Audio-Visual & Television

Glossary

AV

Audio-Visual.

B&W

Black and White.

CRT

Cathode Ray Tube, a type of display technology (see Choosing A TV).

Component Video

YPbPr Analog Component Video, a type of analogue video signal encoding of superior quality.

CV

Composite Video, a type of analogue video signal encoding of inferior quality.

DTT

Digital Terrestrial Television, the digital equivalent of what we used to call simply television.

Freesat

The extension to the DVB-S standard adopted by leading UK broadcasters for FTA satellite broadcasts.

FreesatFromSky

A BSkyB satellite service named to be confused with Freesat, having a non-free installation fee, now discontinued.

Freeview

The marketing name of UK DTT based on the DVB-T standard.

FST

Describing a CRT, Flatter Squarer Tube.

FTA

FreeToAir, unencrypted and receivable by industry-standard equipment (usually of satellite broadcasts).

FTV

FreeToView, former version of FreesatFromSky named to be confused with Freeview, but having a non-free installation fee.

HD

Depending on context, High Definition (see Choosing A TV) or Hard Disk.

LCD

Liquid Crystal Display, a type of display technology (see Choosing A TV).

LNB

Low Noise Block downconvertor, the receiving component of a satellite dish.

Pay Once Watch Forever

Former BSkyB offer for a satellite subscription service, so another misleading BSkyB name.

PVR

Personal Video Recorder, particularly those that record a digital broadcast stream straight to hard disk.

RGB

Red Green Blue Analog Component Video, a type of analogue video signal encoding of superior quality.

Sat

Satellite, or cluster of satellites orbiting close enough together to be received as one.

SCART

A type of AV connection with 21 connections, common in the EU.

STB

Set-Top Box.

S-Video

Separate Video, a type of analogue video signal encoding of intermediate quality.

VCR / VTR

Video Cassette Recorder / Video Tape Recorder.