Jargon Buster

1080i - 1080i refers to the number of interlaced pixel scan lines appearing on a screen - 1,080. An interlaced screen has 1,080 vertical pixels by 1,920 horizontal pixels. Interlaced scanning "paints" the picture on the screen by first filling in all the odd-numbered scan lines then filling in all the even-numbered scan lines. Done very quickly, the eye only sees one picture on the television. Unlike progressive scanning, which fills in each line before proceeding to the next line, interlaced scanning is not as stable and prone to artifacting.

16:9 - Ratio of the widescreen television screen. For example, for every 16 inches wide, a 16:9 screen is 9 inches high. Also known as 1.78:1 in the film world, most movies are shown in 16:9 format, which means that a movie shown in a theater will be accurately reproduced on a 16:9 widescreen television screen without compression or cropping. Virtually all plasma, lcd and rear-projection televisions are 16:9 format. In contrast, traditional televisions are 4:3 ratio.

4:3 - 4:3 refers to the standard ratio for traditional televisions. For example, for every 4 inches wide, a 4:3 screen is 3 inches high.

480i - 480i refers to "480 interlaced", a form of standard definition digital television broadcast that approximates the quality of analog television but is not considered high definition.

480p - 480p refers to "480 progressive", a form of standard definition digital television broadcast comparable to computer displays but not considered high definition. Each line of the screen is painted before the next line.

720p - 720p refers to "720 progressive", a form of high definition digital television that comprises 720 vertical pixels by 1,280 horizontal pixels. Scanning is done by painting a line of pixels before the next one is painted. Because of the sequential scanning, 720p is better able to handle motion and is actually superior to 1080i for that reason.

AAC Advanced Audio Compression coding provides high quality compressed digital music files in the SD format.

Active Speaker All speakers need amplification. Most speakers are passive so they need to be driven by an external amplifier. An active speaker has a built-in amplifier and therefore does not need to be driven by an external one. Many subwoofers designed for home cinema use tend to be active.

Advanced Progressive Scan Instead of the standard field by field interlace method this system displays all active lines at once as a complete frame. The result is a picture that is superbly sharp and clear.

Analogue A way of storing data using electrical signals. An analogue TV tuner uses radio frequencies which are susceptible to interference. Digital components - such as TVs, radios, recorders, video players, etc, use digital signals which are less prone to interference and offer enhanced quality, ease of use and greater versatility.

Aspect Ratio Describes the shape of a screen: a box that is 16cm wide and 9cm high is therefore 16:9. Movies are shot in a particular ratio for particular types of screens. There are four main aspect ratios: 4:3 the shape of a conventional TV and used by older films 16:9 widescreen: a compromise between 4:3 and the wider formats used by film makers 1.85:1 letterbox: the most commonly used picture format 2.35:1 Cinemascope: The widest of the most common ratios and also expensive. Used for the ultimate widescreen experience.

Audio D/A conversion CD and DVD players need to convert digital signals into analogue so that we can hear them. Panasonic DVD portables use high quality converters for superb sound and they can feature a sample rate of up to 192kHz/24-bit. That means the player samples 24-bit chunks of digital data 192,000 times before it delivers the optimum sound signal.

Bluetooth - A technology that enables devices (computers, printers, keyboards, etc) to communicate without wires.

CD-R (Recordable CD) - A blank CD that you can record onto once by using a CD-RW. A CD-R also refers to the drive in the PC which is used to record onto this type of CD.

CD-ROM - A compact disc that holds information that can be used on a PC such as games, music or programs. A CD ROM is read only and you cannot record onto it. A CD-ROM can be read by DVD, CD-R and CD-RW drives.

CD-RW (ReWritable CD) - This type of CD can recorded onto again and again. A CD-RW also refers to the drive in the PC which is used to record onto this type of CD. Great for MP3 or files too large to store onto floppy disc.

Coaxial - There are two types of cables and sockets used to connect digital audio equipment. Optical cables use thin fibre optic leads. Coaxial (or electrical) cables are thicker and the sockets look the same as conventional RCA connectors. Arguably, coaxial digital cables offer better performance but optical ones can be easier to use and hide.

Component Video - The video signal is separated into its component form i.e. red, green and blue (RGB). For television, the signal is modified and referred to as YUV. It offers the highest quality of picture reproduction, especially from a DVD source. Component video input connections are usually three RCA phono-type plugs colour coded red, green and blue. Often labeled Y, Pb, Pr

Composite video - A type of video signal used by some camcorders, video recorders and TVs in which the red, green and blue signals are mixed together. The aerial connection on a TV set uses composite video.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) - Technology developed by Texas Instruments that is based on a digital micromirror device (a chip with millions of microscopic, hinged mirrors). Red, green and blue light is filtered through a color wheel and directed alternately onto the DMD, which switches on and off up to 5,000 times a second. The reflected light is directed through a lens and onto a screen, creating the image. High end HDTV projectors use three DMDs and forgo the color wheel--each DMD corresponds to a separate color (red, green and blue).

Digital Signal Processing - Unique Panasonic digital signal processing technologies deliver true-to-life detail and color, with whiter whites, deeper blacks, and superb rendering of fine details such as individual strands of hair.

Digital Output - Allows DTS or Dolby Digital signals to be taken from a DVD player and fed to an external decoder.

DLP projector - Produces a display by reflecting light off microscopic mirrors.

Dot pitch - The distance between the dots which make up the image on a monitor.

Dolby Digital (5.1) - Dolby Digital is a form of digital audio coding which makes it possible to store and transmit high quality digital sound. This audio coding can be used for mono, stereo or multi-channel soundtracks. Dolby Digital 5.1 is a multi-channel system used by film producers to deliver five discrete (ie the signals for each channel are recorded independently), full range channels: front left, front right, front centre, left surround and right surround. The .1 refers to the Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel which is purely for bass and is therefore not full range.

dpi - Abbreviation for "Dots per Inch." Indicates the resolution of a printer, scanner, or monitor. Refers to the number of dots in a one-inch (approx. 25.4-mm) line.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - A disc that holds up to 17Gb of digital data and provides excellent quality sound and graphics. It can hold more information than a standard CD and is most commonly used to store films. A DVD-ROM drives is backward-compatible with CD-ROMs so DVD-ROM players can play old CD-ROMs, CD-I disks, and video CDs, as well as new DVD-ROMs.

DVD-RW - This allows you to create and burn your own DVD movies. Can read both CDs and DVDs.

DVI (Digital Video Interface) - A video connection used on some TFT monitors and graphics cards that provides a purely digital connection between a PC and monitor. This gives a higher quality image than using a standard VGA connection.

EX Surround - Films with Dolby Digital EX Surround have a third rear channel for more realistic effects: you get a better spread of sound behind you and this adds more realism. To take advantage of this 'back surround channel' you need a compatible processor and an extra speaker which is placed between the two at the back. DTS also has its version of EX called DTS-ES.

Flat-panel display - Slim monitors, similar to the liquid-crystal displays (LCD) found in notebook computers, designed for use with desktop PCs.

GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) - (e.g. Geforce4), takes away much of the graphics processing from the main CPU and helps to deliver superior 3D graphics.

Hard Disk Drive - A disk drive fitted into most PCs. It is used to store applications and documents and files they create. Most hard disks are permanently connected to the drive (fixed disks) though there are also removable disks.

HDMI - HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface and offers an easy and convenient way of interconnecting digital audio-video components. With HDMI, digital signals are not compressed - transmission is direct. And because the signal stays in the digital domain, it is free from the degradation and noise that occurs with analogue signal transmission. HDMI is especially suitable for displays which use all-digital image processing (such as plasma screens, LCDs, etc), DVD-Audio, DVD-Video and other high-quality digital formats.

HDTV - High Definition Television. High-resolution, widescreen digital TV that requires both an HDTV broadcast and television

HDTV-Ready - Refers to any television that would be capable of receiving high definition signals, provided that an additional receiver is also connected. An HDTV-ready television requires an HDTV receiver in order to receive and decode high definition signals.

High-definition - Also known as high-def or HD for short,a high-definition picture has a superior resolution to that of normal TV or video,and therefore shows more detail.

HPA (High Performance Addressing) - A type of screen found mainly on laptop computers HPA is a passive-matrix display technology that provides better response rates and contrast than conventional LCD displays. HPA displays are a cheap alternative to TFT and are not as fast as active-matrix (TFT) displays. HPA tends to be used in entry level laptops.

I link - A high speed link for sending video images and other multimedia data.

I/O (Input/Output) - The fundamental function of a PC which takes input from e.g. keyboard/mouse and outputs information to e.g. monitor /printer. eg I/O Ports are PS/2, Serial, Parallel, VGA and other ports to which external devices are connected.

Integrated Speaker System - Refers to speakers built into the television. Many plasma and LCD models do not come with integrated speakers. Therefore, it is important to note whether this feature is included before purchasing. Otherwise, separate speakers will need to be purchased.

Interlaced Scan - Describes the way that two fields of video information are combined to create a full frame picture. One field containing odd lines and one field containing even lines. Each field is drawn on the TV picture tube in 1/50th second. (1/60th second for NTSC)

JPEG - Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It's a universal encoding format for digital still pictures, graphics, etc, so that they can be easily stored and accessed on the internet or on any compatible digital imaging device such as a camera, PC, data card, DVD-Video player, etc.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) - An electro-optical device used to display digits, characters or images. It is commonly used in digital watches, calculators, PDAs and laptops.

Mega Pixel - Mega refers to over 1 Million. The more pixels there are the better the picture quality in video and still mode

MB (Megabyte) - A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory.

MP3 - MP3 is a file format that allows sounds to be compressed and stored digitally. Music can be downloaded from the Internet or from a CD onto a PC quickly whilst retaining the digital quality.

MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) - Is a computer file format (usually digital video and audio files) which reduces the space needed to store the information.

Native Resolution - Refers to the resolution at which a TV or monitor is designed to display images without conversion. Image signals higher or lower than a specified native resolution must be converted to display accurately. For example, a television with a native resolution of 1080i will need to upconvert 480p images to 1080i to display properly. CRT TVs can have multiple resolutions but flat panel TVs can only have one native resolution.

NICAM - Developed by the BBC in the 1990s, NICAM is a TV sound encoding system. It enables the transmission of programmes in stereo and at 14-bit the sound quality is almost as good as CD. NICAM also allows for simultaneous multi-language broadcasts. To receive a broadcast with NICAM sound, your TV and/or VCR must be equipped with a NICAM decoder. And if you really want to know, it stands for Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex.

NTSC - In the US and Japan, NTSC (National Standards Television Committee) is the standard used for all video equipment. NTSC uses 525 lines to make up a TV picture and scans at 60Hz. Unless otherwise specified, NTSC video equipment is only compatible with NTSC software and TV broadcasts.

Optical digital output - This allows you to connect the portable to a digital surround sound processor so that you can take advantage of a movie with a Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 soundtrack. A thin fibre optic cable is needed to connect the two.

PAL - Phase Alternate Line: a commonly used colour TV system and is the standard for all TV and video equipment used in the UK. The PAL system uses 625 lines to make up a video or TV picture and scans at 50Hz. Unless otherwise specified, PAL video equipment is only compatible with PAL software and TV broadcasts.

Parallel Port - The most common kind of parallel port is a printer port. It enables connection of parallel devices and is faster than a standard serial port.

Picture-in-Picture (PIP) - Refers to the ability of newer television models to display two channels at once. PIPs are usually displayed as a small rectangular screen within the main TV screen or two images side-by-side.

Pixel - Short for: PICture Element, Pixels are the tiny dots of information that make up a digital image. The more pixels there are on the camera's image sensor (CCD or CMOS) or display?s, the higher the image resolution will be. The higher the resolution, the clearer an enlarged print can be.

Progressive Scan - Progressive scan is a method of displaying an image on a cathode ray tube like a standard television (not an LCD or plasma screen.) A progressive scan system displays the entire image once every sixtieth of a second. The true framerate is therefore 60 frames per second.

Resolution - The number of pixels that can be displayed on a monitor. Expressed as horizontal x Vertical e.g. 1024 X 768

Response Time - Response time is a measure of how long a display takes to change the image. A typical LCD television is 2 to 3 times faster than the average computer monitor LCD. Fast response time is superior for playing computer games and viewing action movies and spor

RGB - Stands for red, green and blue. A video connector or lead which offers RGB output carries these primary colours separately for greater picture quality. Inferior scart leads may not offer RGB, so check before you buy one.

SD RAM/RAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) - A type of memory and it increases the number of instructions a computer can perform at any one time. For example, the more ram you have, the more data you can work with at one time.

SECAM - The French broadcast system. Sequential Coleur A Memoire uses 625 lines scanned at 50Hz.

Serial Connection - (RS-232) serial ports are used for connecting external modems and some organisers. This is the slowest form of connecting peripherals and is gradually being replaced by USB connections

Subwoofer - A speaker dedicated to producing powerful low frequency sounds - that's bass to you and me! DVDs with Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 soundtracks are encoded with a Low Frequency Effects channel especially for those trouser-flapping explosions, seismic spacecraft, rumbling thunderstorms, etc.

SVGA - Abbreviation for Super Video Graphics Array. Resolution is 800 x 600 pixels. One of the standard PC display modes.

S-Video Out - 4 pin socket used to carry high quality video signals. Luminance and Chrominance signals are carried separately to optimise picture quality.

S-Video - A high quality video connection which offers better picture quality than standard RCA or composite connectors. S-Video cables have round, mini four-pin plugs and sockets.

SXGA - Abbreviation for Super eXtended Graphics Array. Resolution is 1280 x 1024 pixels. This resolution is a vertical and horizontal expansion of XGA (1024 x 768 pixels).

TFT (Thin Film Transistor) - A thin, bright, colour pc screen used on laptops or as PC monitors. They have superb resolution giving sharpness and brightness. They are usually light and small in size.

Touchpad - A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure.

TV Card - A card which fits into a PC and allows TV images to be displayed on screen via an aerial.

TV Out - A port on a graphics cards that allows you to connect a PC/Laptop to a TV. Useful with DVD drives so you can play DVDs on your PC and watch them on your TV screen.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) - Used to connect a peripheral to a piece of hardware or peripheral to peripheral. It is faster and more stable than a parallel or serial connection.

Video Conferencing - A discussion between two or more groups of people who are in different places. They can see and hear each other using electronic communications facilities. Picture and sound are carried by telecommunication network.

YpbPr - Component Video signal the same as YUV where Y = luminance; Pb = blue minus luminance; and Pr = red minus luminance.