Technology - Digital Television

DIGITAL TELEVISION

Analogue Historical mode of transmission, uses standard wave to transmit television services

Audio Description Services that carry an additional audio stream describing

Broadcasters The people who broadcast 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) Term used to describe method of blocking access to programming, access only being allowed with the correct codes or card to "unlock" the programming.

Coverage Description of 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 that means 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) Mode of transmission that provides much higher definition pictures. See [HDTV]

IdTV

Integrated Digital Television, A television with a built in digital tuner.

IdVCR

Integrated Digital VCR, a video recorder with an 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

PVR (Personal Video Recorder) A Video recorder that records programmes to hard drive. Allows much greater flexibility in record and playback.

Platform

A video recorder that records programmes to hard drive. Allows much greater flexibility in record and playback

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 onto the connection, as opposed top 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

Name given to the Digital Satellite cards that enable viewing of free to view channels.

Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum, 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 to switch off the analogue signal.

Term

Definition

Terrestrial

Television services that can be received through an aerial.

VCR

Video Cassette Recorder

VDSL

a xDSL technology that has faster downstream speeds than ADSL enabling video services to be delivered.

VOD

Video on Demand

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