CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter F)

Fade
A gradual change in brightness of an image or intensity of a sound. Considered a special effect that can be implemented with software or hardware.

File header
A block of data in a file, usually at the beginning, which describes the type of data in the file and the format of the data.

Film scanning
Scalable optical Digitization of photographic transparencies negatives and slides. High quality standards requirements for Pre-press Digitization have resulted in capture specs exceeding 48bpp @ 6000pixels.

Film recording
A service used to produce film transparencies from digital images. Recorder specs, vary from one manufacturer to another near 4000pixels for 35mm film @ 24bpp

Flash memory
Flash memory is a nonvolatile memory medium (it “remembers” even when the power is turned off) that can easily be updated. This credit card-sized package will be used to replace floppy and hard disk drives in portable personal computers in the future. Flash memory cards substantially reduce the computer’s power consumption (when compared with traditional mechanical disk-drive memories).

Flatbed scanning
Document and image scanning utilizing a level glass bed scanner. Device specifications range include RGB @600dpi,single pass

Flicks
Common term for digital motion sequences

Fractal
Fractional Dimensional. A mathematical definition of a fractional element of an image after repeated application of a specific compression algorithm. Has theoretical compression ratio capability of 10,000:1. Commercial software is available with compression ratios in the range of 2,500:1.

Frame
Used in video to denote a complete scan of an image. In motion video repeated scanning ofa changing scene produces a series of frames. Synonymous with a full computer screen desktop applications.

Full-motion video
Display of a video sequence at the broadcast TV frame rate of 30 fps. Sometimes used to define motion video that is perceived to provide smooth motion regardless of frame rate applied.