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Glossary & Acronyms: N-S
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National Television System Committee (NTSC): This committee oversees the current U.S. analog television format. Visit the NTSC web site. Also see American Television Systems Committee and digital television.
NTSC: see National Television System Committee.
NUON™ enhanced: refers to a DVD player that is NUON capable. VM Labs, Inc.'s NUON feature provides the DVD player additional interactive capabilities, such as game playing, when used with software with NUON content. To see which DVD players have NUON enhancement, check our DVD player comparison chart for basic features. Visit the NUON web site.
optical digital audio output: a fiber optic digital audio connection used to connect a digital source component (e.g., DVD player, CD player, etc.) to a receiver or pre-amplifier. The data passed is the "raw" digital audio signal using laser (light) pulses. This means of interconnect minimizes the interference and degradation. Also called "Toslink". See coaxial digital audio output.
overscan: definition coming soon.
PAL: refers to a video standard that is used in most European countries and elsewhere in the world. This is different from the NTSC system that is used in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the PAL video system web site.
PCM: see pulse code modulation.
perceptual encoding: refers to the lossy audio encoding schemes, where the art and science of psycho-acoustics is used to determine what to encode and what to forgo based on what most humans are able to perceive. Dolby Digital and DTS are both multi-channel perceptual encoding algorithms.
power amplifier: an audio component that amplifies the audio signal to drive the loudspeakers. When using a power amplifier, a pre-amplifier is used upstream to perform input and output switching and multi-channel decoding. See pre-amplifier, receiver.
pre-amplifier: an audio component that performs input and output switching, acts as a tuner, and performs multi-channel decoding. When using a pre-amplifier, a power amplifier is used downstream to amplify the audio signal to drive the loudspeakers. See power amplifier, receiver.
progressive scan: Progressive scanning is the ability to generate a picture in one pass (as with a computer monitor). Conventional interlaced scanning requires two passes to generate a picture, the first pass for the odd-numbered scan lines, the second for the even-numbered scan lines. Conventional analog TV as we know it is interlaced scanning with a (complete picture) refresh rate of 30 times per second, while progressive scanning is twice that at 60 times per second. Our DVD Player Buying Guide discusses the merits of progressive scan DVD players.
pulse code modulation (PCM): is a lossless audio encoding scheme used by audio CDs and DVD-Audio. This encoding scheme maintains the highest fidelity sound.
RCE: short for Region Code Enhancement.
receiver: a single unit box that performs the functions of a tuner, pre-amplifier (performs input and output switching, performs tuner functions, decodes multi-channel sound), and power amplifier (amplifying the audio signal to drive loudspeakers). Use of a receiver is the more common and cheaper alternative to separates (use of pre-amplifier and power amplifier as separate components).
RGB: stands for red, green, blue. If is a form of video signal input.
region code: DVD software is distributed with a region encoding. To play back a DVD title with a specific region code, you will need a DVD player with the same region code. For example, a DVD encoded with "region 1" (United States and Canada) can only be played back on a DVD player with "region 1" capability. The movie studios and software distributors have imposed the region encoding feature to control distribution of DVD software only to those regions where they are ready to distribute. There are 6 different regions:
Region 1: North America (including United States and Canada)
Region 2: Western Europe and Japan
Region 3: Southeast Asia
Region 4: South America and Australia
Region 5: Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia
Region 6: China
Region code "0" means the DVD title is playable in all regions. Also see the answer to this frequently asked question (FAQ).
Region Code Enhancement (RCE): a new implementation (as of Fall 2000) of the region code encoding scheme that is more robust than the original implementation, and can foil aftermarket "region free" and "multi-zone" DVD players. The technology is based on an embedded code within the digital bitstream. Region 1 (United States and Canada) DVDs with RCE will be transparent to Region 1 DVD players. That is, U.S. consumers will not see any difference when playing the new RCE DVD with Region 1 code on their Region 1 DVD players. However, when these Region 1 RCE DVDs are played back on a aftermarket "region free" or "multi-zone" DVD player, an error message will be displayed on the TV screen. The Patriot is the first DVD title to feature RCE. Also see the answer to this frequently asked question (FAQ).
RSDL: stands for reverse spiral dual layer. This refers to the directions of the data spirals (like the groves on a vinyl record/LP) on a dual-layered DVD disc. The first (or lower layer) spirals from the center to the outer edge, then continues on the second (or upper layer) as spirals from the outer edge back to the center of the DVD disc.
RSDL layer switch: refers to the point on the DVD-Video software (movie) title that contains the switch between between layers. As the laser pickup of the DVD player re-focuses to read from the upper layer, many DVD players experience a slight pause of playback.
screen aspect ratio: The ratio is the screen width to screen height, or width:height.
SDTV: short for Standard Definition Television, which is part of the ATSC's digital television standard. Together with High Definition Television (HDTV), Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV), SDTV make up the U.S. digital television standard. SDTV is essentially 480 lines of resolution in interlaced scan, or 480i (the "i" stands for interlace scanning). SDTV used to mean either 480i or 480p (480 lines of resolution in progressive scanning, the "p" stands to progressive scanning), but now SDTV only stands for 480i. The 480p format is now designated as Enhanced Definition Television. 480p is the video ormat output by progressive scan DVD players. Also see ATSC, digital television, and High Definition Television, and Enhanced Definition Television.
separates: refers to the configuration of using separate pre-amplifier and power amplifier components, instead of a single-unit receiver. Also see pre-amplifier, power amplifier, and receiver.
set-top box (STB): a multi-purpose box that sits on top of your TV to decode satellite TV, unscramble encrypted cable TV, or decode digital TV signals.
single-sided: refers to a DVD disc that has data on one side of the disc. A single-sided DVD may still have one layer (i.e., single-layered) or two layers (i.e., dual-layered) of information, holding two hours and four hours of video information, respectively. Either way, single-sided DVDs requires no "flipping" of sides. Also see DVD-5 or DVD-9.
single-layered: refers to a DVD disc that has one layer of information per side. A single-layered DVD may still have one side (i.e., single-sided) or two sides (i.e., double-sided) of information, holding two hours and four hours of video information, respectively. The double-sided, single-layered disc requires manual "flipping" of sides. Also see DVD-5 or DVD-10.
SMPTE: short for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE): a professional society of motion picture and television engineers aimed at advancing the theory of motion imaging, standards, and test materials. Visit the SMPTE web site. Also see ATSC, NTSC.
Sound Retrieval System®® (SRS): A proprietary virtual surround system from SRS Labs, using only the stereo pair of speakers. Visit the SRS Labs web site.
soundtrack: generally refers to the sound effects and musical score of an audio track, and excludes the dialogue.
SRS®: see Sound Retrieval System.
standard definition television: see SDTV.
STB: see set-top box.
subwoofer: refers to a specialized speaker used to reproduce the low bass frequencies for low frequency effects, also known as the ".1" channel. A subwoofer is also used in conjunction with a satellite speaker system, where the center, left, right, and surround speakers are small (e.g., Bose® satellite speaker system).
Super Audio CD (SACD): is an entirely new high-resolution digital audio format that promises vast sonic improvements over the audio CD format that has dominated digital audio for over 20 years. Unlike any digital audio formats to date (which most are based on Pulse Code Modulation or PCM), Super Audio CD uses an entirely new method of encoding audio, called Direct Stream Digital (DSD). DSD digitally encodes the audio information as 1-bit data words sampled at 2,822,400 times per second! Among other benefits, DSD promises better sonic performance as the encoded bitstream somewhat resembles the analog characteristics of the original analog signal. Super Audio CD can support high-resolution stereo recordings as well as high-resolution multi-channel (up to 6) discrete audio channels. The multi-channel Super Audio CD format is capable of reproducing an immersive sonic experience that is best described as "virtual reality for sound". Super Audio CD discs can be played back on dedicated Super Audio CD players or combination SACD/DVD-Video players. Certain SACD discs feature a conventional audio CD layer (hybrid SACDs) which can be played back by any CD player or computer with a CD-ROM drive. Though their names are similar, Super Audio CD and Super Video CD are not meaningfully related. For additional info, read our Super Audio CD Overview.
Super Video CD (SVCD): is an improved format over the Video CD format that is so popular in China. Super Video CD uses variable bit rate MPEG-2 encoding for the video signal (up to 2.6 Mbps) and MPEG-2 audio encoding for stereo or 5.1-channel audio signal. The picture quality is inferior to that of DVD, but much better than that of VHS or Video CD. Super Video CD can store about 35-45 minutes of video and audio information at full resolution (480i). Longer play times can be achieved but at the cost of video and audio quality. Many stand-alone DVD players can play the Super Video CD discs, though not many manufacturers actually make that fact known. Though their names are similar, Super Video CD and Super Audio CD are not meaningfully related. See the logo here. Also see Video CD.
surround sound: generally refers to the use of multi-channel audio tracks and multiple speakers to re-create a 3-dimensional sound field for reproducing movie soundtrack and music. Read more about this on our Surround Sound page.
SVCD: see Super Video CD.
S-VHS: short for Super VHS. This is a format similar to the VHS videocassette, except it provides higher resolution video than standard VHS. A S-VHS VCR is required to record and play back S-VHS videocassettes. Most S-VHS VCRs can also play back regular VHS videocassettes as well.
Glossary & Acronyms: A-C | D | E-K | L-M | N-S | T-Z | #
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