Operation Manual

264
Glossary
Last updated 10/4/2016
digital video Video that consists of a binary signal, encoded as a series of zeroes and ones. All data that a computer
processes must be digital, so analog video must first be converted to digital video before it can be edited on a computer.
See also
analog video , AV-to-DV converter , and DV-to-AV converter .
digitize To convert analog video or audio to digital form.
dissolve A fade from one clip into another.
dithering Alternating the colors of adjacent pixels to approximate intermediate colors. (For example, displaying
adjacent blue and yellow pixels to approximate green.) Dithering enables monitors to approximate colors they are
unable to display.
Dolby Digital Standard lossy audio format for DVD video. Supports mono and stereo audio, but is most commonly
used to compress 5.1 surround sound with the AC-3 codec. See also
lossy .
drop-frame A timecode adjustment that drops certain frames to compensate for the uneven, 29.97 frames-per-second
format of color video. Drop-frame timecode is critical in broadcast applications. See also
non-drop-frame and dropped
frames .
drop-out An area of magnetic tape where information is missing. Drop-outs may occur due to dust, overuse, or
physical damage. They can cause random, flashing color pixels in affected frames. To avoid drop-outs, use a head-
cleaning tape regularly in your camcorder.
dropped frames Missing frames lost during the process of digitizing or capturing video. Dropped frames can be caused
by a hard drive with a low data transfer rate.
DV-to-AV converter An electronic device that converts digital video signals into analog video signals. Compare to AV-
to-DV converter .
DTV Digital TV. Occasionally used to refer to desktop video.
DV Generally refers to digital video, but also connotes the type of compression used by DV systems and formats. DV
also describes the tape cartridge used in DV camcorders and tape decks.
DV in The DV input on a camcorder.
DV via USB Capability that allows DV camcorders to transfer video using USB 2.0.
DVD Abbreviation for digital video disc and digital versatile disc. DVDs look like CDs, but have a much larger storage
capacity—more than enough for a feature-length film compressed with MPEG-2. DVDs require special drives for
playback.
DVD formats DVD burners support one or more of the following disc formats: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R,
DVD+RW, DVD+R DL, and DVD-R DL. (Note that -R and +R are different, as are -RW and +RW.) R discs let you
record once to the disc. RW discs let you rerecord repeatedly. DL discs are dual layer. Use R discs for broadest
compatibility; not all DVD players can read RW discs.
DVD markers See markers .
EBU timecode The timecode system created by the European Broadcasting Union and based on SECAM or PAL video
signals.
encode To merge the individual video signals (for example, red, green, and blue) into a combined signal, or to convert
a video file to a different format using a codec.
FCC Federal Communications Commission, the bureau that regulates radio and TV broadcast standards in the United
States.
fields The sets of alternating horizontal lines that create an interlaced image on a TV screen. A complete TV frame
consists of two fields: The odd-numbered lines of field one are interlaced with the even-numbered lines of field two.
See also
interlacing .