Main Contents begins from here.
VIERA Global Site Home > 
GLOSSARY
Afterimage
When frames switch on an LCD TV, the image of the previous frame tends to remain even after the image of the new frame is shown. As a result, when the objects on the screen move rapidly, like in a soccer game or when on-screen text travels quickly across the screen, the previous, residual image becomes noticeable. This is called an afterimage.
AVCHD
AVCHD is a standard developed jointly by Panasonic and Sony for HD digital video cameras. Using highly efficient codec technologies, it records 1080i high-definition signals onto media such as 8-cm DVD discs and SD/SDHC Memory Cards.
Bit
A bit is the smallest unit of information handled by a computer. To process information, the computer converts information into either "0" or "1" (OFF or ON in terms of electrical flow). The higher the number of bits, the larger the amount of information that can be processed at one time. To process a huge amount of data, such as high-definition image data, the TV processor should be able to handle a large number of bits.
Brightness
Brightness is the maximum amount of light that can be emitted per unit area, and it is expressed with the unit cd/m2. For display devices, a high brightness level means brighter displayed images.
Color reproduction
This is the capability of a TV to correct the video data to reproduce color as faithfully as the original color.
Contrast
Contrast is the difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black that the device can produce. The wider the range of this difference, the smoother the tonal gradation from white to black and the more natural the colors.
Driver
A drive circuit that displays images on a plasma or LCD panel based on the video signal processed by the processor.
Dynamic False Contour
In conventional plasma displays, a stripe pattern called a false contour sometimes appears in image areas where there is a gradual change in brightness or color, and considerable effort has been spent on eliminating this problem.
Full HD (high-definition) panel
The term "full-HD panel" refers to 1,920 x 1,080-pixel panels that display progressive images of full-specification HDTV signals without the use of upsampling.
Gradation
Gradation refers to the smoothness of color expression.
Gamma
Ideally, the surface brightness of the display should change in direct proportion to the amount of input voltage (in such a case, the gamma value is "1"). In reality, however, it varies functionally. Gamma correction is a process to bring the gamma value as close to "1" as possible.
HD (high-definition) panel
The HD panel has a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. It is designed for displaying the beautiful images of digital, high-definition broadcasts.
Horizontal resolution
The number of dots in the horizontal direction of the screen.
Luminous efficiency
The luminous efficiency is expressed by the amount of light per watt produced by the light source. The higher the luminous efficiency, the brighter the displayed images.
Number of pixels
The number of pixels indicates the resolution of the Image. The number of pixels of a digital image is expressed by the product of the number of pixels (dots) in the horizontal direction and the number of pixels (dots) in the vertical direction. The higher the number of pixels, the better the image quality. For plasma TVs and LCD TVs, the number of pixels is sometimes expressed by the following equation: number of pixels in horizontal direction x number of pixels in vertical direction x 3 (R, G, B).
Pixel
A pixel is a tiny dot that forms the smallest basic unit of a displayed image. Digital images are composed of pixels, with all of the text and images displayed on the screen consisting of Dots. Digital images are usually rendered by square pixels arranged vertically and horizontally in an orderly manner.
Plasma panel
A key component of the plasma display. A plasma panel is a collection of millions of tiny fluorescent lights. By firing these lights on and off at a rapid rate, the plasma panel produces images.
Predischarge
A plasma display reproduces images by causing electrical discharges between the + and - electrodes. To do so, it requires a "pilot burner" to trigger electrical discharges. The predischarge serves as the pilot burner for the plasma display. Reducing the amount of discharge increases the contrast.
Processor
The processor is the central component, or the "brain," of a computer. It serves to process data. Processors are found not only in personal computers but also in most modern electronic products, ranging from AV equipment, such as TVs, DVD recorders, digital cameras and mobile phones, to home appliances, such as microwave ovens, rice cookers and air conditioners. In a TV, the processor quickly processes a huge amount of data, such as high definition image data, for displaying images on-screen.
Resolution
Resolution is a combination of values that express the quality of displayed images. A display's resolution is indicated by the number of dots in the horizontal and vertical directions of the screen, such as 1024 x 768 dots. Higher values indicate clearer, sharper image reproduction. The larger the screen size, the higher the required resolution.
THX
THX Display certification signifies that VIERA HDTV has been designed and tested achieve THX's rigorous standards for image performance and quality, ensuring a superb cinematic experience at home.
Transmissivity
Transmissivity is the difference between the amount of visible light from the light source entering a panel and the amount of light exiting from the panel. High transmissivity produces bright, clear images. Low transmissivity reduces glare, but darkens the screen and makes images difficult to see.
Vertical resolution
The number of dots in the vertical direction of the screen.
BBE ViVA® HD3D Sound
BBE ViVA™ is a new High Definition 3D Sound technology which integrates a 3D enhancement effect with BBE High Definition Sound. ViVA creates an authentic and exciting 3D sound effect from stereo speakers while preserving the clarity, definition, presence and texture for which BBE High Definition Sound is noted. BBE ViVA is now being offered to BBE licensees in the consumer electronics industry.
Woofer
A speaker unit that reproduces only low-frequency sounds.
Component video input
This terminal type receives analogue video signals. Here, the chrominance signal (C) is separated into a B-Y color difference signal Cb (Pb) and an R-Y color difference signal Cr (Pr) for transmission. Generally, three terminals -- Y, Pb (Cb) and Pr (Cr) -- are used.
Composite video input
This terminal type receives analogue video signals, and is also commonly called an RCA terminal. In an analogue video signal, the luminance signal (Y), chrominance signal (C) and synchronizing signal are combined into one signal for transmission. Since different signals are combined, there is a greater tendency for cross-color and dot interference to occur.
HDMI
HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. It transmits video, audio and control signals in digital form through a single cable. HDMI is used for connecting a VIERA HDTV to a Blu-ray Disc Player and home theater system.
S-Video input
S-Video stands for Separate Video.This terminal also receives analogue video signals. In this signal type, the luminance signal (Y) and chrominance signal (C) are transmitted separately, thus reducing the possibility of dot interference and cross-color that tend to occur in composite video signals.
PC input
This terminal receives RGB video signals. It is used to connect to a personal computer. RGB stands for red, green and blue. These three colors are combined to render a full range of colors.
HD broadcasting
Stands for high-definition broadcasting. It uses 1,080 or 720 scan lines.
Interlace
The interlace system switches the display between the odd-number scan lines and the even-number scan lines every 1/60th of a second. Conventional broadcasting uses the interlace system.
Progressive
The progressive system displays all of the scan lines at the same time. It eliminates flickering in screen images and provides beautiful pictures.
Scan lines
In CRT (cathode-ray-tube) and other TVs, scan lines refer to the paths of the light beams irradiated (scanned) by electron guns, starting from the upper left corner and ending at the lower right corner of the screen. The higher the number of scan lines, the more detailed the displayed image.