Devine Concepts

Mobile Electronics Expert in Naples, Florida

ARTICLES

Drone Telematics is Ideal for Families with Young Drivers

-

Young Drivers

If there’s a young driver in your family, upgrading your vehicle with a telematics system like Drone is a great way to know where they are and how they’re driving. Drone combines high-speed cellular LTE connectivity with an onboard GPS receiver to relay the exact location of the vehicle to your smartphone or the Drone website. You can even configure geofence notifications, so you know when the vehicle arrives at or leaves a specific location. Let’s look at how these features work to help keep parents calm when their kids are driving the family car or truck.

GPS-Based Vehicle Locating

The X1-MAX, X1R and DR-5400 Drone modules include an integrated GPS receiver antenna. Location information is visible within the DroneMobile app on your iOS or Android smartphone or on the Drone website. The GPS locating capability is impressively precise. This accuracy lets you know which side of a driveway you’re parked on or exactly where the car is in a mall parking lot.

If your son or daughter is out with the car, you can check their location and speed while they’re on the move. If you expect them home at 10:30, you can see whether they’ve left their friend’s house or movie theatre, or if they’re just around the corner.

Young Drivers
When you use the Drone app to find the location of a vehicle, you can click on the icon to see how fast the car is traveling.

Geofences Deliver Instant Alerts

A lot of families allow their kids to use the family vehicle to go to work at a part-time job. By logging into the Drone website, you can create alerts based on an address or a geographic area on a map. The website allows you to set these warnings (called geofences) based on a radius around the chosen location or using a rectangle or adjustable polygon. Another option is to use the POI (Point of Interest) feature to set an alert. You can enter the address of a business or someone’s house, and the Drone system will let you know when the vehicle arrives at or leaves that location.

Young Drivers
Using the POI feature on the Drone web interface, any time the vehicle enters this geofenced area, family members with DroneMobile on their smartphone will get an alert.

As you can see from the above screenshot, this family has configured the system to let them know when their son arrives at the drugstore where he works. This information will also be recorded in the Activity Log so that it can be reviewed later.

Young Drivers
When the vehicle arrives at the geofence location, the DroneMobile app pushes an alert to the user’s smartphone.

Speed Warnings Promote Safety

You can always click on the Location tab, then click on the vehicle icon to see how fast it is traveling. Likewise, you can configure the system to send an alert to your smartphone if the vehicle exceeds a preset speed limit.

Young Drivers
You can configure the Drone system to send you an alert anytime the vehicle exceeds a preset speed. These alerts can provide insight into how your child is driving.
Young Drivers
A notification that the vehicle has exceeded the speed limit you configured on the Drone website.

The Curfew Alert feature is another way to monitor the use of your vehicle. Once you’ve configured a start and stop time, the system will send a notification if the vehicle moves during that time period. There’s no way to sneak out at night with the car when this is activated.

Young Drivers
You can configure the start and end times for Curfew Alerts in the Drone web interface.

Drone Reduces Parent Stress

Most of us trust our children to take care of our vehicles. That doesn’t mean that we don’t worry when they’re driving. With Drone on board, we can check their location and speed as often as we want. Visit your local authorized Drone retailer to have the hardware installed in your vehicle, then choose from the Premium, Premium Plus or Ultimate service plan packages. You can learn more about the fantastic features of Drone by visiting their website, Facebook page, Instagram page and Twitter, or their YouTube channel.

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

Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Audio Distortion – Part 1

-

DistortionWhen we talk about any signal, be it audio, video or data, there is an accompanied reality for alterations and errors made to that signal as it passes through different electronic components, conductors or magnetic fields. While we get concerned when we hear that a component introduces distortion or when we read distortion specifications, distortion is part of nature and is simply unavoidable. Until any distortion reaches a significant level in an analog signal, it can’t be heard or seen.

Starting With A Foundation in Audio Distortion

With that in mind, let’s create a foundation for observing and understanding the properties of an audio signal in the electrical and frequency domains. This information will serve as the foundation for understanding distortion in part two of this article.

Any signal, be it Direct Current (DC) or Alternating Current (AC), can be analyzed in two ways – in its time domain or frequency domain. Understanding the difference between these two observation domains will dramatically simplify the life of anyone involved in the mobile electronics industry.

When we observe a signal in the time domain, we are looking at the amplitude of the signal relative to time. Normally, we would use a voltmeter or oscilloscope to look at signals in the time domain. When we consider a signal in the frequency domain, we are comparing the amplitude (or strength) of individual frequencies, or groups of frequencies within the signal. We use an RTA (real time analyzer) on a computer or handheld/benchtop devices to look at the frequency domain.

Direct Current

When analyzing the amplitude of an electrical signal, we compare the signal to a reference; in 99% of applications, the reference is known as ground. For a DC signal, the voltage level remains constant with respect to the ground reference and to time. Even if there are fluctuations, it is still a DC signal.

If you were to chart the frequency content of a DC signal, you would see it is all at 0 hertz (Hz). The amplitude does not change relative to time.

Let’s consider the DC battery voltage of your car or truck. It is a relatively constant value. Regarding amplitude versus time, it sits around a 12.7-12.9 volts on a fully charged battery with the vehicle off. When the vehicle is running and the alternator is charging, this voltage increases to around 13.5 to 14.3 volts. This increase is caused because the alternator is feeding current back into the battery to charge it. If the voltage produced by the alternator was not higher than the resting voltage of the battery, current would not flow and the battery would not be recharged.

Alternating Current

AC Signal – Time

DistortionIf we look at an AC signal, such as a 1 kHz tone that we would use to set the sensitivity controls on an amplifier, we see something very different. In the case of a pure test tone like this, the waveform has a sinusoidal shape, called a sine wave. If we look at a sine wave on an oscilloscope, we see a smoothly rolling waveform that extends just as much above our reference voltage as it does below.

AC Signal – Frequency

DistortionIt is now wise to look at this same signal from the perspective of the frequency domain. The frequency domain graph will, if there is no distortion, show a single frequency. In consideration of an audio signal, the amplitude (or height) of that frequency measurement depends on how loud that single frequency is relative to the limits of our recording technology or measurement device.

Audio

When we listen to someone speak or play a musical instrument, we hear many different frequencies at the same time. The human brain is capable of decoding the different frequencies and amplitudes. Based on our experiences, and the differences in frequency and time response between one ear and the other, we can determine what we are hearing, and the location of the sound relative to ourselves.

Analyzing the time domain content of an audio signal is relatively easy. We would use an oscilloscope to observe an audio waveform. The scope will show us the signal voltage versus time. This is a powerful tool in terms of understanding signal transmission between audio components.

A Piano Note

Middle C – Time

DistortionLet’s look at the amplitude and frequency content of a sound most of us know well. The following graph is the first 0.25 seconds of a recording of a piano’s middle C (C4) note in the time domain. This represents the initial hit of the hammer onto the string. If you look at the smaller graph above the larger one, you will see the note extends out much further than this initial .25 second segment.

Middle C – Frequency

DistortionWe know that the fundamental frequency of this note is 261.6 Hz, but if you look at the frequency domain graphs, we can see that several additional and important frequencies are present. These frequencies are called harmonics. They are multiples of the fundamental frequency, and the amplitude of these harmonics is what makes a small upright piano sound different from a grand piano, and from a harp or a guitar. All of these instruments have the same fundamental middle C frequency of 261.6 Hz; their harmonic content makes them sound different. In the case of this piano note recording, we can see there is a large spike at 523 Hz, then increasingly smaller spikes at 790 Hz, 1055 Hz, 1320 Hz and so on.

Sine vs Square Waveforms

Every audio waveform is made up of a complex combination of fundamental and harmonic frequencies. The most basic, as we mentioned, is a pure sine wave. A sine wave has only a single frequency. At the other end of the spectrum is a square wave. A square wave is made up of a fundamental frequency, then an infinite combination of odd-ordered harmonics at exponentially decreasing levels. Keep this in mind, since it will become important later as we begin to discuss distortion.

Noise Signals

Noise is a term that describes a collection of random sounds or sine waves. However, we can group a large collection of these sine waves together and use them as a tool for testing audio systems. When we want to measure the frequency response of a component like a signal processor or an amplifier, we can feed a white noise signal through the device and observe the changes it makes to the amplitudes of different frequency ranges.

White Noise – Time

DistortionYou may be asking, what exactly is white noise? It is a group of sine waves at different frequencies, arranged so the energy in each octave band is equal to the bands on either side. We can view white noise from a time domain as shown here.

White Noise – Frequency

DistortionWe can also view it from the frequency domain, as displayed in this image.

Variations In Response

The slight undulations in the frequency graph are present because it takes a long time for all different frequencies to be played and produce a ruler-flat graph. On a 1/3-octave scope, the graph would be essentially flat.

Foundation For Time And Frequency Domains

There we have our basic foundation for understanding the observation of signals in the time domain and the frequency domain. We have also had our first glimpse into how harmonic content affects what we hear. Understanding these concepts is important for anyone who works with audio equipment, and even more important to the people who install and tune that equipment. Your local mobile electronics specialist should be very comfortable with these concepts, and can use them to maximize the performance of your mobile entertainment system.

If you’ve made it this far and want to learn even more about audio distortion, stay tuned for Part 2 of this article!

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

 

Control Your Vehicle with Google Assistant or Apple Siri

-

Google Siri Control

Drone from Firstech has made communicating with your vehicle more accessible than ever, thanks to integration with digital assistants like Google Assistant and Apple Siri. Remember when Michael Knight used to talk to KITT using a communicator on his watch? KITT could start the engine and be ready to go in a split-second once Michael arrived on the scene! If you’re feeling like recreating some classic ’80s television or simply want to unlock the doors of your vehicle without having to touch anything, Drone and the DroneMobile App have made this a reality.

DroneMobile and Apple Siri Control

Version 4.3 of the DroneMobile app for iOS adds Siri digital assistant integration using Shortcuts. Shortcuts is a scripting app that acts as a go-between for DroneMobile and Siri so that your voice commands can control your vehicle. Once configured, you can say, “Hey Siri, lock my car.” Siri will confirm the vehicle you want to lock using the name you entered on the Drone web interface. You can say “Yes,” and the vehicle will lock a second or two later. You can tell Siri to start your vehicle just as quickly. Just say, “Start my car.”

Google Siri Control
When you request an action, Siri will confirm the name of the vehicle using the information you provided in the Drone web interface.

Adding the shortcut from DroneMobile to your smartphone is easy. All you have to do is tap on the Add to Siri icon at the top of the Controls Screen. The Shortcut app will pop up and let you customize the command text. You can configure it to recognize any text command you want. If you want the standard “Start my car,” then click Add to Siri. Alternatively, you can enter a custom command string like “Fire up my ride” or “Kitt, it’s time for action.” Other Drone commands that are compatible with Siri and the Shortcuts app are Stop, Lock, Unlock, Trunk, Aux 1 or Aux 2.

Google Siri Control
The Controls screen in the Apple DroneMobile app has a direct link to add a Shortcut to Siri.

DroneMobile and Google Assistant

If you are an Android phone user or have a Google Nest smart speaker in your home or office, then you can integrate the Google Assistant app with DroneMobile to control your vehicle. You’ll need Version 4.4 of the DroneMobile app to make this happen. The Google Assistant and latest DroneMobile apps are, of course, available from the Google Play store.

Google Siri Control
Once you’ve linked DroneMobile with Google Assistant, it’s easy to send commands to your vehicle.

Drone has added an extra level of safety and security to its Android solution by including a PIN code. You can configure the PIN by logging into the Drone web interface, clicking on Edit Profile, then scrolling down to Unlock PIN.

Voice commands work a little differently on Android. If you want to remote start your vehicle, say, “Hey Google, use DroneMobile to start Kelly’s Truck.” In the background, Google Assistant launches the interface to DroneMobile, then transmits your request to start the vehicle. You’ll be asked to confirm the PIN for starting or unlocking commands. The system works best when you say the pin as a number, rather than a series of digits. So, one-thousand two-hundred and thirty-four trumps one two three four.

Google Siri Control
You can configure the remote start and unlock the PIN code using the Drone web interface.

Talking To Your Vehicle Is Easy

Giving your engine a few minutes to warm up while you gather your belongings in the morning can dramatically reduce wear on the engine and make the vehicle more comfortable if it’s hot or cold out. Being able to use voice commands with the latest versions of the DroneMobile app means you can multitask. When breakfast is finished, and you’re loading the dishwasher, just say, “Hey Siri, start my car.” All of the functions that work with your phone or smart speaker will also work with an Apple Watch or Android SmartWatch.

If you’d like to be able to use voice commands to control your vehicle, drop by your local authorized Firstech dealer and ask about the Drone telematics interface and a Compustar, Arctic Start, FTX or iDatastart vehicle security or remote starter system. You can find a dealer near you using the dealer finder. Be sure to visit the blog section on the Drone website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube to learn about any new features, products and technologies from Firstech and Drone.

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

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

A Close Look at the Four Drone Subscription Packages

-

Drone Subscription

Drone is a state-of-the-art vehicle control, monitoring and tracking solution from Firstech. Using lightning-fast LTE connectivity, the system will let you unlock the doors, pop the trunk, remote start and ensure that nobody is tampering with your vehicle — from almost anywhere on the planet. The Drone system requires a service package to let your smartphone connect to your vehicle. You have four packages to chose from, and each includes more features and information. Let’s take a close look at the functionality in each solution.

Drone Basic Subscription

Designed to provide remote control and security system (if equipped) feedback, the Basic package is an inexpensive way to make sure you are always connected to your vehicle. All packages include remote start, keyless entry, auxiliary output control and security system alerts. You can check the battery voltage and the temperature inside the vehicle at any time, from anywhere your smartphone has access to the internet.

Drone Subscription
You can check the temperature inside the vehicle using the DroneMobile app on your smartphone.

Drone Premium Subscription

Stepping up to the Premium package adds GPS location-based tracking features. You gain access to the GPS Car Finder feature so you can pinpoint the position of your vehicle in a matter of seconds. The Drone system can be configured to provide speed-based notifications to the user, so you will know if the kids or your employees are driving safely. Using the same technology, Curfew Monitoring will let you know if your vehicle moves after business hours or bedtime.

Drone Subscription
Users will get a notification if the vehicle exceeds a speed limit to ensure that everyone is driving safely.

Point of interest (POI) and geofence alerts are also included in the Premium subscription. You can define geographic areas that will trigger a notification on your smartphone when the Drone-equipped vehicle enters or leaves those zones. Setup for the location-based alerts is done through the web interface at accounts.dronemobile.com. The Premium package includes 10 point-of-interest locations and four geofences.

Drone Subscription
Geofences can be configured by street address or GPS coordinates. The boundaries can be fine-tuned to ensure that you receive notifications only when required.

The Premium package also offers maintenance reminders, so you’ll never forget when it’s time for an oil change. Likewise, diagnostic trouble code alerts will let you know if your vehicle has an issue that might require service.

Drone Subscription
Proper vehicle maintenance can save money in repair costs. Drone reminds you when it’s time for an oil change or regular service.

Premium Plus and Ultimate Packages

If you are a business owner, knowing where your assets are and how they are being used is crucial to managing your expenses. The Premium Plus and Ultimate packages are designed specifically for you. Both packages include a breadcrumb function. The Premium Plus package records a breadcrumb every two minutes, and the Ultimate records every 30 seconds. For clarification, breadcrumbs are location updates based on time. Every 30 seconds, or two minutes, the Drone system will note the location of the vehicle. Just like Hansel and Gretel, the system leaves a trail of location markings as the vehicle moves so you can review the route it has taken. Both packages also log turn-by-turn updates, and there are no limits to the number of geofence and point-of-interest notification locations you can add. Finally, the Ultimate plan includes location-based alerts, so you can be notified when your staff arrives at a client location.

Drone Subscription
Monitor where your vehicles travel and when with the Trip Report feature in the web interface.

History Log Information

All packages provide access to six months of activity in the History Log. You can sort information by vehicle or by the type of event for specific analysis. The information can be quickly and easily exported into a CSV file that will work with an external spreadsheet or database. The Trip Report option shows start and stop locations and times, based on the vehicle ignition being turned on and off. If any alerts are configured, they are added to the report.

Drone Subscription
Drone tracks where and how your vehicle is being used. This information is ideal for owners of company vehicles.

Communicate and Manage Your Vehicle with Drone

Whether you want the fastest unlimited-range remote control solution for a personal vehicle, or need detailed asset tracking for a fleet of company trucks or vans, Drone has a service package that delivers a perfect, easy-to-use solution. Visit your local authorized Drone retailer today for more information. You can find a shop using the Find a Dealer page on their website. For more information, follow Drone on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media pages, and check out the latest feature and tutorial videos on their YouTube channel.

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

Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX5500 Bluetooth Media Receiver

-

Sony XAV-AX5500

Sony’s new XAV-AX5500 media receiver not only covers all the ground, but it also raises the bar in terms of smartphone connectivity. Equipped with WebLink 2.0, you can see and control your compatible smartphone right from the 6.95-inch touchscreen on the radio. Of course, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, high-quality Bluetooth audio streaming and all the digital media support you’d ever want are also included. Let’s check it out!

Same Great Look with New Features

Sony XAV-AX5500The Sony XAV-AX5500 is an evolution of Sony’s famous XAV-AX5000 media receiver. The upgrades include WebLink 2.0 smartphone display technology that lets you cast most apps to your radio to see and hear all the action. Commands from the radio screen are fed back to the phone for easy and intuitive control. Waze and YouTube are two of the most popular applications for WebLink, and both offer an app icon on the WebLink home screen.

Users can upload home screen background images to the the XAV-AX5500 to express their style by personalizing the installation to their vehicle.

The XAV-AX5500 includes 5-volt preamp outputs instead of the 2 volts of signal available from the AX5000. This extra voltage will allow your installer to turn down the sensitivity controls on any external amplifiers to reduce background noise.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Smartphone Connectivity

Sony XAV-AX5500The AX5500 continues to offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity with its plug-and-play USB port. Both of these phone interface technologies use voice recognition to make it quick, safe and easy to access your music, make phone calls or send text messages using plain-English voice commands. Likewise, you can get turn-by-turn navigation directions to the address of your choice by simply asking.

Classic Style and Intuitive Interface Look Great in the Dash

Sony XAV-AX5500Sony has eschewed fancy colors and lines to offer a clean look that looks great in the dash of your car or truck. Six hard buttons, a large bezel-less 6.95-inch display with a capacitive touch interface and easy-to-understand menu options make this radio look great while streamlining the process of learning all the functions.

The AX5500 includes Bluetooth hands-free calling with an external microphone and high-quality audio streaming with album art display capability, thanks to AVRCP 1.3. You can have your retailer upgrade the radio with an SXV300v1 SiriusXM satellite radio tuner module for genre-specific music, information and entertainment.

Dual USB ports allow you to connect your smartphone for Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or WebLink Cast connectivity and play MP3, WMA or FLAC audio, or MP4, WMV or MKV videos from a USB memory stick connected to the other port. The USB ports provide 1.5 amps and 500 mA of charging current.

Vehicle Integration Features

Sony XAV-AX5500The XAV-AX5500 has a dedicated backup camera input jack so your installer can connect a backup camera and have it display automatically when the vehicle is in reverse. The radio also includes support for steering wheel audio control interfaces so you can use the factory buttons to change volume, tracks or stations.

The amplifier built into the AX5500 is rated to produce 20 watts of power into each of four channels. The radio includes adjustable electronic crossovers so that the built-in amp can be optimized for use with an external subwoofer system. Speaking of signal processing, the radio includes Sony’s Dynamic Soundstage Organizer. It helps create a realistic soundstage across the dash of your vehicle and is adjustable to accommodate any type of vehicle. Your installer can further fine-tune the sound of your system with the built-in 10-band equalizer and Extra Bass processing.

Installer-Friendly Design

Sony XAV-AX5500Your installer will love integrating the XAV-AX5500 into the dash of your vehicle, thanks to the compact chassis design. Instead of being 4 inches tall by about 6 inches deep, the rear chassis is 2 inches tall and an inch shorter. This design leaves more room for interface modules, wiring and RCA cables that are typically tucked behind the unit.

Upgrade Your Driving Experience with the Sony XAV-AX5500

If you’re shopping for a new radio for your car or truck, drop by your local authorized Sony car audio retailer and ask for a demonstration of the XAV-AX5500. From its intuitive interface, great looks and quick start-up process to the fantastic features and sound quality, we are sure you’ll be impressed. To learn more about this radio or any of the amazing Sony car audio products, visit their website. Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest product releases.

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