Glossary

Clip

A recording unit. Clips are created every time recording starts and stops.

Clip list

A list of locations in the material recorded on the disc, arranged in any order. Clip lists can be created with the scene selection function of this unit, and with the supplied PDZ-1 Proxy Browsing Software.

Composite video signal

A video signal in which luminance and chrominance are combined along with timing reference “sync” information to make composite video.

Drop-frame mode

SMPTE time code runs at 30 frames/ second, while the NTSC color television system runs at about 29.97 frames/second. Drop-frame mode adjusts the running of time code to eliminate the discrepancy between time code value and actual time by dropping two frames from the time code value at the beginning of each minute except every tenth minute.

Essence mark

A type of metadata that may be set for a specified frame.

For more efficient searches, XDCAM equipment records essence marks as part of Non-RealTime metadata, and uses them to display thumbnails.

i.LINK

Another name for the IEEE1394- 1995 standards and their revisions. XDCAM uses the i.LINK interface to transfer DV streams by the AV/C protocol, and to read and write MPEG HD and DVCAM data files by FAM (file access mode).

Metadata

Information about the properties of video and audio content. XDCAM records metadata such as UMIDs and essence marks, and the supplied PDZ-1 Proxy Browsing Software can

be used to record information such as titles and comments.

MXF

Material eXchange Format. A file exchange format developed by the Pro-MPEG Forum. Equipment from different manufacturers can exchange files in this format.

Non-drop-frame mode

A mode of advancing time code which ignores the difference in frame values between real time and the time code. Using this mode produces a difference of approximately 86 seconds per day between real time and time code, which causes problems when editing programs in units of seconds using the number of frames as a reference.

Proxy AV data Low-resolution data with a video bandwidth of 1.5 Mbps and an audio bandwidth of 64 kbps per channel. This unit records proxy AV data automatically whenever high- resolution MPEG HD or DVCAM data is recorded.

S/N

Signal-to-Noise ratio. The relation of the strength of the desired signal to the accompanying electronic interference, the noise. If S/N is high, sounds are reproduced with less noise and pictures are reproduced clearly without snow.

Sub clip

One of the sections which make up a clip list. A sub clip may be part of a clip or an entire clip.

Thumbnail image

A reduced still picture of video for display on a GUI screen. XDCAM creates thumbnail images from proxy video, and displays them as index pictures on GUI screens.

Time code

A digitally encoded signal which is recorded with video data to identify each frame of the video by hour, minute, second and frame number. SMPTE time code is applied to NTSC system, and EBU time code to PAL and SECAM systems.

UMID

Unique Material Identifier. A standard (SMPTE 330M) for video and audio metadata. The Basic section of a UMID contains a globally unique number and a material number for the identification of recorded material. An optional section called the “Source Pack” contains information such as the time and location of recording. A UMID with the Basic section only is called a Basic UMID. A UMID with the Source Pack is called an Extended UMID.

User bits

A total of 32 bits are provided in the time code which the user can use to record such information as date, reel number, or scene number on video tape or disc. Also called user’s bits.

VBID (Video Blanking ID)

This is a video ID signal, defined in the EIAJ CPR-1204 standard, which is inserted into VBS video output to enable the aspect ratio to be detected. The ID signal is inserted into line 20, VBI 283.

Appendix

Glossary 109