Glossary of Home Theater Terms - New and Improved! (1 Viewer)

[Chris White]

The description for this forum asks, "Wondering what terms such as "anamorphic widescreen" and "component video" mean?" Even if you know those two terms, there may be others you don't know. We use an amazing amount of terminology in this hobby.

Over the past few weeks, I've been working on bringing my glossary up to date. It now contains over 1,000 terms that are used by audiophiles, videophiles, home theater enthusiasts, etc. If you find a term missing or incorrectly defined, please let me know. Thanks and I hope you find this site useful.

Glossary of Home Theater Terms

[Edited to change URL to new website.]

 

[Allan Jayne]

It needs better footnoting to acknowledge the origin of parts of the text, some of which I recognize as mine in

http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/vidglos.htm

Just about any college or university publishes guidelines for acknowledging the sources of material used in literary works. For example:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/about/why.html

 

[Chris White]

The glossary does include a reference list and you are included in that list Alan. In my opinion, it isn't necessary to footnote individual definitions because they are 1) broadly available from numerous sources and 2) in the public domain. This isn't a "literary work."

 

[Tim K]

Looks good chris.

Allan, no offense but I think you need to relax. You've written one too many research papers.

 

[Adam Barratt]

Tim, anyone who has written material will naturally be protective of it, and sensitive to correct attribution. Your second comment was unnecessary.

Adam

 

[ty_diaz]

These are very useful, especially when setting up a system for the first time. Thanx!

 

[PeterK]

Wow. This will be helpful. Now maybe I'll be able to understand what some of you are talking about.

 

[Chris White]

Do you know what a DVI connector is? How about an HDMI? Even if you know what those two connectors are, there may be others you don't know. We use a lot of different connectors in this hobby. The linked glossary contains pictures and descriptions of 26 different connectors used for audio, audio/video, speakers, and video.

If you find a connector missing or incorrectly defined, please let me know. Thanks and I hope you find this site useful.

Link Removed

 

[PhillJones]

I feel it's my patriotic duty to point out that you forgot to mention where BNC got it's name. It stands for British Naval Connector. Developed by the Royal Navy as a interconnect that couldn't be pulled out of its socket by accident.

 

[Chris White]

Added a pin speaker cable connector thanks to a suggestion from Bob McElfresh.

 

[Chris White]

Added some new terms pertaining to front projectors (throw distance, throw ratio, zoom range, and keystone correction) thanks to a suggestion from Ron Bentley.

 

[Stephen Bort]

"Note: S-video can represent interlaced video signals only."

I'm just setting up my first rear-projector for a friend and found this confusing. Does this mean that a progressive scan signal can't travel through S-Video from the DVD to the big screen?

Thanks! This is my first post and you everyone knowledge here is amazing (and a little scary!)

 

[Chris White]

Does this mean that a progressive scan signal can't travel through S-Video from the DVD to the big screen?

Right. For progressive scan, you must have component or DVI (if your set has that).

 

[Rob Ellliottt]

Just want to say thanks to Chris for posting such a thorough glossary. I am just getting started, though I'm no slouch, in home theater, and this glossary has already helped me immensely. A+ for a fantastic 'term' paper!

 

[john aprile]

 

[chuckg]

woops!

under RCA you said it is often called "phone" -- I think you meant "phono" as in "RCA phonograph."

 

[chuckg]

This has me a bit perplexed:

"Consecutive film frames are alternately repeated twice and three times on consecutive video fields or frames"

Well, let's see. If we take a 24 fps movie and put TWO of those frames on FIVE video frames, then the movie will be running just a might slow. I think we want to put TWO film frames onto THREE video frames.

Shouldn't it be 1, 2, 1, 2, ??

 

[Chris White]

I see your point Chuck. The definition was misleading. I've changed it to this:

Film is generally shot and projected at 24 frames per second (fps), so when film frames are converted to NTSC video, the rate must be modified to play at 29.97 fps. During the telecine process, twelve (12) fields are added to each 24 frames of film (12 fields = 6 frames) so the same images that made up 24 frames of film then comprise 30 frames of video.In this process, which would more accurately be called 2-3 pull down, the first frame of film is represented by 2 fields of video; the second frame of film is represented by 3 fields of video (1.5 frames); the third frame of film is again represented by two fields and the fourth frame of film is represented by 3 fields, and so on. In the end, what was running at 23.976 fps is running at 29.97 fps. For a more detailed explanation, read What The Heck is 3:2 Pulldown by Dan Ramer at DVDFILE.COM.

 

[Chris White]

Thanks Chuck. It's fixed.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Combined two threads with identical titles and subject matters. Chris, please put all further posts about revisions and updates in this thread.

M.