Television Glossary

AC3 - New System of Digital Audio Coding (AC3). It is a transmission with a Very High Quality, like the Dolby Digital.

Analogue - Analogue is a type of signal that works by transmitting sounds and pictures as a continuous wave. Analogue technology is out of date and is being replaced worldwide by digital.

BER - BER (Bit Error Rate) - It is the relation between the error bits that we receive and the total broadcast bits.

CAM - Conditional Access Module (CAM) is a module to be inserted into the slots integrated into the receivers which are not provided with the decoder inside.

COFDM - Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (COFDM), Modulation Standard used for transmitting Digital Terrestrial Television.

dB - deciBels is the international noise measurement.

Digital Switchover - Digital switchover is the point at which the analog signal is switched off in a region and replaced by digital signals only.

Digital TV - Digital TV recorder is a set-top box that can record digital TV.

DiSEqC - Digital Sequence Equipment Control (DiSEqC) System for controlling satellite equipment.

DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) is a Group of European regulations to broadcast Digital TV signals.

DVB-S - DVB-S is the European regulation to transmit Digital TV through Satellite. “S” means Satellite.

EIRP - Equivalend Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) is the power radiated by the antenna, which has as reference, one isotropic point. It is the energy of a Geostationary Satellite. It is Emitter Power related to the Gain of the Antenna in reception.

EPG - Electronic program guide (EPG) is an electronic version of the printed television program guide.

FEC - Forward Error Correction (FEC), it indicates the relation between the bits of real information and the total broadcasted bits, one FEC of 3/4 means that for each 4 broadcast bits, 3 are bits of information and 1 of redundance (protection).

HD - High definition (HD) is an enhancement of digital TV, which refers to a higher quality picture and allows you to receive all free-to-air, SD channels and HD channels. HD is sometimes shown as 720p-1080p, which refers to the screen resolution.

I.F. - Intermediate Frequency (I.F.) is the signal sent by the LNB to the Satellite Receiver, whose range of frequencies varies between 950MHz up to 1.450 MHz (C Band) and between 950 MHz and los 2150 MHz (Ku Band).

L.O. - Local Oscillator (L.O.), an electronic circuit which generates one frequency for carrying out the conversion of a Satellite Signal to a signal with a lower frequency (IF), in order to make the receivers work.

LNB - Low Noise Block

MCPC - Multiple Channel Per Carrier (MCPC), in a Satellite transponder there are different TV channels (up to 8). The symbol rates are between 20 and 30 Mbauds/s (milion of symbosl per second).

MP3 - Compression Standard for Audio.

MPEG4 - Compression Standard for Pictures. Destined for HDTV.

N.F. - Noise Figure (N.F.) is expressed in deciBels (dB), and it means the quantity of noise in the signal.

PCMCIA - “Slot” PCMCIA - It is a kind of peripherical connection which comes from the Computer Equipment. It is used in the Digital Receivers, to be connected with an external CAM.

PID - Packet Identifier (PID), it is used to directly programme one TV channel and its Audio into one Transponder

QAM - Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), Modulation used in the transmission of Digital Cable signals. There are different versions depending on the number of bits/symbol: 64 QAM. 128 QAM, 256 QAM, etc.

QPSK - Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), Modulation used to transmit Digital Satellite TV Signals.

Resolution - Resolution refers to the number of dots or pixels that make up the picture on the screen.

RS232 - Standard which describes the type of connector used to transfer the data at Low Speed, usually between 2 PC.

SCPC - Single Channel Per Carrier (SCPC), in one Satellite transponder, the symbol rates are low.

SD - Standard definition (SD) is a format of digital television that allows pictures to be received in widescreen format. SD has slightly less resolution or picture quality than HD and is sometimes referred to as 576i or 576p. With SD you get all the analog channels you currently receive, plus all the new free-to-air channels except the HD ones.

Set Top Box - Set top box is a device that allows an analog TV to receive and show digital content.

SPDIF - Sony-Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF) is one standard for the Audio transfer. It is usually presented through an optical connector.

Spectrum - Spectrum or broadcast space is the space or frequencies used to transmit television, radio and other forms of electronic communication.

Symbol Rate - Symbol Rate is the quantity of Symbols per second that we receive. In a QPSK modulation, each symbol is equivalent to 2 bits (in 64-QAMCATV each symbol is 6 bits).

Universal LNB - It is a variation of the LNB, whose particular feature is to cover the whole band Ku. It allows the selection of the polarity switching, and it includes 2 L.O.

Widescreen - Widescreen digital television has a different aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) to traditional analog television. The aspect ratio of widescreen is 16:9, while analog uses a 4:3 aspect ratio.