| Glossary of Video-A/V Terms |
| Aspect Ratio |
The ratio between the width and the height of a picture. TV ratio is 4:3. For HDTV, the ratio is 16:9. |
| Bandwidth |
The range of frequencies a device or circuit can handle. |
| Baud (Baud Rate) |
The speed of data transfer, roughly equivalent to bits per second. |
| Chroma |
Often referred to as chrominance or the color portion of a video signal. |
| Component Video |
Generally indicates a Y, R-Y, B-Y (Betacam™) signal format or an unencoded video signal. Other formats of component are RGB or Y, Pr, Pb (HDTV). |
| Composite Sync |
Video sync that combines both horizontal and vertical scan controls. |
| Composite Video |
A single video signal that contains all color, brightness, and timing information. |
| Contrast Ratio |
The difference between the dark part of the picture and the light are of the picture. |
| Digital |
A device or signal that represents data as discrete, non-continuous information, as compared with Analog. The digital approach aims to eliminate the noise and distortion associated with Analog transmissions and reproductions. |
| DLP |
Digital Light Processor. An all-digital display technology that makes use of a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) and reproduces sharp, bright images without degradation. |
| DVI |
Digital Video Interactive. Connection standard for linking a video and a display that requires a digital signal. |
| Frame Rate |
The rate at which a frame of video is refreshed or re-drawn. For instance, with NTSC, the frame rate is 30 frames (60 fields) per second. For computer video, the frame rate can range from 60-100 frames per second.
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| Gain |
The amplification of a signal by a device, expressed in decibels. "Unity Gain" indicates 0 dB. |
| Horizontal Sync (H. Sync) |
The portion of a video signal that instructs where information should be displayed in a left to right dimension. |
| Infrared (IR) Control |
A wireless signal using electromagnetic radiation outside the visible spectrum. |
| Interlaced |
A video scanning system in which all of the lines in the frame are scanned alternately. |
| LCD |
Liquid Crystal Display. Display that consists of two polarizing transparent panels and a liquid crystal surface sandwiched in between. Electricity is then sent through the treated glass to change the phase of the liquid, which then changes color. |
| Luma |
Often referred to as Luminance or light intensity in a video signal. |
| Modulator |
A modulator combines two different signals that can be pulled apart later. |
| Non-Interlaced |
Commonly known as Progressive Scan. All in a frame are scanned out sequentially or one right after the other.
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| NTSC |
National Television Standards Committee (Analog) - The NTSC standard involves a 525-line 60-field system. |
| PAL |
Phase Alternate by Line - 625-line 50-field composite color video transmission system. Adopted as a standard widely used in Europe, South Africa, and Australia. |
| Resolution |
The number of pixels in a line and the number of lines per frame. VGA has a resolution of 640x480, SVGA a resolution of 800x600, and XGA a resolution of 1024x768. |
| RGBS |
Red, Green, Blue, (Composite) Sync. |
| RGBHV |
Red, Green, Blue, Horizontal Sync, Vertical Sync. |
| RGsB |
Red, Green with (Composite) Sync, Blue. |
| S-Video |
Also referred to as "Y/C" wherein Y stands for Luma and C stands for Chroma. A video signal in which the Chrominance ("C", or color) information has been kept separated from the luminance ("Y", black/white or detail) information. |
| SECAM |
Sequentiel Couleur Avec Memoire (Sequential Color with Memory). 625 lines and 50 fields (25 frames). Used in France, Russia and Eastern Europe. |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N Ratio) |
The magnitude of the signal divided by the noise interfering with the signal. The higher the Signal-to-Noise ratio, the better. |
| SVGA |
Super Video Graphics Array. An extension of the VGA standard. 800x600 resolution. |
| SXGA |
Super Extended Graphics Array. Computer data is displayed at a resolution of 1280 horizontal pixels by 1024 vertical pixels. |
| Sync |
The portion of a video signal that instructs the display on where and when to place video information. |
| Vertical Sync (V. Sync) |
The portion of a video signal that instructs where information should be displayed vertically. |
| VGA |
Video Graphics Array. Refers specifically to a computer video standard using 640x480 resolution. |
| XGA |
Extended Graphics Array. 1024x768 resolution. |
