1
1080i
1080 lines of interlaced video (540 lines per field). Usually
refers to 1920x1080 resolution in 1.78 aspect ratio.
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3
3 Power Picture
Zoom
The unique digital system to zoom in on every detail without
losing picture quality during play and still modes. Enlarge
up to three times without image degradation.
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A
AC-3
The former name of the Dolby Digital audio-coding system,
which is still technically referred to as AC-3 in standards
documents. AC-3 is the successor to Dolby’s AC-1 and AC-2
audio coding techniques.
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Active Matrix TFT
The most common type of LCD, used in most laptops, and most
LCD panels and projectors. A typical active matrix TFT display
is a single panel of LCD glass that modulates all three
primary colors. Most of these offer contrast ratios up to
100:1 for good color dynamics, and just enough \"speed\"
to handle video and 30 fps multimedia with little or barely
distinguishable hesitation (jerkiness.)
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AGP Aperature
Species the amount of system memory that can be used by
the AGP device. This aperature is a portion of the PCI memory
address range dedicated for graphics memory address space.
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Artifacts
Undesired viewable objects in the picture generated by disturbances
in transmission.
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Aspect Ratio
The width-to-height ratio of an image. A 4:3 aspect ratio
means the horizontal size is a third again wider than the
vertical size. Standard television ratio is 4:3 (or 1.33:1).
Widescreen DVD and HTDV aspect ratio is 16:9 (or 1.78:1).
Common film aspect ratios are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. Aspect
ratios normalized to a height of 1 are often abbreviated
by leaving off the :1.
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ATSC
Advanced Television Systems Committee. In 1978, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) empaneled the Advisory Committee
on Advanced Television Service (ACATS) as an investigatory
and advisory committee to develop information that would
assist the FCC in establishing an advanced broadcast television
(ATV) standard for the United States. This committee created
a subcommittee, the ATSC, to explore the need for and to
coordinate development of the documentation of Advanced
Television Systems. In 1993, the ATSC recommended that efforts
be limited to a digital television system (DTV), and in
September 1995 issued its recommendation for a Digital Television
System standard, which was approved with the exclusion of
compression format constraints (picture resolution, frame
rate, and frame sequence).
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Audio In (Stereo
Input)
The jack or jacks (typically standard RCA jacks) to plug
in sound coming from a computer or video source. (Most projectors
have multiple audio inputs, since they often support at
least one computer and one to two video sources.)
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Audio Out (Stereo
Out)
The jack or jacks to hook up external (powered) speakers
or a PA system. Most projectors allow their remote to control
the volume of their internal speaker(s) and the external
systems.
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B
Bandwidth
Refers to the amount of sound and picture information that
can be reproduced by a TV.
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Bandwidth
Refers to the amount of sound and picture information that
can be reproduced by a TV.
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Bezel
A frame of plastic or metal, fitting around the LCD glass,
to protect the edges of the glass.
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Brightness
The dimension of color that is referred to an achromatic
scale, ranging from black to white, also called lightness
or luminous reflectance. Because of confusion with saturation,
the use of this term should be discouraged.
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Built-in Tuner
Allows you to access and guide through TV channels without
having to add an additional source. Without a built-in tuner,
you will need to use your VCRs tuner to use the Picture-in-Picture
feature.
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C
CD
Short for compact disc, an optical disc storage format developed
by Philips and Sony.
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CD-R
Also known as recordable compact discs. CD-R discs can be
recorded only once. There are two types of CD-R discs: those
meant for use with a computer, and those meant for use in
a home audio CD recorder. In this case, we\'re referring
to the home audio type.
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CD-RW
Also known as re-recordable compact discs. Unlike CD-R discs,
CD-RW discs can be recorded and re-recorded indefinitely.
Here again, there are two types of CD-RW discs: those meant
for use with a computer, and those meant for use in a home
audio CD recorder. In this case, we\'re referring to the
home audio type.
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Closed Caption
Textual video overlays that are not normally visible, as
opposed to open captions, which are a permanent part of
the picture. Captions are usually a textual representation
of the spoken audio. In the United States, the official
NTSC Closed Caption standard requires that all TVs larger
than 13 inches include circuitry to decode and display caption
information stored on line 21 of the video signal. DVD-Video
can provide closed caption data, but the subpicture format
is preferred for its versatility.
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Component Video
A video system containing
three separate color component signals, either red/green/blue
(RGB) or chroma/color difference (YCbCr, YPbPr, YUV), in
analog or digital form. The MPEG-2 encoding system used
by DVD is based on color-difference component digital video.
Very few televisions have component video inputs.
Y/Pb/Pr used most often with
progressive can video devices progressive scan video devices.
Separates a video signal into three separate channels using
progressive scan (non-interlaced). These channels reduce
interference to produce better picture quality. This format
can handle 30K of information.
Y/Cb/Cr used most often with
standard interlaced scan video devices. Separates a video
signal into three separate channels for better picture quality.
This format can handle 15K of information.
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Composite Video
An analog video signal in which the luma and chroma components
are combined (by frequency multiplexing), along with sync
and burst. Also called CVBS. Most televisions and VCRs have
composite video connectors, which are usually colored yellow.
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Contrast Ratio
The difference in luminance between a white square centered
on the screen and the black surrounding area.
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D
Decoder
A circuit that decodes compressed audio or video, taking
an encoded input stream and producing output such as audio
or video. DVD players use the decoders to recreate information
that was compressed by systems such as MPEG-2 and Dolby
Digital; 2) a circuit that converts composite video to component
video or matrixed audio to multiple channels.
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Digital Light Processing
(DLP)
Uses Texas Instruments “micro-mirror arrays” – hundreds
of thousands of pivoting mirrors to modulate the image,
instead of using LCDs.
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Digital Optical
Output
Transmits digital signals between components via a fiber
optic cable, which is immune to magnetic and electrical
interference. It is important to match the type of digital
outputs on source components with the type of available
digital inputs on receivers and recorders of digital signals.
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Display Area
In the viewing area of the LCD glass, the dimensions of
the perimeter of the conductive area.
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Display Rate
The number of times per second the image in a video system
is refreshed. Progressive scan systems such as film or HDTV
change the image once per frame. Interlace scan systems
such as standard television change the image twice per frame,
with two fields in each frame. Film has a frame rate of
24 fps, but each frame is shown twice by the projector for
a display rate of 48 fps. 525/60 (NTSC) television has a
rate of 29.97 frames per second (59.94 fields per second).
625/50 (PAL/SECAM) television has a rate of 25 frames per
second (50 fields per second).
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DMT
In Display Monitor Timings - defined timings established
by VESA.
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Dolby Digital
A perceptual coding system for audio, developed by Dolby
Laboratories and accepted as an international standard.
Dolby Digital is the most common means of encoding audio
for DVD-Video and is the mandatory audio compression system
for 525/60 (NTSC) discs.
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Dolby Pro Logic
The technique (or the circuit which applies the technique)
of extracting surround audio channels from a matrix-encoded
audio signal. Dolby Pro Logic is a decoding technique only,
but is often mistakenly used to refer to Dolby Surround
audio encoding.
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Dolby Surround
The standard for matrix encoding surround-sound channels
in a stereo signal by applying a set of defined mathematical
functions when combining center and surround channels with
left and right channels. The center and surround channels
can then be extracted by a decoder such as a Dolby Pro Logic
circuit, which applies the inverse of the mathematical functions.
A Dolby Surround decoder extracts surround channels, while
a Dolby Pro Logic decoder uses additional processing to
create a center channel. The process is essentially independent
of the recording or transmission format. Both Dolby Digital
and MPEG audio compression systems are compatible with Dolby
Surround audio.
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DTS
Digital Theater Sound. A perceptual audio-coding system
developed for theaters. A competitor to Dolby Digital and
an optional audio track format for DVD-Video and DVD-Audio.
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DTV
Digital television. In general, any system that encodes
video and audio in digital form. In specific, the Digital
Television System proposed by the ATSC or the digital TV
standard proposed by the Digital TV Team founded by Microsoft,
Intel, and Compaq.
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DVD
An acronym that officially stands for nothing, but is often
expanded as Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc.
The audio/video/data storage system based on 12- and 8-cm
optical discs.
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E
EDID
Extended Display Identification Data is a VESA standard
data format that contains basic information about a monitor
and its capabilities, including vendor information, maximum
image size, color characteristics, factory pre-set timings,
frequency range limits, and character strings for the monitor
name and serial number.
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F
Flat Screen
While the TVs we all grew up with bowed out like a bubble,
many of today\'s tube TVs have completely flat screens that
give a truer, more accurate image and can be viewed from
a wider angle. While they cost a bit more than TVs with
older tube technology, many think the picture quality is
well worth it.
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Flat-Panel Display
Any of a variety of ultrathin displays commonly used for
notebook computers.
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Front Inputs
Allow easy hookup of other video components. This prevents
you from having to rewire or pull your components out of
a cabinet every time you want to hook up another VCR, Camcorder
or TV game.
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G
GTF
Generalized Timing Formula; a method of generating general
purpose display timings by formula instead of by a fixed
table.
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H
HDTV
High-definition television. A video format with a resolution
approximately twice that of conventional television in both
the horizontal and vertical dimensions, and a picture aspect
ratio of 16:9. Used loosely to refer to the U.S. DTV System.
Contrast with EDTV and IDTV.
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I
Interlaced Scanning
Interlaced scanning is a method that creates TV picture
with alternating lines of information and is the cause for
flickering. Progressive scanning is a method that creates
a TV picture with consecutive lines of information that
results in flicker-free picture quality.
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L
Last Channel Recall
Allows you to jump directly from the channel you\'re currently
viewing to the previous channel with the press of a single
button. It\'s great for when you\'re surfing during a commercial
break, but want to get back to your show once the commercials
finish.
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Letter Box
The black box that appears when a 16:9 aspect ratio picture
is displayed on a 4:3 screen.
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Liquid-Crystal Display
(LCD)
Created by sandwiching an electrically reactive substance
between two electrodes, LCDs can be darkened or lightened
by applying and removing current. Large numbers of LCDs
grouped closely together can act as pixels in a flat-panel
display.
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M
MOIRE
An optical illusion that occurs when many parallel curved
lines are placed near each other to produce a pattern in
the eye of the viewer that does not exist in reality.
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MP-3
Also known as MPEG-3 or Motion Picture Experts Group, layer
3, MP3 is a compression system that reduces the amount of
\"space\" information, like music, takes up. CD-R and CD-RW
discs storing MP3 music files can hold up to 10 hours of
music. An audio compression format that can reduce the size
of digital audio data by 1:4 by layer 1 (corresponds with
384Kbps for a stereo signal). 1:6, 1:8 by layer 2 (corresponds
with 256…192Kbps for a stereo signal), 1:10…1:12 by layer
3 (corresponds with 128…112Kbps for a stereo signal).
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Multi-channel
Multiple channels of audio, usually containing different
signals for different speakers in order to create a surround-sound
effect.
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Multiangle
A DVD-Video program containing multiple angles allowing
different views of a scene to be selected during playback.
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Multilanguage
A DVD-Video program containing sound tracks and subtitle
tracks for more than one language.
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Multimedia
Information in more than one form, such as text, still images,
sound, animation, and video. Usually implies that the information
is presented by a computer.
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N
NCTA
National Cable Television Association.
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NTSC
National Television Systems Committee. A committee organized
by the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) that developed
commercial television broadcast standards for the United
States. The group first established black-and-white TV standards
in 1941, using a scanning system of 525 lines at 60 fields
per second. The second committee standardized color enhancements
using 525 lines at 59.94 fields per second. NTSC refers
to the composite color-encoding system. The 525/59.94 scanning
system (with a 3.58-MHz color subcarrier) is identified
by the letter M, and is often incorrectly referred to as
NTSC. The NTSC standard is also used in Canada, Japan, and
other parts of the world. NTSC is facetiously referred to
as meaning never the same color because of the system’s
difficulty in maintaining color consistency.
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O
OSD
The on-screen display (OSD) module converts programmed character
addresses and control information into digital color and
blanking outputs to display user defined characters on a
television screen for on-screen programming and closed-captioning
applications.
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P
PAL
A European and international broadcast standard for video
and broadcasting. Higher resolution than NTSC.
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Parental Controls
Allows parents to \"lock out\" children\'s access to certain
functions or to the entire set with remote control access
codes. In some DVD players, parents may also control a child\'s
access by film rating codes. (i.e. PG but not R).
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Pixel Resolution
The number rows of horizontal and vertical pixels that create
the picture. The more pixels on the projection TV, the sharper
the picture image.
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Plasma Display
This display type sandwiches thousands and even millions
(depending on display size) of little glass chambers filled
with a xenon and neon mixture between wired glass panels,
which are sealed. In one panel, the wiring is arranged in
rows, while the other panel arranges it in columns. When
a voltage pulse strikes the intersections of this grid,
the gas in the corresponding glass chambers is transformed
into plasma. Ultimately, this reaction activates the colored
phospors behind the active chambers and images are formed.
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Plug and Play
Hardware or software that can immediately be used after
being installed is known as plug & play. Non plug &
play hardware or software will require configuration.
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Progressive Scan
A video scanning system that displays all lines of a frame
in one pass. Contrast with interlaced scan.
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R
RAMDAC (Random Access
Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter)
The chip on a video card that converts the digital image
into an analog signal. The RAMDAC maintains the color palette
and determines refresh rate. The faster the RAMDAC, the
higher the possible refresh rate.
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Refresh Rate
\"Vertical Refresh Rate\" or \"Vertical Scan Rate\" is the
maximum number of frames that can be displayed on a monitor
in a second, expressed in Hertz.
The scan rate is controlled by the vertical sync signal
generated by the video controller, ordering the monitor
to position the electron gun at the upper left corner of
the raster, ready to paint another frame. It is limited
by the monitor\'s maximum horizontal scan rate and the resolution,
since higher resolution means more scan lines. Increasing
the refresh rate decreases flickering, reducing eyestrain,
but few people notice any change above 60-72 Hz.
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RF Coax A/V Output
This is a standard cable output of a video/audio signal.
Signals using this type of output are limited to a maximum
of 330 lines of resolution, so it is not a good hookup to
use with high resolution sources like DVD players or satellite
dishes. It does allow hookup to older TV\'s without other
types of inputs.
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RGB (Red, Green,
Blue)
The basic components of the color television system. They
are also the primary colors of light, not to be confused
with Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, the primary pigments.
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S
S-Video
A video interface standard that carries separate luma and
chroma signals, usually on a four-pin mini-DIN connector.
Also called Y/C. An encoded video that separates the brightness
from color in a transmission. The S-Video connection can
vastly improve picture quality when used in conjunction
with video courses such as DVD, VCD, Laser Discs. The quality
of s-video is significantly better than composite video
since it does not require a comb filter to separate the
signals, but it’s not quite as good as component video.
Most high-end televisions have s-video inputs. S-video is
often erroneously called S-VHS.
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SDTV
Standard-definition television. A term applied to traditional
4:3 television (in digital or analog form) with a resolution
of about 700 x 480 (about 1/3 megapixel). Contrast with
HDTV.
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SECAM
A French and international broadcast standard for video
and broadcasting. Higher resolution than NTSC.
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Set-Top Box
A box similar in appearance to a cable box that can receive
and decode digital transmission for a receiver.
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Surround Sound
A multi-channel audio system with speakers in front of and
behind the listener to create a surrounding envelope of
sound and to simulate directional audio sources.
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SVCD
Super Video Compact Disc. MPEG-2 video on CD. Used primarily
in Asia.
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SXGA
A video graphics resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels.
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T
Thin-Film Transistor
(TFT)
A technology for building the LCD screens that are commonly
found on laptop computers. TFT screens are brighter and
more readable than dual-scan LCD screens, but consume more
power and are generally more expensive.
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Timers (on-off/sleep)
Some sets have on/off timers that are useful to give your
home that lived-in look when you\'re away. Many TVs also
feature a timer to turn the set off after a set time, should
you happen to fall asleep while watching TV.
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U
UXGA
A video graphics resolution of 1600x1200
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V
V-Chip
Child lockout allows parents to input special codes through
the remote control that limit access only to those who know
the code, while a V-chip allows you to select a rating level
you feel appropriate for your children. The V-chip reads
the transmitted ratings code for all programming and will
automatically deny access to programming which exceeds your
preset ratings limitations
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VGA (Video Graphics
Array)
A standard analog monitor interface for computers. Also
a video graphics resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.
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Video CD
An extension of CD based on MPEG-1 video and audio. Allows
playback of near-VHS-quality video on a Video CD player,
CD-i player, or computer with MPEG decoding capability.
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Viewing Angles
Refers to the angle from which you can still view the picture
on the screen. TVs with wide viewing angles mean that you
don\'t need to be positioned directly in front of the set
to see the ideal picture your TV is capable of. Plasma TVs
are known for exceptionally wide viewing angles.
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W
Wall Mount
Flat-panel displays present you with a number of mounting
options because of their slim size. They can be mounted
close to the wall like a picture, or tilt-mounted, allowing
for ventilation and clearance behind the display. Tilt-mounting
can also add depth to your display.
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Widescreen
A video image wider than the standard 1.33 (4:3) aspect
ratio. When referring to DVD or HDTV, widescreen usually
indicates a 1.78 (16:9) aspect ratio.
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X
XGA Resolution
A resolution of 1024x 768, this is now the most common used
resolution on laptops and desktops, and as such has replaced
SVGA and the current \"standard\". Higher resolutions are
available as well, including SXGA and UXGA
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