Do you often want to know what some of our common terms mean, or look up a term
before contacting us? Use this page to find out what certain terms mean.
If you have further questions or need to know more about other products or services
that we offer, please click the contact link in the main navigation.
Historical mode of transmission, uses standard wave to transmit television services.
Services that carry an additional audio stream describing what is happening on screen
for those who have difficulty seeing.
The people who transmit TV programmes.
Connection on a television or a set-top box which can be used to connect to any
other device using the same open standard.
Where a signal is distributed through a building (e.g. a block of flats) using a
wiring system, sharing the same signal source.
Method of blocking access to programming, access only being allowed with the correct
codes or card to unlock the programming.
Areas that can receive digital television - you can check your DTT coverage using
the postcode database from our link on the left hand side of our website.
The tuner in a digital set.
Digital Subscriber Line a method of delivering TV or broadband, or Video on Demand
through telephone wires.
Digital Television Group - has over 100 members. The DTG was formed in 1995 to set
technical standards for the implementation of digital terrestrial television (DTT)
in the UK and now encompasses all Digital TV platforms.
Digital Video Broadcasting, a European standard for digital television technology.
Digital Versatile Disk - digital storage device commonly used for film/video.
Recordable DVD, another digital recording device - uses DVD format.
Method of encoding data/broadcasts so that they can only be viewed with the correct
Conditional Access codes.
Electronic Programme Guide - Now and next information that can be called up on digital
television. Extended for a period of weeks on DSAT and DCAB, 7 day EPG due to be
launched on Freeview.
High Definition Television is a new technology that will enable viewers to get higher
definition television pictures. HDTV has four times as many pixels (dots on the
screen) as standard TV broadcasts, meaning a clearer picture and stunning detail
on large-screen TVs. An HD-ready TV is not necessarily a digital TV.
Integrated Digital Television - a television with a built-in digital tuner.
Integrated Digital VCR - a video recorder with a built-in digital tuner.
Integrated Receiver System - A shared reception system, common to flats and hotels,
that enables delivery of television, radio, and Internet services around the same
distribution system, from a single wall plug.
Services that enable the viewer to interact with the television programme.
Master Antennae TV - a communal aerial system that uses a master aerial to receive
the signal before it is distributed.
A bundle of channels delivered in Digital Terrestrial Television by a single signal
channel.
A video recorder that records programmes on to hard drive. Allows much greater flexibility
in recording and playback.
Method of delivery or reception of digital television (e.g. the satellite platform).
Public Service Broadcasters: these include BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext.
Connection which allows the aerial signal to connect to one device, and then be
connected further by another connector - similar to an aerial output socket.
The aerial out connector on your TV is an RF modulator. This puts an output from
a TV tuner on to the connection, as opposed to an RF loop which simply allows the
signal from the aerial to carry through.
A type of connection and cabling used to carry video signals, usually found on the
back of TVs and videos.
Digital Satellite cards that enable viewing of free to view channels.
The electromagnetic spectrum: the set of radio frequencies used to transmit television,
radio and other forms of electronic communication.
Set Top Box, occasionally referred to as an adaptor.
The process of migrating television equipment from analogue reception to digital
reception, in preparation for the switching off of the analogue signal.
Earthly - as opposed to satellite. Television services that can be received through
a standard aerial.
Very-High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line, allowing for faster downstream speeds
than ADSL enabling video services to be delivered.
High Definition Multimedia Interface - A connection similar to the scart, however
this particular connection is the new interface needed to carry High Definition
signals.