Terminology
| Analog | The older, pre-digital era type of video signal. |
| Aperture | The size of the opening used by cameras when capturing video & still imagery, this affects the amount of light that hits the photosensitive array in the camera. |
| Aspect Ratio | The ratio of width to height used for screens and visual content. For example, 4:3 and 16:9 are common boxy and widescreen aspect ratios respectively. |
| Bandwidth | The digital spacial allowance that video and audio content travels through; wider bandwidth allows more content to flow through at higher speeds than thinner bandwidth. DODGY |
| Bit | The smallest possible piece of digital data to date; short for binary digit, a bit can be either 0 or 1. |
| Bit Rate | The rate at which the data stream travels from storage to decoder, which then displays the content. A higher bit rate means you’ll have an easier time viewing high quality footage in large file sizes. |
| Bit Depth | The number of bits per pixel, a higher bit depth means more potential colours. |
| Codec | An algorithm used to convert analog video and audio signals to digital, and sometimes even back again. |
| Compression | Various methods used to reduce the size of video files for easier storage and playback. |
| Cropping | A cutting technique used to remove parts of an image. |
| Decoder | A device used to turn encoded signals into displayable content. |
| Depth of Field | The point(s) of distance in an image that are in focus. |
| Digital Signal | An electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s that results in imagery, sound, etc. |
| Digitising | The conversion of analog video or audio to a digital form. |
| Display | The panel technology used to show video or imagery to the user. |
| Field of View | The maximum viewing angle visible through a lens. |
| Frame | One of the still images that is used in playback to create video. |
| Frame Rate | The rate at which frames are shown on screen, such as 25 frames per second for PAL. |
| H.264 | One of the most used and efficient recording formats for high definition video. |
| Hertz | A standard measurement of frequency wherein 1 hertz(Hz) is one cycle per second. |
| Interlaced | The “i” in “1080i”, interlaced scanning is an older scan method whereby the image is split, and half of the image is shown 1/60th of a second after the first half. |
| Letterbox | Black bars surrounding the video image, often the result of changing in resolution or aspect ration. |
| Monitor | A video display unit used to view digital or analog imagery. |
| National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) | An analog television system previously used across most of the American continent and a handful of far-eastern countries such as Japan or South Korea. |
| Packet | One piece of binary data traveling from one point to another, such as over the internet. |
| Phase Alternate Line (PAL) | An analog television system previously used primarily in Europe, Oceania, and otherwise scattered across the world. |
| Pixel | Short for picture element, a pixel is an individual part of the grid used to create an image on a display. |
| Progressive | The “p” in “1080p”, progressive scanning is a method by which the full image is rendered all at once on a screen, as opposed to interlaced scan. |
| Resolution | The width and height of pixel lines in an image, for example 1920×1080. |
| Scan Type | The method by which the image is drawn on the screen. See: Interlaced & Progressive. |
| Séquential couleur à mémoire (SECAM) | An analog television system first used in France, it was also used in Russia, parts of Africa, and other smaller localities across the world. |
| Streaming | The capacity to view video online without downloading the full file first. YouTube, Netflix, and many others use streaming functionality. |
| Transcode | The conversion of one container to another, ideally performed in manners to reduce loss of quality where possible. |
