The Jargon Buster Directory is your central resource for locating
an explanation to typical terms found for within all industries , professions
and governments.
Use our directory to locate and decipher jargon that you would like an
explanation for.
Keeping our directory up to date and to include all the spheres where jargon
is used is a never ending task for us. We have started with what we can locate
but but it is a vast subject and can be very niche specific.
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here? Then why not send us your own jargon buster text and we will include
it within our database. to say thank you we will provide you with a return
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ANALOGUE - a signal that stimulates sound or vision by electrical analogy
e.g. variations in voltage producing corresponding variations in brightness
or vice versa.
BINARY - counting system using just two digits, 0 and 1, or black or white
in imaging terms.
BIT - short for Binary Digit; a single number having having the value 0 or
1. Eight bits make 1 Byte.
BYTE - standard unit of binary data storage in memory or disc files. Each
Byte contains 8 Bits, each Byte has 256 possible values (28).
CCD - Charged Coupled Device, a solid state image pick-up device or sensor
that produces an output analogous to the amount of light striking each of
it's picture elements.
CD-ROM - A form of compact disc used for storing digital data of all types.
CMOS - Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. The second of the most commonly
used types of solid state image pick-up sensors found in todays digital cameras.
The CMOS sensors are less sensitive than their CCD counterparts and also
consume less power. They are cheaper than CCD sensors.
COMPATIBLE MEMORY TYPE(S) - refers to the type of memory cards a camera uses
to store images on. Most cameras except just one type of memory card but
many will accept multiple formats.
COMPRESSION - a digital process allowing data to be stored or transmitted
using less than the normal number of bits. The common form of data compression
being the JPEG format.
DIGITAL ZOOM - known also as simulated zoom. Digital zoom works by taking
a small portion of an image and enlarging it using interpolation software
to give the effect of an optical zoom. However due to having no moving parts
to physically get closer to the subject digital zooms in their nature are
low quality and limited.
DIGITIZE - to convert into digital form. This process involves sampling the
the analogue signal, giving it a numerical value and then coding this number
in binary form. For example a digital photograph or image is made up of grid
points. There is no continuous variation of colour or brightness. Each point
on the grid has a specific value. Digital images are recorded as data, not
as a signal.
Digital zoom: A feature in many digital cameras that enlarges a portion of
the image. Often, when using the digital zoom feature, you will sacrifice
some image quality.
DPI: A measurement that describes the image resolution in dots per inch.
The DPI is what creates the image; the higher the DPI, the higher the resolution
and the better the quality of your image.
Megapixel: The standard of measurement that digital cameras use to measure
the quality of the images. One megapixel is 1 million pixels. The higher
the megapixel, the better the quality. With better quality comes higher prices.
Megabits: This is used to measure the amount of data you can transfer between
your digital media and your computer.
Optical zoom: Magnifying an image with an adjustment of the lens on your
camera without reducing the quality. Digital zoom does sacrifice quality.
RGB (red, green, blue): The primary colors of light. Digital cameras use
these to create the colors in digital images.
Learn about more digital camera terms by clicking here