Glossary
720/60p : Refers to the high definition digital sampling format wherein the images are progressively scanned at the rate of 60 fields per second. .
1080/60i : It refers to a type of standardized HD production format with 1920 (H) x 1080 (V) resolution and it operates in an interlaced scanning method at 60 fields per second.
1080/60p : It refers to a standardized High Definition production format with 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically and it operates in an progressive scanning method at 60 fields per second.
24fps : It refers to a 24-frame progressive segmented form of frame video mode. This is implemented in many of the high-end televisions for rendering the best video output especially while watching movies.
1920 x 1080 : It refers to a type of digital sampling structure that consists of 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically. These 1920×1080 images can be scanned either in interlaced (1080i) scanning or progressive (1080p) scanning.
3:2 pull down compensation : It is the process implemented to convert a 24 fps film or 24p video signal into 59.94i video output(standard television signal format).
16:9 : This denotes the pixel width and pixel height ratio. 16:9 is a type of image aspect ratio, and is small scale version of a theater screen. It is also called as a letter box.
ADC : Conversion of analogue signals to digital signals (Analogue To Digital Conversion)
Aliasing : Distortions occurring in the standard output signals due to the sampling issues. Usually it appears as jagged edges and unequally bright images which affects the picture detailing and picture quality. Anti-aliasing is used in most of the modern televisions to avoid judders and noisy output.
Analogue : It is the continuously varying signal used mainly in communication systems. Conventional Television broadcasting systems makes use of analogue signals, for instance. It was an older method, and now digital signals are used widely for precise output.
Aspect Ratio : It is the ratio of pixel width and pixel height. (width : height ratio). Conventional aspect ratio is 4:3, while most of the sophisticated displays offer 16:9 aspect ratio. This helps the users enjoy widescreen television format, that adds to the viewing experience. Now 21:9 ultra widescreen televisions are about to launch in the market that offers superior performance especially while watching movies.
Arcing : It is the conversion of image aspect ratios. There are mainly three image aspect ratios available. They are 4:3, 16:9 and 21:9. The images can be converted into any of these three formats depending on the television, and this conversion process is arcing.
ATSC : Advanced Television System Committee organised for establishing international technical standards for televisions including the recent flat panel displays.
Artefacts : Image artefacts include the unwanted aberrations in the picture output due to the disturbances in the transmission of digital data and also due to the slight variations in the image processing. It appears as edge crawl or hanging dots in the case of analogue pictures, while it takes the form of pixelization in digital images.
ATSC Bandwidth : It includes the set of frequencies used to transmit picture and sound signals. FCC has allocated 6Mhz per channel for the TV broadcasters.
Bandwidth : It is the measure of information that can be transmitted in a particular time period.
Bit : It is the smallest piece of binary data and can be represented as zero(OFF state) or one(ON STATE) depending on the digital signal.
Byte : Eight bits makes a single byte. It is the measure of digital data.
Bit Rate: It is defined as the number of bits transmitted per second. Bit rate is the measure for the picture quality; higher the number of bits, the better the picture clarity.
Brightness : It is one of the major parameter that affects the picture quality and clarity. Optimum brightness must be maintained by the televisions to render pristine images with utmost clarity.
Built-in Tuner : It is the receiver placed inside the television that helps to eliminate the external receiver or set top box. It avails reception of HD-signals from the local affiliates without using any external receivers.
Burn in : It is the phenomenon is which static images leave a mark on-screen even after a new image is displayed in the screen. This happens mainly in the case of plasma display panels.
Cable Card Ready : This terminology cites a set of televisions that come with in-built card slot that eliminates the requirement of external receiver to receive cable programming. A cable card(slightly bigger than a credit card) is available in the market that can slide into the prescribed slot to act as a set top box or external receiver. The major disadvantage of cable card is the lack of on-screen display menu; moreover satellite companies do not offer cale cards for their network.
CCD : It is the acronym for Charge Coupled Device. It is a sensor chip that can be used to collect the image pattern and vary it depending on the lighting conditions and background to be portrayed with the exact colour and contrast effects.
CIF : Common Image Format which is internationally accepted as 1920 X 1080 pixels.
Chroma Signal : It refers to the colour signals in the video output like Pb(blue) or Pr(red). Also known as chrominance signal.
Colour Correction / Colour Enhancement : It refers to the techniques implemented in the televisions to enrich the colour quality of the images to be displayed. This adds more depth and dimensions to the output images; it improvises the picture performance as well.
Composite video : Luminance and chrominance signals of an image is combined together in a composite video signal. It also comes with horizontal and vertical synchronising data too. Mainly composite signals are used in NTSC or PAL video signals where chrominance, luminance and sync info are combined into one analogue signal.
Component Video : It refers to a signal in which the luminance and chrominance signals are kept separate. This helps to avoid the encoding/decoding artefacts that are commonly experienced in composite video signals.
Compression : It is the technique of reducing the total number of bits to be transmitted or stored within a defined space or time. MPEG is one example for compression techniques; it helps to eliminate redundancy in digital data.
Contrast Ratio : This is one of the pivotal factors that control the picture performance and video output of the television. Contrast ratio refers to the difference in the colour intensity of the brightest white and darkest black level. The higher the contrast ratio, the better is the image quality.
Comb Filter : It is one of the enhancement technique implemented in the flat screen displays, and comes in five major classifications. Normal glass comb filter, CCD filter, 2-line Digital filter(2D Filter), 3-line Digital Filter(3D Filter) and 3D Y/C comb filter.
CRT : It is the abbreviation for Cathode Ray Tube. This was the conventional display technology, and involves an electron gun firing at phosphors on a screen to illuminate them and make the picture.
Digital Signal : It is the type of signal used in most of the modern communication systems. Unlike analogue signals, digital signals are represented in discrete units.
Digital Television : It refers to the transmission of broadcast signal as digital data. This has more accuracy compared to analogue cable versions.
DBS : It is the abbreviation of Direct Broadcasting Via Satellite. In DBS System, the users receive television programs directly from the satellite source. A satellite dish installed in the roof-top stays connected with the satellite source and transmits digital signals to the television via set top boxes installed near the television unit.
Depth : It refers to the thickness of the television. Present day televisions are flat screen displays, and comes with ultra-slim designs to make them highly alluring.
DLP : Digital Light Processing technology is one of the eminent display technologies at present, and makes use of Digital Micromirror Devices that controls the light output. It is mainly a projector technology, and avails high brightness, high resolution and compact projectors.
Dolby Surround : It is a first generation home theater format that recuperates the audio signals from the encoded material. It then inputs the recovered audio signals to the speakers placed on the side walls of the listening area.
Down-Conversion : It is the process of converting the high resolution video into lower resolution; It is done in the HD-signals for delivering it into the non-HD clients.
DVD : Being the abbreviation of Digital Versatile Disk, it is one of the most prevalent storage technique used nowadays. Though it looks similar to a CD, it comes with a storage capacity of 17GB, much more than that of a conventional Compact Disk.
DVI : It is a high bandwidth video connection between display and any other device with DVI port. It is completely video connection, and requires separate audio connection. IT is all-digital connection and hence the quality of video output is ace. Mainly used for connecting PC with the television or one can connect the DVD player as well.
EDTV : It is a type of digital television that comes with 480 progressive scanned lines. EDTV is the short form of Enhanced Definition Television. 480p is the other way of denoting the EDTV format.
EPG: Electronic Program Guide gives the comprehensive list of programs for a particular time period. It can be considered as an on-screen display that details about the channels and program data.
Energy Star : It is the measure energy efficiency of the display. Energy star compliance label can be obtained only after satisfying the high international standards set for energy performance of the televisions. This gives the customers a clear cut idea on the competency and energy efficiency of the television before buying itself.
External Receiver : It is also called as set top box, and helps you to enjoy digital television. It is used mainly for receiving the signals from satellite and to avail the digital television system.
Frequency : It is defined as the total number of cycles repeated per second. SI unit of frequency is Hertz (Hz).
Frame Rate : Frame rate is defined as the number of frames transmitted per second in a imaging system. Frame rate and capture rate are interrelated; in progressive scanning, frame rate and capture rate are equal, while frame rate is one half of that of capture rate in the case of interlaced scanning.
Gamut : Boundary of colour space can be referred as a Gamut. The wider the gamut of a television, the better will be the colour transition and depth of colour in the video output.
Ghosting : It is one of the image imperfections seen in televisions. Ghosting leaves behind a shadow or an extra outline that spoils the picture perfection and clarity. It may also come as burn-in where the image will be retained even after the channel is changed.
GigaByte : One Giga byte is equivalent to one billion bytes. Abbreviated as GB, it is specification indicating the capacity of storage devices like memory sticks, DVD, CD, etc.
HD : HD stands for High Definition. It represents the quality of the transmitted/received signal. HD signals are capable of rendering exceptional video output.
HDTV : HDTV is the abbreviation for high definition television; and the quality of video output in HDTV is much better than conventional NTSC or PAL systems.
HD-Ready : This term reveals the HD-compatibility of the device. If a television is HD-ready, then it is compatible with the supremem quality HD-signals.
HDMI : High Definition Multimedia Interface is video connectivity option that can transmit both uncompressed video and audio signal simultaneously. It is considered as the successor of DVI; HDCP copy protection is yet another advantage of this input.
HDCP : High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection is the copy protection strategy developed by Intel to be used along the DVI inputs and HDMI inputs.
HD-DVD : HD-DVD is the High Definition DVD in which high quality HD-signals are fed into the display device instead of standard signals. This inturn adds to the quality and details of the video output.
Interlaced Scanning (I) : It is the type of video scanning in which each frame consists of two fields which altogether produce a full image. Both fields are spaced 1/50 or 1/60 second apart depending on the frame rate. It should be noted that two interlace fields of one image are not equivalent to one progressive frame of the very same image.
LCD : It refers to Liquid Crystal Displays, and is one of the prevalent display technologies used nowadays. Liquid Crystal Cells are sandwiched between thin glass plates. When the liquid crystal cells are electrified with the passage of electric current, the crystals will align or block light in such a way to replicate the video input signal.
Letter Box Mode : It is also called as widescreen mode or 16:9 mode. It can be defined as a way to present widescreen images on a standard television.
Luminance : It refers to the component video signal that includes information about the light or brightness of the composite video signal.
Memory Stick : It refers to the removable digital media device that can be used for digital data storage. Flash memories, USB, etc are some other variations of memory sticks.
Mbps : It refers to the measure of data transfer speed. Mbps is the abbreviated form of Megabits per second. Theoretically 1 Mbps means 1,000,000 bits being transmitted in one second.
Microfibre : It refers to the small fibres used to make cleaning cloths of Plasma and LCD televisions and Laptops
MPEG : MPEG refers to compression standards for motion images. It is proposed by the “Motion Pictures Expert Group”. MPEG-2 is the compression used mainly by the ATSC and DVB standards.
NTSC : It is the abbreviated form of National television system committee. The analog television standards using in the U.S., Canada, and Japan are developed by this committee.
PAL : It refers to the abbreviated form of Phase Alternate Line, and is the television broadcast standard used in Europe and parts of Asia. PAL signals includes 25 frames per second signal, hence PAL signal is not compatible with NTSC television sets .PAL transmits (625) lines of resolution, which is nearly twenty percent more than the U.S. NTSC Standard of (525 lines).
Pillarbox : It is the consequence of displaying a traditional 4:3 image on a widescreen 16:9 monitor. In this phenomenon, the picture is scaled so that it fits the television screen, without causing any distortion to the image. This lets the picture to fill the height of the screen, however the image is not filled not horizontally. The dark bars displayed on both the left and right sides of the picture is the aftermath and it is called pillarbox.
Pixel : It is the acronym for PICture Element and it is defined as one single sample of the digital picture data.
Progressive Scan: It is a scanning method in which one single frame contains the complete image. Each frame contains full image and bandwidth used in progressive scanning is higher compared to those required in interlace scanning. The video output of progressive scan is much better than interlaced scanning.
Plasma Display : It is one of the prevalent display technology in the current display market. Plasma TV consists of thousands of embedded cells to produce a picture. Each cell comes with one pixel and three sub-cells. Plasma gas is filled in between the three sub-cells, as the gas glows in the primary colours(red, blue and green) when electric current is passed through it. One coloured pixel on the screen is formed when the resultant light from the three “RGB” sub-cells are combined.
Resolution : It is the measure of the smallest detail that is visible or that can be resolved in a video image. It is the amount of picture information that can be resolved to the fullest in a reproduced image
RGB: The abbreviation for red, green and blue signals, the primary colors of light (and television). Cameras and telecines have red, blue and green receptors, the TV screen has red, green and blue phosphors illuminated by red, green and blue guns. Much of the picture monitoring in a production center is in RGB. RGB is digitized with 4:4:4 sampling which occupies 50 percent more data than 4:2:2.
Screen Size: It refers to the measurement of the screen from one corner to another diagonally.
Subpixel : The minute elements that combine together to form a pixel.
SCART : It is one of the commonly used technique for inputting data into television or any other device. More than 2 SCARTs are made available in all high-end televisions.
SDTV : It is the acronym for Standard Definition Television. SDTV includes digital transmissions with 480-line resolution, either in interlaced format or in progressive scan mode. Though it gives better performance than the NTSC systems, SDTV is outsmarted by HDTV recently.
SECAM : It is the acronym of Système Electronique Couleur Avec Mémoire. It is a type of signal format used in video gadgets mainly in France and Soviet Union, and is incompatible with PAL and NTSC formats.
Set-top Box : It is also denoted as STB/ decoder/ receiver/ tuner. It is a unit that resemble cable boxes and is capable of receiving and decoding Digital Television broadcasts.
S-Video: It is one of the connectivity options put forward by most of the high-end televisions. This video input is improvised version of composite video input. However it is purely a video connection and needs a separate audio connection to hear sound.
Smearing : Smearing occurs when an image blurs from one part into another.
TFT : It is the acronym of Thin Film Transistor, and has a pivotal role in the working of an LCD screen. It is the lattice of circuitry that makes an LCD screen work.
Table Stand : It is an accessory of one of the methods to fix a screen. The two available methods for fixing a television at present is wall-mounting and table mount. Table stand is the stand to which the screen is attached so that the display can sit on top of a table or TV stand
UHF : It s the short form of Ultra high frequency. It includes the frequency range used by TV channels 14 through 69.
Up-conversion : It is the process of reproduction of a lower resolution image like the pics in PAL/NTSC format to a higher definition image like HD format.
Up-resing : It refers to the process that manages to display a lesser resolution image in a higher resolution display. The display resolution of the image is upped to match the high screen resolution of television using this method.
Wall Mount : A wall mount is made up of bracket that can be attached to a wall, so that it holds the display unit like a wall painting. It eliminates the need for an entertainment center or TV stand.
VHF : VHF is the short form of Very High Frequency, It consists of the frequency range used by TV channels 2 through 13.
Y/Pb/Pr – This indicates the types of connections available for HDTV Components. It is one of the sophisticated method for interconnecting decoded video data, and is mostly used for digital TV signal source.
Y/U/V or Y/Cr/Cb : This denotes a type of Digital TV connector/cable. The separate components of the video signal(Luminance signal and 2 chroma signals Cr,Cb) are maintained separately by using a 3-Wire cable. Out of the three, one wire is for Light or Brightness(Y); one for “Cr” – Red; and the last wire for “Cb”- Blue.
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