| D.P. |
Director of Photography |
| D.V.E. |
Digital Video Effects. A shot can bend, twist and fold into various shapes. Before the advent of the VIDEO TOASTER, this was an expensive post-production special effect. Also, the trade name for a video system manufactured by NEC. |
| D.V.I. (Digital Video Interface) |
Multimedia standard for computer generated text and graphics which cab be transferred to video. |
| D1, D2, D3, D5, Digital-S, DVCPRO, DVCAM, Digital Betacam |
Entirely digital "professional" videotape recording formats. |
| D1/D2/D3 |
Professional digital video formats. The D1 system uses component video. The D2 and D3 systems use composite video. There is no D4 format. Digital formats do not suffer from the generation loss inherent in analog formats. |
| DAT (Digital Audio Tape) |
An audio recording and playback format developed by Sony, with a signal quality capability surpassing that of the CD. |
| dB (Decibel) |
A logarithmic unit which expresses the ratio between two amounts of electric or acoustic signal power. Used for measuring the strength of audio and video signals. |
| DDP |
Used mostly by CD-ROM application developers and CD mastering facilities Disc Description Protocol is a standard way of specifying what data is supplied, what processing is required, and exactly where the data is to be placed on the CD. |
| Decibel |
Measure of audio signal strength based on a logarithmic scale. Also the unit of measure for sound pressure level (loudness). |
| Decode |
To separate a composite video signal into its component elements. |
| decompression |
The decoding of a compressed video data stream to allow playback. |
| Deep Discharge |
Indicates the loss of a significant percentage of the battery's capacity (50% or more). |
| deinterlace |
To convert interlaced video into progressively-scanned video, for use with computers. |
| Delay Correction |
When an electronic signal travels through electronic circuitry or long cable runs, delay problems may occur. This causes a displaced image. Special circuits are used to correct the delay. |
| Demodulator |
An electronic circuit which separates the audio and video signals from the RF carrier frequency. |
| Depth of Field |
Area in which all objects, located at different distances from the camera, appear in focus. Varies with subject-to-camera distance, focal length of camera lens, and camera's aperture setting. |
| Desktop Video |
(DTV) Fusion of personal computers and home video components for elaborate videomaking capabilities rivaling those of well-financed broadcast facilities. |
| diaphragm |
The vibrating element in a microphone that responds to the compressed air molecules of sound waves. |
| Diffused light |
Illuminates relatively large area indistinctly; often created with floodlights, produces soft shadows. [See directional light.] |
| Diffuser |
Gauzy or translucent material that alters the quality of light passing through it to produce less intense, flatter lighting with weaker, less noticeable shadows. |
| Diffusion filter |
Mounted at front of camcorder lens, gives videotaped images a foggy, fuzzy, dreamy look. [See filter.] |
| Digital |
A system whereby a variable analog signal is broken down and encoded into discrete binary bits of ones and zeros. These numbers represent a mathematical model of the original signal. When copied, they do not degrade as an analog signal does. An analog-to-digital (A/D) converter chip takes samples of the signal at a fixed time interval known as sampling frequency. This digital stream is can be recorded onto magnetic media. Upon playback, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter chip reads the binary data and reconstructs the original analog signal. Theoretically, this process should eliminate generation loss since every copy is an exact duplicate of the original. In reality, digital systems are not perfect and can introduce their own problems in maintaining the original signal. Digital signals are virtually immune to noise, distortion, crosstalk, and other quality problems. |
| Digital audio |
Sounds that have been converted to digital information. |
| digital audio receiver |
See A/V client. |
| Digital Data Storage |
A tape format for recording digital data on 3.81mm wide magnetic tape. |
| digital home |
See connected home. |
| Digital Media Receiver |
(See A/V Client.) |
| digital vault |
See media server. |
| Digital video effects |
(DVE) Electronic analog-to-digital picture modification yielding specialty image patterns and maneuvers: tumbling, strobing, page turning, mosaic, posterization, solarization, etc. |
| Digitization |
The process of converting a continuous analog video or audio signal to digital data (ones and zeros) for computer storage. |
| Digitizer |
Device that captures and imports video image into a computer by converting it into digital information. |
| DIN (Deutsche Industrie Norme) |
An international connector standard. DIN connectors carry both audio and video signals and are common on equipment in Europe. |
| Direct Current (DC) |
Flows continuously in one direction. |
| Directional Light |
Illuminates relatively small area with distinct light beam; usually created with spotlight, yields harsh, defined shadows. [See diffused light.] |
| Discharge Rate |
The rate at which the battery discharges power. |
| Dissolve |
Image transition effect of one picture gradually disappearing as another appears. Analogous to audio and lighting cross-fade. [See cross-fade.] |
| distribution amp |
(distribution amplifier) Divides single video or audio signals, while boosting their strength, for delivery to multiple audio/video acceptors. Allows simultaneous recording on multiple VCR?s from the same source, especially useful for tape duplication. |
| Distribution Amplifier |
A device which splits and amplifies an audio and/or video source tape or signal to several audio/video outputs. Used to duplicate one videotape to any number of VCRs with minimal loss of signal strength. |
| DivX ;-) |
A recent codec for MPEG-4 video, developed on the Internet. |
| DMA |
(Nielsen Media Research) Designated Market Area, or, the territory in which a given household or broadcaster is located. |
| Dolby (tm) |
A compression/expansion (companding) noise reduction system developed by Ray Dolby, widely used in consumer, professional and broadcast audio applications. Signal-to-noise ratio improvement is accomplished by processing a signal before recording and reverse-processing the signal upon playback. |
| Dolly |
Camera support mounted on wheels enabling smooth movement in any direction. |
| Dollying |
Camera movement toward or away from a subject. Effect may appear same as zooming, which reduces and magnifies the image, but dollying in or out maintains perspective while changing picture size. |
| download and play |
A way of viewing Web video that requires a user to download a video before playing it. Download and play files are usually higher quality than streamed video. |
| Downstream Keying |
Electronically superimposing text or graphics over a scene (luminance key) or of placing one video image into another (chroma key). The Downstream Key signal must be genlocked to the other signals. |
| Driveline Efficiency |
The amount of energy produced in an engine for propulsion. |
| Drop Frame |
A type of SMPTE time code designed to exactly match the real time of common clocks. To accomplish this, two frames of time code are dropped every minute, on the minute, except every tenth minute. This corrects for the fact that video frames occur at a rate of 29.97 per second, rather than an exact 30 frames per second (see Non-Drop Frame). This time code system is used in television to insure that broadcast times coincide with real time. |
| Dropout |
A defect on the videotape which causes a brief flash of a horizontal black line on the screen. Commonly found at the beginning and end of tapes. The quality of videotape is graded by the number of dropouts and priced accordingly. Videotape signal voids, viewed as fleeting white specks or streaks. Usually result of minute "bare spots" on a tape's magnetic particle coating, or tape debris covering particles and blocking signals. |
| DTV |
See desktop video. |
| Dub |
Process or result of duplicating a videotape in its entirety. [2] Editing technique whereby new audio or video replaces portion(s) of existing recording. Also called a dupe. |
| DV |
(Digital Video) With a capital "D" and a capital "V," DV is a specific video format; both a tape format (like Hi8) and a data format specification. |
| DVB-H |
DVB-H stands for Digital Video Broadcasting: Handhelds and is basically an extenstion to older DVB-T standard. DVB-H is a terrestial digital TV standard that uses less power in receiving client than its big brother, DVB-T, and allows the receiving device to move freely while receiving the transmission, thus making it ideal for mobile phones and haldheld computers to receive digital TV broadcasting over the digiTV network (without using mobile phone networks at all). |
| DVE |
(Digital Video Effect) Electronic special effects and picture modification yielding specialty image patterns and maneuvers, such as tumbling, strobing, page turning, mosaic, posterization, solarization, etc. [See F/X] |
| Dynamic |
Microphone type, also called "moving coil." Works much like a loudspeaker in reverse, employing a simple magnet and wire coil to convert sound waves into an electrical signal. |
| dynamic mic |
A rugged microphone whose transducer consists of a diaphragm connected to a moveable coil. |
