Silvercrest SHDP 5.1 A1 Glossary / Key Word Index, What are DVDs, VCDs and S-VCDs?, Decoder

18. Glossary / Key Word Index

What are DVDs, VCDs and S-VCDs?

DVDs

DVD is the short form for "Digital Versatile Disc". DVDs are a storage medium for audio and video data; they are available in 8 cm and 12 cm (Diameter) formats. Because of the much higher storage capacity as compared to CD-Rs/ CD-RWs DVDs can provide a playback duration of up to eight hours for the audio and video data stored on them.

Composite video

Video signal or FBAS signal; thereby it involves an image signal, in which colour and brightness information are included at the same time.

Progressive scan

In the normal way TV devices and Video projectors are controlled with so called "Half images". Thereby clearly visible line structures develop. Contrary to this, Progressive Scan denotes the output of full images (with this DVD player, at the output YPbPr) Progressive Scan signals can only be processed by play- back devices equipped for this purpose (in particular large screen televisions and projectors). The image quality as opposed to traditional image signals is considerably higher.

VCDs/S-VCDs

"Video CD" (VCD) and "Super Video CD" (S-VCD) are designations for two processes of compressed storage, thus space saving, of films on CDs. VCDs and S-VCDs are available in 8 cm and 12 cm (Diameter) formats. Their storage capacity is a great deal lower than that of DVDs. For this reason they only offer a playback duration, for the saved audio and video data on them, of 20 minutes (8 cm format) and/or 74 minutes (12 cm format).

VCDs are available in two versions:

•Only audio and video data can be played back on version 1.1 VCDs/S-VCDs.

•PBC (Playback control) functions are available on version 2.0 VCDs/ S-VCDs. In addition still images can be played back in a higher resolution.

Playback Control (PBC)

Version 2.0 VCDs/S-VCDs have Playback Control (in short "PBC") at their disposal. Then on the VCD/S-VCD a main menu is available, by which various functions of the VCD/S-VCD are allowed to be operated.

What are Title and Chapter?

Title is the name given to the largest units of image and sound units on DVDs; on many DVDs the (Main) film has the title number 01. For bonus material (i.e. Film trailer, background information etc.), that is available on many DVDs, other possible title numbers can be used.

Chapter is the name given to the next smaller image and sound units beneath title. If the DVD/VCD/S-VCD or its title is divided into chapters, numbers are assigned to you, through the input of which the chapter can be selected direct.

Bear in mind that not on all DVDs …

•are the DVD or the title divided into (numbered) chapters

•Chapters are also designated as "Scenes" (i.e. in the main menu of DVDs)

What are Scart, S-Video, Composite-Video Progressive Scan, YUV and HDMI?

Scart

Scart denotes a 21 pole standardized plug connection, via which the RGB signal, video signal and S-Video signal as well as a number of control and auxiliary signals are transmitted.

S-video

When the DVD player is connected to a television via S-Video the brightness and colour signals are transmitted seperately; in this way a greater image sharpness and a reduced so called "Colour noise" is achieved.

Colour noise refers to the overlaying of the colours, mostly heavily saturated parts of a video image, through an irregular, restive breakdown structure.

YUV (component video out)

YUV indicates the component signal, which with this device is available at the output YPbPr in the form of so called "Half images"; as a rule this is the best signal for the control of large screen televisions and projectors, which can not process Progressive Scan signals. As with the RGB image transmission, YUV is comprised of three separated image signals:

•the brightness signal "Y" and

•the two colour diferential signals "U/Pb" and "V/Pr"

Half images (Interlace)/Full images (Progressive Scan)

A standard television image is comprised of 576 visible lines; at first all odd and then all even image lines are displayed alternatively, thus each displays a half image. Thereby only 25 full images (50 Half images) can be displayed per second. This technique is designated as "Interlace" format.

Contrary to this with the so called progressive or "Progressive Scan" format all image lines are displayed every time, that is to say 50 full images per second are displayed. Thereby increasing the total quality of the images, still images and text for example appear sharper.

HDMI

HDMI is short for "High Definition Multimedia Interface" and refers to a 19 contact interface for complete digital transmission of audio and video data. With its high bandwidth HDMI handles all known today home electronics digital video and audio formats. HDMI transmits audio data up to frequencys of 192 kHz with text widths of up to 24 Bit on up to 8 channels. Thus not only all of today's image and sound formats introduced into home electronics including HDTV (up to the highest present resolution of 1080i) are transmitted without loss of quality but also future formats with yet higher resolutions.

Decoder

The sound on DVDs with home theatre sound is saved on the DVD in encrypted (encoded) form. Different encryption formats exist for several purposes, for example AC-3 for the playback of Dolby Digital Surround Sound.

In order to playback encrypted sound, the playback device (i.e. the DVD player) and/or the audio component connected to it (for example Surround system) must be equipped with a so called decoder, which converts the encrypted signal back into music and/or sound.

The Silvercrest SHDP 5.1 A1 DVD player is equipped with an AC-3 Decoder (for Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound signals).

Dolby Surround

Dolby Surround is an analogue sound format, by which the two channels of a stereo sound signal are used in order to accommodate room sound information for further channels. Dolby Surround decoders convert the signals back into sound or music and send the audio to two additional speakers that are situated behind the listener.

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