Comparison Phantom DVA-7110 vs Phantom DVA-7102

Tape recorders with a shortened body.

In this case, shortened means a case that has a shallower depth than classic radio tape recorders equipped with CD drives. Due to this, such models are quite compact, which, in particular, simplifies installation and facilitates wiring. Of course, CD / DVD discs are not supported in principle by such radio tape recorders, but this is not a serious drawback — nowadays there are quite enough alternatives to such media. Also note that the shortened layout does not affect the mounting size (see above) — it can be 1 DIN or 2 DIN, and standard solutions are even larger.

Media types supported by the car radio.

— CDs. Support for optical discs usually assumes at least compatibility with CD, the ability to work with DVD is somewhat less common . For more information about these types, see "Disk Types". Here we note that nowadays, disks are gradually being replaced by more compact and functional media — in particular, memory cards and USB devices; so many modern radio tape recorders, including high-end ones, do not have optical drives at all.

— Memory cards. Ability to work with removable memory cards, usually SD or microSD; the module for reading them is called a card reader. This feature is convenient primarily because such cards are supported by many other devices — in particular, laptops and photo / video cameras. The card reader facilitates the exchange of data between these devices: for example, a selection of music from a laptop can be written to a memory card. Note that the specific type of supported cards needs to be specified separately — the (micro)SD format includes several varieties that are not quite compatible with each other.

— USB drive (front). The ability of the radio to work with external USB-drives — " flash drives ", hard drives, MP3 players, etc. — to pla...y content directly from them. In this case, it means connecting such media to the USB connector located on the front panel of the radio — it is convenient because the connector is in close proximity, right at hand.

— USB drive (rear). Connecting USB drives (see above) through the rear panel. However, the external device is connected not directly to the rear panel, but to an external USB connector, which, in turn, is connected to the rear panel with a cable. Such a connector does not take up space on the front panel, but you can place it on a shelf under the dashboard — and the connected drive will not stick out of the radio, but lie neatly on the shelf. But in standard radios (see above), the “rear” connection can be carried out a little differently — there the cable from the rear panel can be connected to the standard USB socket on the instrument panel using a special connector.

— Connecting an iPod/iPhone. The ability to connect portable devices from Apple to the radio — primarily iPods and iPhone smartphones — through a special docking connector. Even the simplest options for such a connection, in addition to playing music, provide a number of additional features — in particular, control of the player's functions (for example, switching a track) from the control panel or remote control of the radio itself. And the most advanced models have a proprietary CarPlay system; for more information about it, see "Control functions".

— Android connection. The ability to connect smartphones and other devices based on the Android operating system to the radio. Connection methods may vary: for example, some radio models support only a wired connection, others can use Bluetooth (see "Multimedia"). The same applies to the set of functions available in each case, this point should be clarified according to the manufacturer's official data. Specific features include direct playback of music from the phone (with control through the radio), working with the contents of its drive, watching videos, using the radio as a car kit for receiving calls, etc. And in high-end models, there is support for Android Auto smartphone integration technology; for more information about it, see "Control functions".

The maximum size of the memory card or USB stick (see "Media type") that the radio can work with normally.

High-capacity drives require fairly high processing power and may use special technologies that are not supported by all radios. This is the reason for the limitation on the volume of supported media.

The number of bands in the radio equalizer.

In this case, the band means a separate part of the frequency range, the volume of which can be adjusted using the equalizer independently of the other parts. The more bands the equalizer has, the more accurately it allows you to adjust the overall sound of the car radio acoustics. However, note that multi-band equalizers are quite difficult to set up, therefore they are recommended primarily for experienced users.

The presence of a line input (see Line input) directly on the front panel of the car radio. Such an input can also be located behind the panel (folding or removable), however, with its external location, it is much more convenient to connect external signal sources (for example, an MP3 player) to the radio, since this does not require folding or removing the front panel.

The amount of RAM memory.

Many modern premium car radios, as well as regular models, are close in functionality to tablets or even laptops; this is especially true for models that carry a full-fledged Android operating system on board. Accordingly, information about such devices may also contain purely "computer" characteristics, such as the amount of random access memory (RAM). The more “RAM” ( 4 GB or even 6 GB) provided in the system (ceteris paribus), the better it works under intensive loads, the easier it is to cope with “heavy” tasks (for example, resource-intensive applications) and performing several tasks simultaneously.

At the same time, note that manufacturers of radio tape recorders, usually, equip their devices with a volume of RAM that is quite sufficient for solving basic tasks and working with built-in programs ( 2 GB or less). Therefore, quite often information about the amount of RAM is more marketing than practically significant — it is designed primarily to create an appropriate impression of the product. It makes sense to pay attention to this characteristic if you plan to run various additional programs on the device.

It is also worth noting that different software platforms have different requirements for RAM, and the characteristics of the processor (see below) also affect the overall performance. Therefore, only models w...ith similar processors and software can be compared with each other in terms of RAM.