Video Terms Explained
Main Table of Contents
A Video Terms
B Video Terms
C Video Terms
D Video Terms
E Video Terms
F Video Terms
G Video Terms
H Video Terms
I Video Terms
J Video Terms
K Video Terms
L Video Terms
M Video Terms
N Video Terms
O Video Terms
P Video Terms
Q Video Terms
R Video Terms
S Video Terms
T Video Terms
U Video Terms
V Video Terms
W Video Terms
X Video Terms
Y Video Terms
Z Video Terms

E Terms

E-File: The Sony trademarked system for switcher effects memory. One E-File contains a "snapshot" of the switcher control panel, including all settings and crosspoint selections.

Earth Station: Antenna, amplifier, and frequency downconverter installed for the reception of satellite signals.

EBU: European Broadcasting Union

Echo Canceller: A videoconferencing term: a device that blocks echo reflections during a conference while maintaining apparent full duplex audio. Echo reflections are caused when microphones are opened at both ends of a teleconference creating an echo effect when slightly delayed audio signals are transmitted back and forth between sites.

Echo Suppresser: A videoconferencing term: an echo control device that blocks the echo reflections by switching off the transmission path from the listening party to the talking party.

Editor: An electronic device for controlling and synchronizing a variety of broadcast production components with frame accuracy. Used to produce television programs. Also called an "editing system."

EDL: Edit Decision List. A single file stored on the editing system’s hard disk that contains information for each event used in a video program. When re-editing is required, this information is used to re-create events, exactly as they were initially recorded. EDL events are comprised of data fields, such as source and record VTR inpoints, outpoints, reel numbers, mode (V, A1, A2), transitions (Cut, Dissolve, Wipe), and peripheral device effects data. There can be multiple EDL files on disk.

E-To-E (Electronics-to-Electronics): Monitoring the output signal of a VTR while it is recording is an E-to-E process. The signal is fed from the VTR directly to the monitor before it has been recorded on tape. However, with E-to-E it is not possible to be certain that the signal is being recorded on the tape.

Effects Pathway: A switcher feature in which video from a keyer is routed to external devices (for example, a DME), and then returned to the switcher for additional processing. Sony’s term for the Effects Pathway is Processed Key.

EIA: Electronics Industry Association

EIAJ: Electronics Industry Association of Japan

Electronic Cinema: Proposed service for the delivery of motion pictures to theaters by means of electronic distribution (i.e. over satellite or public switched network).

Electret Microphone: A low-impedance type of microphone that operates on electrostatic principals. (See Condenser Microphone).

Elementary Stream: A generic term for one of the coded video, coded audio or other coded bit stream

EMI (Electromagnetic Interference): Signal impairment resulting from electromagnetic disturbances in the atmosphere. EMI is caused by any device capable of outputting a strong magnetic field. Large electric motors and high-voltage power lines are two common sources of EMI which can interfere with the transmission of video signals and damage some video devices.

Emulsion: The magnetic coating on a recording tape that stores the signal.

Encoder: An embodiment of an encoding process.

1. )The stage of signal processing within the camera where the color difference signals from the matrix circuit are combined with the luminance signal and sync to produce the composite video signal.

2.) An electronic device that converts a component video signal to a broadcast standard composite format. In computers, an encoder serves to convert computer RGB component video to NTSC, PAL, or SECAM composite video. The device may be a board that is installed in the computer such as the TrueVisionª Nuvistaª card; or a separate outboard box such as the TrueVisionª Vid I/O Boxª. (See Scan Converter).

Encoding Process: A process that reads a stream of input pictures or audio samples and produces a valid coded bitstream.

Encryption :The rearrangement of the bit stream of a previously digitally encoded signal in a systematic fashion to make unrecognizable the information until restored upon receipt of the necessary authorization key. This technique is used for securing information transmitted over a communication channel with the intent of excluding all other than authorized receivers from interpreting the message. Can be used for voice, video, and other communications signals.

Entropy Coding: Variable length lossless coding of the compressed digital representation of a signal to further reduce redundancy.

Erase Head: The magnetic head on a video or audio recorder that re-arranges the tapes particles in a random fashion, thereby erasing the tape, prior to recording new information.

Error Concealment: A secondary process in digital video that conceals errors if error correction is not possible or effective.

Error Correction: The process of identifying and correcting digital errors. Because digital information is either a one or a zero, once error identification takes place, the corrupt bit can bemodified.

ERS: Emergency Response System. 24 Hour/7 Day telephone technical assistance. Menu driven system pages an engineer by product category. (408) 835-8510.

ESCSC: Electronic Still Camera Standardization Committee. A committee of more than 40 corporations set up in the late 1970s to create standards for the present Mavica¨ still video format.