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Entertainment Media Dictionary

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AC-3: Commonly known as "Dolby Digital," AC-3 (Audio Coding 3) is the required format for all audio systems associated with DVDs, HDTV and movie theaters.

ADSL: Standing for "Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line," ADSL is a type of DSL line that has a faster downloading speed than other traditional DSL lines.

AM: Standing for "Amplitude Modulation," AM is a type of radio wave transmission.

ambient light: The natural, available light in any scene generally produced by the sun or moon light.

analog: A type of electronic transmission formed by adding waves of a different frequency to the current wave being transmitted. Analogs are used in phone, computer and television broadcast technologies.

aspect ratio: The ratio of an image’s (usually an TV’s picture image) that assesses its width versus its height. While traditionally TV aspect ratios are 4:3, HDTV has an aspect ration o 16:9.

AVI: Standing for "Audio Visual Interleave," AVI is the file format PCs most commonly use to store sound and picture files.

bandwidth: A measurement that assesses the capacity of a communications line to transmit data. Higher bandwidth numbers refer to a greater capacity to transmit data quickly.

BlackBerry: A small, wireless gadget that can send and receive phone calls, emails, text messages and faxes. BlackBerry devices are also capable of browsing the Internet.

bluetooth: A type of wireless communication technology that allows a user to interact with his computer, phone and other devices from remote locations. Devices hooked up to Bluetooth can send and receive phone calls, text messages, faxes, etc.

Blu-ray: A High Definition picture format for DVDs that is based on smaller, blue-based frequencies (450nm). Blu-ray technology improves picture quality and DVD storage capabilities by two hours.

boombox: A portable, battery-operated stereo.

broadband: A communications line that can efficiently transmit large amounts of various audio and video frequencies.

browser: A software system that allows a user to access and navigate the Internet. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are two of the most commonly used browser programs.

CD: Compact Disc. CDs are used to store and play back music, pictures and movies.

compression: The process of shrinking and encoding files to maximize storage capacity or make the files easier to send and receive via email. Common compression file formats include JPEG, TIFF and MPEG.

contrast ratio: A measurement of the difference between the lightest and darkest colors in a given scene.

copyright: The exclusive, government-granted right that gives a person sole ownership of and acknowledgement for an idea. Copyrights are a form of intellectual property that exist for a limited time (i.e. must be renewed to sustain).

DAT: A Digital Audio Tape used to record and play back audio tracks. Currently, DAT is used in DDS (Digital Data Storage) formats.

digital: The process of sending, storing and deciphering audio and visual files through electronic transmissions that symbolize computer binary code (i.e. either the digits 0 or 1).

DLNA: Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA is a cutting edge company in the electronics and digital industry.

download: The act or process of copying and/or transferring digital files between remote computers or from computer to CD, cell phone or other device.

DSL: Digital Subscriber Line. DSL is a type of high-bandwidth communications line.

DVD: Digital Video (or Versatile) Disc. A DVD is a flat disc with a 5-inch diameter that can record and replay audio, image and movie files. DVD formats can store more data than conventional CD-ROM discs.

DVR: Digital Video Recorder (also known as a Personal Digital Recorder). DVRs work with TVs to record and play back specific TV shows.