A quick guide to the world of digital TV
The 'digital revolution' continues to move at a very fast pace. Very few of us remain untouched by the speed and scale of technological change that we each experience in our everyday lives.
Televisions, along with home entertainment and audio visual systems are all part of the rapid progress we've seen in recent years with equally significant changes yet to come.
Doubtless this will affect us all in some way or another - but what does it all mean?
Some of the terminology is relatively self-explanatory while some of it is most definitely not. If you're baffled by bandwidth or flummoxed by Freeview, see our glossary of common terms used in the TV, AV, broadcast and related industries.
The list is by no means exhaustive, so if you don't see what you are looking for or you're still in the dark, call us, and we will offer you some friendly advice in a language you can understand.
A glossary of common terms
Analogue: An ageing mode of transmitting television services.
Bandwidth: The range of frequencies used for transmitting a signal. Digital broadcasting takes up much less bandwidth than analogue.
Broadcasters: The people who transmit TV programmes.
Common Interface (CI): Connection on a television or a set-top box which can be used to connect to any other device using the same open standard.
Communal System: Where a signal is distributed through a building (e.g. a block of flats) using a wiring system that shares the same signal source.
Conditional Access (CA): Method of blocking access to programmes unless the correct codes or card is available.
Coverage: Areas that can receive digital television - you can check your DTT coverage using the postcode database.
Decoder: The tuner in a digital set.
D-CAB: Digital Cable.
DSat / D-SAT: Digital Satellite, digital TV received via a satellite dish.
Digibox: An informal way of referring to a digital set-top box.
DSO Digital Switchover: The process of migrating television equipment from analogue reception to digital reception in preparation for the switching off of the analogue signal.
DSL (xDSL) Digital Subscriber Line: A method of delivering TV or broadband, or Video on Demand through telephone wires.
DTT: Digital Terrestrial Television
DTV: Digital Television
DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting): A European standard for digital television technology
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc): Digital storage device commonly used for film/video.
DVD-R, (DVD-RW): Recordable DVD, another digital recording device that uses DVD format.
Encryption: Method of encoding data/broadcasts so that they can only be viewed with the correct codes.
EPG (Electronic Programme Guide): Programming information that can be called up on digital television.
Free to air (FTA): A programme or service that you don't need to pay a subscription to receive.
FreeSat: Free satellite TV service where you pay for the equipment but don't pay a subscription to receive free-to-air channels.
Freeview: A company that supplies the UK's free digital terrestrial TV service.
HDMI (High-definition multimedia interface): A digital connection using a single cable for high-quality video and audio.
HDTV (High Definition TV): Has four times as many pixels (dots on the screen) to give a clearer picture on large-screen TVs.
IdTV (Integrated Digital TV): A television with a built-in digital tuner.
IdVCR (Integrated Digital VCR): A video recorder with a built-in digital tuner.
IRS (Integrated Receiver System): A shared reception system that enables delivery of television, radio, and Internet services from a single source.
Interactive: Services that enable the viewer to interact with the television programme.
MATV (Master Antennae TV): A communal aerial system that uses a master aerial to receive the signal before it is distributed.
Multiplex: A bundle of channels delivered in Digital Terrestrial Television by a single signal channel.
PDR (Personal Digital Recorder): See PVR below.
PVR (Personal Video Recorder): A video recorder that records programmes on to hard drive. Allows much greater flexibility in recording and playback.
Platform: Method of delivery or reception of digital television (e.g. the satellite platform)
PSB (Public Service Broadcasters): Includes the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext.
RF Loop: Connection which allows the aerial signal to connect to one device, and then be connected further by another connector.
RF Modulator: The "aerial out" connector on your TV is an RF modulator.
SCART: A type of connection and cabling used to carry video signals, usually found on the back of TVs and videos.
Smart Card: Also called a viewing card: a plastic card inserted into a set-top box or TV that decodes signals and allows you to receive digital services.
STB: Set-top box.
Solus Card: Digital Satellite cards that enable viewing of free to view channels.
STB: Set Top Box.
Terrestrial: "Of the Earth". Television services that can be received through a standard aerial.
VCR: Video Cassette Recorder
VDSL (Very-High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line): Allows for faster downstream speeds than ADSL enabling video services to be delivered.
VOD (Video on Demand): A service that allows you to receive and watch selected TV programmes when you want rather than when they are broadcast.
Widescreen: TV pictures with an aspect ratio of 16:9 to provide a 'letterbox' format like that of a cinema screen. Most major TV channels are now available in widescreen format.