Glossary - Crestron DM-MD8X8 Operation Manual

DigitalMedia™ Switchers

Glossary

180 DigitalMedia™ Switchers: DM-MD8X8/16X16/32X32
1080i
An HDTV standard that specifies an interlaced resolution of 1920 x 1080.
1080p
An HDTV standard that specifies a non-interlaced resolution of 1920 x
1080.
16:9
Sometimes expressed as 16 x 9 or 16 by 9 (known as 1.78:1 in the film
world); the standard DTV wide-screen television screen size, or aspect
ratio--16 arbitrary units wide by 9 arbitrary units high, as compared to a
standard TV aspect ratio of 4:3. The phrase describes the shape of a TV set
or program, not an actual inch measurement.
4:3
Standard "square" NTSC TV screen-size aspect ratio of 4 arbitrary units
wide by 3 arbitrary units high; often expressed as 4x3 or 4 by 3. It was
originally known as the Academy Ratio (as in Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences, the film industry organization that awards the Oscars)
prior to 1954 and the introduction of wide-screen aspect-ratio film formats;
also known in the film world as 1.33:1.
480i
480 interlaced; a form of standard-definition digital television (SDTV) that
approximates the quality of analog television but not considered high-
definition television (HDTV). Even though the native resolution of DVDs is
480p, they are viewed at 480i on an NTSC analog television.
480p
480 progressive; form of standard-definition digital television (SDTV)
comparable to VGA computer displays but not considered high-definition
television (HDTV), though 480p is discernibly cleaner and slightly sharper
than analog television. The native resolution of DVD is 480p, but that
resolution can be seen only if a DVD player outputs a progressive-scan
signal and the DTV has progressive-scan or component-video inputs; it is
also known as EDTV.
720p
720 progressive; one of two currently used formats designated as high-
definition television in the ATSC DTV standard, this technology comprises
720 vertical pixels and 1,280 horizontal pixels. The p stands for
progressive, as opposed to interlaced, scanning, which is used in the other
accepted HDTV standard, known as 1080i. Contrary to myth, 720p is not
inferior to 1080i; 720p has fewer lines but also has the advantages of
progressive scanning and a constant vertical resolution of 720 lines, making
it better able to handle motion.
AC-3
This digital surround-sound format for home audio is called Dolby Digital
in theaters. It is a 5.1 format, with six separate audio tracks. AC-3 has been
chosen as the official sound format for digital TV and is commonly used to
encode DVD soundtracks.
Anamorphic
Adopted from the film technique of shooting a wide-screen image on a
square 35mm frame, it is the process of compressing wide-screen images to
Crestron DM-MD8X8/16X16/32X32
Operations Guide – DOC. 6755C