity audio. Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect encodings also offer additional output options to your external audio devices. More details can be found on the Creative website.
All these new features are easily accessible via the updated software Sound Blaster Command , where users can enjoy the news and improvements of audio technologies, which are fully customizable. Among other features, the SBX game profiles , which are adjusted and optimized in the studio to offer the better sound in every game. For those who already own Sound Blaster Z, the latest version of Sound Blaster Command can be downloaded from the dedicated page.
As fans with a few years on their shoulders, Creative and Sound Blaster are the brands that made the history of computer audio. In recent years he has tried to be as innovative as possible with the projects Sound Blaster Roar and Sound Blaster X7 aiming at the new generation of mobile networks by connecting the world of computers, smartphones and tablets.
In 2016, Creative unveiled the X-Fi Sonic Carrier : a new concept of high-resolution audio and video for home entertainment. Latest headphone technology called b> Sound Blaster Roar and Super X-Fi . This technology uses Artificial Intelligence to calculate a personalized audio profile based on a person’s specific needs.
Follow us on ours Instagram channel , lots of news coming !
Short tests: screen capture tool, image manager and product scanner app TechSmith Snagit 2021 ACDSee Photo Studio 2021 Ultimate CodeCheck TechSmith is expanding its Snagit screen capture tool with design tools and color templates: It also offers useful functions such as a simplify tool and color schemes.
In the free version, ACDSee is an image viewer. Anyone who opts for one of the paid versions will also receive a photo management, a raw developer and an export tool in the largest expansion stage “Ultimate”.
After scanning the barcode, CodeCheck lists the ingredients of packaged foods. The app not only shows how salty the chips are, but also which additives you should rather avoid.
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The new mini drone from DJI still has folding booms for easier transport, is about the size of a 6-inch smartphone when folded and weighs only 249 grams. Externally, the successor to the DJI Mavic Mini is only on by an LED on the front, the word “Mini 2” and the small “4K” imprint of the camera from its predecessor.
While the controller of the Mavic Mini made a rather makeshift impression, the Mini 2 comes with a decent remote control that can handle mobile devices up to 6.5-inch Holds display and additional control panel on its top. The controller is much better in the hand.
The new 2240 mAh battery now allows a flight time from to 31 minutes.
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The VR mode of the Flight Simulator promises a real feeling of being in the middle. We have tested it with several VR glasses and give tips for the best flight experience.
12. 01. 2021 20: 38 Clock
Of
Alexander Spier Martin Fischer Microsoft Flight Simulator VR in a practical test: The killer app for virtual reality? Wide VR support Every beginning is cumbersome Take off in VR: impressive feeling of flight Individual meetings Conclusion Swap a desk chair for a cockpit seat: The virtual reality update of Microsoft Flight Simulator promises to lift the flight experience to a new level. Instead of staring at the flat monitor, you can now sit in the simulated pilot’s cockpit with VR glasses and look around naturally, enjoy the view of the landscape and, of course, control the aircraft at the same time.
While Microsoft’s flight simulation was able to cast its spell over even less ambitious amateur pilots thanks to its realism and graphic splendor, the VR mode has the potential to convey a realistic flight feeling. Getting started is easy with broad support for virtually all common VR glasses on the market. In addition, even players with limited space get a great flight experience right in the middle – without a complex, expensive and space-consuming multi-monitor setup.
However, at first glance the Flight Simulator does not provide the best conditions for VR With. After all, he is hungry for hardware and, in order to avoid nausea, is regarded as a minimum 61 Images per second can be created even with high-end -Graphics cards not reliable. We therefore put on the VR glasses, including an HP Reverb G2 as well as the Rift S and Quest 1 from Oculus, and completed some VR flying lessons.
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Your own annual CO₂ footprint can be estimated using the climate fund. The clear and interactive medium is particularly suitable for teaching purposes.
Three flights, a lot of exotic fruit and electricity from the conventional power plant – that does 13, 5 tons CO 2 – consumption per year. With the Klimakasse, interested parties can get a feeling for how high their CO 2 footprint is and how much in just a few minutes the areas of consumption, mobility, nutrition and energy contribute to this. I developed it for the Greenpeace group Wuppertal, where it will be used in the future at information stands.
The checkout includes a series of 3D-printed models with built-in NFC tag stickers, which represent different areas of life and consumption habits. A wind turbine stands for the use of green electricity, while a power plant stands for conventional energy. Anyone who has treated themselves to a two-week cruise scans the cruise ship and a large mobile phone symbolizes high spending on entertainment electronics.
Each participant selects the models that apply to him and pulls them over the built-in NFC scanner. The scanned inputs are recognized by the microcontroller, an ESP 8266, and are displayed on the screen with their ” Price “, ie the respective annual CO 2 emissions, listed, similar to a receipt. A piezo buzzer also provides the appropriate noises.
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