35
B
Bass
The lowest three octaves of the audio band.
Low bass is the bottom octave (20-40Hz),
mid-bass is the middle octave (40-80Hz), and
upper bass is the 80-160Hz octave.
Bit / bits
A bit is a binary digit, taking a value of either
0 or 1. For example, the number 10010111 is
8 bits long.
Bit rate
Bit rate is the number of bits that are
conveyed or processed per unit of time. The
bit rate is usually measured in some multiple
of bits per second (kilobits per second: kbps).
The term bit rate is a synonym for data
transfer rate (or simply data rate).
C
CBR (constant bit rate)
With CBR the encoder spends the same
amount of bits on each frame, regardless of
how much it may really need. Disadvantage
of CBR: Bits are wasted in case of absolute
blackness of a picture or complete silence in
an audio frame. And pictures or audio frames
with a lot of elements may need those bits.
CD (Compact Disc)
Format developed by Phillips, Sony, and
Pioneer for conveying music and data. CDs
record information by deforming the inner
metal foil on the disc with tiny micro pits
burned in by a laser.
CDDB
A centralized database of CDs, CD tracks, and
artists on the Web, now known as Gracenote.
The audio player or burner program can log
on to CDDB. It uploads the ID of the CD
being played, and then downloads the title,
artist, and track list.
15 Glossary
A
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
An audio compression scheme defined as
part of the MPEG-2 standard (also known
as MPEG-2 AAC or MPEG-2 NBC, or Not
Backwards Compatible). It offers better sound
and a compression ratio that is superior by
roughly 30 percent compared to the MPEG-1
MP3 format.
AC (alternating current)
An alternating current is an electrical current
whose magnitude and direction vary cyclically,
as opposed to DC (direct current), whose
direction remains constant. The usual
waveform of an AC power circuit is a sine
wave, as this results in the most efficient
transmission of energy. However certain
applications use different waveforms, such as
triangular or square waves.
Amplifier
A device, either a single stage or a large scale
circuit with multiple stages for creating gain,
i.e. it makes small signals larger.
Antenna
A device, such as a rod or wire, which picks up
a received radio frequency signal or radiates a
transmitted RF signal.
Audio output
High-level (speaker) or line-level (RCA) signals
sent from one system component to another;
or the high-level signal from an amplifier to
the system speakers.
AUX
Auxiliary input that allows you to connect
portable audio devices.
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