16:9 refers to the aspect ratio for HDTV widescreen formats,
meaning for every 16 inches of width, you have nine inches of
height.

1080i, or 1080 interlaced, is a type of high definition (HD)
display. 1080i displays give you a resolution of 1920 pixels x
1080 lines. These pixels and lines interlace, hence the term.

Contrast ratio is the difference between the brightest and darkest colors your TV can produce. For example, a contrast ratio of 7000:1 means that the brightest white is 7,000 times brighter than the darkest black. In general, higher contrast ratios are better for your viewing experience. However, other factors, such as ambient light, may also affect your picture and viewing experience.

You may also find that OLED TVs labeled as having an infinite contrast ratio. This is because OLED TVs have “perfect” black levels, as the LEDs switch off rather than emitting a black color.

2/3 Pulldown is a frame sequence function that some DVD and Blu-Ray players can perform. 2/3 Pulldown converts film shot at 24 frames per second (fps) to 30fps video. Additional fields are added to existing frames of film to achieve this. In this case, 12 fields (six frames) are added to every 24 frames. Each second frame is then converted to be represented by three video fields instead of two, with the second field being replicated.

2160p, or 2160 progressive, is a 4K Ultra HD display.

4K images have a resolution of 3840 pixels x 2160 lines, which are displayed via a progressive scan, delivering 8.2 million pixels.

3/2 Pulldown works the same as 2/3 Pulldown, but the order in which video frames are pulled is different.

4:1:1 sampling is a ratio that describes the frequency of a digitized signal.

4:1:1 means luminance (Y) is sampled four times, and red and blue colors (R-Y and B-Y) sampled once each.

With 4:2:2 sampling, the luminance (Y) is sampled four times, while the red and blue color (R-Y and B-Y) are sampled twice each. Green (G-Y) does not need sampling, as a system can calculate G-Y from the luminance, red, and blue data.

In 4:4:4 sampling, all color information, as well as the luminance, is sampled four times. This sampling ratio delivers the best picture of the three examples here. It can provide greater clarity and present subtle differences in color. 4:4:4 sampling is commonly used in computer graphics.

Since 2016, it has become increasingly common for 4:4:4 sampling to be found in smart TVs as standard.

4:4:4:4 sampling adds a fourth channel to the sampling. It samples green color (G-Y) rather than calculating green from the other color data.

4:3 refers to the aspect ratio of NTSC displays. 4:3 means that for every four units of width, your TV will be three units wide. For example, if your TV were 40 inches wide, you’d want it to be 30 inches tall to fit something shot in 4:3 perfectly. In this case, you’d have a 50-inch TV!

4096 x 2160 is a professional 4K Ultra HD resolution used to shoot movies and TV shows.

Movie and TV cameras that shoot in 4K record a 7% wider image than what consumer 4K products can display. Therefore, it is trimmed to a resolution of 3840 x 2160 to match the 16:9 aspect ratio during the post-production process.

4320p, or 4320 progressive, is a type of 8K Ultra HD display.

These displays give you 7680 pixels x 4320 lines delivered via progressive scan, for a total of 33.18 million pixels for displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

480i, or 480 interlaced, is a standard definition solution, made up of 480 interlaced lines.

480p, or 480 progressive, is a standard definition solution, made up of 480 progressively scanned lines.

4K is a resolution of at least 3840 x 2160 that gives you 8.3 million pixels on a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio display.

5.1 audio refers to the setup of a surround sound system.
In this case, the five refers to your five speakers and your one sub-woofer. This is a standard surround sound set up, but you can opt for 5.2, 7.2, or whatever works best to deliver the best home theater experience for your home.

720p, or 720 progressive, is a type of HD display. These displays give you a resolution of 1280 pixels x 720 lines, a total of 0.92 million pixels. 1280 x 720 is the minimum resolution a display must have to class as HD.

768p, or 768 progressive, is an alternative type of HD display giving you a resolution of 1368 pixels x 768 lines, a total of 1.05 million pixels. When shopping around for a new TV, you may find other ratings and types of display. These differ due to pixels of varying shape and size being used in a variety of TV models.

8K is a resolution of at least 7680 x 4320 that delivers 33.18 million pixels on a 16:9 aspect ratio display.

Decibels is the rating measurement for sound. The higher the decibel level, the louder something is.

A DCR TV is a HDTV “plug and play ready” to attach to a digital cable TV receiver.

A de-interlacer is a circuit that converts interlaced signals into a progressive scan format. This allows your TV to correctly display interlaced signals as progressive scan. For example, if you have a 1080p TV but are watching a DVD produced in 1080i, the image will need de-interlacing.

TVs take care of this process automatically, although some TVs do a better job than others.

Digital scaling is also known as up-conversion and is the process of converting one resolution into another.

A digital tuner is the decoding device that receives and displays digital TV broadcasts. These will usually be found inside a set-top box for satellite TV.

Dipole speakers are common in surround sound systems. These speakers have two speaker drivers in the speaker cabinet, allowing them to send sound in two directions at once. If you choose dipole speakers for your home theater system, it is important to get the positioning right so you achieve a crisp, even sound.

A digital media adapter is anything you can attach to your TV to consume content, such as Apple TV, an Xbox One, or a Blu-Ray player.

A DMD is a chip that with millions of microscopic mirrors, which are on hinges. DMD’s play a key role in digital light processing.

A Dolby Digital EX set up adds speakers to a traditional 5.1 surround sound setup, making your system 6.1 or 7.1.

Dolby Pro-Logic is a technology that encodes four audio channels – left, right, center, surround – into a stereo channel – left, right. This audio can then be decoded back to four channels to create a surround sound mix when a decoder is used in your sound system. This would give you a 4.1 speaker setup.

Dolby Pro-Logic IIz allows you to create a 9.1 surround sound system. Such a system usually incorporates two additional speakers at different heights, which helps to enhance sound effects and make them even more realistic, especially for things like wind and rain.

DTV stands for Digital Television.

DV stands for Digital Video.

DVD-A is a digital audio format designed specifically for use on DVDs. As DVDs hold more space than CDs, DVD-A plays music at a higher resolution than a regular audio CD and will play in 5.1 surround sound depending on the format used to film video.

DVD-Video is the video element of DVD.

D-VHS is a digital format based on half-inch VHS, used for HD video recording and playback.

DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface or Digital Video Interface. A DVI is a connector that delivers pure digital HD signals.

DVI-D is a DVI connector that only supports digital signals.

DVD-I is a DVI connector that supports both digital and analog signals.

A DVR is a digital video recorder, which is a hard disk based recorded on which you can record and store content. Many set-top cable and satellite boxes include DVR technology and video recording capability.

DWFC stands for DryWall Furring Channel and is a type of soundproofing that you use to reduce the sound that travels through walls to the other side.

Dynamic HDR changes the metadata of an image on a frame-by-frame basis, allowing different scenes to have different brightness, color, and contrast settings.

An edge-lit LED TV has its LED lights behind the screen placed around the perimeter, allowing TVs to be thinner and to consume less power.

EDTV stands for enhanced definition television. An EDTV cannot show full HD, instead offering a resolution of 852 x 480 (480p). EDTV is typically available in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios and include Dolby Digital sound systems.

An EPG is an electronic program guide, which is the name for the channel and program information displayed on your TV.

EQ, or audio equalization, adjusts the balance between sound frequency components.

A fixed-panel display is a display with a fixed resolution. Such displays consist of rectangular or square pixels, rather than horizontal lines. Fixed-panel displays flash entire frames onto a screen all at once and use scan converters to achieve progressive scanning.

A flat-panel TV is a type of thin TV unit that is usually an LCD TV.

A flat-screen TV is a TV using a flat piece of glass as its display screen. Most modern TVs are flat screen TV’s, while traditionally old TV sets would curve into the main TV box unit at the edges and corners.

FPS, usually styled fps, is the rate of frames shown on your display per second. In the United States, the standardized frame rates are 24fps for film, and 30fps for DVD and TV. See 2/3 Pulldown to learn how your TV accommodates these different frame rates.

Front projection is the process of using a video projector to display an image onto a reflective screen and are often found in large home theater spaces.

Ghosting is a display error where you see multiple images overlaid on your screen, creating a “double vision” or “ghost” effect.

GOM fabric is an acoustically transparent fabric that you might use in your home theatre to help any visible speakers fit in with the décor of your room, without modifying your sound experience.

A GUI is any display that allows you to interact with a device using icons. Your smart TV, Blu-Ray player, and smartphone are all examples of GUIs.

H.264 is a video codec used to deliver high-quality video at low data rates and is used in HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs.

HD stands for high definition, the basic standard for new TV displays.

HD Built-In is used to describe a TV with an HD tuner that can receive HD from a TV, DVD, or streaming source in HD. Smart TV’s with built-in HD channels will have this feature.

HDCD stands for High Definition Compatible Digital. An HDCD is an enhanced CD with 20-bit data compared to a standard CD with 16-bit data.

HD-DVD, or High Density – Digital Vertical Disc, is a DVD standard that uses a blue laser to read discs.

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface and carries digital signals between a device and your TV via a single cable.

HDMI-CEC is an HDMI control protocol supporting two-way communication via a CEC. CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, a technique that enhances the dynamic range of an image to generate a more realistic picture. HDR generally leaders to a higher contrast ratio. If you want to watch HDR Blu-Ray, for example, then both your Blu-Ray player and your TV must be HDR compatible.

An HD Ready TV can display HD content but requires an HD tuner or set-top box to receive HD content.

HDTV stands for high definition television.

HDV stands for high definition video.

A home theater is a high-end home entertainment system. A basic home theater setup typically consists of a large flat-screen TV and surround sound system.

A home theater in a box usually refers to a complete 5.1 surround sound speaker system. You typically get a receiver and, depending on the seller, a DVD or Blu-Ray player. However, you need to buy your TV separately.

ILA stands for image light amplifier, a technology commonly found in home theater projectors.

The resolution your TV can display, as defined by the number of pixels that make up the image. You can calculate your TV’s image resolution by multiplying the number of vertical lines with the aspect ratio of your TV.

Interlacing is the process that divides and displays a video frame in two fields. Our eyes then process these as one image. Interlacing can produce unwanted flickering to a display. Many people prefer TV devices that use processed scanning so they can achieve a higher quality viewing experience.

IR stands for infra-red, typically used in your remote to control your TV and other devices.

Keystone is an image distortion that occurs when you use a projector in your home theater system if it is not parallel to the screen or your screen sits at an angle.

LCD, or liquid crystal display, is a flat panel type of TV. Modern LCD TVs typically use LEDs for backlighting, with the liquid crystals between two glass panels to create your display.

LCoS stands for liquid crystal on silicon, a technology used in some projectors, and some rear projection TV sets.

A learning remote is a universal remote control that works by learning all your device codes from other remotes, making it easier to operate your home theater system.

LED stands for light-emitting diode.

An LED TV uses LEDs rather than a backlight to project an image onto your TV screen, are more energy-efficient than traditional LCD TVs, and produce a far higher quality image.

LED TVs still use LCD screens, and as such, it is common to find LCD and LED TVs labeled as the same thing, so you should check what technology your TV uses before you buy.

A lens shift within a projector is a feature that allows you to move the lens within your projector’s housing to achieve an optimized image on your screen.

A letterbox is a colloquial name for the effect you get when a widescreen 16:9 image displays on a 4:3 aspect ratio television, with black lines at the top and bottom of your picture.

LFE stands for Low-Frequency Effects, a channel of both Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound systems. LFE reproduces deep bass sounds, bringing realism to effects such as explosions in movies.

A LIFI is a backlighting technology pioneered by Luxim. LIFIs will never, in theory, need replacing, wear out, or fade, as the lamps do not use filament. Instead, plasma radio frequencies are sent through the lamps to create the lighting.

Line level describes the strength of an audio signal.

Line doubler technology increased the number of lines of resolution on display, helping to alleviate interlacing problems.

Lumens are a unit of measurement relating to the light output of a projector.

MDTV stands for microdisplay TV, typically referring to a screen size smaller than two inches.

Micro LEDs are an emerging LED technology that may further enhance what is possible from TV displays. Micro LEDs are believed to last more than 50% longer than standard LEDs before light fading and burn-in occur.

MLV stands for mass loaded vinyl, which is a type of foam-backed floormat typically used for soundproofing. MLV is ideal for upstairs home theaters or if you live in an apartment block.

MPEG-2 is a video compression method. MPEG-2 is the standard format for DVD movies. It is also used to condense the file sizes of digital video for broadcast and potential recording.

MPEG-4 is a more efficient video encoding standard, designed specifically for and typically used in low-data rate videos.

MTS stands for multi-channel television sound and is an analog surround sound format.

NAS stands for Network Attached Storage and refers to any hard drive that you can use as a media server.

Native resolution describes a TV set is designed to display images without undergoing any conversion.

OAR stands for original aspect ratio.

OEL stands for original electroluminescent and is a type of screen technology.

OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer.

OLED stands for organic light-emitting display and is one of the most popular types of modern TV. OLED TVs typically use very little power but offer brighter colors and enhanced contrast ratios. One of the most significant aspects of OLED TVs is that the LEDs produce black color by switching off, giving you much greater depth to your pictures.

An optical audio connection is how your DVD, Blu-Ray player or games console transfers digital audio signals to your TV and speakers. You might also see this referred to as TOSLINK.

OSD stands for on-screen display.

OTA stands for over the air and refers to any television broadcast you receive over airwaves via an antenna, such as a satellite dish.

Overscanning was typically used on older TV sets to zoom in on a picture to guarantee a clean edge around a screen. While this meant the full TV screen was used and filled with an image, in some cases, the viewer would not see the whole picture.

Modern TV sets often still have overscan features, although even for standard definition pictures, they will add limited value to your viewing experience given how new shows are filmed.

Pan & scan is the cropping technique used to reframe a picture to a different aspect ratio. Pan & scan is most commonly used for DVD movies, enabling those with a TV with a 4:3 aspect ratio to watch without experiencing a letterbox. In this case, the process would crop the edges of the widescreen picture, also known as horizontal offset, leaving the center of scenes visible.

A passive subwoofer is a subwoofer without a built-in amplifier. As a result, passive subwoofers don’t have integrated volume and tone controls, either. Most home theater systems use active subwoofers.

PBC stands for playback control, a feature you can use with your remote control for your devices.

PIP stands for picture-in-picture, a TV feature allowing you to watch two channels at once. Typically, this will not be a 50/50 split, but one main channel takes up the screen, with the second channel in a small window. If you watch YouTube videos on your phone while also using other functions, you’ll already be familiar with PIP on a smaller scale.

A pixel is the smallest displayable element on a TV screen. The more pixels your display has, the better the quality of the picture.

Pixel pitch is the space between pixels on a CRT TV display. The lower the pitch, the better the image. Pixel pitch is sometimes called dot pitch.

PDP stands for plasma display. A plasma display is a flat-panel technology that creates images using ionized gas in a plasma state.

Plasma TVs were popular in the mid-2000s before the cost of producing LED and LCD TVs reduced. Plasma TVs are a TV that uses a plasma display. They can offer fantastic pictures but burn in much quicker than LED TVs.

A plenum cable is a type of cabling that meets fire regulations and can also run through ceilings. As such, it may be something you use in your home theater surround sound system.

Pluge stands for picture line-up generation equipment. Pluge patterns are used to test and calibrate black levels on a video display.

Often, the factory settings of even top-end TVs won’t optimize your pictures, so you can use video calibration software or video calibration DVDs to find the optimal settings for your TV.

PnP stands for plug and play, which can refer to set-top TV boxes or video games.

Poly-Silicon LCD is a technology that improves the color saturation of a display.

A power amplifier is a device that can enhance your sound system even further.

PQ stands for picture quality.

Progressive scanning technology enhances your TV viewing experience by building your image one line at a time for each frame. Progressive scanning provides a much sharper and higher quality image than interlacing.

PVA stands for patterned vertical alignment and is a technology commonly used in LCD TVs.

PVR stands for personal video recorder and is sometimes used instead of DVR, or digital video recorder.

QAM stands for Quadrature Amplitude Modulation and is a signal format for digital cable channels.

QLED stands for quantum light-emitting display and is a type of TV display developed by Samsung. While Samsung produces most QLED displays, you can buy QLED TVs from several manufacturers.

The rainbow effect is a display error where you see individual colors or color trails on your TV rather than a blend of colors.

R/C stands for resilient channel. In a home theater context, your RC is a metal channel affixed to wall studs that hold your DWFC in place.

An RCA plug, also called a phono plug, is a common audio and video connection, found as an output and input connection on several types of audio-visual equipment. RCA plugs are also used for audio transmitted over coaxial cables.

Depending on the manufacturer, model, and age of your equipment, you might have several RCA plug options on your devices.

A rear projection TV projects the picture against a mirror inside of your TV unit. Some projectors also use rear projection to reverse an image onto a rear projection screen.

A receiver is one of your sound systems’ most crucial parts, splitting your source into the relevant number of channels for your surround sound system.

The refresh rate is the number of times per second your display is “redrawn.” The higher the refresh rate, the smoother a moving picture will appear.

Most modern TVs have a refresh rate of 100Hz or more, leading to smoother TV pictures than ever before.

Resolution is the number of pixels your TV can display, reflecting the density of lines and pixels on each line that make up the image you see.

RF stands for radiofrequency. In a home theater context, RF may relate to how remote controls work, as an alternative to infra-red, or to the connector that delivers both audio and video transmissions to your display.

RGB stands for red, green, blue, and is the generic color space used in digital video cameras and CRT TVs.

RISC stands for resilient sound isolation channel. RISC clips attach to your DWFC and R/C as part of your home theater’s soundproofing.

RPTV stands for rear projection TV.

Scaling is when the size of an image is made bigger or smaller without changing its shape.

The screen-door effect is when you can see the grid of pixels that create the picture on your TV display. This effect got its name because it makes you feel like you’re watching the TV through a screen door. The screen-door effect is usually only noticeable on lower-end LCD TVs.

Screen gain is a rating that measures the ability of a display to direct incident light to an audience. Higher gain screens are brighter but have narrower viewing angles.

SD stands for standard definition, a display with 480 lines of resolution.

SDR stands for standard dynamic range. Due to its limitations, SDR cannot display the enhanced brightness and color of an HD display. Therefore, an SDR display won’t provide as much variety between different scenes.

SDTV stands for standard-definition television.

SED stands for surface-conduction electron-emitter display. SED was a display technology in development throughout the 2000s. The brands pursuing the development of SED technology wound down their efforts from the mid-to-late 2000s as LCD became the dominant TV display technology.

A soundbar has multiple speakers and usually sits immediately in front of your TV screen. The purpose of a soundbar is often to give a better sound experience than the TV speakers, particularly if you don’t have space or the budget for a full surround sound setup. Many soundbars do a reasonable job of imitating surround sound. Still, the best approach to getting high-quality sound is to have a genuine 5.1 surround sound setup in your home theater.

S/PDIF stands for Sony/Philips digital interface and is a type of digital coaxial cable.

SPL stands for sound pressure level, used within an SPL meter, to calibrate audio.

Speaker sensitivity, or speaker efficiency, is the measure of how much power is required to generate a specific level of sound from your speaker system. It is worth measuring your speaker sensitivity regularly so you can replace any speakers that are starting to wear out.

STB stands for set-top box, a device that receives and converts pictures and sound signals from a broadcast transmission to display them on your TV.

STC stands for sound transmission coefficient and is a measure of a structure’s ability to reject audio frequencies higher than 125Hz.

A subwoofer is a speaker that produces and reinforces low frequency, deep sounds, such as bass. Subwoofers are non-directional, so where you place them in your surround sound system and home theater isn’t too critical.

A Superbit DVD produces higher visual and audio quality by encoding pictures and sounds at double the bit rate of the original theatrical recording.

Surround sound is the process of expanding your audio playback’s spatial imaging to deliver a 3D audio experience within your home theater setup. Surround sound is typically notated as the number of channels or speakers followed by the number of subwoofers. For example, a standard surround sound system is 5.1, for five speakers and one subwoofer.

Surround speakers point towards you and generate a 3D immersive audio experience.

SVGA stands for super video graphics array, which is a resolution of 800 x 600.

An s-video connector is used in analog video to separate color from luminance data.

SXGA stands for super-extended graphics array, a resolution of 1280 x 1024.

SXRD stands for silicon x-tal reflective display, an LCD device produced by Sony for use in projectors, and can achieve full HD, or 1080p, resolution.

Also known as bass shakers, tactile transducers plug into an amplifier and are placed under theater seats. When there is a bass rumble on the screen, the transducers shake the floor and seats. Some home theater seats can also recreate this effect.

TBC stands for time base corrector, a device that removes or masks uneven variations in video synchronization.

TFT stands for thin-film transistor, a technology found in Active Matrix LCD flat panel displays. In these displays, each pixel is controlled by between one and four transistors, depending on the manufacturer and model, hence the name.

THD stands for total high definition and is a Warner Bros hybrid, multiple layer, DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray disc.

Throw distance is the size of the image a projector can produce from a specific range. Throw distance is determined by the lens on your projector, and not the projector itself. Therefore, by knowing the lens’s throw distance or the space you have between your projector and screen, you can correctly set up your home theater projector.

TOSLINK, or Toshiba Link, is a type of optical cable that delivers multi-channel audio via digital signals. TOSLINK uses fiber optic cable, meaning it is not affected by outside electrical interference.

TSTN stands for triple super twist neumatic, a technology found in Active Matrix LCD flat panel displays where each pixel has a specific transistor switch.

A tweeter is a loudspeaker that reproduces high-frequency sounds.

UHV or UHDV stands for ultra-high-definition video, usually referring to displays with a 4K or 8K resolution.

UHD stands for ultra-high-definition and sometimes called full HD, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080p.

UMD stands for universal media disc, a Sony-developed optical disc format that can hold up to two hours of DVD-quality video content.

Upconverting is the process of converting a lower resolution input signal to a higher resolution signal.

UXGA stands for ultra-extended graphic array, a resolution of 1600 x 1200.

VBI stands for vertical blanking interval, which is a part of a TV transmission blanked or cleared of viewable content.

VBR stands for variable bit rate, relating to the bit rate used in sound or video encoding.

A v-chip is a component used primarily for parental control, and blocks or scrambles channels if the content is thought to be, for example, violent or sexually explicit. This feature is what sometimes prompts you to enter a PIN or another form of verification if you want to watch an R-rated movie via a set-top box during the day.

VCR stands for videocassette recorder, although these are no longer manufactured.

VGA stands for video graphics array, with a resolution of 640 x 480.

VHS stands for video home system. Playable on a VCR, VHS was capable of delivering up to 240 lines of resolution.

Video processors are another name for line doublers, which increase the number of lines on the display, improving the appearance of interlaced pictures.

Viewing angles refer to the angles at which you can sit in relation to your TV and still enjoy an optimized viewing experience. While some TV and display formats, such as OLED TVs, allow for a range of viewing angles, QLED TVs, for example, offer a smaller range.

VMD stands for versatile multiplayer disc and is a less expensive version of HD-DVD technology.

VOD stands for video on demand. VOD is sometimes used to describe online streaming services or on-demand services from cable and satellite providers.

WCG-CCFL stands for wide color gamut-cold cathode fluorescent light and is a Sony developed type of LCD backlight.

Widescreen refers to an aspect ratio of 16:9.

Wobulation is a type of resolution-doubling technology pioneered by Hewlett Packard.

A woofer is a loudspeaker designed to reproduce low-frequency sounds.

WSXGA stands for wide super-extended graphics array and is a resolution that can produce a 16:9 aspect ratio image with resolutions between 1600 x 900 and 1920 x 1080.

WXGA stands for wide extended graphics array and is a resolution that can produce a 16:9 aspect ratio image with resolutions between 1280 x 720 and 1366 x 768.

X10 technology is what allows our electronic devices to send and receive commands to and from each other.

XGA stands for extended graphics array, which has a resolution of 1024 x 768.

XGA-2 is second generation XGA, offering a resolution of up to 1600 x 1200.

A Y/C connector was a 4-pin connector used on S-VHS and S-Video sources.