Software & Hardware Support

 

Software Support

In addition to networking support we cover all Windows operating systems and all the most popular Microsoft applications for software support.

If you need additional software that is essential to your work, we will assist you in installation and give you support.

Network Support

Specialists that offer a full network support and installation service for small, medium and large businesses in Egypt.

We can help you to achieve your priorities with your computer network and structured data cabling needs, as well as make sure your computer security is up to scratch.

Our support team can remotely administer and monitor your network whether 5 or 500 computers.

Internet Support

Email Support

How to install (reg) file to your Outlook. more information

Programming

We can offer a range of customised front end database management systems written in Visual Basic, C++ and Access.

 

How to Choose Hardware?

 

How to Choose Scanner?

Scanners are fast becoming a key part of a home PC system. What should you look for when buying one?

A scanner is a device that converts printed matter into digital information that your computer can use. Using small electronic components they record how much light is reflected off the item being scanned, and report that information to the computer. To see a whole image they break it up into cells called pixels. There are four main types of scanners on the market.

Flatbed.

The most common desktop scanners resemble photocopier machines, in that the item being scanned rests on a glass plate while the scanning head moves underneath it.

Sheetfed.

These are like a fax machine and move the page being scanned past the scanning head. Sheetfed scanners tend to be less exact than their flatbed counterparts because of the difficulty of moving a sheet of paper without introducing distortions. It is a good choice for handling lots of paper or photographs unattended.

Slide.

These need special attention in the scanning process because they need a scanner that passes light through the image rather than reflecting light off it. Because of their small size, slides also need to be scanned on a unit with very high resolution.

Drum.

Drum scanners are the most effective and versatile type of scanners, but they are expensive and harder to operate. Their advantage lies in the fact that they typically use photo-multiplier tubes which are a better quality and the original is rotated past the scanner heads a large number of times making it much more accurate.

Things to look for:

Resolution

Generally the higher the resolution the better the results. This is the amount of pixels a scanner can see, usually given in dots per inch (dpi). However, there are different ways of measuring this and you have to be careful.

Firstly, there is optical resolution. A scanner's optical resolution is determined by how many pixels it can actually see, but some machines scan several times as they move down the page. This gives you two different numbers such as 300 x 600 or 300 x 1200. In each case the 'real' resolution is always the smallest number - you don't get more resolution.

Next is interpolated resolution which does not measure how many pixels the scanner can see but how many pixels it can guess. Using a process called interpolation, the scanner turns a 300 x 300 dpi scan into a 600 x 600 dpi scan by inserting new pixels in between the old ones, and guessing at what light reading it would have sampled in that spot had it been there. This process almost always diminishes the quality of the scan, and should be avoided.

Unless you are going for fine edge photographic work, where you need all the resolution you can get, there is no need for much more than 1200 dpi. More than this takes up disk space and cannot be seen by the naked eye. If you are printing family snaps, 300 or 600 dpi is all your will ever need. Optical character recognition programs work at 300 to 400 dpi.

Bit depth

Scanners with higher bit depths tend to produce better colour images. A scanner looks at the image pixel by pixel and records what it sees. However, different scanners record more information about each pixel, and this is called its bit depth.

Most colour scanners today are at least 24-bit, meaning that they collect eight bits of information about each colour, i.e. red, blue and green. A 24-bit unit can theoretically capture over 16 million different colours. This is near-photographic quality, and is sometimes called 'true colour' scanning.

There are now 30-bit and 36-bit scanners that can handle much more colours, but few software packages can handle this much detail at the moment.

Dynamic range

Another important criteria for evaluating a scanner is the unit's dynamic range, which is somewhat similar to bit depth in that it measures how wide a range of tones the scanner can record. Dynamic range is measured on scale from 0.0 to 4.0 and the single number given for a particular scanner tells how much of that range the unit can distinguish. Most colour flatbeds have a dynamic range of about 2.4.

High-end scanners are usually capable of a dynamic range between 2.8 and 3.2, while a drum scanner can manage 3.0 to 3.8. Generally, it is a good idea to go for a scanner that offers the higher dynamic range.

Scanning speed

Unless you do a lot of scanning it is not a good idea to worry too much about speed. But if you are choosing a commercial scanner speed becomes very important. The best way to evaluate a scanner's speed is to try out a few sample scans.

Drivers

Scanners rely on software to operate. Most use a standard called Twain to control the interaction between different programs. Under Twain, applications send their scanning instructions in a standard format that any compatible driver software can understand. The downside is that some drivers are not very good and do not support all of a scanner's functions.

 

How to Choose Printer?

If you're buying a printer, it's sometimes hard to decide exactly what you need. An inexpensive inkjet? A fast laser printer?

An all-encompassing multifunction?

You have to look at what you really need in order to make a choice.

Deciding what kind of printer you want to purchase -- inkjet, laser, or multifunction -- can be frustrating and confusing. Here are some of the basic questions you may be asking. If you have any more questions, you can contact me at csc@brightstareg.com.

How much do you want to spend?

 

Good inkjet printers can easily be found for under 200 EGP. A more expensive inkjet has better quality color, can handle more pages at one time, or can take heavier paper.

If you're looking for high-quality photographs, then expect to start in the 600 EGP-900 EGP range. If you're looking for something that will also offer scanning, copying, or faxing, then you should also be looking at about 600 EGP.

And if you need the speed and durability of a laser printer, expect to begin at 600 EGP or so.

What kind of printer should I buy?
 

If you just need to print out documents such as letters, copies of Web pages from the Internet or simple spreadsheets, a low-end inkjet printer is fine.

If you need to do presentations or high quality photographs, you want a photo printer.

If you print over 100 pages on a daily basis and don't need color, you may want to look at laser printers. And, of course, if you need a combination of scanner, printer, copier, and fax, a multifunction printer is best.

Can a printer be used on a network?
 

Absolutely -- but you have to get a networkable printer. Many office-level printers come with an optional NIC (Network Interface Card) that allows you to put the printer on a network and accessible to several employees. (NOTE: If you've got a home network, you don't need a NIC -- you can usually access a printer if it's connected to a networked PC or Mac.)

Should I replace my old printer?
 

If you are still just printing occasional documents and family photos, and your current inkjet is doing a fine job, there's no reason to replace it. If, however, you are producing a great deal of family photos, and you want top quality photographs to pass around, a good photo printer will do a better job than your old inkjet. If you're starting a home business, a multifunction will probably suit your needs better as well.

Why are Printers so cheap these days?

 

A lot of the money that vendors make from Printers are from selling ink and toner cartridges -- what are called in the trade "consumables." Because printer users must continually purchase more cartridges when the old ones run out, they can pay more than the original cost of the Printer within a year or so.

How to Choose a Monitor?

Are you looking for a Computer Monitor?

Monitors are your window into the computer - everything that happens in your software and applications happens via the monitor.

It is hence very important to choose a good monitor to go along with your new PC.

Traditionally, CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) Monitors have been used for desktop computers. However, these days, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Monitors are selling like hotcakes. It's easy to see why: LCD monitors are easier on the eyes, have very crisp image quality and yes, they're sexy and cool. Laptops also use LCD screens - so we're slowly beginning to see CRT monitors being phased out.

Which type you choose depends on your requirements. If you're a graphics professional, you may prefer a CRT monitor because they are said to show more realistic colors. However, the latest high-end LCDs can also give equal color quality. If you with text most of the time, a LCD is a good choice because the various pixels that you find on a LCD will have nicely defined edges. This gives sharp and focus letters on the screen.

To help you choose a monitor that'll meet your needs, this article will step through the factors to consider when buying a LCD or CRT monitor.

LCD Monitors

Let's first look at the various factors you need to think about when purchasing a LCD panel display.

Panel Size: In an LCD monitor, the panel size reflects the viewable area you can use. Again, the measurement is made diagonally from one corner of the screen to the opposite corner. LCD panel sizes now range from 15 inches up to 23 inches.

Native Resolution: An LCD panel display always has a certain native resolution. Usually you can go lower than this resolution but the image will appear blurry. If you need to change your monitor resolution quite often, then a CRT monitor may be a better bet. LCD native resolutions currently range from 1024 by 768 to 1600 by 1200.

 

  • Viewing Angle: One problem specific to LCD monitors is the fact that you cannot see what is displayed if you move off to the side of the monitor too much. A greater viewing angle is therefore typically better - especially if you need to show presentations to others on the LCD screen very often.

 

CRT Monitors

Now let's take a look at somethings you need to look out for when purchasing a CRT monitor.

Tube Size and Viewable Area: The tube size and viewable area of a CRT monitor is of utmost importance. The tube size helps you judge how much room you'll need for the monitor on your desk. It is expressed in inches measured from one corner of the monitor to the opposite corner.

The viewable area (also measured diagonally) indicates how much you'll be able to see on a screen. The viewable area of CRTs can range from 15 inches all the way up to 22 inches.

Tube Type: You'll need to think about tube type as well. Traditional CRTs have curved screens, while newer models usually have flat screens. Flat screens improve clarity and reduce glare, so you should think of getting one if you want to reduce eye strain and fatigue.

Maximum Resolution and Refresh Rate: A CRT monitor's maximum resolution can range from 1024 by 768 at 75 Hz all the way up to 2048 by 1536 at 70 Hz. For normal home use, 1024 by 768 at 75 Hz is sufficient. Try to ensure your CRT monitor supports refresh rates above 70 Hz - anything below 70 Hz can result in screen flicker and cause eye strain.

Dot Pitch: The dot pitch of a CRT monitor helps you determine how sharp a picture will be - these can range from 0.24 mm to 0.28 mm. A smaller dot pitch number often indicates a sharper image. Of course, to the untrained eye, the differences in image quality due to dot pitch may not be discernable. Hence, the dot pitch may not be an important consideration if you're not too concerned about the finest details in your screen images.

Conclusion

I hope the above has helped you understand what factors to look out for when buying a LCD or CRT monitor. One thing to always remember when buying a new monitor - don't throw away your old one! Re-use it for an old PC or give it to a friend who needs one. By not dumping that old monitor, you'll certainly help to save the environment.