Hdmi High Definition Multimedia Interface

Brief Technical Glossary

HDMI – High Definition Multimedia Interface

Digital interface for digital video and audio data transmission (preferred for HDTV).

HDTV – High Definition Television

High resolution television with a resolution up to 5 times higher or finer than PAL or NTSC. However, there is no compatibility, as the transmission process DVB-S2 and the compression technique MPEG4 are used for broadcasting.

The principal features of HDTV are the larger picture format (16:9), the doubled number of scanning lines (increased from the currently 625 to 1,250) and digital sound quality.

High band

Satellite frequency range between 11.7 GHz and 12.75 GHz.

H.264

Another designation for MPEG-4.

LNB - Low Noise Block Converter

Converts the satellite downlink frequencies into the Sat-IF for the first satellite.

Low band

Satellite frequency range between 10.7 GHz and 11.7 GHz.

MPEG-2

MPEG is the abbreviation for Moving Picture Experts Group, a working group that formulates internationally applicable standards for the digital compression of video and audio. MPEG-2 has become established as the standard for compression of digital TV signals. MPEG-2 works up to a data rate of 100 Mbit/s.

MPEG-4

A further development of MPEG-2 with even higher data compression, intended for HDTV transmissions.

NID

The channel identification number is also referred to as the Network ID or NID.

OSD – On-Screen Display

Displays by the receiver on the TV screen (e.g. main menu)

PAL

Analogue TV standard

Pay TV

Television channels available on subscription (e.g. PREMIERE). Encrypted transmitters which can only be decrypted by using the appropriate smart card. As a rule these services are subscription-only.

PCMCIA

Standard for internal decoder interface for pay-TV

PID

The PID (Packet IDentification) number is an identification number for video signals and audio signals in the digital data stream of DVB-MPEG -2 signals. The receiver uses the PID number to create a unique assignment for the video and audio data transmission. The PCR PID is the identification number for the synchronization signal. The PID-PCR is normally identical to the video PID. For programmes broadcast in multiple languages, the audio PD can be entered manually to assign a different language to the TV programme. After the PID is entered, the digital receiver automatically selects the audio data identified by the PID number from the data stream and assigns it to the video signal.

Personal Identification Number. For this unit the PIN is a 4-digit numeric code which must be entered to unlock the unit to allow access to certain functions and channels.

QAM - Quadrature-Amplitude-Modulation

Digital modulation process with phase shift keying, which is used for transmissions in cable networks.

QPSK - Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

Digital modulation process that is used for satellite transmission (8PSK is also used in connection with HDTV).

Receivers

Satellite receiver

RGB

Video signal made up of three individual colour signals (red, green, blue)

SAT IF signal

Receiver input signal

Scart cable

21-pin connecting cable (e.g. receiver/TV)

Smart card

Card from Pay TV provider to decrypt its channels

Stand-by

Standby mode

Symbol Rate

The symbol rate describes the quantity of data that is transmitted per second. The symbol rate is measured in MSymbols/s and is equal to the number of symbols received per second.

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