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Unlocking Success: Your Ultimate Guide to the AVIXA CTS Exam Glossary (Third Edition) Current Updated Exam Study Guide Edition 2025/2026 Guaranteed Success with Grade A+
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1/3 Octave Equalizer - ansA graphic equalizer that provides 30 or 31 slider adjustments corresponding to specific fixed frequencies with fixed bandwidths, with the frequencies centered at every 1/3 of an octave. The adjustment points shape the overall frequency response of the system 4K - ansAn ultra-high-resolution video format with a resolution approximately 4 times that of full HD (1920x1080 pixels). 4K formats include 3840x2160 pixels (UHDTV) and 4096x pixels (digital cinema, DCI) 8K - ansAn ultra-high-resolution video format with a resolution of 7680x4320 pixels, which is 16 times the resolution of full HD 1920x1080 pixels 9 - Pin Connector - ansThe DB 9 is the most common type of connector used in RS- 232 control systems Acceptable Viewing Area - ansThe viewing range for a screen; suggested as a 60-degree arc of the far vertical edge of the screen being viewed Access Point - ansA network device that allows other devices to connect to a network Acoustic Echo Canceller - ansUsed in conferencing systems. The echo canceller attempts to remove environmental echoes that are created at the far side from sound reflected off hard surfaces and returned to conferencing microphones Acoustics - ansThe properties or qualities of a room or building that determine how sound is transmitted and reflected in it. The study of the properties of sound AES - ansAudio Engineering Society Allied Trade - ansA business that collaborates with AV professionals to complete a project Alternating Current (AC) - ansAn electrical current that reverses its direction periodically Ambient Light - ansThe sum of all lighting in an area Ambient Noise - ansThe sum of all sounds in an area Amperage - ansThe amount of electric current flowing in a circuit. Current is measured in amperes (amps), abbreviated as A Amplifier - ansA device for increasing the strength of signals Amplitude - ansThe height of the waveform of a signal Analog (Analogue) - ansA continuously variable signal Analog-to-Digital/Digital-to-Analog (AD/DA) Converters - ansDevices that convert signals from analog to digital or from digital to analog Angularly Reflective Screen - ansA screen that reflects light at the same angle at which it arrived ANSI - ansAmerican National Standards Institute Aperture - ansThe opening in an optical train that controls the amount of light passing through Arrayed Loudspeaker System - ansA loudspeaker arrangement that delivers sound from a single point in space Artifact - ansAn element introduced into a signal during processing. Not always a good thing Aspect Ratio - ansThe ratio of image width to image height Attack Time - ansA setting within a digital signal processor that determines how rapidly the signal level will be reduced once the volume exceeds the threshold. If the attack time is too slow, then the sound will become distorted as the system adjusts Attenuate - ansTo reduce the amplitude of a signal or current
Audio Coverage Uniformity Measurement Locations (ACUML) - ansThe test points within a venue that have been determined to carry out the measurements for the Audio Coverage Uniformity test Audio Coverage Uniformity Plan (ACUP) - ansA stand-alone document that identifies the Audio Coverage Uniformity measurement locations for a particular venue, using the AVIXA indication symbol Audio Processor - ansA device used to manipulate audio signals Audio Return Channel (ARC) - ansIntroduced to the HDMI standard with version 1.4. ARC allows a display to send audio data upstream to a receiver or surround-sound controller, eliminating the need for a separate audio connection Audio Signal - ansAn electrical representation of sound Audio Transduction - ansThe process of converting acoustical energy into electrical energy or electrical energy back into acoustical energy Audio Video Bridging (AVB) - ansA standards-based audiovisual Data Link layer protocol defined under IEEE 802.1-AVB. It used standard Ethernet cabling but requires AVB-enabled switches and network components. AVB does not require separate network infrastructure or dedicated bandwidth; AVB components automatically prioritize data. AVB was recently renamed Time-Sensitive Networking to reflect the standard's applicability to communication among different types of devices, such as network sensors Audiovisual Infrastructure - ansThe physical building compnents that make up the pathways, supports, and architectural elements required for audiovisual technical equipment installations Audiovisual Rack - ansA housing unit for electronic equipment. The inside of a typical AV industry rack is 19" (482.6mm) wide. Many of the technical specifications for a rack, including size and equipment height, are determined by standards that have been established by numerous standard-setting organizations. the outside width of the rack varies from approximately 21" to 25" (530mm to 630mm) Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) - ansAn organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard of for approving equipment, materials, installation, or procedures. In some places the authority having jurisdiction may be known as the regional regulatory authority Automatic Gain Control (AGC) - ansA circuit that maintains a constant output gain in response to input variables such as signal strength or ambient noise level Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) - ansA Windows function that assigns locally routable addresses from the reserved network 169.254.0.0/16 to devices that do not have or cannot obtain an IP address. This allows devices to communicate with other devices on the same LAN. APIPA operates at the Network layer of the OSI model and the Internet layer of the TCP/IP protocol stack Balanced Circuit - ansA 2-conductor circuit in which both conductors and all circuits connected to them have the same impedance with respect to ground Balun - ansShort for BALanced-to-UNbalanced, a device used to connect a balanced circuit to an unbalanced circuit. For example, a transformer used to connect a 300 Ohm television antenna cable (balanced) to a 75 Ohm antenna cable (unbalanced) Band - ansA grouping or range of frequencies
Broadcast Domain - ansA set of devices that can send Data Link layer frames to each otehr directly, without passing through a Network layer device. Broadcast traffic sent by one device in the broadcast domain is received by all devices in the domain Building Information Modeling (BIM) - ansA data repository for building design, construction, and maintenance data, shared by multiple disciplines on a single project Bus - ansA wiring system that links multiple devices Busbar - ansAn electrically conductive block or bar of metal, typically copper or aluminum, that seves as a common connection for two or more circuits Byte - ansA data word containing 8 bits, also known as an octet. The symbol for byte is B Cable - ansAn assembly of more than one conductor (wire) Cable Tray - ansA structure to provide rigid continuous support for cables Campus Area Network (CAN) - ansA type of netowrk linking multiple LANs in a limited geographical area such as a university campus or a cluster of buildings Candela - ansThe units of luminous intensity. A candela is the luminous intensity emitted by a reference point light source in a given direction. The symbol for candela is cd. The luminous intensity of a common wax candle is approximately 1 candela Capacitance - ansThe ability of a nonconductive material to store an electrical charge. Capacitance is measured in farads (F). The symbol for capacitance is C. Capacitive Reactance - ansThe opposition a capacitive device offers to alternating current flow. It is measured in Ohms. The symbol for capacitive reactance is X subscript C. Capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to the frequency of the current in a circuit Capacitor - ansA passive electrical component in which plates of conductive material are seperated by a dielectric. For a given capacitance value, expressed in farads, a capacitor will have a greater opposition to AC current flow at lower frequencies that at higher frequencies Cardioid Polar Pattern - ansA heart-shaped region where some microphones will be most sensitive to sound predominantely from the front of the microphone diaphragm and reject sound coming from the sides and rear Carrier - ansModulated frequency that carries video or audio signal Category 5 (Cat 5) - ansThe designation for 100 Ohm unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cables and associated connecting hardware whose characteristics are specified for data transmission up to 100Mbps (part of the EIA/TIA 568A standard) Category 5e (Cat 5e) - ansAn enhanced version of the Cat 5 cable standard that adds specifications to reduce far-end crosstalk for data transmission up to 1Gbps (part of the EIA/TIA 568A standard) Category 6 (Cat 6) - ansA cable standrard for Gigabit Ethernet and other interconnections that is backward-compatible with Category 5, Cat 5ec and Cat 3 cable (part of the EIA/TIA 568A standard). Cat 6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise Category 6A (Cat 6A) - ansA cable standard for 10 Gigabit Ethernet and other interconnections that is backward-compatible with Category 5, Cat 5e, and Cat 6 cable. Constructed using a mechanism to physically seperate the twisted pairs, Cat 6A features more stringent specifications for alien and near-end crosstalk Category 7 (Cat 7) - ansA cable specification forn 10 Gigagit Ethernet and otehr interconnections that is backward-compatible with Category 5e and Cat 6A cable. To further reduce cross-talk, in Cat 7 cables each twisted-pair is shielded and the entire cable is shielded
Category 8 (Cat 8) - ansA cable standard for 40 Gigabit Ethernet and other interconnections that is backward-compatible with Category 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 6A cable (part of the EIA/TIA 568A standard). Cat 8 features a shield around each twisted pair and a further shield enclosing all twisted pairs. It is only specified at 40Gbps for runs up to 30m (100ft) Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) - ansA high-vacuum glass tube containing an electron gun to produce the images seen on the phosphor-coated face of the tube. This video display technology was used in early-generation video monitors, television receivers, radar displays and oscilloscopes Center Tap - ansA connection point located halfway along the track or winding of an electronic device such as an inductor or resistor Central Cluster - ansA single source configuration of loudspeakers. In a central cluster, the sound is coming from one point in the room. The central cluster is normally located directly above (on the proscenium), and slightly in front of, the primary microphone location Central Processing Units (CPU) - ansThe portion of a computer system that reads and executes commands Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) - ansA semiconductor light-sensitive device, commonly used in video and digital cameras, than converts optical images into electronic signals Chassis - ansAlso called a cabinet or frame, an enclosure that houses electronics equipment and is frequently electrically conductive (metal). The metal enclosure acts as a shield and is connected to the equipment grounding conductor of the AC power cable, if so equipped, to provide protection against electric shock Chassis Ground - ansA 0V (0 volt) connection point of any electrically conductive chassis or enclosure surrounding an electronic device. this connection point may or may not be extended to the earth ground Chroma - ansThe saturation, or intensity, of a specific color. It is one of the 3 attributes that define a color; the other 2 are hue and value or luminance Chiff Effect - ansThe sudden loss of digital signal reception. When a digital signal is carried too far on a cable, the eye pattern will collapse, and the signal will become unstable Clipping - ansThe deformation of a signal when a device's peak amplitude level is exceeded Clock Adjustment - ansAlso called timing signals, used to fine-tune the computer image. This function adjusts the clock frequencies that eliminate the vertical banding (lines) in the image Coaxial (Coax) Cable - ansA cable consisting of a center conductor surrounding by insulating material, concentric outer conductor, and optional protective covering, all of circular cross section CobraNet - ansCobraNet is a proprietary digital audio Data Link layer protocol designed by Cirrus Logic. It uses standard Fast Ethernet cabling, switches, and otehr components. CobraNet signals are non-routable Codec - ansA contraction of the term coder/decoder. An electronic device or software process that encodes or decodes a data stream for transmission and reception over a communications medium Collision Domain - ansA set of devices on a local area network (LAN) whose packets may collide with one another if they transmit data at the same time
Constant Voltage - ans25V, 70V, 100V; a method of distributing signals to loudspeakers over a large area with less loss than a typical connection would provide. This can also be called a high impedance system Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) - ansA single-wire, bidirectional serial bus that uses AV link protocols to perform remote-control functions. It is an optional feature of the HDMI specification that allows for system-level automation when all devices in an AV system support it Contact Closure - ansA contact closure is the simplest form of remote-control communication. It is a switch. This type of control point operates a device by opening or closing an electrical current or voltage loop. It has the most basic protocol language: "on" (closed circuit) or "off" (open circuit) Content Delivery Network (CDN) - ansA distributed network of caching servers that can provide hosted unicast distribution of media for an organization. They are most often utilized by organizations whose content is in high demand Contrast - ansAbsolute difference in luminanace between the peak white and black levels, where white and black luminance is displayed simultaneously Contrast Ratio - ansDescribes the dynamic video range of a display device as a numeric relationship betwen the brightest color (typically white) and the darkest color (typically black) that the system is capable of producing. 2 methods are used to specify contrast ratio; the full on/full off method describes the dynamic contrast ratio, and the ANSI measures the static contrast ratio Control System - ansA system that controls subsystems such as audio, video, winches, drapes, lighting and atmospheric effects Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) - ansThe color appearance of a light source as compared with a standardized object heated to a temperature measured on the Kelvin scale. CCT is measured in kelvins (K) Coverage Pattern - ansThe predictable pattern of sound energy that every loudspeaker emits. The coverage pattern is based on the frequency of the sounds and the physical size of the loudspeaker Critical Distance (Dc) - ansThe point where sound pressure level of the direct reverberant sound field are equal Critical Path Schedule - ansReveals the interdependence of activities and assesses resource and time requirements and trade-offs. It also determines the project's completion date and provides the capability to evaluate activity performance Crossover - ansAn electronic device that seperates the frequency bands of an audio signal so that each driver in a multidriver loudspeaker system is sent only those frequencies that it will transduce accurately Crosstalk - ansAny phenomenon by which a signal transmitted on one circuit or channel of a transmission system creates an undesired effect in another circuit or channel Current - ansThe quantity of elecrical charge flowing in a circuit, measured in amperes (A). The symbol for current is I Curvature of Field - ansA blurry appearance around the edge of an otehrwise in-focus object (or the reverse) when the velocity of light going through the lens is different at the edges thgan at the center of the surface. Curvature of field is due to the lens design
Dante - ansA proprietary digital audio Network layer protocol designed by Audinate. Dante sends audio information as Internet Protocol (IP) packets. It is fully routable over IP networks using standard Ethernet switches, routers, and other components. Dante controller software manages data prioritization and audio routes dB SPL - ansA measure of sound pressure level with reference to 0dB SPL, a sound pressure of 20 microPascal (uPA) Decibel (dB) - ansA base-10 logarithmic relationship of the ratio between 2 numbers. This is used got quantifying differences in voltage, distance, and sound pressure as they relate to power Delay - ansA signal-processing device or circuit used to delay the speed of transmission of a signal Demodulator - ansAn electronic device that removes information from a modulated signal Depth of Field - ansThe area in front of a camera lens that is in focus from the closest item to the camera to the item farthest away Detail Drawing - ansA detail drawing enlarges small items to show how they must be installed. They depict items too small to see at the project's typical drawing scale Dielectric Constant - ansDescribes the ability of a material between 2 conductors to store an electrical charge. Dielectric strength is determined by the material's type and thickness and is the amount of voltage that insulation can stand before it breaks down Differential Mode - ans1. Voltage fed out of phase to both inputs of a differential amplifier.
Dome - ansA type of loudspeaker driver construction. Fabric or woven materials are used to create a dome-shaped diaphragm. The voice coil is attached to the edge of the diaphragm Driver - ansOn audio, an individual loudspeaker unit Dual Channel - ansIn test equipment, refers to a test device with 2 independent input channels DVD - ansDigital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc. An optical storage medium for data or video DVI - ansDigital Visual Interface. A digital interface to connect an uncompressed video source to a display device. DVI has largely been replaced by HDMI, DisplayPort, and other formats Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) - ansA management process that automates the assignment of IP addresses and networking parameters to devices on an IP network Dynamic Microphone - ansA microphone with a diaphragm attached to a moveable coil of wire located in a magnetic field. Sound pressure waves cause the diaphragm to move the coil in the magnetic field, inducing a small electric current in the coil Dynamic Range - ansThe difference between the loudest and quietest levels of a signal. Usually expressed in decibels (dB) Early Reflected Sound - ansSound waves that are reflected (bounced) off surfaces between the source and the listener. The sound waves arrive at the listener;s ear closely on the heels of the direct sound wave Earthing Conductor - ansA conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes Echo - ansA reflected version of sound energy acoustically, or duplicated version of a signal electronically, that arrives to the listener with sufficient delay and separation from the original signal to allow the delayed signal to be perceived distinctly and later in time from the original signal Echo Cancellation - ansA means of eliminating echo from an audio path Electret Microphone - ansA type of condenser microphone using a prepolarized material, called an electret, which is applied to the microphone's diaphragm or backplate Electrical Service - ansThe conductors and equipment for delivering energy from the electricity supply system to the wiring system of the site served Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) - ansImproper operation of a circuit (noise) due to the effects of interference from electric and/or magnetic fields Elevation Drawing - ansA side view of an object or surface taken in the vertical plane, from outside the object or surface Emissive Technology - ansAny displat device that emits light to create an image Encoded - ansA signal that has been compressed into another form to reduce size or complexity, as in a composite video signal Energy Management Plan (EMP) - ansA document that details s systematic approach to implementing the most effective power consumption methods and procedures to achieve and maintain optimum energy usage Equalizer - ansElectronic equipment that adjusts or corrects the frequency characteristics of a signal Equipment Grounding - ansThe connection to ground (earth), or to a conductive body that extends that ground connection, of all normally noncurrent-carrying conductive materials
enclosing electrical conductors or equipment or forming part of such equipment. The purpose is to limit any voltage potential between the equipment and earth Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) - ansThe conductive path installed to connect normally noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment together and to the system's grounded conductor, to the grounding electrode conductor, or to both Equipment Rack - ansA centralized housing unit that protects and organizes electronic equipment Equivalent Acoustic Distance (EAD) - ansThe farthest distance one can go from the source without the need for sound amplification or reinforcement to maintain good speech intelligibility. It is a design parameter dependent on the level of the presenter and the noise level in the room Ergonomics - ansAlso known as human factors or human factors engineering. This is the scientific study of the way people interact with a system. It focuses on effectiveness, efficiency, reducing errors, increasing productivity, improving safety, reducing fatigue and stress, increasing comfort, increasing user acceptance, increasing job satisfaction, and improving quality of life Ethernet - ansA set of network cabling, signaling, and network access protocol standards employing carrier-sense multiple access technology with collision detection (CSMA/CD) EtherSound - ansA proprietary digital audio Data Link layer protocol designed by Digigram. It uses standard 100Mbps or 1Gps Ethernet cabling, switches, and other components. It requires a separate network with dedicated bandwidth. EtherSound signals are nonroutable Expander - ansAn audio processor that comes in 2 types: a downward expander and as part of a compander Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) - ansA data structure within a sink that is used to describe the sink's capabilities to a source. These capabilities include nation resolution, color space information, and audio type (mono or stero) External Configuration - ansRefers to the ability of one device to configure other devices and subsystems Far Field - ansThe sound field distant enough from the sound source so the SPL decreases by 6dB for each doubling of the distance from the source Farthest Viewer - ansThe viewer positioned at the farthest distance from the screen as defined by the viewing area Feedback - ans1. In audio, unwanted noise caused by the loop of an audio system's output back to its input. 2. In a control system, data supplied to give an indication of status, such as on or off Feedback Stability margin (FSM) - ansExtra margin, added into the needed acoustic gain formula, that represents extra gain that a sound system may need. It is the possibility of feedback due to the nonlinearity across the frequency band of a sound system Fiber Optic - ansA technology that uses glass or plastic threads or wires to transmit information Field - ansIn video, 1/2 of a video frame containing every other line of information. Each standard video frame contains 2 interlaced fields Filter - ansBlocks or passes certain frequencies from a signal
Gated Automatic Mixer - ansAn audio mixer that turns microphone channels either "on" or "off" automatically Gateway - ansThe highest router in the hierarchy or routers. It connects a local network to an outside network, and all traffic must travel through it. A gateway will pass traffic to the routers below, and the routers below look to the gateway to find names (DNS addresses) that are not found on the local network Gauge - ansA thickness or diameter of a wire Genlock - ansTo lock the synchronization signals of multiple devices to a single source Graphic Equalizer - ansEqualizer with an interface that has a graph comparing amplitude on the vertical axis with frequency on the horizontal Graphical User Interface (GUI) - ansOften pronounced "gooey"; provides a visual representation of the system features and functions Graphics Adapter - ansCommonly referred to as a video card, outputs computer video signals Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) - ansA specialized circuit designed for processing display functions. The processor is optimized to render and manipulate images in a video frame buffer Grayscale - ansThe brightness and darkness of a color. It is sometimes called value. It is one of the 3 attributes of color; the other 2 are hue and chroma Grayscale Test Pattern - ansA pattern that displays a known range of values between black and white on the screen Ground - ans1. The earth. 2. In the context of an electrical circuit, the earth or some conductive body that extends the ground (earth) connection. 3. In the context of electronics, the 0V (zero volt) circuit reference point. This electronic circuit reference point may or may not have a connection to earth Ground Fault - ans1. An unintentional, electrically conducting connection between an ungrounded conductor of an electrical circuit and a normally noncurrent-carrying conductor, metallic enclosure, metallic raceway, metallic equipment, or earth. 2. The electrical connection between any ungrounded conductor of the electrical system and any noncurrent- carrying metal object Ground Loop - ansAn electrically conductive loop that has 2 or more ground reference connections. The loop can be detrimental when the reference connections are at different potentials, which causes current flow within the loop Ground Plane - ansA continuous conductive area. The fundamental property of a ground plane is that every point on its surface is at the same potential (low impedance) at all frequencies of concern Ground Potential - ansA point of no potential for a circuit Ground Reference - ansThe 0V (zero volt) reference point for a circuit Grounded Conductor - ansA system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) - ansA safety device that de-energizes a circuit (or a portion of that circuit) within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds a specified level. Similar in function to an earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB), a residual current device (RCD), or a core balance relay (CBR)
Ground-Fault Current Path - ansAn electrically conductive path from the point of a ground fault on a wiring system through normally noncurrent-carrying conductors, equipment, or earth to the electrical supply source Grounding - ansConnecting to ground or to a conductive body that extends the ground connection. The connected connection is referred to as grounded Grounding Conductor - ansA conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes Grounding Electrode - ansA conducting object through which a direct connection to earth is established Grounding Electrode Conductor - ansThe conductor used to connect the system grounded conductor or the equipment to a grounding electrode or to a point on the grounding electrode system Group Management Protocol (GMP) - ansAllows a host to inform its neighboring routers of its desire to start or stop receiving multicast transmissions. Without a GMP, multicast traffic is broadcast to every client device on the network segment, impeding other network traffic and overtaxing device CPUs Group of Pictures (GoP) - ansA set of successive frames that are required to display a complete series in a digital video signal. It includes the visible picture, timing/sync information, and compression frames Half-Duplex - ansA form of data transmission in which only one network node at a time sends data Harmonic Distortion - ansSignal distortion that arises when harmonics of an input signal are produced during processing and appear in the output together with the processed input signal Harmonics - ansHigher-frequency sound waves that blend with the fundamental frequency HD-15 Connector - ansHD-15 connector, sometimes called a VGA connector, is a video connector that is typically associated with the out of a computer graphics card. It has 3 rows of 5 pins, which carry analog red, green, and blue, and sync signals along with display data channel information HDBaseT - ansA connectivity standard for the transmission of, high definition video, audio, DC power, Ethernet, and serial signaling including USB and other protocols, over standard twisted-pair cables such as Cat 5e and above HDCP Key - ansA long number that a program uses to verify authenticity and encode/decode content. HDCP processes use multiple types of keys. These keys are strongly protected by Digital Content Protection, LLC HDCP Receiver - ansA device that can receive and decode the HDCP signals. A television is an example of a receiver HDCP Repeater - ansA device that can receive HDCP signals and transmit them to another device, such as a switcher or distribution amplifier HDCP Sink - ansA device that receives and decodes the HDCP signals HDCP Source - ansA device that send HDCP-encoded signals and content HDCP Transmitter - ansA device that can send HDCP-encoded signals and content. A Blu- ray Disc player is an example of an HDCP transmitter HDMI Ethernet Audio Control (HEAC) - ansIn HDMI, the combining of HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC) and Audio Return Channel (ARC) into one port or cable
Image Resolution - ansImage resolution is the total number of pixels in the image. It is normally expressed as the number horizontal pixels multiplied by the number of vertical pixels Imager - ansA light-sensitive electronic device behind a camera's lens, usually made up of thousands of sensors which convert the light input into an electrical output Impedance - ansThe total opposition to that a circuit presents to an alternating current. It includes resistance (R), inductive reactance (X subscript R), and capacitive reactance (X subscript C). Impedance is measuring in Ohms. Its symbol is Z Impedance Matching - ansHaving an impedance value on an input that an output is expecting. It does not necessarily mean having comparable impedances on an input and an output Impedance Meter - ansDevice used to measure the impedance of an electrical circuit Inductance - ansThe magnetic property of a circuit that opposes any charge in current, represented by the symbol L and measured in henrys (H) Induction - ansTeh influence exerted on a conductor by a changing magnetic field Inductive Reactance (X subscript L) - ansOpposition to the current flow offered by the inductance of a circuit. Inductive reactance is measured in ohms. Its symbol is X subscript L. The inductive reactance in a circuit is directly proportional to the frequency of the current InfoFrames - ansStructured packets of data that carry information regarding aspects of audio and video transmission, as defined by the EIA/CEA-861B standard. Using this structure, a frame-by-frame summary is sent to the display, permitting selection of appropriate display modes automatically. InfoFrames typically include auxiliary video information, generic vendor-specific source product description, MPEG, and audio information Infrared (IR) - ansThe range of light frequencies below the red end of the visible spectrum. IR signal transmission requires an uninterrupted line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver Input - ansA connection point that receives information from another piece of equipment I/O Port - ansInput and/or output port. A connection port on a device for handling input and/or output signals, frequently in a digital format Insulation - ansA material of high dielectric strength used to isolate the flow of electric current between conductors Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) - ansA communications standard for transmitting data over digital telephone lines Intelligibility - ansA sound system's ability to produce an accurate reproduction of sound, allowing listeners to identify words and sentence structure Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) - ansA nonprofit organization charted to oversee several Internet-related tasks. ICANN managed Domain Name System (DNS) policy, including the top-level domain space for the Internet Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) - ansThe IPv4 group management protocol. IDMPv1 allowed individual clients to subscribe to a multicast channel. IGMPv2 and IDMPv added the ability to unsubscribe from a multicast channel Interlaced Scanning - ansThe scanning process that alternately displays the odd and even lines of a video frame to construct a full frame of video signal Internal Configuration - ansRefers to the setup and customization of management or control device
Internet of Things (IoT) - ansRefers to scenarios where network connectivity and computing capability extends to objects, sensors and everyday items not normally considered computers, allowing these devices to generate, exchange and consume data Internet Protocol (IP) - ansA TCP/IP protocol defines in the IETF standard RFC 791. IP defines rules for addressing, packaging, fragmenting, and routing data sent across and IP network. IP falls under the Internet later of the TCP/IP protocol stack and the Network later of the OSI model Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) - ansA system that delivers television services over a packet-switched network such as a LAN or the Internet Inverse Square Law - ansThe law of physics stating that some physical quantity or strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source of that physical quantity Isolated Grounding (IG) - ansAn equipment grounding method permitted by the NEC for reducing electrical noise (electromagnetic interference) on the grounding circuit. The isolation between IG receptacles and circuits and the normal equipment grounding is maintained up to the point of the service entrance (or separately derived system) where the grounding (neutral) conductor, equipment grounding, and isolated equipment grounding conductor are bonded together and to earth ground Isolated Grounding Circuit - ansA circuity that allows an equipment enclosure to be isolated from the raceway containing circuits, suppling only that equipment by one or more listed nonmetallic raceway fittings. The equipment is grounded via an insulated grounding circuit Isolated Receptacle - ansA receptacle in which the grounding terminal is purposely insulated from the receptacle mounting means. Isolated receptacles are identified by a triangle engraved on the face and are available in standard colors. The receptacle (and so the equipment plugged into the receptacle) is grounded via an insulated grounding conductor Jacket - ansOutside covering used to protect cable wired and their shielding Junction Box - ansA metal or plastic enclosure for enclosing the junction of electrical wires and cables. A junction box can be used as a termination point with a custom connection plate or interface plate. A junction box can also be installed and used as a pull box for longer cable runs Keystone Error - ansThe trapezoidal distortion of an image due to the projection device being at an angle to the plane of the screen Lamp - ansThe light source in a luminaire Latency - ansResponse time of a system. The delay between an input being received by a system and the corresponding output being received. Measured in seconds (s) Lavalier - ansA small microphone designed to be worn either around the neck or clipped to apparel Law of Conservation of Energy - ansStates that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy can be transformed from one form to another and transferred from one body to another, but the total amount of energy remains constant Lenticular Screen - ansA screen surface characterized by silvered or aluminized embossing, designed to reflect maximum light over wide horizontal and narrow vertical angles Lighting Fixture - ansA lighting instrument or luminaire Limiter - ansAn audio signal processor that functions like a compressor except that signals exceeding the threshold level are reduced at ratios of 10:1 or greater
Luminance (Y) - ansAlso called luma, part of a bandwidth-limited video signal combining synchronization information and brightness information. Its symbol is Y Lux - ansThe international unit of illuminance. The incident light measured when one lumen of light is spread over an area of one square meter. Its symbol is lx. 10.76 lux = 1 foot-candle MAC Address - ansThe actual hardware address, or number, of an NIC device. Each device has a globally unique Media Access Control (MAC) address to identify its connection on the network Mains Buzz - ansA mixture of higher-order harmonics of the 50 Hz to 60 Hz noise (hum) originating from the AC mains power system and audible in a sound system Matrix Decoder - ansA decoder that produced red, green, and blue from Y, R-Y, B-Y Matrix Switcher - ansAn electronic switching device with multiple inputs and outputs. The matrix allows any input to be connected to any one of more of the outputs Matte-White Screen - ansA screen that uniformly disperse light, both horizontally and vertically, creating a wide viewing cone and wide viewing angle Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) - ansThe size in bytes of the largest frame that can pass over a Data Link layer conenction. Any header information must be included within the MTU Mechanical Switcher - ansA switch that mechanically connects circuit elements. It functions like a wall switch, meaning there is a mechanical connection or disconnection MEMS Microphone - ansA microphone built using MEMS technology. Generally MEMS implementations of either condenser or piezo-electric microphones Mesh Topology - ansA network where each node is connected via bridges, switches, or routers to at least one other node Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) - ansA communications network that covers a single geographic area, such as a suburb or city Mic Level - ansThe very low-level signal from a microphone. Typically only a few millivolts Microphone Sensitivity - ansA specification that indicates the electrical output of a microphone when it is subjected to a known sound pressure level. Usually measured in dBV/Pa Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) - ansMechanical devices built directly onto silicon chips using the same fabrication processes as microprocessors and memory systems. Best known as the digital micromirror devices (DMD) used for light switching in DLP projectors Middleware - ansSoftware that provides services to applications that aren;t available from the operating system. In a streaming service, for example, middleware may perform transcoding, compression, or remote access authentication Midrange - ansA loudspeaker that reproduces midrange frequencies, typically 300 Hz to 8 kKz Milestone - ansA significant or key event in the project, usually the completion of a major deliverable or the occurance of an important event. It can often be associated with payment milestones, and client approvals Millwork - ansCarpentry work produced in a mill. Usually refers to finished woodwork such as doors, molding, trim, flooring, and wall paneling Mixer - ansA device for blending multiple signal sources
Mix-Minus System - ansA type of speech reinforcement system that allows both meeting presenters and participants to be heard. Each loudspeaker is given a seperate subsystem, which mixes the microphone signals, minus the closest microphone Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) - ansA standard audio/video interface for connecting mobile electronics to high-definition televisions and audio receivers. The most recent version, superMHL, is capable of 36Gbps and HDR video up to 8K at 120fps Modular Connector - ansA connector used with 4, 6, or 8 pins. Common modular connectors are RJ-11 and RJ-45 (8P8C) Modulator - ansA device that varies one or more properties of a carrier signal (frequency, amplitude, phase) with information from another signal Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) - ansThe IPv6 group management protocol. Multicast is natively supported by IPv6; and IPv6 router will support MLD. MLDv1 performs roughly the same functions as IGMPv2, and MLDv2 supports roughly the same functions as IGMPv Multicast Streaming - ansA one-to-many transmission, meaning one server sends out a single stream that can thyen be accessed by multiple clients. Class D IP addresses are set aside for multicast transmissions Multimeter - ansA test instrument with multiple ranges for measuring current, voltage, and resistance. Many instruments also include a simple continuity test capability Multiplexing - ansThe process used by the combiner to put together a number of modulated signals Multipoint - ansAlso called continuous presence, videoconferencing that links many sites to a common gateway service, allowing all sites to see, hear, and interact at the same time. Multipoint requires a bridge or bridging service Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) - ansA networking protocol that allows any combination of Data Link layer protocols to be transported over any type of Network layer. MPLS routes data by examining each packet's MPLS label without examining packet contents. Implementing MPLS improves interoperability and routing speed Native Resolution - ansThe number of rows of horizontal and vertical pixels that create the picture. The native resolution describes the actual resolution of the imaging device and not the resolution of the delivery signal Near-Field - ansThe sound field close to the sound source that has not been colored by room reflections. This is also known as direct sound Needed Acoustic Gain (NAG) - ansThe gain the sound system requires to achieve an equivalent acoustic level at the farthest listener equal to what the nearest listener would hear without sound reinforcement Needs Analysis - ansA needs analysis identifies the activities that the end users needs to perform, then develops the functional descriptions of the systens that support those needs Network Address Translation (NAT) - ansAny method of altering IP address information in IP packet headers as the packet traverses a routing device. NAT is typically implemented as part of a firewall strategy. The most common form of NAT is Port Address Translation (PAT) Network Bridge - ansConnects 2 different types of networks. It translates one network protocol to another protocol. An example of a bridge is a computer modem. A cable modem coverts, or bridges, the Ethernet protocol to a cable TV protocol