For those considering going upmarket and adding one of those whiz-bang car DVD players that can do everything but change the baby's diaper, it seems, understanding a little bit about what makes them tick can be a good thing. At the least, we can answer the question "Car DVD player mysteries: What is Windows CE?" by learning a bit about this OS system.

It's a fair bet that the only people on the planet who haven't heard of the Bill Gates invention that basically revolutionized the way humans interact with their computers – in an attempt to keep those computers from completely enslaving them, one might suspect – are Tibetan monks living high in the Himalayas.

But for everybody else, Windows as a computer operating system is just the way it is, and there are a great many different types of these operating systems out there. The vast majority of car DVD players use Windows CE, by the way.

Basically, this particular system to control something like a car DVD player is intended for use in what are termed "minimalistic computers and embedded systems."

This might sound like an attempt to prevent the evil computer from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" from completely taking us over, but all it really means is that Microsoft has created an operating system distinctly different from the traditional or commonplace Windows operating system.

Simply put, CE works best in systems that have a great deal less memory than what would be available in a standard computer.

In fact, it can run using less than a megabyte of memory from the processor chip embedded in a device such as a cellular phone or car DVD player, both of which have limited memory available.

They also do not make use of a hard disk drive storage system, as do standard Windows operating systems in computers and the like.

It is especially helpful when it comes to a dual zone car DVD player, which is one that can keep playing its music while also making use of its included GPS navigation system. The key words here are prioritize and organize, and CE is able to do this with very little memory used, which can better be devoted to the player itself.

This can help keep to a minimum any spillover interference from other functions running on the car DVD player that tend to interfere sometimes with GPS navigation in the DVD player.

There are a number of different Windows CE operating systems that are intended for use in different kinds of devices. This is mainly because certain devices will require a much more minimalistic version of CE than do other devices, such as so-called "pocket PCs," which require more of a robust operating system than do car DVD players, many of which come with a bare-bones system that allows the player to interface usefully with its operator, and that's about it.

When the DVD player is turned on, the Microsoft windows CE version that is running will display. Additionally, one may find out which version is running by going to the main menu graphical user interface (GUI) and looking at the operating system listed.

These players have been fantastic additions to the automobile accessories aftermarket, and are less expensive than ever, which has made getting one of them a high priority for many automobile sound and stereo enthusiasts these days.