Glossary

Aspect ratio used by old movies (pre 1950's) and also by standard definition analogue TV broadcasts. Also known as 4:3.

A conventional PAL TV signal is broadcast at a frequency of 50 fields per second - 50Hz. Our eyes can be sensitive to this frequency and at times a 50Hz picture can have a noticeable flicker. 100Hz technology digitally creates a replica of each field and inserts it after the one before. This significantly reduces flicker as the picture is now flickering twice as fast as before and therefore is too fast to be noticed. Many TVs now utilise this technology although the extra processing power sometimes cannot cope with fast motion and manifests it self as artifacts or smearing.

A conventional PAL analogue TV set emits a signal at a frequency of 50 frames per second - 50Hz. Our eyes are sensitive to this frequency and at times a 50Hz picture appears to flicker. 100Hz technology digitally creates a replica of each frame and inserts it after the one before. This significantly reduces flicker. But it still does not produce a completely smooth picture (especially with fast motion video). Panasonic has therefore enhanced standard 100Hz technology with Advanced 100Hz Super Digital Scan and other unique picture enhancing features such as Acuity.

High Definition (True Film) format to be used by HD DVD and Blu-ray when the source material comes from film. When all 1080 lines of picture information are displayed as a complete frame 24 times per second it emulates the 24 frame rate used by film cameras to shoot movies. Currently, Blu-ray discs authored this way are converted by the player to display at 60Hz to make them compatible with TVs, but soon TV displays will be able to accept a true 24 frame input. This eliminates the conversion process and allows the movie to be played back at the same rate as it was originally shot.

One of the broadcast formats that will be used for High Definition broadcasts in the UK. This means that the picture comprises of 1080 active lines from the top of the screen to the bottom and is displayed at 50 fields per second. The whole image (frame) is never displayed at one time because the lines are interlaced (i) - odd lines are displayed in one scan and even lines in another. 25 complete frames are shown per second. In full, 1125 lines by 1920 pixels make up the whole broadcast but only 1080 lines are used for the picture information.

High Definition format to be used for HD gaming or HD DVD and Blu-ray when the source material comes from video. When all 1080 lines of picture information are displayed as a complete frame 25 times per second, this is known as a progressive display, hence 'p'. To be compatible with current TV displays each complete frame is displayed twice to give a 50 or 60 Hz flicker free image. The alternative method of display is known as interlaced (1080i) and is used for HDTV broadcasts.

Using a 12bit Analog-to-Digital converter provides an extremely dense 4,096 steps of gradation. Compared to the 1,024 steps possible with a regular 10bit Analog-to-Digital converter, this displays pictures with four times as many smooth shades.

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14:9 is a new aspect used by Television broadcasters as a compromise between 4:3 (12:9) and 16:9. Widescreen programmes made for Digital broadcast are often re-formatted to 14:9 for Analogue transmission to older 4:3 TVs. Viewers watching digitally would see the complete 16:9 picture but analogue viewers will see a zoomed in picture with narrow black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. 14:9 is deemed more acceptable for viewers that have a 4:3 TV as it only displays narrow black bars.

The aspect ratio (width vs. height) of a Widescreen TV, meaning sixteen units wide by nine units high. Most commonly related to Home Cinema and Digital TV as it is the standard agreed for all Digital Broadcasts and is a close fit to the 1.85:1 ratio used by many movie directors. In film terms it is known as 1.78:1.

The "Widescreen" aspect ratio agreed by Digital Video Broadcasters (Digital Television) and High Definition TV (HDTV) as a broadcast standard. To display a widescreen programme in its full glory you also need a widescreen TV. Also known as 16:9.

This aspect ratio, referred to by movie makers as VISTA, is the closest and offers the best fit to the 16:9 aspect of a widescreen TV. This aspect ratio transfers well to widescreen TV and displays without black bars and with minimal cropping of width.

Very wide aspect ratio used by film makers for action movies and big screen epics. Offers a dynamic and dramatic experience for the cinema. When transferred to DVD in its original wide format, it will be displayed on a 16:9 TV with black bars top and bottom of the screen. Also known as 22:9.

A processor inside the DVD player will decode the Low Frequency Effect or Subwoofer channel and output it to an active Subwoofer thus reproducing the deep bass sounds without the need to hook up a full home cinema speaker system.

Panasonic DVD recorders can record Dolby Digital programme material as two channel stereo.

Most loudspeakers have two drive units. The tweeter is the smaller unit and handles higher frequencies while the larger woofer is for mid to lower frequencies. The electronic circuitry inside the speaker features a crossover. This sends the signals from an amplifier to the appropriate drive unit - in a 2-way speaker, high frequency signals are sent to the tweeter and lower ones to the woofer. 3-way speakers also exist and you may come across speakers that have more than two drive units in each cabinets. But note, that these speakers can only be described as 3-way if their crossovers filter and send signals three ways.

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One of the widest cinema screen film formats around and often used for big screen epics or action movies. Meaning twenty two units wide to nine units high, films shot in this format and transferred to DVD will still give you black bars even on a widescreen TV (Also called 2.35:1).