CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter P)

Paint
to apply color or gradient to an area of an image

Palette
A group of selected colors used by a graphics board. The EGA board uses a palette of 16 colors. VGA boards in some resolutions provide a palette of 256 colors.

PCI Local Bus
The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) local bus

PCMCIA
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. PCMCIA is becoming the link between desktop and notebook computing for data transfer and storage. PCMCIA slots perform the same functions as expansion slots on PC compatibles.

Photo CD
Generic term used to refer to Digital images on compact disc (see Kodak Photo CD)

Pixel
Picture Element. The smallest element of a screen represented as a point of specific color and intensity level.

Platform
The hardware and operating system that applications are run on

Premastering
In CD-ROM distribution, the process of preparing the data to be placed on the CD-ROM so that is optimally fits the CD-ROM format and limitations.

Primary color
In a tri-stimulus color video system, one of the three colors mixed to produce an image. In additive color systems, the primary colors are red, green, and blue. In subtractive color systems, the primaries are cyan, magenta, and yellow.

Production

In video refers to the process of creating programs. In more specific usage, production is the process of getting original video onto tape or film and ready for post- production.