If something is wrong, confusing, or if you find a term not on the list that you do not understand dealing with HDTV stuff please post it. I tried to provide both a simple mans definition and a techinical one and a picture for those visual people like me.

A/D Conversion
This is a standard term used to describe a signal being converted from an analog format to a digital format.

ATSC
Advanced Television Systems Committee is the committee responsible for developing and establishing Digital -HDTV standards. This is who replaced the NTSC or the old standard cable committee.

Component Video Connection or Y, PB, PR
The output of a video device (such as a DTV set top box) or the input of a DTV receiver or monitor consisting of 3 primary color signals: red, green and blue the together convey all necessary picture information. With current consumer video products, the 3 component signals have been translated in luminance (Y) and two color difference signals (PB, PR) each on a separate wire. The most advanced method for interconnecting decoded video data. Generally used where a digital TV signal source is used. Preferred connection for high definition TV signals; enables superior quality in transmitted picture. The video signal is separated into its components part of brightness and color differentials.

Composite Video
An analog, encoded video signal that includes vertical and horizontal synchronizing information. Since both luminance (brightness) and chrominance (color) signals are encoded together, only a single connection wire is needed. Usually this wire is noted for being a yellow colored plug.



Digital Cable Ready (DCR)
DCR represents a displays ability to accept a one-way HD cable signal without the use of a cable set-top box. Basic and extended cable services will be accessible by televisions with DCR capabilities. A cable card will need to be acquired from the local cable provider in order for the television to receive the cable signal. These cards will either be available for rent or purchase through cable providers. Not too many televisions offer this yet. In basic English, this is a HDTV with a built in tuner.

DTV
Digital Television refers to all formats of digital television, including high definition television (HDTV) and standard definition television (SDTV). Also referred to as ATV (Advanced TV). Refers to a group of 18 U.S. digital broadcast formats set by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) to replace NTSC.

DTS or Dolby 5.1
Digital Theatre Systems sound. Discrete 5.1 channel surround system which is similar to but not the same as Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital is the DTV standard, but DTS competes with it on DVD and in the movie theatres.

DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
DVI is the new style plug for digital ready monitors, most monitors will either have analog and dvi or analog only. DVI is a standard that provides a high-bandwidth, low-cost digital interface between a video source and a display device. It is capable of carrying uncompressed unprotected high resolution video transfers of HDTV signals, and supports real-time complex graphics displays and user interfaces found in program guides andother interactive features for high definition television.

DVI w/HDCP (Digital Visual Interface with High Density Copy Protection)
This is the same as above adding high-density digital copy protection, primarily for the secure transfer of high-resolution video content.


DVR Digital Video Recorder
This is like a vcr that records to a hard drive. AKA a Tivo.


EDTV (Enhanced Definition Television)
In simple terms, EDTV is about 2x better than conventional TV but not quite as nice as HDTV. Regular cable is 480i, this is 480p and is widescreen format. I believe fox is the only network to use EDTV regularly.

F Connection
Cable Wire. This is the type of connection the back of an HDTV tuner/receiver will have to connect to a OTA (over the air) antenna.


IEEE-1394
I understand this to be the same as firewire. It is a small plug that is U shaped. High-speed digital video and data interface technology adopted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; a nascent standard for connecting digital television and computers to various components and peripherals, such as Digital VHS, set-top HDTV tuner boxes and digital video camcorders.

the plug shape is dependant on the number of wires, 4 or 6


HDMI (High Definition MultiMedia Interface)
HDMI is a type of connection, it looks similar to an XBOX connection, it has both HDTV video and Dolby Digital Audio in one wire. The need for multiple analog connections for high-resolution audio and video are eliminated. Without a HDMI connection one would need 3 video connections for high definition video and 6 audio connections for high-resolution audio.

HD-ready
This is an HDTV tv that needs an external tuner to show HD. Describes a television that is capable of displaying one or both of the prescribed high-definition television formats (720p, 1080i) but is not equipped with the requisite tuner/converter to receive digital signals.

HDCP
HDCP is short for high-bandwidth digital-content protection, a specification developed by Intel for protecting digital entertainment content that uses the DVI interface. HDCP encrypts the transmission of digital content between the video source, or transmitter -- such as a computer, DVD player or set-top box -- and the digital display, or receiver -- such as a monitor, television or projector. HDCP is not designed to prevent copying or recording of digital content but to protect the integrity of content as it is being transmitted.

HDTV Compatible
This is a fancy standard tv that can lower the resolution of HDTV and show it at 480p. Describes a television that cannot show HDTV resolution, but can receive and show HDTV at a lesser quality.

HTPC
This is a lazy typers term for Home Theatre Personal Computer.A HTPC is a computer which main purpose is to play movies, receive television signals through a television card, and can be used to play games. Usually the monitor for a HTPC is either a projector or a large television.

NTSC
National Television Standards Committee responsible for developing standards for "traditional" Analog TV, prior to Digital - HDTV. In laymans terms- old school cable.

OTA (Over The Air) HDTV-
This is HDTV that is broadcast over the air for free. To receive OTA HDTV you will need an antenna, indoors or outdoors depending on your location.

this is a common antenna to receive OTA hd signals

Progressive Scan
The progressive method scans the total number of lines 60 times per second. This means you see the complete image displayed on your screen two times more often which results in smoother motion in moving images. A progressive san system with 480 lines of resolution is 480p.

QAM
I understand this as being a digital cable connection using cable wire. (I might be way off) 64-QAM and 256-QAM are often used in digital cable television and cable modem applications. In the US, 64-QAM and 256-QAM are the mandated modulation schemes for digital cable.

RF input
This is standard cable wire. How many terms could they come up with for cable wire, jeeze. Also a F connection.


RGB or VGA
I understand this to be a normal computer monitor plug.

SDTV .
Standard Definition Television refers to digital transmissions over 480-line resolution, either interlaced or progressive scanned formats. SDTV offer significant improvement over today's conventional NTSC picture resolution, similar to comparing DVD quality to VHS, primarily because the digital transmission eliminates snow and ghosts, common to the current NTSC analog format. However, SDTV does not come close to HDTV in both visual and audio quality. This also is just fancy talk for regular cable.

Terrestrial Broadcast
Broadcast signals that are transmitted over the air and can be received by an antenna. Before cable was available to consumers, most received their television programs from a terrestrial broadcast.

Up convert
The tern used to describe the conversion of a lower apparent resolution to a higher number, such as "up converting" 720p to 1080i. This is a misnomer, though , since to accomplish this, the horizontal scanning frequency is actually lowered from 45kHz to 33.75kHz. Resolution quality is not improved by this method.

3:2 Pull Down
3:2 pull down is a process by which manufacturers add six frames to film’s original 24-frames-per-second format so that it can work within the NTSC standard, which is 30 fps. This helps keep the action from stuttering on your television. Unfortunately, this technique still leaves some distracting side effects like jerky, uneven motion – especially in fast-moving scenes.

720p
The 720p format creates an image with 720 lines, each with 1280 pixels, so it has a resolution of 1280 x 720. The "p" stands for progressive, which means that all pixel rows are shown at once. 720p is the minimum resolution necessary to enjoy high-definition programming.

1080i
The 1080i format creates an image with 1080 lines, each with 1920 pixels, so it has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. 1080i is the maximum resolution available for high-definition programming.