|
Analogue |
Historical mode of transmission, uses standard wave to transmit television services |
|
|
| Audio Description |
Services that carry an additional audio stream describing what is happening on screen for those who have difficulty seeing. |
|
|
| Broadcasters |
The people who transmit TV programmes |
|
|
| Common Interface (CI) |
Connection on a television or a set-top box which can be used to connect to any other device using the same open standard. |
|
|
| Communal System |
Where a signal is distributed through a building (e.g. a block of flats) using a wiring system, sharing the same signal source. |
|
|
| Conditional Access (CA) |
Method of blocking access to programming, access only being allowed with the correct codes or card to "unlock" the programming. |
|
|
| Coverage |
Areas that can receive digital television - you can check your DTT coverage using the postcode database |
|
|
| Decoder |
The tuner in a digital set |
|
|
| D-CAB |
Digital Cable |
|
|
| D-SAT |
Digital Satellite |
|
|
| DSL (xDSL) |
Digital Subscriber Line: a method of delivering TV or broadband, or Video on Demand through
telephone wires. |
|
|
| DTG |
Digital Television Group - has over 100 members. The DTG was formed in 1995 to set technical standards for the implementation of digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the UK and now encompasses all Digital TV platforms
and convergence issues on a world-wide basis |
|
|
| DTT |
Digital Terrestrial Television |
|
|
| DTV |
Digital Television |
|
|
| DVB |
Digital Video Broadcasting, a European standard for digital television technology |
|
|
| DVD |
Digital Versatile Disk - digital storage device commonly used for film/video |
|
|
| DVD-R (DVD-RW) |
Recordable DVD, another digital recording device - uses DVD format. |
|
|
| Encryption |
Method of encoding data/broadcasts so that they can only be viewed with the correct Conditional Access codes. |
|
|
| Enhanced TV |
See Interactive TV |
|
|
| EPG |
Electronic Programme Guide - "Now and next" information that can be called up on digital television. Extended for a period of weeks on DSAT and DCAB, 7 day EPG due to be
launched on Freeview |
|
|
| HDTV |
High Definition Television is a new technology that will enable viewers to get higher definition television pictures. HDTV has four times as many pixels (dots on the screen) as standard TV broadcasts, meaning a clearer picture and stunning detail on large-screen TVs. An HD-ready TV is not necessarily a digital TV. |
|
IdTV
|
Integrated Digital Television - a television
with a built-in digital tuner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IdVCR
|
Integrated Digital VCR - a video recorder
with
a built-in digital tuner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRS
|
Integrated Receiver System - A shared reception system, common to
flats
and hotels, that enables delivery of television,
radio, and Internet services around the same
distribution
system, from a single wall plug.
|
|
|
|
|
Interactive
|
Services that enable the viewer to interact
with
the television programme
|
|
|
|
|
ITC
|
Independent Television Commission (Ofcom
took
over responsibility of the ITC in Jan 2004)
|
|
|
|
|
MATV
|
Master Antennae TV - a communal aerial
system
that uses a master aerial to receive the signal
before it is distributed.
|
|
|
|
|
Multiplex
|
A bundle of channels delivered in Digital
Terrestrial
Television by a single signal channel.
|
|
|
|
|
PDR (Personal Digital Recorder)
|
See PVR below. |
|
|
|
| PVR (Personal Video Recorder) |
A video recorder that records programmes
on to hard
drive. Allows much greater flexibility in recording
and
playback. |
|
|
|
Platform
|
Method of delivery or reception of digital television (e.g. the satellite platform)
|
|
|
|
|
PSB
|
Public Service Broadcasters: these include
BBC, ITV,
Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext
|
|
|
|
|
RF Loop
|
Connection which allows the aerial signal
to connect
to one device, and then be connected further
by another
connector - similar to an "aerial out" socket.
|
|
|
|
|
RF Modulator
|
The "aerial out" connector
on your TV is an RF modulator.
This puts an output from
a TV tuner on to the connection, as opposed to an RF
loop which simply allows the signal from the aerial
to carry through.
|
|
|
|
|
SCART
|
A type of connection and cabling used
to carry video
signals, usually found on the back of
TVs and videos.
|
|
|
|
|
Solus Card
|
Digital Satellite
cards that enable viewing of free to view channels.
|
|
|
|
|
Spectrum
|
The electromagnetic spectrum: the set of
radio frequencies
used to transmit television, radio
and other forms of
electronic communication.
|
|
|
|
|
STB
|
Set Top Box, occasionally referred to
as an adaptor. |
|
|
|
|
Switchover (Digital Switchover)
|
The process of migrating television
equipment from
analogue reception to digital reception,
in preparation for the switching off of the analogue signal.
|
|
|
|
|
Terrestrial
|
"Earthly" - as opposed to satellite. Television services that can be received
through a standard aerial.
|
|
|
|
|
VCR
|
Video Cassette Recorder |
|
|
|
|
VDSL
|
Very-High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line, allowing for faster downstream
speeds than ADSL enabling video services to be delivered.
|
|
|
|
|
VOD
|
Video on Demand |
