CD Optical Storage

Optical storage is a term from engineering referring to the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light. A common modern technique used by computers involves a tiny beam of laser light precisely focused on a spinning disc. An older example, that does not require the use of computers, is microform. There are other means of optically storing data and new methods are in development. Optical storage differs from other data storage techniques that make use of other technologies such as magnetism or semiconductors.

The term optical drive usually refers to a device in a computer that can read CD-ROMs or other optical discs.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter W)

Warp
A special effect sequence of morph images that simulate smooth transitions of dissimilar frames.

WYSBYGI
“What You See Before You Get it.” An extension of WYSIWYG interface design allowing the user to view and edit selected smaller areas from a preview dialog box prior to committing special effects with the processing load of only a portion of the entire file.

WYSIWYG
“What You See Is What You Get.” A working interface of many authoring systems where an author sees the screens as he develops them exactly as they will appear to the user.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter U)

UART
Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter. An electronic circuit contained within the communications port(s) of the computer that decodes and encodes data in the fashion required by the specific machine for receiving and transmitting purposes. The UART also performs the actual data transmission to the communication device, once it has been encoded and is ready to send.

UPS
Uninterruptible Power Supply. A battery reserve system for computer power installed to supply power in the event of outage. These systems protect against data loss during power outage.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter T)

Tablet
A pressure sensitive input device used in conjunction with a pen to edit digital images.

Touch-screen
A display monitor that is pressure sensitive to touch and is often used as a multimedia control instead or in conjunction with a keyboard. Better authoring systems should have touch-screen interface functions built in their software. Touch-screen displays vary widely and can be accomplished with special overlays or can come as integral screens with built-in touch-screen capabilities. The best screens also feature z-axis control, which allows screen response at different rates depending on the level of pressure applied.

Track
A sequence of contiguous data, the beginning, length, mode and end of which are defined in the table of contents, which is held in the Q subcode channel of the lead-in area of the disc. The two types of tracks currently defined are the CD-DA track according to the CD-ROM specification that is also used in CD-I. In CD-DA the length of a track is related to playing times between four seconds and 72 minutes.

Tuning
The Group term for a number of image editing activities including color and grey balancing, hue & saturation, gamma, histogram, and contrast adjusting…etc.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter S)

Scanning
The most common practice of encoding real images into digital form Accomplished by use of a scanner which passes an image sensor across the original

Screen grabs
Common term for the capturing screen rasterization images and video stills to digital files. Can be preformed with software or hardware, but quality may vary between method used.

SCSI
Small Computer System Interface. The abbreviation is pronounced “scuzzy.” A connection that allows high-speed information transfer between the computer and any external devices at speeds in the range of 4 to 5 megabytes per second. This specification also allows multiple devices to be connected via addresses to a single port (receptacle).

SCSI-II
A specification developed to provide greater speed and performance. An SCSI-II connection provides transfer rates ranging from 10 to 40 megabytes per second.

Selection

The term for indicating the desired area to be effected by editing.

Sharpen
To increase contrast along object edges to improve image appearance.

SIMM
Single In-line Memory Module. A small narrow circuit board containing Random Access Memory Chips (the electronic devices that store data while your computer works with it). SIMMs plug into special slots inside the computer to give the computer extra memory.

Special effects
Digital image manipulation techniques for enhancing quality or creating unusual appearances. Can also be used to remove undesirable image attributes.

Spray
To paint with a diffused edge to simulate “air-brush” feathering

Storyboard
A method of planning the content of a presentation by drawing sketches of each screen with notes about what happens in that scene.

Substitution
the process of replacing colors in a image with colors or patterns on the pallet for the image. this is implemented during color format conversion and pallet correction

SyQuest
A manufacturer of SCSI removable cartridge hard drives. This drive specification has been widely used in pre-press and publishing situations.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter R)

Resampling
The practice of interpolating an image of one specification and producing an image of another specification from that interpolation.

Resolution
Defines image quality of a display. It refers to the number of pixels available on a display. Resolution controls the level of detail that can be presented on a screen.

Retouch
Digital image editing processes used to restore damaged photographs for reproduction

RLE
Run-Length Encoding: a data compression technique that records repeated data elements with the same value, which is coded once along with a count of the number of times it occurs.

Read More

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.

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter O)

ODBO
bject Database. A database that can handle diverse and complex data including video images, audio, bit maps, graphics and unstructured text.

Opacity
Term used to describe the amount an editing technique effects a given area of an image. Opacity in commonly expressed in percentages an can be used to simulate watercolor wash or in sequence segments to fade or dissolve

Read More

CD Optical Storage Glossary of Computer Terms (Letter M)

Magenta
The color obtained by mixing equal intensities of red and blue light. It is also the correct name for the subtractive primary color usually called red.

Magneto-optical
See CD-WREM.

Mastering
A real time process in which videotaped materials are used to create a master optical disk that can be replicated into final videodiscs or CD-ROM disks for operation with desktop computers. Usually performed by an outside specialty shop.

Media
Specific means of artistic communication including forms such as film, art, voice, music, sounds, text, programming etc.

MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It is a series of digital bus standards for interfacing of digital musical instruments with computers.

Morph
The special effect merging object attributes from multiple images into composite views

Read More