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 TV – Jargon Buster
When choosing and buying a television, you’re likely to find that the product descriptions are packed with technical terms and jargon which you may not understand. To help you to get to grips with the terminology used, here are definitions of some of the terms that you are likely to come across when looking for your new television or home cinema system.
ANSI Lumen Image Brightness
A measurement of brightness used for projectors standardised by ANSI (American National Standards Institute). The higher the ANSI rating in a product description, the brighter your projector will be.
Aspect Ratio
This refers to the width-to-height ratio of an image. Traditional analogue TVs have aspect ratios of 4:3, whereas Widescreen and HD-Ready televisions have aspect ratios of 16:9.
BBE Sound
A sound system produced by BBE which reduces distortion and produces a clearer, crisper sound.
Blu-Ray Disc (BRD)
The Blu-Ray Disc is a new type of storage format which will offer a storage capacity of up to 50GB, far more than other formats. This means that it is perfect for recording high definition broadcasts and movie-makers will also be able to launch DVDs packed with far more extra features. Blu-Ray Disc technology is being backed by some of the major brands of audio-visual equipment including Hitachi, LG, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Panasonic and Thomson.
Child Lock
A feature on some televisions which means that you can lock the television controls to prevent unauthorised use by your children. To unlock the controls, you need to enter a pass-code using the remote control. Also sometimes referred to as a Parental Lock.
Contrast Ratio
This is the ratio showing the difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black images that a television can produce. The higher the contrast ratio, the subtler and richer the colour detail will appear. For a medium contrast, look for a television with a contrast ratio of at least 500:1. If you want a high contrast, try and find a television with an aspect ratio of at least 1200:1.
CRT
CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube. Traditional televisions, or CRT televisions, use a Cathode Ray Tube to show pictures. The Cathode Ray Tube uses electron rays to bombard a group of red, green and blue phosphor dots on to the screen to create the picture.
Digital Comb Filter
A digital comb filter separates combined colour and black and white signals and recombines them, adjusting them to prevent distortion and colour bleed. As a result, the image becomes sharper and the colours are purer. There are three types of digital comb filter: 2-Line Digital Comb Filters, 3-Line Digital Comb Filters and 3D Digital Comb Filters. 3D Digital Comb Filters are the most effective.
Digital Tuner
A digital tuner receives digital television signals, allowing you access digital TV broadcasts, radio stations and other services. Digital tuners can either come in the form of a set-top box or can be an integrated part of your new television.
DLP
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing and is a form of technology used in some projectors and rear projection televisions. DLP televisions and projectors produce wonderfully bright images with fantastic contrast and depth of colour.
Dolby Digital 5.1
This is a sound system uses 5 separate channels plus a sixth bass channel in order to produce superb sound.
Dolby Pro Logic
A sound system that uses five speakers – left, right, centre and two mono speakers.
Dolby Pro Logic II
A sound system that uses five speakers – left, right, centre and two mono speakers, but that has a better rear channel range than the original Dolby Pro Logic system and that allows you to use either movie or music modes. Dolby Pro Logic II can create a sound which simulates that produced by a Dolby Digital 5.1 sound system.
DTS Digital Surround Sound
DTS (Digital Theater Systems) Digital Surround Sound is the Dolby Digital 5.1 system’s main competitor. It also the same number of channels, but some people claim that it produces a better sound.
DVI
DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface. It’s a type of connection that can carry both analogue and digital signals. There are three different types of DVIO connection – DVI-A (analogue only), DVI-D (digital only) and DVI-I (digital and analogue). Essentially, if your audio-visual equipment has a DVI connection, it will be able to receive digital signals without needing to convert them into analogue signals first, so the image quality will be better. DVI is now being superseded by HDMI, although the two are compatible.
EDTV
EDTV stands for Enhanced Definition Television. These are Widescreen televisions that have 480 lines of resolution (480p) and can display progressive-scan pictures. EDTV is considered to be of a higher quality than standard television pictures but not as good as HDTV pictures.
Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)
An Electronic Programme Guide, or EPG, provides an on-screen listing of channels and programmes for a specified number of days in the future, so that you can plan your viewing.
Fastext
With Fastext, you can access Teletext pages more quickly by using the coloured keys on your remote control as short-cuts.
Flat Panel
The term “flat panel” refers to the new types of LCD and Plasma television screens that are designed to hang on your wall. However, the term is now sometimes used interchangeably with “flatscreen”.
Flatscreen
A flatscreen television uses a picture tube that looks flat rather than curved, therefore reducing the effects of glare and the image-distortion that you can get with older-style curved screens. However, the term is now sometimes used interchangeably with “flat panel”.
Freeview
Freeview is a non-subscription digital television service which allows you to access over 30 television channels together with digital radio stations and other services. You can access Freeview services either by buying a digital set-top box or by buying a television that has an integrated digital tuner.
HDCP
HDCP stands for High-Bandwith Digital Content Protection. It’s a copy-protection system which prevents high-definition signals from being illegally intercepted and copied by encrypting the data and then decrypting it when it gets to your television screen. Although you can watch HDTV broadcasts without having a television that’s HDCP compatible at the moment, this may well change in future, so buying an HDCP-compatible TV may be a good investment.
HDMI
HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. It’s a type of connection designed to carry digital and high-definition signals. If you are planning to buy an HD-Ready television or home cinema system, check that is has an HDMI connection.
HD-Ready
If a television is HD-Ready it means that it is capable of displaying high-definition television images. You will still need an HD receiver (set-top box) and access to an HD broadcast service in order to receive high definition television broadcasts.
HDTV
HDTV stands for high-definition television and refers to the new form of television broadcasts which provide superb picture quality. In order to watch HDTV you will need an HD-Ready TV, an HD receiver (set-top box) and access to an HD broadcast service.
IDTV
Integrated Digital Television. This refers to a television with a built-in digital tuner which allows you access to non-subscription digital television services such as Freeview. If you buy an IDTV, you won’t need to buy a digital set-top box to receive these channels.
LCD Television
A type of television that uses Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD) technology in order to work. LCD televisions tend to be slim with flat screens and produce a clear, flicker-free picture.
NICAM Digital Stereo Sound
NICAM stands for Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex. NICAM Digital Stereo Sound is a system which was developed by the BBC in the 1990s and enables stereo sound signals to be transmitted along with analogue TV broadcasts. If your television is compatible with this system, it will decode the signal and provide you with CD-quality stereo sound.
NTSC
NTSC stands for National Television Standards Committee and also refers to the particular type of television broadcast format used in the USA. If you want to watch American movies or broadcasts, your TV or home cinema system must be NTSC compatible.
PAL
PAL is the standard European television broadcast format and the letters stand for Phase Alternate Line.
Parental Lock
See Child Lock.
Picture-in-Picture
This is a feature on some televisions which means that you can watch one television channel whilst also viewing what’s happening on another channel or on your VCR or DVD player in the form of a smaller window.
Picture-in-Text
This is a feature on some televisions which means that you can view Teletext at the same time as watching television.
Pixel
The term pixel is short for “picture element”. Pixels are the small coloured dots that make up the image that you see on your television screen. The more pixels used on a screen, the sharper and clearer the image.
Plasma TV
Plasma televisions are televisions that have flat screens and use tiny electrically-charges plasma cells – small fields of rare gas –create the image. As with LCD televisions, plasma televisions produce clearer and sharper pictures than traditional CRT televisions.
Progressive Scan
A type of display used by some televisions and projectors in which all the horizontal lines in a frame are displayed at the same time. This results in a clearer picture.
Rainbow Effect
The ”Rainbow Effect” is something that can occur with some cheaper versions of DLP televisions and projectors that use spinning wheel technology to produce colours. Because of the rapid rates at which the colours change, many people’s eyes can’t distinguish between them. This can lead to eyestrain and headaches.
Rear Projection Television
Rear projection televisions are specific types of television that work by beaming an image from an internal projector. The image is then directed by lenses and mirrors to the inside surface of the screen.
SCART
A SCART is a connection that allows you to wire up pieces of audio-visual equipment to each other, e.g. a television and a DVD player. SCART stands for Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs.
Screen Resolution
Screen resolution refers to the number of pixels per square inch which are used to make up an image. When you look at a product description for a television, the screen resolution will be shown as, for example, 1024 x 768. The first number refers to the number of pixels displayed horizontally on the screen the screen and the second number refers to the number of pixels displayed vertically on the screen. The higher the screen resolution, the better the picture you’ll be able to get on the television.
SECAM
SECAM stands for Sequential Couleur avec Mémoire, and it’s the stands broadcasting format used in France, much of Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
SmartLink
SmartLink is a feature included on some televisions, which enables your TV to communicate with your video recorder. For example, if you switch your television off, SmartLink will also automatically switch your VCR to stand-by mode.
SRS Tru-Surround
A sound system that gives you a surround-sound effect on two speakers, so you don’t need a 5.1 speaker system.
Subwoofer
A subwoofer is a type of speaker that reproduces very low frequencies and therefore enhances bass sounds.
Teletext
A free service, available through most televisions, which allows you to access information about news, weather, travel and many other topics together with subtitles. Some televisions also feature Fastext, which allows you to quicker access to certain Teletext pages through using the coloured buttons on your remote control.
TFT
TFT stands for Thin Film Technology, and is also known as active matrix technology. It’s a form of LCD technology. TFT, or active matrix, LCD television sets are more expensive than their passive matrix counterparts, but are less prone to ghosting, blurry images and poor contrast.
Top Up TV
Top Up TV is a service that allows you to add extra digital channels to your existing Freeview service for a small monthly fee.
Viewing Angle
The angle at which you can watch a television screen from the side without the picture beginning to fade. If you are buying a plasma or LCD flat panel television, make sure that it has a viewing angle of 170° or greater.
Virtual Dolby
A sound system that gives the effect of surround-sound but that only uses two speakers.
Widescreen Television
A Widescreen television displays pictures in the 16:9 aspect ratio, the format that movies are filmed in. They can also show programmes in the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio. Widescreen Televisions usually have at least a 32 inch screen and you can buy Widescreen plasma televisions, Widescreen LCD televisions and Widescreen CRT televisions.
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