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©1997/2001, Active Network. All Rights Reserved.
Layout & Design by
Designer Dream. Content written by light tower the Active Network team. Please click
here
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Glossary
Of DVD Terms
| A | B
| C | D | E | F
| G | H | I | J
| K | L | M | N
| O | P | Q | R
| S | T | U | V
| W | X | Y | Z
|
| 1 | 2
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| 7 | 8 |
A:
| Aberration: |
Variations in focus of a laser
beam spot, resulting in the beam of light being diffused at
different points, is called an aberration. These aberrations,
caused by a lens or variations in substrate density, can
create focusing errors in the laser pick-up. The thinner 0.6mm
substrate utilized on DVD discs significantly reduces
aberrations of the laser spot pick-up, improving accuracy in a
high density environment. |
| Aperture: |
Aperture is the opening or width
of a lens. |
| Anamorphic: |
The process of compressing wide
screen images, 1.78:1 or greater, to fit into the bandwidth of
a standard 1.33:1 television signal. The images are then
expanded for viewing in their original format on a widescreen
display device.
Do you want to know more? Jump to an
article on "Aspect
Ratio." |
| Angles: |
Scenes that make up a movie may
be shot from multiple camera angles, each providing a unique
perspective of the program. DVD will allow, at the director's
discretion, up to nine different camera angles to be recorded
on a disc, enabling the viewer to select the angle they
desire. This option will add interactivity to movies, sporting
events and instructional videos. |
| Artifacts: |
Flaws in the
video image that lessen the picture quality and were not
present in the original material. |
| Aspect
Ratio: |
The relationship between width
and height of a television set. Current television products
feature a 4:3 aspect ratio. DVD will off 4:3, letterbox and
16:9 aspect ratios.
Do you want to know more? Jump
to an article on "Aspect
Ratio." |
| Audio
Streams: |
DVD - Has the ability to hold a
maximum of eight audio streams on a single disc. This enhanced
capacity allows Hollywood Studios to include up to eight
different language tracks providing added versatility in
multi-language applications. |
| Average
Bit Rate: |
A Bit is a single binary unit.
This is the smallest unit of information that the processor
can handle. Bit rate refers to the speed at which the
processor can read and process data from the disc. The average
bit rate is the average of a variable bit rate system. DVD
utilizes a variable bit rate to better allocate storage
capacity on a disc. |
B:
| Bitmap: |
A format for
storing still graphic images. In DVDs, bitmaps are used for
menus and overlays. |
| Bit
Rate: |
The rate at which
digital information is presented or encoded. Since there is
room for only so many bits on a DVD, the bit rate can vary.
The rate is kept lower for simpler sequences so that extra
space will be available for more complex ones. |
| Blocking: |
A visible
artifact of digital compression in which blocky rectangular
areas appear in the picture due to the way an image's pixels
are organized. |
| Bonded
Disc: |
DVD Video Discs are 1.2mm thick
consisting of two 0.6mm layers permanently bonded together.
This procedure produces a disc that is more resistant to
warpage and offers improved tilt margins. It also enables a
software content provider the capability to utilize both sides
of the DVD disc.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| Buffer: |
An integrated circuit that
temporarily stores information prior to processing. Images are
retrieved from a DVD disc in packets referred to as groups of
pictures (GOP) that are assembled in the
buffer. The buffer assembles entire picture data and then
releases it for processing. |
C:
| Caption: |
Text that appears
on screen during a program, such as foreign language
subtitles. |
| Cell: |
A point on a DVD
where a chapter stop has been created, allowing the viewer to
jump instantly to that spot. |
| Channel: |
One section of an
audio track, usually carrying the sound for one speaker. |
| Chapter: |
Also known as a
"part of the title," a point on a DVD that the
viewer can instantly jump to, like a track on a CD. |
| Chroma: |
The color part of
a video signal, as well as a description of how intense the
color is in a given frame. |
| Closed
Caption: |
A caption that is
only visible when particularly requested, as opposed to
"open captions," which are a permanent part of the
picture image. |
| Coaxial
Cable: |
A two-conductor
cable with a hot center wire and a neutral shield wire running
along the same axis. Used to link a television to a DVD player
or to provide cable TV access. |
| Codec: |
Any form of
encoding and decoding a signal |
| Colorist: |
The responsible
for the look of a title when it is mastered to video,
including adjusting not only the color and contrast, but also
occasionally the framing of the image (also called a telecine
colorist). |
| Component
Format: |
A method of
transferring color video through three wires, ensuring that
the color signals don't interfere with one another. |
| Component
Video: |
A video system in
which colors are transferred through three individual wires,
so that the color signals don't interfere with one another.
Most television sets are now equipped to receive a component
signal, which offers higher quality pictures than composite
video. |
| Composite
Video: |
A video system in
which three colors are transferred over one wire. NTSC (the
pre-digital television standard in the United States) and PAL
(the European television standard) are examples of composite
video, which offers a lower quality picture than component
video. |
| Compression: |
Any method of
reducing the amount of space needed to record or transmit
information. In DVDs, video is compressed using a process
called variable bit rate encoding, which allots a changing
number of bits to enhance resolution in a given scene. Scenes
with lots of light or little action require less hits than
dark scenes or those with lots of action. |
D:
| D/A
Converter Sampling Rate: |
As with
computers, processor speed in a DVD player directly effects
the picture quality. The D/A Converter speed allows for a more
accurate and detailed reading of the DVD disc. |
| Data
Reduction: |
Digital video that has not been
compressed carries more picture information than is necessary
to produce a quality image. Digitized video identifies the
precise brightness and color of each pixel. It is not
necessary to assign this large amount of storage space to each
pixel since common picture elements can be grouped together
and represented by smaller segments of code. This is the basis
of MPEG-2. For example, the picture
elements of a static image do not need to be stored as new
information over and over to create successive frames. Through
the use of I-frames, a reference frame that appears once every
fifteen frames, bi-directional B- frames, and P-frames,
predictive frames that fill in the information between the
I-frames, the amount of data storage necessary to reproduce
high quality moving images is greatly reduced. |
| Data
Stream: |
The constant stream of
information being fed to the decoder. This stream contains all
information needed to decode and view the image. |
| Decode: |
To take
compressed, encoded sources and turn them into a data stream
that can be played back by another device. (Decoder: the
machine that can do so). |
| Decoder: |
A circuit that determines the
content of a given instruction and performs digital to analog
conversion of picture and sound elements. |
| Digital: |
A recording technique in which
sounds and/or images are converted into groups of electronic
bits for storage. The groups of bits are retrieved
electronically, by a laser, as a series of ones and zeroes.
This binary code is converted into the audio and video images
to be displayed. |
| Digital
Comb Filter: |
Chrominance and Luminance signals
are converted to a digital medium prior to separation and 2H
delay. This process provides enhanced color purity and reduced
dot crawl. Vertical and diagonal correction performed in a
digital medium provides highly accurate Chrominance and
Luminance signal separation. |
| Digital
Compression |
Any algorithm
that reduces the storage space required to record or transmit
information. MPEG and JPEG are both digital compression
schemes. |
| Dolby
Digital Sound (AC-3): |
AC-3 provides six separate
discrete audio channels: left, right and center front, right
and left surround and a low frequency woofer as a listener
option. Dolby AC-3 is the first perceptual coding scheme
designed specifically to code multichannel digital audio. It
divides sizes optimized with respect to the frequency
selectivity of human hearing. This makes it possible to
sharply filter coding noise and reduce data consumption while
delivering dynamic theater quality sound. Unlike Dolby
surround, AC-3 is entirely discrete and features five full
frequency (20-20KHz) channels and one low frequency effects
i.e.: subwoofer (20-120Hz) channel. DVD players with AC-3
audio will still be compatible with Pro-Logic surround and two
channel stereo systems.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Types of
Digital Audio." |
| Dolby
Digital Surround: |
Perceptual encoding data
reduction system that provides 5 discreet full range
(20-20khz) channels (L-C-R-LS-RS) and a dedicated low
frequency effects channel replicates the Theater experience in
the home.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Types of
Digital Audio." |
| Dolby
Pro Logic: |
An audio coding
system that allows four channels of sound to be encoded into
two channels (stereo) and then decoded back into four channels
(left, center, right and surround). The extra center channel
enables Dolby Pro Logic to reproduce sound more fully than
Dolby Surround, though still not as richly as Dolby Digital. |
| DTS-CD: |
DTS markets a
line of compact discs featuring music remastered to play on
5.1 surround sound systems |
| DVD: |
A CD-sized
optical disc that can store from 4.7 to 17 gigabytes of
digital information. |
| DVD-5: |
Single-sided/Single-layer type
with 4.7 GB storage capability.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| DVD-9: |
Single-sided/Dual-layer type DVD
with 8.5 GB storage capability.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| DVD-10: |
Double-sided/Single-layer type
DVD with 9.4 GB storage capability.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| DVD-18: |
Double-sided/Dual-layer type DVD
with 17 GB storage capability.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| DVD-R: |
A recordable DVD
that can be recorded on only once. |
| DVD-RAM: |
A recordable DVD
that can be recorded on more than once. |
| Dolby
Digital Surround Sound |
Left and Right Rear Channel
information is decoded and processed following specific delay
and frequency response parameters to provide a dramatic
environment of sound that envelopes you from all directions.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Types of
Digital Audio." |
| Dot
Pitch |
Refers to the distance between
like (i.e., red to red/ green to green/ blue to blue)
phosphors on the florescent panel. A narrower dot pitch (i.e.,
a lower number) will reproduce finer detail on the screen
resulting in a more resolvable picture. |
| DSP |
Digital Signal Processing. This
circuit allows you to shape your home audio environment to
duplicate what you are watching on the screen. Options
include: Theater, Stadium, Nightclub and Concert Hall.
Selected models include rear speakers powered by independent
amplifiers providing a four channel environment. |
| dts: |
An audio format
like Dolby. DTS has its own six-channel (5.1) encode/decode
system for movie theaters and also sells a line of DVD videos
and DVD-Audio titles that use its compression technique. Audio
track DTS, however, requires almost four times as much space
on a DVD disc than a Dolby track. DTS will only play in
5.1-channel sound on a system that has a DTS decoder. |
E:
| Encode: |
To convert a
signal from one form to another, such as analog to digital.
(Encoder: Any device that compresses a signal for audio or
video and outputs a digital signal. Encoders can be either
software- or hardware-based. |
| Encoder: |
The real time MPEG-2
processor that converts digital studio masters into a digital
tape formatted for DVD replication. Toshiba, a supplier of
real time encoders to Hollywood, was also the first company to
develop commercially available MPEG-2 chip sets. |
| Error
Correction: |
The digital circuit used to
correct errors when retrieving and decoding information from a
disc. |
F:
| File
System: |
How data is
organized in digital playback systems. |
| Frame: |
The basic unit of
video (or film). One single still image that, when played in
rapid succession with other frames, creates the illusion of
motion. |
| Frame
Doubling: |
Method of
doubling the vertical lines present in a given frame, which
allows for better resolution |
| Frame
Rate: |
The number of
frames that appear on screen per second. In film (in the
United States), the frame rate is 24 frames per second; in
U.S. video, the frame rate is 30 frames per second; in
European film and video, the frame rate is 25 frames per
second. |
| Frequency: |
Number of cycles
per second in an electronic signal, measured in Hertz (Hz). |
G:
| Gigabyte: |
A gigabyte represents one billion
bytes of information. A byte is a grouping of binary codes,
often shorter than a word, that are processed together by a
CPU. Eight bits equals one byte. Single layer DVD discs will
store up to 4.7 Gigabytes on a single side. Dual layer disc
will store a maximum of 8.5 gigabytes on a single side. |
| Glitch: |
DVD - A general term for any
noticeable error that is seen or heard. |
| GOP |
Abbreviation for Group of
Pictures. |
H:
| HD
Video: |
High-definition
video, currently the highest quality version of digital video.
There is some debate about exactly what constitutes
high-definition. It has either 720 lines of resolution
(scanned progressively in one pass from top to
bottom--referred to as 720P) or 1,080 lines of resolution
(scanned twice from top to bottom, with the resulting two
fields interlaced into one frame--referred to as 1080I). |
| HDTV: |
High-definition
television, the highest quality version of digital television.
ABC considers HDTV to be 720 lines progressive, while CBS and
NBC prefer 1,080 lines interlaced. |
I:
| I-frame: |
These frames, that generally
occur twice during every 30 frames of digital information,
depending on the completion of the picture, work to reduce
data by providing a full frame reference of the video image.
The I-frames identify the entire background and are the
initial reference frames for bi-directional and P-frames. |
| Interlace: |
To scan a frame
from top to bottom in two passes (first even lines, then odd
ones). They are then interlaced into a single frame. The
method used in nearly all television monitors now on the
market. |
| Interleave: |
Arrangement of
digital data in alternating packets of information. |
| Interpolate: |
Creating new
pixels, lines or frames by averaging information from those on
either side of a given pixel, line or frame. |
| Intraframe: |
Information about
a frame of video that does not rely on information from other
frames. |
| ITU-R
BT.601: |
The international
standard for studio digital video sampling, as designated by
the International Telecommunications Union,
Radiocommunications Sector. |
J:
| Jewel
Box: |
A plastic storage
case for a DVD or a CD. |
| Jump: |
Another form of audio, or video
interruption. This is when the DVD player 'jumps'
ahead. It could be as short as a millisecond, or as long
as an entire scene. |
K:
| Kbps: |
Thousands of bits
per second. |
| Keyframe: |
A video picture
that contains all the information about the image (intraframe
information), rather than just the difference between it and
another image. |
| kHz: |
A measure of
frequency, equal to 1,000 cycles per second. |
| Kilobyte
(KB): |
A measure of data
storage, equal to 1,024 bytes. |
L:
| Laserdisc: |
A precursor to
DVD, an analog video format stored on a 12-inch disc, with
either analog or digital sound. |
| Letterbox: |
Format in which
black stripes at the top and bottom of a television screen
make up the difference in size between the aspect ratio of the
program being shown and that of the video screen. (Movies
shown on 4X3 televisions are sometimes letterboxed to preserve
the original widescreen aspect ratio.) |
| Line
Doubler: |
A processor that
doubles the number of lines on screen, making the scan lines
smaller and, therefore, less visible and resulting in better
video resolution. |
M:
| Macrovision: |
An antipiracy
system that degrades a video signal and makes it unwatchable
if it is recorded and played back. |
| Matrix
Surround System: |
A surround sound
system, such as Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby Surround in which two
sound channels hold more than two encoded channels of sound
and are then decoded upon presentation. |
| Megabits
per Second: |
A megabit contains one million
bits. Megabits per second is a measurement of processing speed
broken down to the smallest binary digit, a bit. |
| Meridian
Lossless Packing: |
An audio coding
system by Meridian Associates that compresses sound
information so that it can be relayed more efficiently yet
still recovered exactly as it was before compression with no
loss of fidelity. This is known as "lossless"
compression, as opposed to "lossy" compression in
which some information is irretrievably lost during the
encoding/decoding process |
| Modulation: |
In DVD, signal modulation refers
to the process by which the bits representing user data are
converted to the modulation refers to the process by which the
bits representing user data are converted to the modulation
code bits recorded on the disc. This process increases reading
accuracy and reduces crosstalk between primary signal
information and tracking servo mechanism pits on the disc. DVD
utilizes an eight-to-sixteen modulation system that creates a
slightly larger buffer between streams of digital information
ensuring a high measure of accuracy in signal processing. |
| Moire: |
A ring-like
artifact in composite analog video |
| MPAA: |
Acronym for Motion Picture
Association of America. MPAA is the film industry group that
determines suitable ratings for individual movies. With
multi-story capability, DVD players may have the ability to
select and black out undesired material. For example: Parents
can view the "R" version of a movie and select a
"PG" version for their children. |
| MPEG-1: |
An improved form of digital
signal compression developed by the Moving Pictures Expert
Group, a division of ISO (International Standards
Organization). This system achieves a frame rate of 30 per
second, with more than a 6:1 compression ratio. MPEG-a
achieves approximately one forth the resolution of broadcast
television. The system is too slow for processing high quality
images. |
| MPEG-2: |
Acronym for Moving Picture
Experts Group, a joint committee responsible for developing
digital video compression. MPEG-2 delivers 30 frames of
video playback per second with a variable compression ration
as high as 200:1. Broadcast quality video can be achieved with
a 30:1 compression ratio. MPEG-2 will also support MPEG-1
playback. MPEG-2 works by removing redundant signal
information during compression and reassembles this data
during playback through the use of I-frames, B-frames and
P-frames. MPEG-2 is utilized for DVD, HDTV and DBS video. |
| Multi-Angle: |
The multi-angle function allows
viewers to select from up to nine alternate perspectives that
can be recorded on a DVD should the director feel the
additional views are of value. |
| Multi-Language: |
This feature allows up to eight
different audio tracks to be mastered on a single Digital
Video Disc. The user than can select the language track that
suits their preferences. |
| Multimedia: |
A combination of media used for
entertainment, education and communication. For computing, DVD
can afford the user the flexibility to merge text, graphics
and full motion video to create high quality, effective
presentations. |
| Multiplexer: |
A system that
combines multiple data streams into one, as when compressed
audio and video are joined into a single data stream during
DVD authoring. |
N:
| Nanometer: |
Measurement equal to
one-billionth of a meter. The shorter wavelength thinner beam
red laser incorporated in DVD players measures 650 nanometers
compared to 780 nanometers for a conventional CD player laser. |
| NTSC: |
The National Television System
Committee. The body responsible for the color television
broadcast standards in North America. |
| Non-Interlaced: |
See
Progressive Scan |
| Numerical
Aperture: |
The number representing the lens
aperture of a laser pick-up device. An increased numerical
aperture, 0.6 on a DVD player, allows for finer track pitch,
pit length and pitch width necessary for the increased storage
capacity of a DVD. Thinner substrates which diffuses less
light, allow a laser with an increased aperture to be utilized
while still maintaining high reading accuracy. |
O:
| Overscan: |
Areas at the
edges of a television tube that are covered to conceal any
video distortion. |
P:
| P-frame: |
As a part of MPEG-2
decoding, P-frames are constructed by analyzing previous
frames and estimating where objects will be in the next frame.
The ability to predict where static and moving object will
appear in successive frames provides superior adaptivity to
motion in the picture. P-frames take up the least possible
amount of bandwidth in transmission. |
| Packetization: |
Binary Codes, read from the DVD
disc, instead of being transported as a constant stream of
information, is transported as packets representing individual
tasks to be completed by the DVD player. This is done to
achieve the most accurate data processing possible. |
| PAL: |
European Video Standard |
| Pan
& Scan |
This represents full screen DVD
video, in the same aspect ratio as you would expect to see on
any normal TV channel. |
| Panavision: |
Theatrical screen ratio of 2.35:1
filmed on 35mm film stocks utilizing anamorphic lenses.
Do you want to know more? Jump
to an article on "Aspect
Ratio." |
| Passive
Matrix: |
A flat-panel
display made up of a grid of wires running horizontally and
vertically with an LCD at every intersection. Each LCD
represents one pixel and restricts the amount of light passing
through and appearing on screen at that point. Less expensive
than active matrix technology, but not quite at the same level
in terms of visual quality. |
| PCI
(Presentation Control Index): |
DVD feature that
specifies how the program will be presented, with categories
such as aspect ratio, multiangle, etc. |
| PCM: |
An uncompressed
digital code that conveys an analog audio signal. Used on CDs,
laserdiscs and some DVDs
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Types of
Digital Audio." |
| Pits
and Lands: |
Short for picture
element, pixels are the points of light that make up a video
image. Each pixel has four components (red, green, blue and a
transparent alpha channel) that combine to make one point. |
| Pixel: |
The shape of the
pixel in a particular monitor. In computer monitors, they’re
square, while in video monitors they’re rectangular. |
| Pixel
Format: |
The shape of the
pixel in a particular monitor. In computer monitors, they’re
square, while in video monitors they’re rectangular. |
| Pixel
Frequency: |
How many pixels
appear on screen per second (the width of the screen in
pixels, times the height in lines, times the number of frames
per second). The greater the pixel frequency, the better the
video resolution. |
| Progressive
Scan: |
Scanning a frame
from the top to bottom of the frame, taking each line in turn.
The standard technology for computer monitors. |
Q:
R:
| Raster
Scan: |
The constant
scanning of the horizontal lines on a video monitor that, when
seen as a whole, creates the on-screen images. |
| Rastering: |
Converting a
digital bit stream to black, white or 16 shades of gray that
make up a picture. |
| Regional
Encoding: |
A form of encryption on a
DVD. There are 6 regions throughout the world.
DVD's that are coded from outside your region may not play on
your machine.
Do you want to know more? Jump to the
"DVD Regional
Coding." |
| Resolution: |
Number of pixels
(digital formats) or horizontal lines (analog formats) that
can be displayed on screen in a particular format. The higher
the resolution, the sharper the picture |
| RSDL: |
Reverse Spiral, Dual Layer.
This form of DVD construction allows for 8.5 GB of data to be
stored on a single side. During the layer change the
picture may pause slightly.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| RSPC-Reed
Soloman Product Code: |
Error correction method used in
DVD system. This process, developed by MIT mathematicians in
1960 and enhanced by Toshiba, compensates for gaps in digital
information that can be caused by imperfections or scratches
in the substrate of the DVD maintaining picture and sound
quality. this is the type of system used in magnetic and
optical storage systems and allows for more flexibility as the
DVD system develops. The advanced RSPC error correction system
utilized in DVD is 6 times as robust as a conventional compact
disc. |
S:
| Scanning: |
The process
through which a video image is displayed on a monitor. The
pixels that make up the video image are arranged on screen in
horizontal scan lines; an electronic signal travels left to
right along each scan line, from the top line to the bottom,
eventually creating the on-screen image. |
| SD
Alliance: |
Original group of 29 hardware and
software companies involved in the development of standard of
the DVD system. |
| Skip: |
DVD - An interruption in video or
sound. This can be due to physical imperfections in the
DVD, or hardware problems. |
| Standard
CD Capacity: |
Standard CD's can hold
approximately 75 minutes, or approximately 0.67 GB of recorded
information. The 4.7 GB DVD can hold as much as seven times as
much information as a standard audio CD. |
| Storage
Capacity: |
Limit to the amount of
information that can be recorded on any recording medium. In
DVD, this varies from 4.7GB on a DVD-5
disc to 17GB on a DVD-18 disc. |
| Substrate: |
Polycarbonate material that
encases and protects the stamped information on a disc. On a
DVD, the utilization of two bonded substrates, measuring 0.6mm
each, significantly reduces the distance between the surface
of the disc and the pits on the disc that hold information
when compared to that of conventional CD/CD-ROM media.
Reduction in the thickness of the disc substrate, achieved
through disc bonding is an important component in achieving
the increased storage capacity and improved tilt margins of
DVDs. This thinner substrate diffuses and refracts less light
from the laser pick-up, and results in greater reading
accuracy by the laser. Besides improving tilt margins, bonded
substrates strengthen the disc, prevent warping and make the
disc more resilient to changes in temperature and humidity.
Do you want to know more? Jump to
"Inside a DVD." |
| S-Video
Inputs: |
Use of Separated (S) Video input
for playback reduces dot crowl in the picture, providing
sharper edge detail. |
T:
| Telecine: |
The transfer of
film to video (also, the machine used in the process). As a
film image goes through telecine, its color, contrast and
sometimes aspect ratio are adjusted by the telecine colorist. |
| THX: |
A program run by Lucasfilm that
ensures certain minimum standards are being met in the
presentation of moving pictures, regarding sound and picture.
THX establishes certain criteria, then licenses devices
(processors, amplifiers, speaker systems and so on) that meet
those guidelines. |
| Tilt
Margin: |
The amount of variation in the
laser focus, cased by the physical characteristics of a disc,
that can be accommodated while maintaining signal integrity is
referred to as the Tilt Margin. The 0.6mm substrate of a DVD
diffuses less of the laser's focus than does a conventional
CD's 1.2mm substrate, resulting in a more accurate beam spot.
The bonded substrates of a DVD reduces warpage and further
improves tilt margins. |
| Tracking: |
Tracking is important for the
most accurate reading of the information being retrieved from
a disc. Located on a DVD disc is tracking and A/V data. The
laser reads the primary information that represents the audio
and video signals to be displayed, as well as pits on either
side of the main track which serve to provide tracking
information. The information they return to the pick-up keeps
the main beam spot aimed at the correct track on the disc,
resulting in accurate retrieval of digital information. |
U:
V:
| Variable
Bit Rate: |
The flow of data, or bit rate, of
a DVD is variable depending on the complexity of the signal
being processed. A detailed, rapidly moving scene with
multiple picture elements would require a high bit rate, while
a static image with little detail would receive far fewer
bits. This advance in processing, a part of the MPEG-2
system, uses bits more efficiently, allocating storage
capacity according to the requirement of the signal. Because
disc space is limited and increased data storage is critical
for quality improvements, it is important to vary the bit rate
in order to allocate space in the most efficient manner. |
W:
| Weave: |
Up-and-down or
side-to-side motion of an image, originating from a lack of
stability in the original film. It can be tracked digitally
and eliminated, so that the image appears stable. |
X:
Y:
Z:
1:
| 16:9 |
New digital
television monitors are much wider than are the nearly square
television monitors that have been standard since the
beginning of television. Instead of the width-to-height ratio
being 4:3, as before, new digital sets have an aspect ratio of
16:9, allowing them to show movies in a form much closer to
that seen in theaters. |
4:
2:
3:
| 3-2
Pull-down: |
This process which converts the
24 frames per second found on film, to the 30 frames per
second necessary for display as NTSC
video, is achieved in the DVD player. In analog formats, such
as videotape, 3-2 Pull-down is achieved as part of the film to
video transfer. DVD players eliminate the need for this extra
step in video mastering by accomplishing 3:2 pull-down in the
microprocessor. Besides reducing the data storage
requirements, this process also offers future opportunities in
development of multi-scan, high resolution displays. |
4:
| 4:2
Ratio: |
Signifies over sampling
frequencies for Y (X4) R-Y (X2) B-Y (X2) utilized in digital
component video. DVD, Betacam D1 and other studio masters
utilize 4:22 over-sampling. DSS utilizes 4:1:1 over sampling. |
| 4:3
Ratio: |
This represents full screen DVD
video, in the same aspect ratio as you would expect to see on
any normal TV channel. |
5:
6:
7:
8:
Note: Some
of the definitions on this page were taken directly from Toshiba's DVD
Glossary page, DVD Angle and
some were taken directly from Ultimate Home Theater's Glossary.
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