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HDR formats: even more confusion in 2018

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Just like with Blu-ray VS HD-DVD, we are currently witnessing a battle between “HDR” image formats, specifically the HDR formats that use dynamic metadata. On the one hand, there is Dolby Vision – a proprietary format; on the other hand, there is the more open HDR10+ format.

If you are familiar with current developments in television technology, you will be aware of the fact that modern TVs have transitioned to 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology.

We will be focusing on HDR in this article. While 4K technology increases a display’s definition, its effect is not as readily apparent as that produced by HDR – a technology responsible for increasing the contrast of displayed images. The problem is that there are currently several different formats capable of producing this HDR effect.

HDR formatsThe majority of products on the market these days are compatible with the HDR10 format, an imaging technology that produces a dynamic contrast range by combining darker, more intelligible scenes with high-luminosity scenes. However, there are two different offshoots of this image format (HDR10+, an improved version of the HDR10 technology, and Dolby Vision) and it is easy to become confused by the many different announcements being made by this industry’s various stakeholders.

Who does what?

At CES 2018, Panasonic made up its mind regarding which format it will be supporting (or almost did…we will come back to this point later). While Apple, Netflix, LG, Sony, and Oppo all support the Dolby Vision format, Panasonic has decided to take a chance on HDR10+. Its future OLED TVs – the FZ800 and the FZ950 — will be compatible with the open HDR10+ image format developed by Samsung and Fox (in conjunction with Warner Bros) which has also been approved by the BluRay Disc Association.

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RAM: 7 things you need to know about memory

Our big RAM guide gives seven tips about memory and answers questions such as “how much is enough?”, “which modules are suitable?” and more.

RAM

Some advertising slogans remain in our memory. “It’s more worthwhile now than ever before”, as it was often broadcasted in an advert about a natural medicine with a lot of alcohol. The slogan, however, is not only perfect for said medicine but also for the memory of a Windows computer.

Memory has always been essential to the speed of the system, but today it is even more important than ever before, with ever-increasing amounts of data and file sizes. Regardless of how fast a processor is or how quickly a hard drive works, too little or unsuitable memory is a bottleneck in the system, which cannot be eliminated by other components and simply acts as a brake. It is therefore crucial that you not only get the right amount of memory for your computer, but also choose the suitable modules and optimal configuration. The best way to do this is revealed in this article.

Tip #1: Take an inventory of your memory

Firstly, you need to determine how much memory has been built into your computer. Usually, PC motherboards have four RAM slots, of which one, two or all four slots have memory buffers, depending on the computer. There are two ways to find out which of these circumstances apply to you: You can either open the case of your computer and look for it or you can install the tool CPU-Z and let it do the work for you.

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V-Sync, G-Sync, and FreeSync for PC Monitors explained

A G-Sync or FreeSync monitoris a must for any gamer looking for the highest level of performance. If you thought that having a powerful PC capable of running your games at a high frame rate was good enough, think again. This article will explain all of the factors you will need to consider in order to improve your PC game playing experience.

PC displays

Everything you need to know about V-Sync, G-Sync, and FreeSync

Whether you own a veritable war machine or a more modest PC, if you have ever experienced lagging or image tearing, the problem may lie with your display. Most PC monitors have a refresh rate of 60 Hz (meaning that the entirety of the displayed content is redrawn 60 times per second).

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How and why to install a VPN?

VPNVery popular among people interested in surfing and downloading anonymously, VPNs are a good solution for securing computers, smartphones, and other connected devices. In the following paragraphs, you will find a basic overview of what VPNs are, as well as how to install and configure them.

What is a VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. A VPN is a utility that makes it possible to surf the internet worry-free and completely anonymously (we will come back to this point later). Since VPNs ensure the complete anonymity of their users, they are very popular among people who download files illegally. However, VPNs can be useful for many other things as well.

When should you use a VPN?

First of all, a VPN can be used to protect a server from outside threats (a DDoS attack, for instance). A VPN can also be used for downloading files on a P2P network, as previously mentioned. Last, but not least, VPNs are used in certain parts of the world for watching TV programs and accessing prohibited sites or services.

How does a VPN work?

A VPN creates a direct connection between two computers – “insulating” the traffic generated by a remote computer. This insulation will prevent your traffic from being intercepted and analyzed by unwanted parties and will provide you with a measure of protection against hackers (since there will be no direct interaction between your internet connection and other internet traffic). A VPN can be thought of as a tunnel whose walls will protect you from prying eyes and external threats as you travel from point A to B.

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How to cleap up your Windows 10 PC and laptop: How to do it right

This is how you free your hard disk from data junk as your computer might respond more and more slowly, turning it on takes even longer and when storage space becomes scarce. Our guide provides valuable tips on how to free your computer from useless ballast. If your PC or laptop isn’t as fast as …

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BEST SETTINGS FOR PLAYERS UNKNOWN’s BATTLEGROUND (PUBG) to Get Maximum FPS (PUBG Optimization Tips)

One of the biggest played titles of recent times would be the Player Unknown‘’s Battleground. Even though this game has conquered the hearts of many, we do have the face the fact that it is rather poorly optimised whether it is being played on a PC or an Xbox One. Although from time to time there was a considerable improvement, it has still not reached our so-called “flawless” level of gameplay settings. Sometimes even game crashes can occur and glitches here and there that spoils the overall beauty of the game.

PLAYERS UNKNOWN’s BATTLEGROUND

But you don’t have to fret much as there are a lot of in-game settings that you can tweak to get the most out of the game and have an edge during your gameplay. When you put in so much effort during all your matches, you can give a bit of your valuable time for the game’s settings too which can boost your performance to a big extent.

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How to limit your NVIDIA GPU’s maximum FPS

Capping our GPU’s maximum FPS might seem silly, but it provides some advantages in certain scenarios. For example, we can reduce our GPU’s noise and consumption when we play games that are not demanding. This is a way to get rid of the GPU’s noise, which is important when using laptops, and limit consumption.

Limiting FPS can also be really important when using a G-Sync monitor. Keeping FPS below the G-Sync monitor’s vertical frequency forces the system to work constantly, increasing G-Sync’s relative advantages such as reducing input lag and preventing tearing.

If we combine said advantages with the settings of any game, like reducing FPS to the minimum (which can be done in games like Overwatch), we can maximize results in terms of reducing input lag and improving image quality. All of this is what we would expect from G-Sync when it is working at its fullest.

In those case, we just have to go for a FPS value below those of our monitor’s vertical frequency, like a minimum of 30 FPS, but the best option would be 50-65 FPS. We can actually cap FPS as much as we want as long as our monitor has a higher vertical refresh rate than the amount we set.

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Lower Laptop Temperature: Improve your laptop’s temperature by changing the thermal paste

Although many people think that laptops are a type of PC that do not require maintenance for its components, laptops are precisely devices prone to accumulate dirt in critical areas, which may affect the cooling system’s performance and therefore the laptop’s overall performance. It is not uncommon to use canned air to remove dirt accumulated on the laptop’s heat sinks and fans (some users even clean them by regularly opening up the laptop). However, an often overlooked yet essential element of cooling systems is the thermal paste that works as an interface between heat sinks and the CPU or GPU.

A lot of people do not know that the low-quality thermal paste found in a lot of devices dry out as time passes by and become inefficient, so replacing it for a good-quality paste somewhat regularly will translate into impressive improvements on our components’ temperatures. Today we will show you how to find and replace a laptop’s thermal paste.

We have used a Dell XPS 15 9530 for this guide, but the general steps are the same for most laptops. Before we begin, we want to clarify that this procedure implies opening up the laptop and possibly voiding its warranty if it still is covered by it. So, we recommend you not to replace the thermal paste if your laptop is covered by the warranty. We are not responsible for the damage you may cause to your laptop.

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Root Android: how to root android phone without or with computer [Full Guide]

Android is an open source system. This not only means that developers can get its source and make custom versions of it, but, also, that we (users) could customize our mobile devices’ software, thanks to an high level of flexibility.

root-android_thumb2_thumb

To increase our freedom of action even more, we can apply an unlocking procedure called Root, which lets you bypass all the restrictions that usually deny the access to “deeper” areas of the system.

In simple terms, when you root Android, you become a 100% “master” of your device. You can edit operating system files, “overclock” your smartphone (that is: increase its performances) by editing hardware parameters (such as the cpu frequency). There are many interesting apps which require the device to have root in order to work. For example, like this ones that lets you make complete backups of the system, or control the device in remote.  Besides, the new cellphones usually come with pre-installed apps that you just cannot uninstall (unless you have rooted your device) . Another advantage is that being root you will have the total control of your Android operating system, and you will even be able of changing the operating system manually or at advanced levels. Those are just some examples of what you can do or how root could help you.

Is it dangerous to root ?

It’s a completely legal operation, but it often voids the warranty of your smartphone (or tablet): it all depends by the producer’s policies.

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