| ADC |
: |
Analog Digital Converter |
| Aston |
: |
Encryption system |
| Azimuth |
: |
The horizontal rotation of a satellite dish |
| BER |
: |
Bit Error Rate, the amount of errors in a digital signal |
| Bit rate |
: |
The rate at which digital information is processed, typically 55Mbits/sec for satellite tv systems |
| Blackout Area |
: |
A pre-defined area of the country where particular programming (often sports or special events) will not be available, usually because of contractual agreements. |
| CAM |
: |
Conditional Access Module, adapter to allow a receiver to take additional encryption system to those already buit into the receiver |
| CONAX |
: |
Encription System |
| CryptoWorks |
: |
Encryption System |
| DAC |
: |
Digital Analogue Converter |
| Downlink |
: |
The Transmission of a signal from a Satellite back to an Earth bound receiver |
| Elevation |
: |
The vertical rotation of a satellite dish |
| EPG |
: |
Electronic Program Guide. A chronological listing of all available programming covering an extended time period (typically 36 hours or more). This listing displays on your TV screen. This is a common feature of most modern digital TV reception gear. |
| Footprint |
: |
The antenna coverage pattern which a satellite directs toward the earth. This defines the geographic area in which signals can be received. Many satellite operators publish footprint diagrams to indicate what size of dish is required depending on where reception is required within the footprint zone. |
| FEC |
: |
Forward Error Correction. The component of a digital receiver that can correct significant corruption in a digital signal. |
| HDTV |
: |
High Definition Television. Broadcast by DIRECTV at 1080i resolution, HDTV programs deliver ultra-clean, ultra-sharp pictures when viewed on an HDTV-compatible DBS receiver and TV. The audio standard for HDTV is Dolby® Digital. Some say the quality is like "looking out of a window" |
| Irdeto |
: |
Encryption System |
| LNB |
: |
Low Noise Blocker. The LNB is the component located at the end of the arm projecting from the satellite dish. It converts the Ku-band signal beamed from the satellite to a 3.7 - 4.2GHz signal, then filters out low-end frequencies and amplifies the high-frequency signal before sending it to the LNB's coaxial output(s). |
| MPEG/MPEG2 |
: |
"Motion Pictures Expert Group" a standard designed to compress moving video signals. Typically can compress a signal to 5% of the normal moving video signal |
| Multiplexing |
: |
A technique for allowing several channels to be transmitted on one transponder on the same frequency |
| NTSC |
: |
television standard, used in North and Central America and Japan |
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| PAL |
: |
television standard invented in Germany, used in the UK and most of Europe, Africa, Australia, and South America |
| Pixel |
: |
an individual dot within an image |
| PCMCIA |
: |
"Personal Computer Memory Card International Association". The Interface standard used by CAM modules, similary to the interface used in laptop computers for expansion cards. |
| QPSK |
: |
"Quadrature Phase Shift Keying" - the transmission system used for digital satellite tv broadcasts (also used in the transmission of NICAM digital stereo sound) |
| Quantisation |
: |
the conversion of a sampled analog signal to a digital binary code |
| PVR |
: |
Personal Video Recorder - a term meaning recording digital broadcast data to a hard disk on a digital receiver for playback. |
| RF |
: |
Radio Frequency |
| RG-6 |
: |
The type of coaxial cable recommended for digital satellite TV installations. RG-6 is a larger-size cable than the lower-grade RG-59 cable found in most homes. RG-59 has a small center conductor, a small insulating dielectric, and typically, a single outer shield. By comparison, RG-6 has a larger center conductor, a dual or quad shield, and a much larger insulating dielectric, ensuring greater bandwidth, and lower frequency loss per foot. |
| RGB |
: |
"Red, Green, Blue" and signal system that separates the red, green and blue signals in a TV picture, using RGB from a Satellite Receiver to a Television gives very high quality signals. |
| Sampling |
: |
The technique of taking snapshots of an analog siganl and measuring the voltage |
| SCART |
: |
"Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs", a French developed Standard and connector for connection audio and visual devices to a television. |
| SECA |
: |
Encryption system |
| SECAM |
: |
television standard, invented in France, used in France, Eastern Europe and Russia |
| Skew |
: |
The rotation of the LNB to achieve the correct polarisaion |
| Transponder |
: |
A combination of the words transmitter and responder, a device on the satellite that receives a signal and at the same time transmits a corresponding signal at a different frequency |
| Uplink |
: |
The transmission of a signal to a satellite from an Earth bound transmission station |
| VIACCESS |
: |
Encryption System |