K&W Audio in Calgary, Alberta - Unveiling the esoteric language of Home Electronics

K&W Audio has compiled this Terms and Definitions page to unveil the esoteric language of those afflicted with our disease! We assume you know what a CD or Bluray player is...Tape for the middle of those broken glasses sir???

Cables

Bi-Wiring	(Does not refer to a person's sexual versatility) The ability of a loudspeaker to accept two sets of cables from an amplifier (or occasionally vice versa). One set is for the high frequency unit(s), the other set for the low. This increases dynamic range by preventing current fluctuations caused by power demands from the woofer.
CAT5	Category 5 cable. An Ethernet cable standard defined by the Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association (commonly known as EIA/TIA). CAT5 is the fifth generation of twisted pair Ethernet cabling and the most popular of all twisted pair cables in use today.
Component Cable	A video cable where the signal that has been split into two or more components. In popular use, it refers to a type of analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals, Red Green and Blue.
Composite Cable	The single yellow video connection found on older video devices. Not as good as S-Video, Component and HDMI.
DVI	A single connector intended to carry both Audio and Video. Now replaced to a lage degree in favor of HDMI. This format has 3 different connectors with 2 modes possible for each connector. DVI-D (only digital audio signal is included), DVI-A (only analog audio signal included), DVI-I (both analog and digital audio are included).
Ethernet cable	Used to transmit data at high speeds over a local area network (LAN). Most home network devices, including game consoles, use what's called a CAT5e cable.
Firewire	A high performance networking standard based on a serial bus architecture similar to USB.
HDBaseT	A new A/V standard designed by Samsung, Sony, LG and others to replace the HDMI cable over conventional CAT5/6 cable. Unlike HDMI, which merely transfers uncompressed audio and video data, HDBaseT uses what it calls 5Play: the transfer of audio and video data, plus 100BaseT Ethernet, and even power, plus control signals.
HDCP	High - Bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Better known as why do I have a black screen?
HDMI	HDMI was first introduced in 2003, and stands for high definition multimedia interface. It is a cable that transfers audio, video and some control commands over a single cable.
HDMI 1.0	Created to be compatible with DVI and support up to 3.96 Gbps (giga-bits per second) of video and 8-channel audio.
HDMI 1.1	Added support for DVD audio.
HDMI 1.2	Added support for Super Audio CDs and the availability of a connector for PC sources.
HDMI 1.3	Increased bandwidth to 10.2 Gbps, a huge increase over HDMI 1.0 and an even more dramatic increase over .81 Gbps throughput rate required for standard DVDs.
HDMI 1.3A	Category 1 and Category 2 specifications. The Category 2 specification is the cable that will meet all of today's capabilities and get you prepared for the future as it allows deep color rendition, lossless audio formats and faster refresh rates.
HDMI 1.4	Adds to 1.3 a feature set which will allow the likes of 3D, reverse audio and 4k2k (Higher resoulution, at lower frame rates)
RG59	Coaxial cable. Smaller dielectric (stinger) and lighter shielding. Used for transfer of video signal only.
S-Video	(S for separated) is sometimes considered a type of component video signal. It carries black and white information separate from color. Superior to Composite, not as good as Component or HDMI.
USB	Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the alternative to Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) connectivity. A cable with a USB connector, used with USB-based devices like a high-speed modem.

Networking

802.11	There are three varieties of 802.11 wireless networks: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g & 802.11n. This is the type of wireless network that is used to connect to devices on your network.
Access point	Most 802.11 networks, called infrastructure networks, use a central piece of hardware called an access point. Routers, gateways, switches, hubs, and base stations are all access points.
Broadband	Broadband refers to a high-speed Internet service, that is, a data connection of greater than 56 kbps. The most common broadband services are cable and DSL.
DHCP	DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) enables a router to assign temporary IP addresses to devices on the network. If your console's IP settings are set to automatic, and DHCP is enabled, your console will automatically get an IP address.
Dial-up	Dial-up refers to connecting a device to a network or the Internet through a modem and a public telephone network. Dial-up access is a phone connection.
DNS	DNS, or Domain Name System, is how computers find other computers on the Internet. DNS addresses are usually provided by an Internet service provider (ISP). There should be two: a primary address and a secondary address. Each should be in the format nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn, where n are numbers specific to your Internet service.
DSL	(Digital Subscriber Line) Internet service typically provided by a phone company. DSL service usually uses a phone line (similar to a home phone line) to connect to the modem, and a USB or Ethernet cable to connect the modem to a computer or router. Most DSL used by consumers is ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
Dynamic IP Address	Allows your console to automatically obtain its IP address from a router.
Ethernet	Ethernet is a network technology that transmits information between computers at speeds of 10–100 million bits per second (mbps). Most computers and game consoles on a wired network use Ethernet cables to connect.
Firewall	A firewall is a security system that acts as a protective boundary between a network and the Internet by blocking network traffic on certain ports. Firewalls can be installed as software on a computer, or they can be built into routers.
Gateway	A gateway is a device that integrates a high-speed Internet modem with a router into a single device.
Gateway Address	The gateway address is the IP address of the router or device that manages traffic on the network.
Host Name	A host name is a human-readable name assigned to a computer or device. In some cases, networking software displays these names to users so that they can access resources on remote computers.
Hub	A hub is a common connection point that provides multiple Ethernet ports for devices in a network. For example, an Ethernet hub that has four ports allows you to connect four IP devices together using four Ethernet cables. It does not manage traffic or assign IP addresses; for that, you need a router.
ICMP	The way your router or gateway handles a type of Internet traffic known as ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol), which is the most basic way computers communicate with each other on the Internet.
IP & TCP/IP	(TCP/IP) Most computers and game consoles on a network and on the Internet use TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) to communicate.
IP Address	The identity of a PC or other device on a network. The format of an IP address is a numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be between 0–255. (For example, 192.168.1.9 could be an IP address.)
ISDN	Integrated Services Digital Network. An international communications standard that allows access to a network or the Internet through both digital and regular telephone lines.
ISP	(Internet Service Provider) A company that provides access to the Internet.
LAN	Local Area Network. A computer network connecting devices that are geographically close together (for example, in the same building). A network you set up in your house to connect your PC in the den and your Xbox console in the living room for example is a LAN.
MAC Address	A hardware address that uniquely identifies each device of on network, such as a game console, PC, or printer. While this sounds similar to an IP address, it's not the same thing. A MAC address is set when a device is manufactured. IP addresses are dependent on the network and can change. The hardware MAC address for your console is fine to use in most cases, but it can be overridden with an alternate MAC address. This comes in handy for services that are tied to a specific MAC address (for example, if your ISP ties your Internet service to your PC's MAC address, you can assign your PC's MAC address to a gaming console to temporarily mimic your PC while gaming online)
Modem	A modem is a device that enables a computer to transmit data over telephone or cable lines. Modems for cable and DSL service are often referred to as digital modems, and those used for traditional dial-up networking as analog modems.
Node	Any remote location at which a cable, or group of cables in a network are terminated, allowing that point to send or receive data.
Router	A router is the device used to connect multiple devices (computers, gaming consoles, printers, etc.) on a network. A router with a firewall allows Internet communications (such as Web surfing, file downloading and uploading, sending and receiving e-mail) while helping to keep your network activity private from the outside world.
Server	A device that manages system and network resources. In our field usually a hard drive based product that stores Music or Movies, pictures or other entertainment or automation data.
SSID	An SSID is the name of a wireless local area network (WLAN). All wireless devices on a WLAN must use the same SSID in order to communicate with each other.
Static IP Address	Manually entered IP address. This can be a number provided by an ISP, or one you choose.
Subnet Mask	A subnet mask is number used to separate the network and host sections of an IP address. The subnet mask tells your computer what other IP addresses are "close" to it, compared with the IP addresses that are on a network farther away.
Switch	A switch is a connection device that enables data to move to and from several computers on your network at the same time. A switch costs more than a hub, but it can move data much more quickly when several people are using the network at once. In smaller networks (usually, fewer than four computers), you can use a hub where you'd use a switch if cost is a concern
T1	A dedicated phone connection to the Internet that provides a high-speed bandwidth of 1.544 MB per second.
T3	A dedicated phone connection to the Internet that provides a high-speed bandwidth of 44.746 MB per second.
WAN	Wide Area Network. A network that covers a large area by interconnecting multiple LANs.
WEP	(Wired Equivalent Privacy) The old standard for security and data protection on a wireless network. The current standard is WPA, which is much stronger but may not be supported on all network devices.
Wireless Networking	Wireless networks enable you to move data without having to run wires from device to device.
WPA	(Wi-Fi® Protected Access) The current standard for security and data protection on a wireless network. It helps prevent unauthorized users from connecting to your network.

Amplifiers

Class A	(Does not mean "Canadian made") Refers to the way current flows in an amplifier. Two output devices supply continuous current for the duration of a signal. Requires premium components (increases cost), creates heat as the amp runs at 100% output continuously, eliminates output switching noise making for smoother sound.
Class A/B	Current flows through each device for more than half the cycle time, while the other output is switched off for less than half the time. Best value in "sound dollars". Some heat, low switching noise, not expensive to produce.
Class B	Same as a Class A, except each output operates for half the cycle time, while the other output is switched off. Less expensive, low heat output, can introduce audible switching distortion.
Dynamic Headroom	(Does not refer to extroverts) The difference (in dB), between an amplifier's continuous output capability and it's ability to reproduce a quick change in volume at peak output. Once the holy grail of amps, some will now say it shows a potential for a poor power supply, which can veil the image.

Electronics

Current	Tasty morsel, measured in Amperes to denote the amount of electricity flowing along/through a conductive material. Used to describe an amplifier's ability to deliver power to a speaker. More is better, but also more money.
D to A	Digital to Analog converter. Every CD player has at least one (good to know, eh!) It takes the digital information from the CD and converts it into an analog wave, which can then be amplified and reproduced by speakers. Many different types, each with merits.
Soundbar	While a bar speaker may look like a bigger version of the horizontal center speaker included in many surround speaker packages, it is something quite different, handling more than one channel. Some bar speakers contain their own amplifiers, and therefore need only to be connected to one or more source components. Others require outboard amplification, such as a receiver.
Watts	(Often used by those who do not understand Audio Jargon) Describes an amplifier's output to the loudspeaker. A swing gate, meaning the combination of several specifications (voltage and current) to arrive at one value. More voltage and less current or less voltage and more current can result in similar numbers. The music playing ability of similar rated amplifiers, can vary dramatically. The result of all this is that the wattage output number is of dubious benefit when comparing amplifiers of different manufactures, who likely employ differing measuring procedures.

Audio

ACC	Advanced Audio Coding, the lossy codec best known for its use in the Apple iPod and iTunes. May be labeled with filename extension M4A. Operates with or without FairPlay DRM.
AIFF	Audio Interchange File Format, an uncompressed file format codeveloped by Apple.
Anechoic	Echo free. An anechoic room has no reflected sound. This is accomplished by treating all of the room’s surfaces with sound absorbing material.
Bi-Amp	A method of amplification (and cabling) in which the frequency spectrum of the signal to be amplified is split into low and high frequencies before it is amplified. This method produces a cleaner sound with less distortion.
Bit Rate	The number of bits per second at which a codec operates. Affects quality of sound. Also known as sampling rate or bit rate.
Boundary Compensation	Sitting near a wall may result in bloated bass response. The boundary gain compensation filters and corrects the bass.
CD-DA	The Compact Disc Digital Audio system is the format CD's are recorded in.
CDA	Compact Disc Audio. Shortcut that a computer operating system used to identify an uncompressed audio track on a CD. Not actually a file format. May refer to WAV or AIFF files.
Codec	An encode/decode format used to compress audio files. The encoding process reduces audio data to a more manageable file size. The decoding process occurs on playback.
Compression	Shrinking of audio file sizes using a codec, or encode/decode process. May be lossy, discarding some audible data, or lossless, precisely reconstructing the original signal with no loss in sound quality. Not to be confused with compression of analog audio signals or systems.
Data Rate	The number of bits per second at which a codec operates. Affects quality of sound. Also known as sampling rate or bit rate.
dB	Symbol for decibel (deci or 1/10th, and Bel the scale for volume measurement, as in that Alex Graham guy). A unit denoting sound volume. Somewhere between one and three of these units lurks the smallest volume increment variation discernible to the human ear.
DRM	Digital Rights Management. A controversial software feature that prevents unauthorized copying of copyrighted material. May also prevent DRM-protected files from playing on unauthorized devices. DRM is sometimes piggybacked onto AAC, WMA, and other proprietary codecs and file formats. formats.
DVD-A	DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high resolution audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not a video delivery format and is not the same format as a DVD containing concert films or music videos.
Dynamic Range	The distance in dB between the loudest and the quietest passage of sound, at a set volume level.
FLAC	Free Lossless Audio Codec. A codec that is lossless, therefore discarding no audible data; and open-source, therefore available for use by any software developer. Less efficient than a lossy format, more efficient than an uncompressed format.
Frequency	(No comment) A sound wave. The faster the frequency the higher the sound, the slower the frequency the lower the sound.
Image	The realistic "Mirage" or sense of the recorded performance occurring between, behind and around the loudspeakers.
Lossless	Refers to audio codecs that reduce data, cutting file size, but without discarding any data essential to sound quality. Examples: FLAC, Apple Lossless.
Lossy	Refers to audio codecs that reduce data, cutting file size, using psychoacoustic principles that identify data less essential to the ear. Examples include MP3, AAC, and WMA.
MP3