1080i. High definition signal with 1080 scanning lines and interlaced ("i") scanning. This contains up to six times the detail of conventional TV pictures.
16:9 Aspect ratio screen. This is 33% wider than the standard 4:3 aspect ratio screen. It's closer to the proportions of widescreen movies and perfect for Digital TV broadcasting, anamorphic DVD-Video titles and other state-of-the-art 16:9 programming sources.
2-Tuner Picture-in-Picture. Simultaneously displays two shows, with both TV pictures generated by internal tuners.
32-Bit surround sound decoding. Far more accurate, for higher fidelity than the conventional, 24-bit decoding.
3D digital comb filter. A circuit that processes composite video signals, stripping the color signal (chrominance) apart from the black-and-white signal (luminance). To maintain picture quality, this filter compares each horizontal scanning line with the lines above and below—and with the corresponding lines on the previous and subsequent video frames. You get higher horizontal resolution, higher vertical resolution and reduced video noise.
4:3 Aspect Ratio. The proportions of a conventional television screen. The 4:3 aspect ratio is squarish compared to the widescreen, 16:9 aspect ratio.
480i. The conventional, Standard Definition television signal. This contains 480 active scanning lines (of a total 525 lines) displayed at 30 frames per second. Interlaced ("i") scanning divides each frame into two fields of 240 lines. Each field lasts for 1/60 second.
480p. Enhanced definition TV signal with 480 active scanning lines, progressive ("p") scanning and a rate of 60 frames per second. Used in both digital television broadcasting and progressive scan DVD players.
5.1-Channel Inputs. For receivers, enables you to connect a multi-channel source, such as a Super Audio Compact Disc player. So you can enjoy high-resolution surround sound for music that's a giant step closer to the original performance. The inputs allow for flexibility now and in the future.
6.1-Channel Inputs. Accommodate the latest sources with 6.1-channel surround sound. The sixth channel drives a Surround-Back speaker.
720p. High Definition TV signal with 720 active scanning lines and progressive ("p") scanning. Used in digital television broadcasting.
A/V inputs. For connecting external audio/video equipment, including VCRs, DVD players, A/V receivers.
Anamorphic. A type of lens that "squeezes" a 16:9 widescreen picture into a standard 4:3 image. For proper playback, the image needs to be "unsqueezed" by display on a 16:9 screen or by letterbox presentation (with black bars at the top and bottom) of a 4:3 screen.
Artifact. An unwanted distortion of the video signal, visible on the screen.
Aspect ratio. The proportion of TV screen width to height. Conventional television has an aspect ratio of 4:3. Modern, widescreen television has an aspect ratio of 16:9.
ATSC. Stands for the Advanced Television Standards Committee. An advisory group that produced the table of 18 recommended transmission formats for Digital Television (DTV) broadcasting in the United States.
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). The most common television display technology, the CRT is a sealed glass envelope in which the inside front surface is coated by phosphors. The phosphors glow when excited by an electron beam—the "cathode ray." CRTs are used for both direct-view and projection television.
CD-R/RW audio playback. Plays audio discs from your CD-R/RW burner.
Center channel. A speaker channel in surround sound systems. The Center channel is crucially important because it creates the illusion that the dialog is coming from the actors on the screen.
Chrominance. The color component of a video signal, abbreviated C. Chrominance is combined with the black-and-white signal (luminance) in composite video connections, but kept apart in S-Video and component connections. For higher quality, the single chrominance signal can also be divided into B-Y and R-Y components in Y/PB/PR component connections, or into the primary colors of Red, Green and Blue for R/G/B component connections.
CineMotion reverse 3-2 pull-down. A Sony feature that preserves the integrity of movie film frames for spectacular, consistent fine detail in 480-line progressive scanning (480p). In televisions, it works with all film-originated content, including broadcast TV, cable TV, satellite TV and DVD.
Coaxial digital output. A method of connecting high-quality digital audio from a source component to an A/V receiver.
Component Video connections (Y/PB/PR). Component video is the best method for connecting analog video signals. Y/PB/PR is ideal for DVD players and compatible satellite receivers. Uses separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR).
Component Video connections (R/G/B). Component video is the best method for connecting analog video signals. R/G/B is ideal for HDTV receivers and computer signals. Uses separate connections for Red (R), Green (G) and Blue (B).
Composite Video connections. Composite video is the standard method of connecting video equipment, but it is far from the best method. Composite video puts color information (chrominance) together with black-and-white information (luminance) on the same wire. Picture quality is lost whenever chrominance and luminance are stripped apart for display on a television.
Digital Cinema Sound system. A group of Sony developments that represents a total re-thinking of home theater sound. Produces the sound that movie directors intended by recreating the precise acoustics of three post-production dubbing stages in Hollywood.
Digital Concert Hall. To enable multi-channel music reproduction from conventional, stereo sources, Sony engineers have captured the sound of two revered performance spaces: Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and Vienna's Musikvereinsaal. Sony's top receivers offer DSP modes that reproduce both halls.
Digital Reality Creation™ circuitry. A Sony breakthrough in big-screen television. This uses digital mapping to convert a conventional TV image into its high definition equivalent. The system creates four times as much data for a more solid, more convincing picture. And some versions of the system enable you to choose between interlaced and progressive display modes.
Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Circuits that shape and enhance a signal when it's still in the digital domain. Audio DSP circuits can perform surround sound decoding, create acoustic environments, adjust the bass and treble with incredible precision and even adjust the volume.
Digital Television (DTV). The US system for over-the-air broadcasting gives stations 18 options in signal format, six of which are designated as true High Definition.
Dolby Digital decoder. Enables multi-channel digital surround sound that is dynamic, spacious and realistic. Generates 5.1 discrete channels of sound for Left, Right, Center, Surround-Left, Surround-Right and Low Frequency Effects (LFE) for a Subwoofer.
Dolby Digital passthrough. This is a digital output from a DVD player, satellite receiver or HDTV receiver to an A/V receiver with built-in Dolby Digital decoder.
Dolby Digital EX 6.1-channel sound. The new encoding format includes a matrix "Surround Back" channel.
Dolby Pro Logic decoder. The classic system that decodes and amplifies the surround channels already encoded in most movie videocassettes and laserdiscs, many TV dramas and sports broadcasts.
Dolby Pro Logic II-movie and Pro Logic II-music. Decode-only systems that derive 5.1 channels instead of the conventional 4 channels of Dolby Pro Logic surround sound.
dts (Digital Theater System) decoder. Enables multi-channel digital surround sound that is dynamic, spacious and realistic. Generates 5.1 discrete channels of sound for Left, Right, Center, Surround-Left, Surround-Right and Low Frequency Effects (LFE) for a Subwoofer.
dts 96/24. Sound track encoding system that can deliver the extended frequency response of 96 kHz sampling and the heightened realism of 24-bit quantization.
dts ES discrete 6.1 and dts ES matrix 6.1. Decoding systems that add a Surround Back channel. In the "discrete" case, it's a completely separate channel. In the "matrix" case, it's specially encoded into the other surround channels, then regenerated by the receiver.
dts Neo6:cinema and dts Neo6:music. Decode-only systems that derive six channels from two-channel material.
DTV receiver. See HDTV receiver.
DVD-Video. Immensely popular video playback system, for which over 10,000 titles have already been published. Some say that DVD stands for "Digital Versatile Disc." Some say "Digital Video Disc." In fact, the format's inventors could not agree. Officially, DVD doesn't stand for anything.
DVD-R/RW capability. For added versatility, some DVD players can accommodate DVD-R/RW discs (video format) and DVD-RW discs (VR format).
DVI-HDTV. An interface that enables spectacular, uncompressed digital-to-digital transport of a video signal from an HDTV receiver to a "high scanning," "High Definition monitor" or "High Definition upgradeable" television. The connection is also secured by HDCP technology to protect the signal from piracy.
FD Trinitron® picture tube. Sony's visually flat picture tube. Uses a Flat Glass Panel, high-focus electron gun, High Precision deflection yoke and a Fine-Pitch Aperture Grille.
Frequency response. In audio, the ability of a system to convey music from the deepest bass frequencies to the highest treble. In video, the ability of a system to convey high resolution, which corresponds to high video frequencies.
HD component video connection. Component video (Y/PB/PR) connectors that can carry High Definition video sources and DVD 480p progressive scan output.
HDTV receiver. Receives and displays free, over-the-air High Definition television. Capable of images with up to six times the detail of conventional television.
HDTV DIRECTV receiver. Receives and displays subscription High Definition television from the DIRECTV satellites. Some models can also receive free, over-the-air High Definition television. Capable of images with up to six times the detail of conventional television.
High Definition. A new type of free, over-the-air TV broadcasting with up to six times the picture detail (resolution) of conventional, Standard Definition broadcasting. The National Association of Broadcasters reports that 885 television stations are broadcasting a digital TV signal and that 60 network TV series are being broadcast in High Definition.
Home Theater. Media and home electronics that deliver the movie theater experience at home. Minimum requirements are a DVD player, a television with a screen of 27 inches diagonal or more and an audio system that features Dolby Digital decoding and 5.1-channel surround sound speakers.
Interlaced Scanning. The opposite of Progressive Scanning. The technology behind the conventional television signal, which shows half of a frame's scanning lines in each 1/60 second. First the odd numbered lines are displayed, then the even-numbered lines.
Letterbox. One technique for accommodating widescreen programming on a standard 4:3 screen. Letterboxing presents the widescreen picture with black bars across the top and bottom. Cinema purists love letterboxing because it preserves the director's original vision. Others are disturbed by a picture that does not fill their 4:3 screen.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). A television display type that uses a viscous liquid and a mesh of transistors to turn pixels on and off. LCDs are used in both direct-view and projection television. In both cases, LCDs require a light to generate brightness.
Local channels. DIRECTV broadcasting that beams the signals of CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox local affiliate stations, plus a PBS national feed into many cities. No need for cable or a local TV antenna.
Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel. The "0.1" bass channel of surround sound systems, commonly fed to a subwoofer.
Luminance. The black-and-white component of a video signal, abbreviated Y. Luminance is combined with the color signal (chrominance) in composite video connections, but kept apart in S-Video and component connections.
Memory Stick® media playback. A Sony feature that enables you to display JPEG images (DCF format).* Simply slide the Memory Stick media out of a Sony Cyber-shot® camera or Handycam® camcorder and into the television's Memory Stick slot!
MID™ circuitry. Sony processing that enables advanced Twin View™ picture-and-picture, including simultaneous display of SD and HD-originated pictures.
Multi-Channel Super Audio CD playback. The benefits of surround sound come to music. Super Audio CD supports up to 5.1 channels of full-quality sound.
Noise. Random, unwanted interference with the signal to which you're trying to watch or listen. In audio, noise takes the form of hiss or static. In video, noise is picture "snow," random flecks or specks of unwanted color.
NTSC. The U.S. standard for color TV broadcasting, adopted in the 1950s. NTSC is now used to refer to other aspects of conventional broadcasting, including the frame rate of 29.97 interlaced frames per second and the television raster of 525 gross scanning lines per frame and 480 active scanning lines. NTSC officially stands for National Television Standards Committee, although frustrated engineers will tell you it stands for "Never The Same Color."
One Button Record. This feature of DIRECTV receivers lets you record a show from the program guide at the touch of a button. Uses the receiver's timer and an infrared "blaster" to automatically start and stop your VCR.
Optical digital output. A method of connecting high-quality digital audio from a source component to an A/V receiver. Optical outputs use a fiber optic transceiver to convert pulses of electrical voltage into flashes of laser light. At the far end, the light is converted back into voltage pulses.
Pan & Scan. One technique for accommodating widescreen programming on a standard 4:3 screen. The system selects out a 4:3 portion of the larger picture and presents only that portion. To follow the action in the larger picture, a technician must sometimes shift the point of view left or right, "panning" the frame. Cinema purists hate Pan & Scan because it disrupts the director's original vision. Others appreciate a picture that fills their 4:3 screen.
Personal Video Recorder (PVR). System that records video onto a hard drive. PVRs offer many new opportunities, including the ability to hold 80 hours of programs, the ability to pause live TV and the ability to automatically suggest TV shows you might like and record them for you.
Plasma. A flat panel television display type in which plasma gas pixels glow when excited by electrodes.
Progressive Scanning. The opposite of Interlaced scanning. Shows each scanning line in sequence, for a more seamless, more film-like image.
Projection. A television display system that projects the image as light onto a screen. Front projectors are located out among the audience and project on a reflective, white screen. Rear projectors are self-contained boxes that project onto a translucent screen.
Resolution. A measure of video signal detail for source material, transmission channels, recorders and displays. Resolution can be measured in pixels or in "lines of resolution."
RF connector. Accommodates a local TV broadcast antenna or cable.
Satellite Speaker. A compact speaker that reproduces all of an audio signal except for the deepest octaves of bass. Many home theater speaker systems use satellite speakers for the full-range channels and subwoofers to handle the bass.
Stereo Broadcast Reception. Decodes MTS stereo TV broadcasts. Can include dbx® noise reduction for better sound.
Subwoofer. A specialized loudspeaker that handles only bass frequencies (typically 200 Hz and below). The subwoofer is ideally suited to reproducing the "0.1" Low Frequency Effects channel of modern surround sound systems. Most subwoofers are also "active," meaning that they include their own power amplifier.
Super Audio CD playback. High-resolution audio that enables you to rediscover your love of music. The highest quality sound source available today, Super Audio CD supports both stereo and multi-channel music reproduction.
Super Fine Pitch™ CRT. Refinement of the Sony FD Trinitron CRT that enables even higher resolution.
S-Video connection. Enables you to connect video equipment to your A/V receiver at high signal quality. S-Video keeps the black-and-white signal (luminance) apart from the color signal (chrominance) to maintain picture quality.
Universal remote control. Simplifies operation by also controlling many brands of TVs, VCRs, DVD players and A/V receivers. (May not be compatible with all brands and models.)
VCRPlus+ Gold technology. A VCR feature that makes channel programming and timer setting easy.
WEGA Engine™ circuitry. Sony scaling circuitry that helps deliver the superlative performance of XBR® LCD WEGA™ and XBR Plasma WEGA™ televisions.
Widescreen. Programming and video systems that incorporate an aspect ratio wider than the conventional 4:3 television screen. In video, widescreen means 16:9, which equals a ratio of picture width to height of 1.778:1. Movies can use several widescreen formats, including a ratio of 2.35:1.
Congratulations! You're ready to step into the store and step up to the counter. Soon, you'll be watching (and hearing) television programs, movies and sports as they were meant to be seen -- and with as much brilliance, detail and excitement as real life itself.
