10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with a Remote Car Starter

With summer coming to an end and frost in the forecast, there’s no better time to add a remote starter to your car, truck or SUV. Most of us know that our remote starter systems can also control the power locks in our vehicles, but many systems are full of additional advanced features that add convenience and improved comfort to our vehicles. Let’s look at 10 things you may not know your remote starter can do.

Before we dive in, we should let you know that the functions we are going to describe are dependent on the model of remote starter you choose, the remote you choose and the vehicle you own. Talk to your local mobile enhancement retailer about these options and any associated costs.

1. Rear Window Defroster Activation

You may know about this one, since it is probably the number-one option people add to their remote starter systems. If the interior of your vehicle is below a certain predetermined temperature when the car is remote started, the remote starter system can automatically activate the rear window defroster to help you see clearly when it is time to go. Even a few minutes of warm-up time can make clearing the rear window quick and easy before you get in the car. Likewise, some cars have sideview mirror defrosters tied to the rear window heating system for added convenience.

2. Trunk/Hatch Release

Trunk or hatch release from a multi-button remote isn’t all that exciting, but it sure is convenient. If your vehicle doesn’t happen to have a trunk release button, ask your retailer about adding a solenoid. Yep, they can add the power trunk function to most vehicles.

3. Remote Start Your Car from Your Phone or Apple Watch

Several different options for telematics systems use an application on your iPhone or Android phone to lock, unlock and remote start your vehicle. Several of these apps are compatible with the Apple Watch, so you can press a button on your wrist to warm up your vehicle.

4. Start Automatically When the Weather is Cold or Hot

Many remote starter systems can be programmed to start automatically when the internal vehicle temperature drops below or rises above a predetermined temperature. Temperature start will ensure the temperature does not get too extreme.

5. Start Every Few Hours or Daily

Some systems offer the ability to start every few hours. When the temperature outside is frigidly cold, keeping some warmth in the engine, fuel system and coolant is useful. You can toggle this function from most remote controls.

6. Protect Your Vehicle

A remote starter system can often be upgraded with security system functions. Starter kill, a siren and a multi-stage shock sensor help to ensure that would-be thieves are sent packing if they start messing with your vehicle. If you have a two-way remote control or a smartphone telematics system, you will be alerted as soon as the alarm goes off.

7. Control Power Sliding Doors

If you drive a van with motorized sliding side doors, your mobile enhancement retailed can often add control for those into your remote started. Most system includes one or two auxiliary outputs that can be used to open or close doors or power tailgates.

8. Control Power Windows and Sunroof

Remote starters are just as useful when the weather is hot as they are when it’s cold. In many applications, we can add a module that allows you to roll your windows up or down, and open or close your sunroof. Imagine arriving at your destination with your windows down and sunroof open. You get out of the vehicle and start walking away. When you press the lock button on your remote, all the windows roll up, and the sunroof closes automatically. It’s not only a convenient feature, but it’s kinda cool, too!

9. Control Multiple Vehicles

If there are two vehicles in your family with similar remote starter systems, you can often control both from a single remote control. Depending on your remote, you can toggle between vehicles, or control the second vehicle using an extra button press before the function you want to activate.

10. Extend the Life of Your Engine

Perhaps this should be the first item, because it’s one of the most important features a remote starter offers. Most people think they are buying a remote starter to make the vehicle more comfortable for them. While this is true, letting your engine warm up before you start driving can extend its life dramatically.

The oil in your engine is responsible for preventing metal-on-metal contact. When the engine is cold, the oil is thicker and has a harder time flowing. If you start your car and start driving right away, the oil may not be able to protect the engine. Even 2 minutes of warm-up time when it’s 40 degrees out can help warm up the oil and get it flowing. (Always be gentle on the gas until the engine has warmed up fully – remote started or not.)

Remote Car Starters Add Convenience

Even if you just want a head start on warming up your vehicle, a remote car starter is an excellent way to save time and improve your comfort. Talk to your local mobile enhancement retailer about the options that are available for your vehicle.

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.

Car Audio System Setup

It may seem as if they should be similar processes, but installing a new source unit, amplifiers and speakers in a car is unlike installing most home audio systems. It is not as simple as plugging things in and hoping they work. Proper integration of your new electronics into modern vehicles and their wiring is getting more and more complicated as complex factory sound systems become more involved. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the need to configure the equipment you have selected. Your installer will include this setup time in the cost to install your system. What does system setup and configuration involve? Read on to find out.

Signal-level Adjustments

When it comes to adding an amplifier to your vehicle, the most significant adjustment your installer will make is to adjust the amplifier’s sensitivity or gain control. Amplifiers have these controls so they can be compatible with a variety of different source units with different maximum output voltages.

Amplifiers are relatively simple devices in concept. They take an audio signal from your source unit and increase its voltage so it can drive a speaker. A 100 watt amplifier has to be able to increase a 1 volt signal more than a 4 volt signal to reach the 20 volts required to produce 100 watts into a 4 ohm speaker. The gain or sensitivity control lets us adjust for almost any source unit voltage.

Why Sensitivity Adjustments are Important

If the sensitivity of the amplifier is set too low, you will not be able to get the full power of your amplifier. If it is set too high, then you can drive the amplifier into distortion quite quickly. Too much “gain” can also add noise to the system in the form of hiss. A little extra is OK to allow quiet recordings to be played loudly, but too much is a surefire sign that whoever set up the system did not fully understand gain structure.

System Setup Tools

Different shops use different techniques to set gains on amplifiers. Some use an oscilloscope along with a set of test tones. Others use distortion detection devices like the SMD DD-1 or DD-1+. Finally, some installers are quite adept at setting up systems by ear, but that comes with years and years of experience.

As long as the system plays loudly without significant noise or distortion, the settings can be considered correct. If the system runs out of power at half-volume, then it needs some more adjustments.

Crossover Adjustments

There are two main advantages of adding a subwoofer to an audio system. A subwoofer provides more bass output than a typical set of door speakers could ever hope to produce. The secondary benefit is to relieve the small speakers of their requirement to try to produce bass. This reduction in bass reduces the distance the speaker cones have to move and directly reduces the potential for distortion. Midrange frequencies can be reproduced with improved clarity and at higher levels.

Tying this back to system tuning, how we set the crossovers built into your amplifier is crucial to ensuring that the output of your system blends perfectly between the midrange speakers and the subwoofer. If the crossover points overlap, there can be too much midbass, and the system will sound boomy or “honky.” If the crossover points underlap, the system probably won’t have enough midbass and will sound very dry and flat; the subwoofer can also sound “separated” from the system, reducing the coherence and realism of your music.

Speaker Polarity Adjustments

Because each vehicle is different, sometimes the direction a speaker faces requires that we wire it in reverse polarity for the output to combine properly from an acoustical standpoint. This requirement is very common with subwoofers, since they are often pointed in the opposite direction from the smaller interior speakers. Properly trained and equipped installers know how to measure the frequency response of a system and correct for that. In most cases, an audio analyzer is the best choice for setting up a system. These can be stand-alone units from companies like AudioControl and NTI or software-based solutions that work with a laptop, netbook or tablet.

Left-to-right speaker polarity, and the polarity between midrange drivers and tweeters, depends on placement and crossover slopes. These regions deserve analysis before a car leaves the install bay.

Leave It to the Experts

A properly tuned sound system will play louder, last longer and be much more enjoyable to listen to. As you can see from even from this overview, the tools and training required to maximize the performance of even a simple mobile sound system can be expensive and complicated. The staff at your local mobile enhancement retailer should be familiar with these processes and employ them on each installation they perform. Confirming this is part of your process in selecting a retailer that is qualified to work on your vehicle.

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.

Is Darker Window Tint Better?

In 1966, 3M developed the first window tinting solution to reflect the heat energy of the sun away and help keep the interior of your vehicle cool. Dozens of companies now manufacture window tint films and each has several different series of films with varied performance offerings. In the last few years, many companies have begun to offer window films that provide exceptional UV and IR energy reflection while allowing visible light to pass into the vehicle. Read on for a closer look at why darker window tint isn’t necessary to improve the comfort of your car, truck or motorhome.

Where Does the Heat Come from?

Most people think of the sun as a light source, but it is also responsible for a broad spectrum of electromagnetic energy. The majority of the energy that reaches the earth is visible light. There is also ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) energy.

UV energy causes sunburns and the coloring and dyes in materials to fade. IR energy is at the opposite end of the solar energy spectrum from UV energy. Infrared energy extends from the top of the visible light spectrum at 430 terahertz to beyond 300 gigahertz. Slightly more than half of the energy that reaches the Earth’s surface is infrared and is responsible for heating our planet and, subsequently, the interiors of our vehicles.

The heat energy produced by the sun is about 1,000 watts per square meter (equal to 10.76 sq. ft.) on the Earth’s surface in clear conditions. Luckily, our atmosphere blocks more than 70% of the total solar ultraviolet energy from reaching the surface. If it did not our lives would be much less comfortable.

Let’s Talk about Film Darkness

Visible light transmission, glare reduction, shade or darkness – whatever term you see quoted, they refer to how much visible light will pass through a film. A higher number represents the transmission of more light – 100% would be an entirely transparent film and 0% would represent a coating of black paint.

While it seems logical to want a dark film to keep the light and heat energy out of our vehicles, window films block light transfer in both directions. A dark film can make it harder to see around you at night. Choosing the best film for your application requires balancing how dark you want, local laws and, of course, your safety.

How Clear Window Films Work

Constructed of many layers, each with different properties, modern clear films are designed to reduce the transmission of infrared energy into your vehicle. It is hard to directly quantify the amount of heat energy that is blocked, because visible light is also responsible for heating. What we do know is that clear solar control films block significantly more heat energy for a given shade than conventional dyed, carbon or metallic films.

Is Darker Window Tint Necessary?

Within a particular series of window films from a manufacturer, a darker film offers more Total Solar Energy Rejection (TSER). Let’s look at the Black film series from Autobahn. Their Black 50 49% visible light transmission (VLT) film provides 30% TSER. Stepping up to the Black 30 film, rated for 31% VLT, solar energy rejection is rated at 36%. Their darkest film, called Black 05, offers 5% VLT and 43% total solar energy rejection. As you can see, darker films block more solar energy within the series.

To contrast this example, let’s look at the Ceramic Series from Huper Optik. Their Klar 85 film allows 85% of visible light to pass into your vehicle, but provides an incredible 32% TSER. You are right in thinking that it offers the same net performance as the Black 50. If we look at Ceramic 50, which is rated for 50% VLT, the TSER is an impressive 50%. Yep, that outperforms the Black 05. At the top of the Ceramic range is the Ceramic 05. This film has a 6% VLT rating and provides 75% TSER. That is more than 1.7 more energy rejection than Black 05.

To directly answer the question, darker films within a series block more energy. When comparing different brands of films or different series, the materials and construction used to manufacture a film determine its performance.

Comparing Specifications

Trying to determine the best film for your vehicle can be tricky. Film manufacturers, just like any other industry, like to manipulate specifications and terminology to produce figures that look impressive. When it comes to blocking thermal energy, the reflected or block infrared energy specifications are often generic or specified in a narrow band of IR frequencies. These inconsistencies make apples-to-apples comparison difficult. However, you can be confident that within a manufacturer’s range of products, unless explicitly specified, performance differences between shades and series will all be provided using consistent measurement techniques.

Install Comfort with an IR Blocking Window Film

As a general approach, if keeping the interior of your vehicle comfortable is your primary concern, then look for a ceramic or clear film solution. These products are designed to help make your vehicle more comfortable and ease the load on its air conditioning system. As a by-product of their premium status, ceramic and clear films often carry a lifetime warranty against fading, discoloration (turning purple), bubbling, peeling or cracking. You may invest a little more money upfront, but you can be confident that the film will offer protection and comfort for many years.

For more information about premium window films and having some installed on your vehicle, contact your local mobile enhancement retailer.

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.

What To Look for When Shopping for Motorcycle Audio Speakers

Now that the weather is great all across the country, motorcycle enthusiasts have a chance to get their bikes out and go for a ride – but many riders complain that the factory audio systems on their bikes don’t sound as good as they’d like. There are several reasons why, and a few relatively easy ways to upgrade these systems. A proper motorcycle audio system upgrade will include at least two components – an amplifier and a new set of motorcycle audio speakers. This article highlights a few things to look for when shopping for new motorcycle speakers.

Mother Nature is a Challenge

Unlike in a vehicle, when you are riding your motorcycle, your speakers are exposed to the elements. Sun, water, sand, dirt and debris are natural obstacles that can harm your speakers. When you are shopping for a new set of motorcycle audio speakers, you want to look for ones that are completely weather-resistant.

Water-resistant – Most speakers are made of plastics and metal. Within the motor structure of the speaker are ceramic or neodymium magnets bonded to ferrous metal plates. These metal plates must be protected from exposure to water. When it comes to coaxial speakers, there has to be a seal between the woofer cone and the tweeter post. If this seal does not exist, then water can get into the motor assembly and cause corrosion. In the marine speaker market, a test known as ASTM B117 exposes speakers to a salt fog spray to test for corrosion or material failure. If your speakers have this rating, you know you will have the reliability you are looking for to last for years.

Dust-resistant Design – Following the same theme as the requirement for water resistance, a motorcycle audio speaker should be able to operate reliably when dusty or dirty. A few specks of sand wedged between the voice coil former and the tweeter post of a coaxial speaker can wreak havoc on the performance of the system.

UV Exposure-rated – You want to look for a speaker that is constructed with materials that can withstand UV exposure. These plastics will not chalk, fade, crack or degrade, even after years of direct sun exposure. Having your speaker cones or surrounds fall apart after a few years on your bike is a frustrating experience. To confirm that the speakers you want to use are up to the challenge, look for ASTM D4329 testing. This test exposes the products to years of UV and heat exposure in a short amount of time. If they pass this test, you can trust they will work will on your bike.

Motorcycle Audio Systems Need Power

To reproduce your music at a volume level that can drown out the wind and overcome the noise of a loud exhaust, you need power. Adding an amplifier to your bike is a necessity to achieve adequate performance. Your new speakers have to handle the power from your amp.

The voice coil is the motor of your speaker. It converts the electrical signal from your amplifier into a magnetic field that pushes or pulls the speaker cone forward or backward. If you are sending a lot of power to the voice coil, it has to be physically large enough to dissipate the heat that is generated. Look for large-diameter voice coils; they act like the radiator in your car.

Can Looking at the Tweeter Tell Me Anything?

There are some strong stereotypes associated with hard- and soft-dome tweeters. Many say that hard, metal dome tweeters sound harsh and that soft-dome tweeters sound smooth and laid back. After listening to thousands of speakers, we can tell you that as many examples of each type of tweeter confirm this theory as oppose it.

No one single material selection can determine what a speaker sounds like. Every component in a speaker works as part of a system. The cone, surround, spider, voice coil and magnet structure all have an important role in determining the resulting performance of a speaker. The only way to know how a system sounds is to listen to it. That said, choosing materials that offer weather resistance and long-term reliability is crucial.

Where to Buy Your Motorcycle Audio Upgrades

We have seen many people buying bolt-on audio system upgrades at shows like Bike Week or Thunder Beach Fall Rally. The people selling products at these events may even offer to install them right at the show. Convenience and instant gratification are wonderful, but what happens when it comes to after-sales support? What if a speaker fails? What if you take the kit home and something doesn’t fit? You will have to track down the vendor and, unless they are local to you, pay someone to remove and replace the failed component.

When you deal with a dedicated retailer with a “brick and mortar” storefront, you know you will have the after-sales support that you want and deserve. If you have a question or concern, or decide you want additional upgrades, your retailer is there to support you every day.

Stick to the Big Names

If someone approached you at a cruise and said, “Hey, I designed these cool tires in my basement, do you want to try them?” – what would be your response? Unless this last person’s last name is Dunlop or Pirelli, you are going to be skeptical. That is a good thing.

You bought a Honda Goldwing, BMW K1600, or Harley-Davidson Road Glide or Street Glide because you are confident in the process that those manufacturers have put into developing and testing their products. Decades of engineering, design and innovation produce increasingly reliable and higher-performing products each year. Audio components are the same. A small company can go to Asia and have its name put on an order of speakers, but does anyone know what you are getting for your money?

Dealing with a reputable brand ensures that you will have product support long after the sale is complete. You are getting the latest technologies for incredible performance. FEA design analysis, Klippel testing, fanatical quality control and continued research are all hallmarks of dealing with a premium brand. Why take a risk with your audio investment?

Upgrade Your Motorcycle Audio System Today

When it is time to upgrade your existing audio system or add a new system to your motorcycle, visit your local mobile electronics specialist retailer. They have the products and experience to design an audio system that will sound great and be reliable for years to come.

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.

Fuses: To Serve and Protect!

Let’s face it: Accidents happen. Minimizing the collateral damage from an accident is important. When you have a mobile electronics system that includes installing an amplifier in your vehicle, a discussion about fuses or circuit protection should take place before the installation begins. Choosing the right device to ensure your system works as intended and is safe in the event something goes wrong is very important. Let’s talk about fuses.

What is a Fuse?

A fuse is a device that will disconnect a circuit when too much current passes through it. Fuses typically incorporate a small piece of metal with a specific amount of resistance. As current passes through the fuse, the piece of metal heats up. Up to a certain temperature, the circuit remains functional. If the current level increases, the fuse heats up more and will eventually fail, which protects the power source and load.

My Wire Needs a Fuse?

Two common locations in our audio systems need protection. Any power connection to the battery needs a fuse. Any electronic device connected to the vehicle electrical system should also have a fuse.

The fuse at the battery is there to protect the vehicle in the event of a short circuit. If it is installed incorrectly, the power wire may rub against a sharp object and wear through the jacket. Once the conductor touches the chassis, a short circuit will occur. Left unprotected, the only limiting factors in how much current passes is the internal resistance of the battery, the resistance of the power wire and the resistance of the connection to the chassis. In most cases, hundreds of amps of current will flow – if we don’t have a fuse on the battery.

Imagine a car with a big stereo system. There may be an upgraded AGM battery under the hood and a few huge amplifiers in the trunk. What if the unthinkable happens – the car is involved in an accident, and the chassis shorts to the power wire? Without a fuse on the power wire connection to the battery, both the wire and the battery will heat up very quickly and could easily start a fire.

Fuses in Our Devices

Recently, we experienced an instance where a radio was blowing the 15 amp fuse in its power harness as soon as it was plugged in. Even with all the speakers disconnected, it kept blowing fuses. It turned out there was an improperly soldered terminal on the internal amplifier in the radio. This poorly soldered connection was shorting the power connection to the chassis of the radio and, subsequently, to the ground. The 15 amp fuse in the harness prevented the copper traces on the circuit board from being destroyed. Our technician was able to clean up the solder connection, and we put the radio back into service.

Types of Fuses in Car Audio

More and more new fuses are introduced to automobiles each year as manufacturers strive to reduce weight and packaging sizes. On the aftermarket side, we use three common fuse styles.

AGC and AGU Fuses

AGC and AGU fuses are constructed from four components: a fusible link, a pair of end caps and a glass tube. The manufacturer solders the fusible link to one end cap, then slides the glass tube over the link before soldering on the other end cap. Many radio harnesses and lower-power devices use AGC fuses. For years, the larger-diameter AGU fuses were very popular in amplifier installation kits.

The problem with these fuses is that the quality and reliability of the internal solder connections can affect their performance. We have seen brand-new fuses out of package not work because the solder connection on one cap was incomplete.

Another consideration for AGC and AGU glass fuses is how we connect them to our power wire. In most cases, a terminal is pressed against the end cap using a sprung metal connection. As this connection heats up, it can loosen. For low-current applications, AGC fuses are acceptable. For moderate- to high-current applications, there are better alternatives.

ATC, ATM and Maxi Fuses

This style of fuse is composed of two components: a plastic housing and a stamped metal piece that includes the electrical connection tabs and current-limiting link. These fuses are compact and easy to install. They eliminate the connection that plagues the glass fuses, but they still suffer from problems when it comes to connecting them to the power wire. In almost all applications, sprung metal tabs are responsible for pressing the tabs of the fuse against the wire terminals. These can fail over time.

A common point of failure is the loop-type under-hood fuse holder that are included with aftermarket lighting kits. These molded holders include two female terminals connected to the input and output wire. After time and many heat cycles, these terminals can loosen, and the resulting resistance will cause the holder to fail. It should be noted that the current required to heat up the connection to the failing point is often less than what is required to blow a fuse.

ANL and Mini-ANL Fuses

In the mobile electronics industry, ANL and Mini-ANL fuses are the preferred option when it comes to protecting devices from over-current conditions. These fuses are constructed in the same way as an ATC, ATM or maxi fuse, with a single metal plate that is stamped to provide the connection terminals and the fusible link. A plastic housing snaps over or rivets to the device to enclose the link.

Where these fuses differ from the other two styles is in how they are connected to the wiring. A set of large blocks connects to the wire. Most of these blocks use set screws. The fuse is then attached to these blocks with a large-diameter bolt. Your installer can (and should) tighten the bolt to ensure that the electrical connection is solid and secure.

Protect Your Vehicle and Equipment

Whenever you have your installer adds an electrical device to your vehicle, it must be fused. Even a small-diameter wire for an auxiliary USB charge port, a radar detector or LED lighting can cause an impressive amount of damage when overheated. It will not only melt through its jacket, but will melt the wiring around it. Proper circuit protection is cheap insurance against having to call the insurance company. Your local mobile electronics specialist retailer would be more than happy to discuss how and where they fuse the equipment they install.

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.

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1. Rear Window Defroster Activation

2. Trunk/Hatch Release

3. Remote Start Your Car from Your Phone or Apple Watch

4. Start Automatically When the Weather is Cold or Hot

5. Start Every Few Hours or Daily

6. Protect Your Vehicle

7. Control Power Sliding Doors

8. Control Power Windows and Sunroof

9. Control Multiple Vehicles

10. Extend the Life of Your Engine

Remote Car Starters Add Convenience

Signal-level Adjustments

Why Sensitivity Adjustments are Important

System Setup Tools

Crossover Adjustments

Speaker Polarity Adjustments

Leave It to the Experts

Where Does the Heat Come from?

Let’s Talk about Film Darkness

How Clear Window Films Work

Is Darker Window Tint Necessary?

Comparing Specifications

Install Comfort with an IR Blocking Window Film

Mother Nature is a Challenge

Motorcycle Audio Systems Need Power

Can Looking at the Tweeter Tell Me Anything?

Where to Buy Your Motorcycle Audio Upgrades

Stick to the Big Names

Upgrade Your Motorcycle Audio System Today

What is a Fuse?

My Wire Needs a Fuse?

Fuses in Our Devices

Types of Fuses in Car Audio

AGC and AGU Fuses

ATC, ATM and Maxi Fuses

ANL and Mini-ANL Fuses

Protect Your Vehicle and Equipment

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