Need help with all of those terms? Let our glossary provide the answers.

15 Pin D-Sub VGA Input - Input a computer uses to send a VGA (or SVGA / XGA) signal into a monitor.

8VSB (8 Vestigial Side Band) New Terrestrial (over the air) modulation / demodulation system for DTV Broadcasting in the U.S.

Analog The traditional television system which uses magnetic waves to transmit and display pictures and sound.

Aspect Ratio The ratio between how wide the TV screen is, and how tall the TV screen is. 4:3 means the screen is 4 inches wide for every three inches tall (4:3 = 12:9). 16:9 is a wider format that is 16 inches wide for every 9 inches tall. This is more like a movie theater.

ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) Committee that recommends specifications for Digital TV to the FCC. They recommended 18 separate formats for DTV.

Bit Rate Speed at which data is transferred. Data includes Audio / Video information, and other supporting data.

Blu Ray One of the two major formats competing for the emerging high definition DVD market. The name comes from the use of a blue-violet laster to read and write data.

CEMA (Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Alliance) Our Consumer Electronics Industry Association, and a division of the EIA (Electronics Industry Association).

Component Video Inputs Toshiba calls these ColorStream? Inputs. These inputs break the video signal down into base components that include Y (Luminance), Cr(Red Chromanance), and Cb (Blue Chromanance), S-Video only breaks down the signal into Y & C. This further separation allows for the highest resolution analog signal pass through, with true color reproduction.

CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) The vacuum "picture tube" that creates images inside the television set.

DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) A generic term for any digital broadcast satellite system.

DDC2B Protocol that allows Windows Plug and Play for a monitor. This protocol allows the monitor to tell the computer which monitor it is, and what its resolution ability is. The computer will then automatically adjust itself to that level.

Digital Information that has been converted to packets of 0's and 1's (Binary). Transmitting information digitally allows for data compression, loss elimination, and enhanced error correction. The result is that the TV receives the full high resolution signal that is broadcast. A digital signal will never have snow or ghosts. The TV will either display a clear picture, or no picture. (All information must be converted back to analog before being displayed)

DLP (Digital Light Projection) A display technology similar to LCD and Plasma that can be utilized on a front or rear projection TV.

DSS (Digital Satellite System) This term was used by DIRECTV, but is no longer used. They now use "DIRECTV Systems".

DTV (Digital TV) Umbrella term for all SDTV and HDTV broadcast levels.

DTV Ready (Digital TV Ready) There is no official CEMA definition for DTV Ready, Capable, or Compatible. Some manufacturers us DTV Ready for a TV that can accept and display a 480p signal.

DVI — Digital Visual Interface. This is a high-bandwidth video connection that carries digitized RGB picture information and can support copy-protection methods. The DVI specification allows for the presentation device and display device to agree on an optimal picture size and resolution to ensure the highest quality picture automatically.

Fields One half of the information of a frame. Therefore, with interlaces scanning, two fields are transmitted to create one frame (Odd numbered lines in one field, and even numbered lines in the other field).

Fire Wire IEEE 1394 Connector - High Speed Digital I/O Connector and Cable that allows digital devices to send digital signals back and forth (s-way communication). Now used on computers, it will be used on future Digital Cable Boxes and Digital STB's when a copy protection system is determined. Items can be linked in a serial manner to lessen the number of cables needed for digital home theater.

Flat Panel TV A thin, lightweight TV unit ideal for wall-mounting. Screen technology can be plasma or LCD. Flat-panel TVs are slimmer and generally more expensive that projection models.

Frames A moving TV picture is made from individual still frames. Current NTSC provides (60 Fields or) 30 Frames per second. At 24-30 frames per second, the human mind perceives the images as fluid motion.

Front Projection TV A two piece display system consisting or a ceiling mounted or tabletop project and as screen. The projector has a lens that shoots the image at a blank fabric screen or wall.

HD DVD A high density optical disc designed for the storage or data and high definition video. One of the two major formats competing for the emerging high definition DVD market.

HDMI Cables (High Definition Multimedia) Transmits digital audio and video from HDMI-capable devices such as your cable box or HD DVD player, to your HDTV.

HDTV (High Definition TV) All 720p and 1080i Formats. - As per the CEMA definition, a HDTV TV Set must accept all 18 ATSC Table 3 DTV formats, display either 720p or 1080i, create a 16:9 Aspect Ratio Picture at the minimum vertical resolution, and reproduce or output Dolby Digital sound.

HDTV Capable Term applies to TV's with an HD-capable monitor. An HD receiver/decoder is still needed to receive the high definition signals.

HDTV Ready Term applied to TVs that have an HD receiver and decoder built in. A seperate receiver is still needed for cable or satellite services. These can accept and display both 480p, an with a set-top box, a 720p and/or 1080i signal. (1080i = 2,073,600 pixels max., and 720p = 1,843,200 pixels max.)

Interlaced - I - Interlaced Scanning breaks each frame into two fields, each with half of the information for that frame. Then, every other field is transmitted and "interlaced" together to create frames. This is how NTSC is broadcast, but it does cause noticeable scanning lines, and some flicker. Interlaced formats include 480i, and 1080i (Scan Lines and Flicker are almost unnoticeable at 1080i).

IRD (Integrated Receiver Decoder) The DIRECTV Set-Top-Box, or Internal Board.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) A technology used in flat panel, front and rear projection TVs that employs a liquid crystal solution sandwiched between two polarizing transparent panels.

LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) One of the newest, sharpest and pricier displays on the market.

Letterbox Mode A method of presenting widescreen images on a standard screen television utilitizing dark bars above and below the picture.

Lines There are Scanning Lines, and Resolution Lines.

*Scanning Lines are a function of the broadcast level, and refer to Vertical Lines per frame.

*Resolution Lines are a function of the TV's capability. With analog TV, many TV's are capable of horizontal resolution higher than the 330 lines currently broadcast. With HDTV, only the best TV's will be able to accurately recreate true HDTV resolution.

LNB (Low Noise Blockconverter) A Component / Connector of the DIRETV Dish that sends the signal to the IRD. Use of Multiple IRD's requires a Dual LNB Dish.

Lossy compression: Reducing the total data rate by discarding data that is not critical. Both video and audio for DTV transmission use lossy compression.

NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) Currently Analog TV Broadcast System used in the U.S. NTSC is an interlaced system using 525 scanning lines. Approximately 45 lines are used for the VBI, so 480 lines are used for the picture.

Parabolic Dish Oblong shaped DSS Dish (not 18.5" x 24"). This dish points to two satellites at one time. This type of dish is needed for High Definition DIRECTV, and will also be necessary to receive Local-to-Local signals in many areas.

Pixels For Digital TV, Resolution Level is measured in Horizontal Pixels per Line and Vertical Lines per Frame. (e.g. 1920 x 1080). Although, CEMA definitions only include Vertical Lines per Frame.

Plasma Display A still evolving flat-screen technology that utilizes gas-filled pixels positioned between two transparent glass panels.

Progressive - P - Progressive Scanning transmits complete frames (not fields). This eliminates the scanning lines that you can normally see on a TV screen, while also eliminating any flicker. Computers have always used progressive scanning. Progressive formates include 480p, and 720p.

QAM (Quadreture Amplitude Modulation) Modulation / demodulation system for Digital Cable TV in the US.

QPSK (Wuadreture Phase Shift Keyed) Modulation / demodulation system for satellite TV.

Rear Projection TV A display that projects the image onto the screen from the rear.

Refresh Rate Denotes how many times a second another field/frame is drawn. NTSC is 60 Hz, or 60 times a second.

Return Loss: The ratio of signal power transmitted into a system, to the power reflected or returned. This is like an echo that is reflected back by impedance changes in the system. Variation in impedance from the source results in some returned signal. Cabling systems lack perfect impedance structure and matching, and have a measurable return loss.
At every connection, the potential exists that the impedance will change, resulting in part of the signal being reflected back to the source. Each impedance change contributes to signal loss (attenuation) and directly causes return loss.

Resolution The sharpness of a video image, signal or display. High definition programs are encoded with a resolution of 720pm, 1080i or 1080p.

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.

S-Video Separated video. An encoded video signal which separates the brightness from color data. S-video can greatly improve the picture when connecting TVs to any high quality video source such as digital broadcast satellite (DBS) and DVD's.

Scanning Frequency Denotes how fast the scanning lines can move. The faster they move, the more lines that can be drawn, the higher the vertical resolution. NTSC / 480i = 15.75 kHz, VGA/480p = 31.5 kHz, 1080i = 33.75 kHz, Mac = 35.0 kHz, SVGA = 38.5 kHz, and 720p = 45.0 kHz. (Note: True screen resolution is measured by multiplying vertical resolution by horizontal resolution for total pixels per second. Using this method 1080i = 2,073,600, and 720p = 1,843,200.)

SDTV (Standard Definition TV) All DTV Formats below HDTV. Usually 480i and 480p Formats (also 540p).

SECAM (Système Electronique Couleur Avec Mémoire) is a signal format used in video equipment in France and the former Soviet Union. It is incompatible with PAL and NTSC formats.

Spectrum A range of frequencies available for over-the-air transmission.

STB (Set-Top-Box) Any additional box that is connected to a TV, such as a Cable Box, DIRECTV IRD, or a DTV Converter Box.

Surround Sound System HDTV is made for the ears as well as the eyes, with an ability to broadcast 5.1 channel Dolby Digital surround sound (used in movie theaters and on DVDs) or better. The ideal system includes four floor-standing or wall-mounted speakers, a center channel speaker and a subwoofer.

SVGA (Super Video Graphic Adapter) Computer term for 800 x 600 Resolution or more.

UHF Ultra high frequency, the range used by TV channels 14 through 69.

Universal Remote Get all-in-one access with a programmable remote that lets you control a multitude of devices.

Upconvert The term used to describe the conversion of a lower apparent resolution to a higher number, such as "up-converting" 720p to 1080i. This is a misnomer, though, since to accomplish this, the horizontal scanning frequency is actually lowered from 45kHz to 33.75kHz. Resolution quality is not improved by this method.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) New lower bit rate connector computers will use for peripheral devises such as printers, keyboards, joysticks, etc.

VBI (Vertical Blanking Interval) For NTSC, these are scanning lines that are not used for picture. They are used for information about the picture signal, Closed Captioning Information, IPG (Interactive Program Guide) information, XDS (Extended Data Services) information, etc.

VGA (Video Graphics Adapter) Computer term for 640 x 480 Standard Computer Resolution.

VHF
Very high frequency, the range used by TV channels 2 through 13.

Y/Pb/Pr - Designation for HDTV Component Type Connections
Advanced method for interconnecting decoded video data. Generally used where a digital TV signal source is used. Preferred connection for High Definition TV signals; enables superior quality in transmitted picture. The video signal is separated into its component parts of brightness and color differentials.

Y/U/V or Y/Cr/Cb
Y/Cr/Cb designates a "Component" type Digital TV connector/cable.
The separate components of the video signal (Luminance - Light; and Chroma - Color) are kept separated by using a 3-Wire cable. One wire for "Y"- designates Light or Brightness; one wire is "Cr" - Red; and the last wire is "Cb"- Blue.

XGA (Extended Graphics Adapter) Computer term for 1024 x 768 Resolution or more.

Widescreen A picture wider and narrower than standard, generally a television with an aspect ratio of 16:9.