DIGITAL NETWORKS GLOSSARY
Commonly used industry terms listed in a-z format.
This glossary intends to provide a comprehensive point of reference to aid understanding in the Digital Communications field. It includes technical vocabulary as well as general marketing, advertising and POP terminology in which the media is commonly used.
For additional assistance on related fields try the following websites:
This list is a work in progress and by no means conclusive. As the industry and technology driving it changes, so too will the vocabulary on this topic. Therefore, please contribute with additional words and comments through our feedback section and help keep this glossary up to date.
A
3rd Generation (3G):
A generic term referring to the latest mobile communications systems designed to succeed GSM and GPRS phones. 3G offers higher bandwidth than previous systems enabling a broader range of data communications services. See www.3g.co.uk for more.
Above the Line:
Traditional advertising formats such as press, radio and TV were commission is paid to the advertising agency. Today it is more common for all media including non-traditional "below the line" formats to be considered as part of an overall campaign, going "through the line".
Added Value:
To increase the value of a product or service as a result of a particular activity.
ADSL:
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - a fast internet connection technology that allows the use of existing telephone lines at high speed - commonly referred to as broadband.
Advertiser:
The person responsible for commissioning advertising whether for broadcast, press, graphic design or artistic creation for advertising purposes.
Advertising Network:
A system of digital displays connected and controlled through a network such as the Internet.
Ambient Media:
Describes a broad range of advertising that appears in non-standard locations and mediums outside the home. Examples include supermarket trolleys, petrol pump advertising to advertising on theatre tickets, cricket pitches or even pay slips.
Analog:
A continuous signal or quantity, as opposed to digital; using discrete numbers, values vary widely.
Anamorphic:
A type of lens adapter designed to produce a wide screen image from film.
ANSI:
American National Standards Institute responsible for US audio-visual/computer equipment standards.
Aspect Ratio:
The proportions of a picture area. Standard video aspect ratio is usually shown 4:3 (width by height). Wide screen aspect ratio is 16:9.
Audio Clip:
Sound samples.
Audio Video Display:
Custom electronics display used to convey audio and or video messages.
AVI:
Audio Video Interleaved. A sound and motion picture file compliant with Microsoft Windows Resource Interchange file format. (RIFF).
B
Back Channel:
Relates to satellite broadcasting where a separate line, usually dialup, is provided to facilitate outgoing communications.
Bandwidth:
The total amount of information that can be transmitted over a network. The higher the bandwidth, the more data can pass over the network.
Batch Capture:
When recording video from a high quality source for professional broadcast output, you use Batch Capture to digitize video. This is the most efficient, accurate, and secure method for capturing video and provides a timecode specific shot list in order of captured items.
Batch Compression:
Grouping two or more movies together to be compressed sequentially.
Baud Rate:
Number of bits of information transmitted per second from one digital device to another.
Below the Line:
Non-media advertising or promotion. Includes direct mail, point of purchase displays, giveaways.
Bit mapped:
An image created in map form (not a mathematical). The Image is created by placing dots (or bits) in rows and columns, with several thousand dots forming the complete picture.
Brand:
The set of physical and emotional attributes of a product or service, together with the beliefs and expectations surrounding it.
Brand-Switching:
The action by a customer buying a different brand from their usual choice. A "brand-switch" can be pre-planned or an impulse decision made at the point of purchase. Often considered the result of an in-store promotion.
Broadband:
A high bandwidth fast speed internet connection.
Broadcast:
Transmitting a message over a wide area or to everyone connected to a network or service. Also refer to Narrowcast / Multicast.
Bus:
A communications interface which transfers data between Electronic Data Processing Elements.
C
C.A.D.
Acronym for Computer Aided Design, whereby designs and schematics are computer generated.
Coarse Screen:
Describes a screen with ruling of less than 133 lines per inch.
Composite Video Signals:
Analogue Video signals with picture and sync information.
Compression:
The process of reducing file size by the removal of redundant or less significant data.
Convergence:
Proper alignment of the vertical and horizontal lines, as in video projection.
CPU:
Central Processing Unit - processor chip in a computer.
CRT:
Cathode Ray tube; a display device used with many TV, video and computer monitors.
Curved Screen:
Screens that have viewing angles less than 180 degrees and gains greater than 1.
Connected:
Linked to a network, normally refers to the Internet.
Customer choreography:
Where a customer goes and how they interact with their surrounding in a retail environment.
D
Data capture:
Recording details of customers' interaction, whether active or passive, with retail media systems.
Data feedback:
Reporting captured data back to the central content management system for further processing and analysis.
Data Conversion:
To change digital data from its original source code by using an electronic memory to record it into another code.
Day Part:
Specific timing for content.
DB:
Decibel - measures sound or Signal to Noise Ratio expressed on a logarithmic scale.
Decode:
In multimedia, this term refers to decompressing a compressed file.
Decompression:
Creating a viewable image for from a compressed video, graphics or audio file.
Deinterlace:
To remove the interlacing artefacts caused by the two-fields-per-frame nature of video.
Diagnostics:
Reporting the operational status of a connected display system back to the central management system.
Dial-up:
Refers to connection to the internet via a normal telephone line.
Digital display:
Includes display technologies such as LCD, Plasma and LED. There are other emerging digital display technologies such as OLED a cost effective.
Digital Imaging:
When analogue data such as typography or photographs are converted into computerized digital data.
Digitise:
Converting analog signals to numeric values that can be processed by computer.
Digital media:
Media in digital format such as MPEG, AVI, QuickTime, JPEG, Bitmap.
Digital Outdoor Networks:
The focus of the Screen forum this refers to network connected digital display systems used for advertising and promotion in the "Outdoor" environment (broad definition). It includes the traditional definitions of Outdoor such as billboards, street furniture and transit as well as other public places such as retail, F&B washrooms, petrol station forecourts and the like.
Digital Outdoor Network:
Operating in the same context as Outdoor advertising this refers to networks of digital displays for advertising or other promotional purposes.
Digital Signage:
The same traditional signage but using digital displays. Applications include screens in airports for flight information, advertising screens in public places, traffic information displays.
Display:
Used to present/advertise a company or product, often includes merchandise.
Distribution:
(Casting) which includes also managing the network.
DLP:
The main DLP systems - Digital Micro Mirror Device use a semiconductor light switch to control thousands of tiny mirrors on a single microchip. Digitally controlled these mirrors create high definition, high contrast images with absolute picture uniformity, and full colour saturation.
Dongle:
Hardware copy protection device.
Download:
To copy a file from a server or network to a machine.
DPI:
Dots per square inch.
DVD:
Digital Versatile Disc. Standard based media format, intended to surpass CD - ROM VHS and audio CDs.
Dynamic Range:
The highest and lowest signal levels on a given device.
E
E-Commerce:
Electronic commerce. Refers to business conducted through electronic channels such as the Internet.
Encode:
In multimedia this term means compressing a file.
Estate Owners:
Those who possess the rights to "estate" where screens could be placed for advertising or promotion. The scope of rights held by estate owners can be quite broad and is not limited to digital media systems.
E-tailers:
Electronic retailers are Internet companies and retailers with e-commerce enabled web sites.
Exposure:
A consumer's contact with an advertising format/campaign or POP unit.
F
Field Frequency:
The number of fields per second; NTSC field frequency is 60 per second, PAL and SECAM frequencies are 50.
Fine Screen:
Screen ruling of more than 150 lines per inch.
Firewall:
A network device, to secure data and prevent unauthorised hackers from entering a private network.
Firewire:
Apple's trademark name for the IEEE 1394 standards - a fast external bus used to connect DV cameras to computers.
Flange:
Projecting rim around sign or part of a display to hold it in place.
Flat Screen:
A flat reflecting screen surface with 180 degree viewing angles.
Focal Length:
The distance between the lens and the focal point. Shorter focal length means larger image size on the screen for given projection distance.
Footfall:
The number of people passing a retail area, space or advertising medium.
Footprint:
Base area of a display unit. Small footprints are desirable in any in-store location.
FPS:
Frames Per Second - measures the frame rate of video or film.
Frame:
A single still image among the many that make up a movie.
Frame Rate:
Number of frames per second of a movie.
Front Screen Projection:
An image projected on the audience side of a light-reflecting screen.
FTP:
File transfer Protocol - common internet protocol used for transferring files.
G
Gain:
Amplification of a signal or intensity measurement, expressed as a number equal to Output divided by Input.
Genlock:
Locks the frequency of its internal sync generator to an external source.
GHz:
Gigahertz; 1 billion cycles per second.
GPRS:
Often referred to as 2.5G it is the 2nd generation of digital mobile communications though effectively an extension of GSM providing an "always on" connection for data communications. The 2.5G name comes about as it is seen as a half way step towards 3G.
Graphic Arts:
Designing and printing messages.
Graphics:
Art and other visual elements - enhance message.
GSM:
The first generation of digital mobile communications widely adopted in Europe and Asia with growing installation in USA.
H
Hardware:
The electronic and mechanical components of a computer system.
HD:
High Definition
HDTV:
High Definition Television. In the UK, HDTV results in 1250 TV lines scanned at 31.25 Khz, above the current TV standard.
HDEP:
High Definition Electronic Production.
Hertz (Hz):
The frequency of an alternating signal.
High Contrast:
Few or no tonal gradations between dark and light areas.
High Resolution:
A sharp detailed image with a great number of scanning lines (1000-2000).
Http:
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol - most common transfer protocol used on the web.
I
Illuminated Signs & Displays:
Signs or displays using light in any form.
Impulse purchases:
Unpremeditated purchases. Research has shown quite consistently that the majority of purchase decisions in retail are made on impulse whilst in the store.
Interactive:
Where man meets machine and interacts, the most common form of interactive system is a touch screen or buttons on a kiosk type display device.
Installation Service:
Service offered by a company that contracts to place displays in retail outlets etc at a per unit cost.
In-Store Media:
Any advertising located in the retail environment.
Interactive Display:
Displays with the ability to interact with consumers through touch screen functionality or computer keyboards.
Interlaced Video:
Each NTSC or PAL video frame consists of two "fields". For example NTSC televisions display one field every 1/60th of a second, and our vision puts the two different fields together to create 30 whole NTSC frame per second.
Interlacing:
Increasing video resolution by doubling the number of horizontal scan lines.
Internet:
Global computer network.
IP:
Internet Protocol - commonly used protocol for transferring data over the internet.
IR:
Infra red - wave lengths just beyond (longer than) the visible spectrum; often filtered out to reduce heat on film or slide.
Island Display:
A display designed to stand alone with merchandise available from all sides.
ISP:
Internet service Provider - a company providing internet related services, such as connectivity, email and web hosting.
J
JPEG:
Graphic format developed by the Joint Photographic Expects Group, it is a bit mapped image format that is largely used for online graphics.
K
Kiosk:
An electronic, interactive system used for in-store decision support or transactions.
L
L.C.D.:
Liquid Crystals Display; liquid crystals exist in an intermediate state between liquid and solid, and realign under electrical stimulation.
Lead Time:
The length of time for production from receipt of a formal customer purchase order through to delivery of final product to customer.
L.E.D.:
Light Emitting Diode; a semiconductor diode that converts electrical energy into visible electromagnetic radiation. Often used as indicators and display devices.
Lines Per Inch:
The number of lines, rows or dots per inch in a screen.
Local Area Network:
Network that connects computers within a small region, often within one building.
Logging:
Scheduling software that records and logs information regarding what, where and when items were played.
M
Media:
Generic term used to describe many formats and mediums relating to movies, sound, pictures, tapes, CD - Roms, Zip disks, DVD's etc.
Media buyer:
Agency that procures advertising space on behalf of a brand.
Media Services:
Complementary to Media Systems these are services to provide and manage content over Digital Outdoor Networks.
Media Systems:
Digital devices and solutions designed to enable Digital Outdoor Networks for advertising, information and brand promotion.
Media Systems Rights Owners:
This relates to anyone who has the right to locate Media Systems type networks.
Mesh Networks
This is a generic term referring to the linking together of wireless LAN devices, base stations as well as clients (ie PC's, notebook computers) to create a wide area wireless network. Such a system would enable a dynamic wi-fi type network that could cover whole city areas without the need for fixed base stations.
Medium Screen:
Screen with ruling of 133 or 150 lines per inch.
Model:
Scale miniature of a display.
Modem:
Short for modulator/demodulator, a device that converts digital signals to analogue tones and vice versa so that systems based on electronic memories can interface over telephone lines.
Moire:
Undesirable pattern in halftones and screen tints made with improperly aligned screens.
Motion Displays:
Any signs or displays with moving elements.
MPEG ½/3/4:
A group of compression standards for video and audio, created by the Moving Picture Experts Group.
Multicast:
Transmitting the same media stream simultaneously to many recipients. See also - Narrowcast.
Multimedia:
Media presentations combining different media formats such as sound, graphics and video.
Multi-Standard Decoder:
A device that converts HTSC, PAL, SECAM, or NTSC 4.43 video to RGB video.
N
NAB:
National Association of Broadcasters.
Narrowcasting:
Analogous to broadcasting but relates to targeting a selected or defined audience. The terms is used broadly and covers the internet as well as other networks and wireless communications.
Narrowcast Networks:
This includes satellite broadcast to targeted displays and internet narrowcasting, used by such companies as Internet advertisers.
Networks:
The term networks is used in various ways, in a non-technical sense such as a person's network of contacts and in a technical sense such as an Ethernet LAN which a computer may be connected to.
NTSC:
National Television Standards Committee, established the US standard 525-line 60- field system, NTSC format.
O
Opportunities To See (OTS):
An individuals numerical chances of viewing a display.
Outdoor advertising:
Advertising in public places including retail, leisure and transport. It is not limited to any technology or format.
Out-of-home advertising:
Broader term includes all advertising sites located and viewed outside of the home.
P
PAL:
Phase Alternate by Line; 625-line 50-field composite colour transmition system used in parts of Europe, South Africa and Australia.
Parabolic Screen:
Curved Screen.
Parasite Unit:
A small display or merchandising device designed to be attached to a store's fixture or another advertiser's display material.
Passive interactivity:
Where a consumer interacts with a media systems device without doing so consciously, for example triggering a motion sensor.
Permanent Display:
Display used for six months or more.
Personalised Display:
A display that is used by specific retailer's or own brand goods.
Pixel:
Picture Element; the smallest element to create an image in computer graphics; a dot.
Pixel Resolution:
Resolution measurement in terms of discernable pixels.
Plasma Screen:
Gas Plasma screen; Illuminescent phosphor pixels, energised by electrically stimulated gas plasma cells. Commonly used to produce large format, colour displays with slim profiles.
Point of Purchase Advertising:
Any form of advertising, signage or communication within a retail environment that is designed to influence or assist the consumer in locating and purchasing a product or service. POP Advertising includes shelf edge marketing, aisle end gondolas and other forms of promotional retail fixture.
Point of Sale (POS):
Refers to where the transaction takes place and the customer pays for the product/service ie the cash register.
Point of Purchase (POP):
The location, usually within a retail outlet, where the customer decides whether to purchase a product or service.
Portable Display:
A display that is easily transportable due to its ability of breaking down to a small size.
Positioning:
The creation of an image for a product or service in the minds of customers, both specifically to that item and in relation to competitive offerings.
Post Production:
The process of editing film or video after acquiring the footage.
Post Testing:
Store audits or other research techniques employed after a display has been installed to determine the rise in sales and/or brand awareness brought about by the use of the display.
Pre-Testing:
A few display samples are tried in store locations to determine their effectiveness before the entire order is placed. Can be misleading if sites are not carefully selected; a test market.
Promotional Display:
Displays designed specifically for usage with a particular promotion, usually short term.
Proportional Scale:
Device used to calculate the percentage that an original image must be reduced / enlarged to produce a specific reproduction size.
Prototype:
3-D same-size replica of the original design. Usually constructed with the same specification materials as proposed for a production run.
Proximity marketing:
Marketing within the immediate environment. Proximity marketing is all about differentiated and personal marketing to maximise the opportunity for impulse purchases or sales closure
Q
Quick Time:
Mac Computer cross platform multimedia technology. Widely used for CD-ROM, Web video, editing and more.
R
Rack:
A floorstand featuring shelves, pockets or hooked arms, usually of wire, designed for special display of a group of related items - sometimes a sub-department - for customer self-selection. Racks may or may not also carry an advertiser message.
RAID:
Redundant Array of Independent Disks. A method of providing non linear editors with many gigabytes of high performance data storage, by teaming together a group of slower, smaller, cheaper disks.
RAM:
Random Access Memory. The computer memory capacity measured in bytes, which determines the amount of data the computer can process and temporarily store at one time.
Rear Projection Screen:
A translucent screen of glass or plastic with a specially formulated coating on which the image is projected though the screen for viewing. The screen is between the projector and the viewer. The image must be reversed or a mirror used to correct the image for viewing.
Return on Investment (ROI)/Return on Capital Employed (ROCE):
The value that an organisation derives from investing in a project.
Retail & Outdoor Video Networks:
This is what we have as a title on our Home Page and certainly it is meant to cover out-of-home advertising as well as digital signage networks (which I think of as ad networks and promotion networks) as well as virtual networks, ie our non-connected networks.
S
Sales Choreography:
Similar to Customer Choreography but specifically relating to how consumers navigate and interact within the retail environment to the point of making a purchase.
Scale:
To identify the percent by which images should be enlarged or reduced.
Scanner:
Electronic device used to make colour separations and sometimes halftones and duotones.
Scheduling:
Creating scripts or plays lists that handle particular content over the period of time.
Script:
List of ordered content.
Sharp:
Characteristic of an image in clear focus.
Shelf Talker:
An audio and or visual device that attaches to a shelf edge to capture consumer attention. The message can be push button activated or motion sensing activated.
Sign:
Any device that identifies a company or a product and often includes direction guides and advertising messages.
Sorenson Video Code:
High quality, low bandwidth QuickTime video code.
Space Management:
The technology used to determine the optimum placement of brands within a product category. Used to generate a plan-o-gram.
Spectacular:
A larger permanent outdoor sign equipped with special lighting and motion effects. Also, a large indoor display, often incorporating elements of light, audio and/or motion.
Spigot:
A short cylindrical projection used to join metalwork.
Store Traffic:
The number of people that pass to and fro in a retail environment.
Strut:
Foldable brace fixed at the back of a display or a panel for vertical stability.
System integration:
Taking a number of separate products and bringing them together into a complete system to perform a certain function.
T
Target Market:
Select group of consumers which advertisers and salespersons focus activity on.
TCP:
Transfer control protocol - common network transfer protocol used widely on the internet.
Temporary Display:
A display with a specific short life, measured in weeks.
Tent Card:
Single fold card, like a tent, for advertising on counters, bars or tables.
Test Market:
Regional sales area used for testing a product prior to launching it nationally.
Test Store:
A nominated retail unit used to track product sales tests made to determine buying and merchandising practices.
Touch Screen:
A computer display controlled through the touch of a finger on the screen.
Traffic Count:
The number of potential customers passing a display during a specific period of time.
Traffic Flow:
The movement of shoppers through a retail environment.
U
Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
The benefit that a product or service can deliver to customers that is not offered by any competitor: one of the fundamentals of effective marketing and business.
UMTS:
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System represents an evolution in terms of services and data speeds in today's digital wireless market widely used by third generation mobile networks (3G).
V
Vector:
In multimedia it refers to formats, which store graphical information in terms of mathematical algorithms, instead of pixels.
Videowall:
A large-format video display using picture tubes or rear-projection displays.
W
WAN:
Wide Area Network.
WWW
Stands for World Wide Web.
Wi-fi:
A generic name for the digital wireless system used by laptops and PC's for wireless connection to a network. Wi-fi is most commonly used in the office and increasingly in homes though more recently a considerable amount of press coverage has been given to the spread of wi-fi access points (places to "connect") in public places and retail. Technical references such as 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g indicate the particular wi-fi standard being used.
Wireless:
A generic term for all types of non-wired communication systems, it includes mobile communications systems as well as wi-fi.
X
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