© 2001 Christopher Simmons

Alpha Channel: Information attached to each pixel that represents how that pixel is to be blended with the background.

Analog Media: The term used to refer to the media found on traditional videotape recordings (e.g., not digital).

Aspect Ratio: Proportional height and width of a video image. The NTSC standard is 4:3 (e.g., four units wide, by three units tall) for conventional home television sets, and 16:9 for HDTV.

Assemble Edit: A method for building a video project in which a series of clips are placed one after the other to create, or assemble, a program. (Also called "linear editing.")

AVI: Audio-Video Interleave. A video format for Microsoft Windows.

Capture: The process of bringing DV content into the computer for editing, writing to the hard drive where it has been "captured."

CCD (Charged Coupled Device): A light detection device used in camcorders to capture images for video. Most consumer cameras use one CCD, while professional models can have three (one for each video primary color: red, green, blue).

Chroma Key Filter: A filter that allows for a selected color in a clip to be made transparent. It is generally used to superimpose one clip on another, and used in conjunction with a blue- or green-screen.

Chrominance: The part of the video signal that contains the color information.

Clip: A media file that contains audio, video, or a still image.

Component Video: A signal the keeps luminance and chrominance separate for better picture quality.

Composite Video: A video signal with luminance and chrominance in a single signal. Composite video is the standard TV signal.

Compression: Reduces the size of a data file in order to conserve file storage space or decrease file transfer time. MPEG is a file format that uses compression algorithms to reduce the size of video.

DV Format: Digital video format. Common formats such as Hi8, VHS, and SVHS are analog formats. DV differs from analog formats because it stores all information in a digital form. Analog is an electronic signal that loses strength every time the video is copied from one medium to another. When you capture video to your computer, edit it, then export it back to tape, you retain the quality of the original.

Fade: The gradual diminishing or heightening of a picture to create a scene transition. As in "fade out."

FireWire: Also known as i.LINK, and IEEE 1394. An industry standard digital interface that allows for 2-way communication a digital camcorder and a compatible personal computer. This standard was developed by Apple.

Luminance: The part of the video signal that contains the black and white information.

Mini DV (Mini Digital Videocassette): A consumer digital recording format that records video digitally, producing better picture quality than analog video. It offers 16-bit, CD-quality sound.

Mini DV Tape: Metal Evaporated Particle 1/12th the size of a VHS tape.

NTSC (National Television Standards Committee): The broadcast standard used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Central America and much of South America. The standard (non HDTV) pixel size of NTSC is 640x480 and 525 lines of resolution.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) Audio: Used in most DV camcorders. Stereo quality audio that allows the user to record in either 12-bit or 16-bit audio. In 12-bit, 2 sets of stereo audio tracks are available so a second audio track can easily be added. In 16-bit, only one set of stereo audio tracks is available for recording.

Pixel: The smallest individual dot in a digital display. The greater the number of pixels, the higher the image quality. A megapixel would be any resolution of 1,000 x 1,000 pixels or higher.

Pre-roll: Rewinding the tape in your camcorder to a few seconds before the point at which you intend to start capturing.

QuickTime: The standard video format for Macintosh.

Scrub: To play through an audio or video clip interactively (under manual control) to evaluate scenes and/or locate a specific event.

S-Video: A method of separating the chrominance and luminance portions of a video signal to produce higher quality video. Also used with DV cameras to connect to analog devices (like a VCR) for copying.

Time Line: The graphic representation of a project displayed in the editing/assembling window.

Title Safe Area: The standard area of a video frame in which text can be seen on a TV screen.

Transition: A blending of frames between two clips that smoothes out a simple cut, such as a fade in/out, or dissolve.