Basic Photography Course

technical complexity of a video camera, it is
fundamentally simple. To understand clearly motion
video, you must be familiar with some key terms. These
terms will be seen commonly in all publications
pertaining to video.

KEY TERMS

AGC

-Automatic gain control. Regulates the

volume of the audio or video light levels automatically
within a camcorder.

Analog

-An analog signal that fluctuates exactly

like the original stimulus (examples, sweep second-
hand clock, phonograph player).

Ambient Sound

-Background sound or "wild"

sound. Sound that surrounds the scene or location,
received by the microphone and recorded onto magnetic
tape.

Aspect Ratio

-The ratio of the height to the width

of the film or television frame. Three units high to four
units wide (3:4).

Audio Track

-The area of a videotape that is used

for recording audio information.

Beam Splitter

-An optical device within a color

camera that splits the white light into three primary
colors: red, green, and blue.

Camcorder

-A portable video camera with

videotape recorder (VTR) and a microphone attached to
form a single unit.

Capstan

-An electrically driven roller that rotates

and transports the videotape past the recorder heads at

precise and fixed speeds.

CCD

-Charged-coupled device, also called a chip.

A small, solid state (silicon resin) imaging device used

in a video camera instead of camera pickup tubes. Inside
the chip, image sensing elements translate the optical

image into a video signal.

Character Generator

-An electronic device used

to create words or graphics that may be electronically
inserted or "keyed" over the video picture.

Color Bars

-A color standard used by the television

industry for the alignment of cameras and videotape
recordings.

Component

-The processing of RGB (red, green,

blue) channels as three separate channels.

Composite Signal (Y/C)

-(Also called NTSC

signal) The video signal in which luminance "Y" (black

and white) and chrominance (red, green, blue) and sync
information are encoded into a single signal.

Control Track

-The area of the videotape used for

recording the information necessary to synchronize the
all elements during playback.

Digital VTR

-A videotape recorder that translates

and records the analog video signal in digital form.

Dub

-Duplication of an electronic recording. Dub is

always one generation away from the original recording.

Dropout

-A loss of part of the video signal, which

appears as white glitches. Caused by dirty VTR heads
or poor quality videotape.

Field-

Scanning lines in one-half of one video or

television frame. There are two fields (one odd and one
even) in a frame. One field equals 262.5 scanning lines,

which create a total of 525 standard television lines or
one frame. Also known as the NTSC signal (U.S. TV
system).

Frame

-The smallest unit in television or film, a

single picture. A complete scanning cycle of the two
fields occurs every 1/30 second. A frame equals 525
scan lines.

Gain

-The level of amplification for a video or

audio signals. Increasing the video gain increases the
picture contrast.

Generation

-The number of dubs or copies away

from the original recording. The greater the number of
generations, the greater the loss of picture quality.

Heads

-A small assemble within an audio or video

recording system, which can erase, record or playback
the signal in electromagnetic impulses.

Helical Scan, or Helical VTR

-(Also called slant

track). A videotape recording or a videotape recorder in
which the video signal is put on tape in a slanted,
diagonal way. Because the tape wraps around the head
drum in a spiral-like configuration, it is called helical.

Noise

-Unwanted sounds or electrical interference

in a audio or video signal. In the audio track, there is a
hiss or humming sound. In the video picture the
interference appears as "snow."

NTSC

-National Television Standards Committee.

U.S. standards for television or video signal broad-
casting. Also known as the composite signal (Y/C).

Pickup Tube

-The imaging device in a video

camera that converts light into electrical energy (video
signal).

13-4

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Basic Photography Course

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DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> technical complexity of a video camera, it is fundamentally simple. To understand clearly motion video, you must be familiar with some key terms. These terms will be seen commonly in all publications pertaining to video. KEY TERMS AGC -Automatic gain control. Regulates the volume of the audio or video light levels automatically within a camcorder. Analog -An analog signal that fluctuates exactly like the original stimulus (examples, sweep second- hand clock, phonograph player). Ambient Sound -Background sound or "wild" sound. Sound that surrounds the scene or location, received by the microphone and recorded onto magnetic tape. Aspect Ratio -The ratio of the height to the width of the film or television frame. Three units high to four units wide (3:4). Audio Track -The area of a videotape that is used for recording audio information. Beam Splitter -An optical device within a color camera that splits the white light into three primary colors: red, green, and blue. Camcorder -A portable video camera with videotape recorder (VTR) and a microphone attached to form a single unit. Capstan -An electrically driven roller that rotates and transports the videotape past the recorder heads at precise and fixed speeds. CCD -Charged-coupled device, also called a chip. A small, solid state (silicon resin) imaging device used in a video camera instead of camera pickup tubes. Inside the chip, image sensing elements translate the optical image into a video signal. Character Generator -An electronic device used to create words or graphics that may be electronically inserted or "keyed" over the video picture. Color Bars -A color standard used by the television industry for the alignment of cameras and videotape recordings. Component -The processing of RGB (red, green, blue) channels as three separate channels. Composite Signal (Y/C) -(Also called NTSC signal) The video signal in which luminance "Y" (black and white) and chrominance (red, green, blue) and sync information are encoded into a single signal. Control Track -The area of the videotape used for recording the information necessary to synchronize the all elements during playback. Digital VTR -A videotape recorder that translates and records the analog video signal in digital form. Dub -Duplication of an electronic recording. Dub is always one generation away from the original recording. Dropout -A loss of part of the video signal, which appears as white glitches. Caused by dirty VTR heads or poor quality videotape. Field- Scanning lines in one-half of one video or television frame. There are two fields (one odd and one even) in a frame. One field equals 262.5 scanning lines, which create a total of 525 standard television lines or one frame. Also known as the NTSC signal (U.S. TV system). Frame -The smallest unit in television or film, a single picture. A complete scanning cycle of the two fields occurs every 1/30 second. A frame equals 525 scan lines. Gain -The level of amplification for a video or audio signals. Increasing the video gain increases the picture contrast. Generation -The number of dubs or copies away from the original recording. The greater the number of generations, the greater the loss of picture quality. Heads -A small assemble within an audio or video recording system, which can erase, record or playback the signal in electromagnetic impulses. Helical Scan, or Helical VTR -(Also called slant track). A videotape recording or a videotape recorder in which the video signal is put on tape in a slanted, diagonal way. Because the tape wraps around the head drum in a spiral-like configuration, it is called helical. Noise -Unwanted sounds or electrical interference in a audio or video signal. In the audio track, there is a hiss or humming sound. In the video picture the interference appears as "snow." NTSC -National Television Standards Committee. U.S. standards for television or video signal broad- casting. Also known as the composite signal (Y/C). Pickup Tube -The imaging device in a video camera that converts light into electrical energy (video signal). 13-4 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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