Broadcast Glossary of Terms

0-9  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

 

0-9

32-Bit Image

This is an image that supports transparency (an extra 8 bits over standard RGB images which are known as 24-bit images). Supported file types are PNG and TGA.

A

Alpha

(see also ... KeyThis is the transparent part of an image. Standard formats such as JPEG, BMP and GIF are 24 bit color images (8-bits per color, Red, Green, Blue aka. RGB). Formats that support Key or Alpha are 32 bit images where the additional 8 bits represent the “see through” or transparency. Supported file formats for 32 bit images are PNG and TGA and are known as ARGB.

Aspect Ratio

The ratio between the width and the height of the picture. In 'traditional' or SD television sets, this is 4:3 and in widescreen sets, 16:9.

B

BMP - Bitmap

An image file format that is capable of storing 2D digital images of arbitrary width, height, and resolution, both monochrome and color, in various color depths, and optionally with data compression and color profiles.

Branding

The term branding has a wide range of uses. It can be as simple as placing a company or broadcaster's logo on the screen to a complex a system where logo and video promotions are scheduled along with lower thirds and coming up next screens. Branding is creating an identifying mark that viewers come to recognize.

Bug

(see also ... DOG) Is a permanent on-screen logo. Usually located in a corner of the screen. It is so-called because it looks like an insect is hanging out in the corner of the screen.

Bumper

An element (usually a graphic but sometimes video), that acts as a tranistion to or from commercial breaks.

C

CG - Character Generator

A graphic tool comprising of software (sometimes hardware), which allows an artist/operator to produce images and text with the intention of having these graphic images overlaid onto a video source. Common examples of a character generator are: XPression, Compix, Inscriber, GScribe, VizRT, Chyron, Deko, Aston

Chroma Key

'Chroma key compositing' or 'chroma keying,' is a special effects / post-production technique for compositing (layering) two images or video streams together based on color hues (chroma range). The technique has been used heavily in many fields to remove a background from the subject of a photo or video – particularly the news casting, motion picture and video game industries.

Closed Captioning

Text version of a program or show's dialogue, overlayed on the screen by an equipped television set for the hearing impaired.

Coming up Next

A specific type of Bumper which promotes the next show or shows for that channel. Typcially a full screen graphic listing the next 1.5 to 3 hours of programming for that channel or cross-promoting companion channels.

D

Data Feed

A data feed is an automated source of information. Data can be pushed or pulled from a server to be used and displayed locally. A data feed means content comes in automatically or pre-edited. Examples of data feeds or data feed providers are AP (Associated Press – www.ap.org), CP (Canadian Press – www.cp.org)

DOG

(see also ... Bug) Stands for 'Digital On-screen Graphic' and is a permanent on-screen logo. Usually located in a corner of the screen. It is so-called because it looks like an insect is hanging out in the corner of the screen.

E

Efficient

What your operations will become when you integrate Bannister Lake solutions into your workflow.

F

Facebook

An online social networking service. Registered users can create profile pages and uploaded comments, pictures and video. Additionally, users may join common-interest user groups. Content from Facebook can be used by tools like BL TweetOut

FPS - Frames per Second

The number of frames captured by an imaging device within 1 second.

Frame Rate (aka. Frame Frequency)

Is the frequency or rate at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems. Frame rate is most often expressed in frames per second (FPS) and is also expressed in progressive scan monitors as hertz (Hz). There are three main frame rate standards in the TV and digital cinema business: 24p, 25p, and 30p. However, there are many variations on these as well as newer emerging standards.

G

Gain

Refers to audio volume. Gain is expressed in decibles or dB.

GUI - Graphical User Interface

The part of the software that users or humans interact with. It’s the part of the software that you see on screen and allows you to control of devices and/or graphics through its controls: buttons, sliders, drop downs, etc.

H

HD or HDTV - High Definition

A video format where the captured video is usually in a 16:9 aspect ratio but can range in resolution from 1280x720 to 1920x1080. Both these resolutions can be either interlaced or progressive.

I

Interlaced

A video standard where every other line (scan line) is drawn. Odd then even scan line numbers are shown based on voltage timing. Both HD and SD video support interlaced formats.

J

Jitter

When the video or graphics do not move smoothly on the screen (output). An example is text in a crawl or ticker going across the screen, but instead of smooth it jumps or stutters. This undesired effect is sometimes referred to as Jitter.

JPEG or JPG - Joint Photographic Experts Group

An image format, JPEG (pronounced 'jay-peg'), is a commonly used method of lossy compression for digital photography (image). The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable trade off between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality.

K

Key

(see also ... Alpha) This is the transparent part of an image. Standard formats such as JPEG, BMP and GIF are 24 bit color images (8-bits per color, Red, Green, Blue aka. RGB). Formats that support Key or Alpha are 32 bit images where the additional 8 bits represent the “see through” or transparency. Supported file formats for 32 bit images are PNG and TGA and are known as ARGB.

L

Letterbox

The appearance of black bars at the top and bottom of a picture when 16:9 or 14:9 widescreen material is shown on 4:3 sets.

Lower Third

Portion of screen of regular broadcast reserved for textual and static visual content; i.e., news ticker, time, title of segment, title of program, channel bug, etc.

Luminance (aka. Luma)

In video, luminance represents the brightness in an image or the "black-and-white" or achromatic portion of the image.

M

Master Control

The technical hub of a broadcast operation common among most over-the-air television stations and television networks. Master control is the final point before a signal is transmitted over-the-air for terrestrial television or cablecast, satellite provider for broadcast, or sent on to a cable television operator. It is generally staffed around-the-clock, every day to ensure continuous operation. Master control operators are responsible for monitoring the quality and accuracy of the on-air product, ensuring the transmission meets government regulations, troubleshooting equipment malfunctions, and preparing programming for playout.

N

News Ticker or News Crawl

A scrolling display of text/data usually at the bottom of the display of television content. It is usually reserved for text headlines or numeric statistics (or both) depending upon the focus of the channel.

O

OB or OB Van

Stands for 'On-site Broadcasting'. Typically a van or truck (trailer) used to send signals directly to satellite from remote locations.

ODBC - Open Database Connectivity

A standard C programming language middle-ware API for accessing database management systems (DBMS). The designers of ODBC aimed to make it independent of database systems and operating systems; an application written using ODBC can be ported to other platforms, both on the client and server side, with few changes to the data access code.

P

PEG – Public, Education & Government

Refers to a segment of the broadcast market which uses broadcast tools such as audio and video to deliver training and/or communication messages. This market’s main focus is not broadcast transmissions, but they use this medium as a vehicle to communicate their content whether for informational or learning purposes.

PNG - Portable Network Graphics (format)

An image file format, PNG (pronounced 'ping'), is a 32 bit file format for image compression that supports 8 bits of alpha. The good compression, high quality and opacity support makes this one of the more popular graphics formats for broadcast video and web work. It is a good replacement for the GIF format which had very limited alpha support.

Production Switcher/Mixer

(see also ... Vision Mixer)  A device used to select between several different video sources and in some cases compositing or mixing different video sources together.

Progressive

A video standard where every scan line is drawn each time.

Q

R

S

Score Bug (aka. Scorebug)

An application which outputs the game data of a sport. While score bugs are typically designed specifically to 1 sport to maximize workflow efficiencies they all have in common home & visiting team names, scores and game clocks.

SD - Standard Definition

Refers to a video format where the captured image is in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Recorded images are stored with 720x486 resolution (NTSC or North American standard) or 720x576 (PAL or European standard). Both NTSC and PAL resolution are interlaced.

SDI – Serial Digital Interface

A communication standard used in professional video distribution/broadcast. SDI is available for both SD and HD standards (HD-SDI & SD-SDI)

Switcher

(see also ... Vision Mixer) A device used to select between several different video sources and in some cases compositing or mixing different video sources together.

T

Ticker

Sometimes called a Crawl a Ticker is usually text content displayed on screen in a moving horizontal fashion. While not restricted to text (could include images and animations), this format is popular to deliver lots of content in a small amount of space. On the web you scroll down to see more content. In broadcast the content moves from right to left (or left to right for some languages).

Tweets & Twitter

Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets". Content from Twitter can be filtered and moderated for use with digital signage or interactive broadcasting through BL TweetOut.

U

Underscan

The area of the screen that most televisions sets cut-off or don't show. In SD this could be a boarder ranging anywhere from 3-10% from the edge of the 720x486 resolution (NTSC for this example). Graphics placed in the underscan area will not be seen. 

Up Conversion

Typically used to increase scan lines on SD video so content can be viewed or processed in a higher resolution environment. Quality is not improved, but scan lines are added to permit a suitable viewing experience in a higher resolution environment.

V

Vertical Blanking Interval

The blank area out of sight at the top and bottom of a television picture that allows the raster gun to reset. The space created is often used for Teletext, Closed Captioning and other services.

Vision Switcher/Mixer

A device used to select between several different video sources and in some cases compositing or mixing different video sources together.

VO - Voice Over

Recorded voice announcer played as off-screen narration in drama or advertising.

W

Watermark

(see also ... Bug or DOG) A common practice of displaying a company's logo during a television broadcast, typically a translucent image in the right hand bottom corner.

WWW (aka. Web)

Stands for World Wide Web and commonly refered to as 'the web'. It is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed through the internet using a web browser. 

X

XML - Extensible Markup Language

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a flexible way to create a common information format and share both the format and the data for other systems. Bannister Lake allows the output of all your content to an XML standard which facilitates the connection form our systems to your CGs and other output platforms.

Y

Z

Zoo

What you get in Master Control when you aren't using one of the Bannister Lake's products to improve your workflow and operator efficiency.