Glossary

0-9

4:2:2

The Y (luminance) is sampled at double the rate of the Cb and Cr (red difference and blue difference chroma components).

4:4:4

Each component of the YCbCr colour space is sampled at the same sample rate.

10 Bit Video

Colour values are encoded at 10 bit, ie range from 0 to 1023.

8 Bit Video

Colour values are encoded at 8 bit, ie range from 0 to 255.

A

AACS

Advanced Access Content System is a digital rights management standard used to restrict access to and prevent copying Blu-ray.

Abstraction Layer

Computing term to denote the hiding of implementation details of a set of funcionaltiy

AIFF

Audio Interchange File Format – an audio file format with little-endian bite order primarily used on Apple computers

Analogue

A continuosly variable signal

Apple Pro Res

Apple’s industry standard codec for virtually losless digital video, accepted by the BBC as an HD delivery format.

Aspect Ratio

The shape of a TV picture expressed as width:height, eg 16:9 for widescreen. Is sometimes factored down eg 16:9 = 1.78:1

Aspect Ratio Conversion

The process of converting from, for example, 16:9 widescreen to a letter boxed 4:3 image. Often used for compatibility with legacy systems though less common.

AVI

Audio Video Interleaved – Less common PC based video format that acts as a container for a number of different CODEC

B

BDR

Blu-ray Disc recordable, the write once version of Blu-ray

Beta SP

An old analogue standard definition Sony broadcast tape format, rarely used these days

Bit

The smallest unit of data in computing terms

Bit Rate

Refers to the amount of data per time unit that a digital file is encoded at, for example 4 Mbps (megabits per second)

Block Error Rate

A measure of the number of errors per second present on a CD audio. The accepted maximum allowable is a BLER of 220

Blu-ray

The latest optical disc format, specifically designed for HD video.

Byte

8 bits make up 1 byte

C

CD

Compact Disc, the first mass produced optical disc system to become popular

CDR

Compact Disc Recordable, the write once version of CD

CDROM

Compact Disc Read Only Memory, refers to a replicated data CD

CF

Compact Flash card, a memory card used by professional stills cameras and some in store video players

CMYK

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black, the colours used in the 4 colour printing process.

CODEC

Coder/Decoder, a device or more commonly a computer program capable of encoding and/or decoding a digital data stream or signal, for example MPEG1

Copy Protection

Any system that prevents copying of content , eg DVD Sequr for DVD video

CRC

Cyclic redundancy checks, a system to verify copied or transmitted data

CSS

Content Scrambling System, the copy protection system originally used for DVD Video, now mostly ineffectual

D

DDP

Digital Descriptor Protocol, the file format used for delivering replication masters

Digibeta

Sony’s SD digital video format which replaced Beta SP

Digital

The representation of continuously variable signals using sampling

Digital Print

Any method of printing which does not use traditional screen or offset techniques

Div X

A proprietary version of H264 supported by a large number of DVD players, favoured by internet users

DLT

Digital Linear Tape – A tape format for delivering DDP DVD images for replication, not used much anymore

Duplication

Any act of copying, specifically in optical disc refers to copying on recordable discs as opposed to replication

DVC Pro HD

Panasonics HD tape format

DVCAM

Sony SD digital tape format

DVD

Originally Digital Video Disc but renamed to Digital Versatile Disc when it became popular for storing data other than DVD Video

DVD Video

A DVD disc authored in such a way that it will play on a set top DVD player.

DVDR

Write once version of DVD

E

Eclipse

An analysis platform to check integrity of DVD masters

Encoding

The process of converting a digital signal to a digital computer file

Error Correction

Most digital storage systems (eg CD Audio) contain inherent errors which are compensated for by error correction systems on reading. The reason that a full 700MB CD can store more audio as an audio CD than 16 bit uncompressed 44.1KHz audio files is that more space is required by data error correction systems than audio error concealment systems.

Exabyte

A tape format which was used to deliver audio DDP images for replication, not used much anymore

F

FAT 16

Microsoft’s 16 bit File Allocation Table, the system used for storing data on hard drives, rarely used these days

FAT 32

Updated 32 bit version of FAT16, still often used on USB flash memory

Flash Memory

Solid state memory with no moving parts that make up USB memory sticks, SDHC cards etc.

FLV

Flash Video Files, the webs most popular video file codec, as used by Youtube.

FSC

Forest Stewardship Council; international non-profit organisation established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests.

FTP

File transfer protocol, the system used for transferring large amounts of data over the internet.

G

Glass Master

The physical master, made from glass, from which stampers are created to mould polycarbonate during the CD or DVD replication process.

Gold Master

Term often applied to the CD replication Master on CD-R, owing to the use of gold in the manufacturing of early CD Recordables.

H

H264

The video compression technology which is used by MPEG4

Harding Test

The Harding flash and Pattern test is based on research by Professor Graham Harding to predict if flashes or other patterns likely to cause fits in epileptics. All footage needs to be checked for this before being broadcast

HD

High Definition, ie frame sizes above 720 X 576 for PAL and 720 X 480 for NTSC

HDCAM

Sony professional HD digital tape format, replacement for Digibeta

HDMI

High Definition Multi Interface, Consumer interface used for interconnection of TVs, Blu-ray Players etc.

HFS

Hierarchical File System the file system developed by Apple Inc. for use in computer systems running Mac OS

Huff YUV

A lossless codec sometimes used for archiving purposes

I

Inkjet

Printing system where ink droplets are jetted onto a surface without contact between the head and surface

ISO

Disc image format, primarily PC based

ISRC

International Standard Recording Code, the code embedded in CD Audio to track royalty payments.

K

Kbps

Kilobit per second, ie 1000 bits per second, an expression of bitrate, often confused with Kilobytes per second (or 1000 bytes per second)

Kib

Kibibit, 1024 bits. Computer operating systems incorrectly refer to a Kilobyte as being 1024 bytes but this should be referred to as a Kibibit

L

Litho

More accurately referred to as Offset, a print method used for paper and disc printing

M

Mastering

Any process of preparing content for copying or broadcast. Often refers to audio mastering which is the compression, EQ and limiting process applied to a music as a final stage during preparation of DDP masters.

Mbps

Mega bits per second, or 1 million bits per second not to be confused with mega bytes per second

MCPS

Mechanical Copyright and Performance Society – the UK licensing body for recorded music

Mibit

Mebibit, 1024 Kibibits or 1,048,576 bits

Mini DV

Sony Consumer standard definition digital video tape format

MP3

Mpeg 2 Layer 3, the audio layer for MPEG video files which has become the de facto codec for compressed audio

MP4

See MPEG4

MPEG LA

Motion Picture Engineering Group Licensing Authority, responsible for protecting the IP of MPEG compression technology

MPEG1

The original MPEG video CODEC as used by VCD

MPEG2

CODEC used for DVD and Blu-ray at higher bit rates

MPEG4

CODEC based on H264, efficient and can be used for web video as well as HD quality

Multisession CD

Writing more than one session allows both multiple data sessions or a data session to be written after an audio session, allowing both to be readable. Known as orange book due to the combination of Red Book (Audio) and Yellow Book (Data)

N

NAND Flash

NAND is one of the two basic forms of logic gates as used in computer chips (NOR being the other), NAND flash memory is the memory used by USB flash drives.

NTFS

New Technology File System, Microsoft file system that supersedes FAT32 for use in hard drives. USB drives still often use FAT

NTSC

National Television System Committee, refers to the TV standard as used by USA, Japan and some other countries

O

Offset Printing

The correct way to refer to Litho Printing, a 4 colour print process where rollers and plates are used to transfer ink onto paper or discs.

Optical Disc

any disc format that uses laser technology to store and retrieve information, eg CD, DVD, Blu-ray

Orange Book CD

Part of the rainbow book CD format standards, so called as Red Book and Yellow Book are written on the same disc in different sessions.

P

PAL

Phase Alternate Line, the television standard used by United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

Pantone Colour

Standardised Colour from the Pantone Matching System invented by the company of the same name.

Pixels

Picture Element, a single point in a raster image, or an individual dot that makes up a TV image

PMS

Pantone Matching System,see Pantone Colour.

Process Colours

Another term for CMYK.

PRS

Performing Rights Society, the body that collects and allocates music performance royalties

Q

Quicktime

Apple’s multimedia file format, a container for a variety of CODECS for both audio and video

R

Red Book Audio CD

The rainbow book standard that covers audio CDs

Replication

The process of making copies, specifically used in optical discs to define manufactured copies

RGB

Red Green & Blue, RGB is the colour model used for the display of images in electronic systems such as televisions and monitors.

S

Sampling

The process used to convert continuously variable (analogue) signals to digital signals

Screen

The mesh that ink is squeezed through in screen printing

SD

Standard Definition (720 X 576 pixels in PAL and 720 X 480 pixels in NTSC) (also Secure digital in flash memory cards)

SDHC

Secure Digital High Capacity, the most recent flash memory card as used in consumer (and some prosumer) stills and video cameras

SDI

Serial Digital Interface, profesional video communication standard which carries uncompressed video over coaxial cable.

Standards Conversion

The process of converting from one television standard (eg PAL) to another (eg NTSC)

Streaming

Video or audio provided over the internet in realtime as opposed to being downloaded for later viewing

U

USB

Universal Serial Bus, a computer interface that has become the standard for interconnection of peripherals

UV Cured Ink

Ink which is solidified by passing under high power ultra violet light, as used by the latest generation of digital printers

W

Watermark

Originally a visible pattern in print but has come to refer to either in vision or invisible marking used to identify content and IP holders

WAV

PC audio file format for uncompressed audio