Q - Z
RDI (Registered Digital Installer), The installer is registered with the Registered Digital Installer Licensing Body http://rdi-lb.tv/. The RDI-LB is a government initiated Licensing Body and sets down criteria to become a member. The installer must have the appropriate university qualifications in signal reception, must be Security Checked, must have the proper Insurances and will carry an RDI Identity Card. This scheme was initiated to regulate the industry, to safeguard consumers & to weed out the Cowboy Installer.
Rear projection TV Reds, blues and greens of TV images are projected on to a mirror and then reflected onto the screen.
Receiver Amplifier with Dolby and DTS decoders, signal processors, power amplification and a built-in radio tuner. Reflector Rear element of an aerial.
Resolution Determines the amount of detail that can be seen in an onscreen image. A screen's resolution is expressed by two numbers, which refer to the number of pixels in each horizontal and vertical line (eg1280 x 768)
Resume This means the player will start the disc where you stopped it (instead of at the beginning each time). Models with multi-disc resume remember where to start playing the disc even after you've removed it and reinserted it.
RF Input Connects to your aerial and allows the broadcast signal to be received by your tuner.
RGB This is a high standard analogue video signal that splits the red, green and blue components to give the best picture. The best Scart sockets carry an RGB signal.
RGB Scart Provides better-quality pictures than non RGB-cable Scart sockets.
S-video input If you're short of Scart inputs s-video can provide an alternative. S-Video signals are split into colour and brightness but are slightly inferior to Scart RGB. It's usually used to plug other AV equipment, such as camcorders and games consoles, directly into your TV. ~ Medium-quality video connection that splits a video signal into two parts. Carried by dedicated sockets and cables (with no audio), or through compatible Scart leads (with sound).
SACD (Super Audio CD) A type of dual-layer optical disc used to store music in digital surround sound formats. Three types of SACDs exist – one with a CD and a DVD layer, which can be used in regular CD and SACD players, and two types of dual-layer DVDs. SACDs use high-quality compression to store audio.
Set back amplifier Sits next to the TV and boosts TV reception signal.
Set top box Sits either on top or underneath the TV set - usually a Sky box, Freeview box, DVD player or VCR.
Scart All-purpose 21 pin socket to connect equipment such as DVD players and VCRs to your TV. Most TVs now come with at least two Scart sockets. If you need more, you can buy a Scart switching box for £10 or so to expand your TV's capacity. For the best picture, look for Scarts that support the high-standard RGB signal. This splits the video signal into its red, blue and green components to give an improved picture.
Scart sockets Two Scart sockets give you more versatility. The first connects to the TV and carries the higher quality RGB signal and widescreen switching information that tells your telly when to switch between conventional and widescreen formats. The second Scart socket links to your recorder (video or DVD) – ideally this should carry RGB too, though often it doesn't.
Secam Broadcast format used in Europe
Sky Digital Sky digital satellite system providing access to hundreds of digital channels and a vast range of pay to view movies, interactive services and radio stations.
Sky+ Sky digital with recording facilities. Provides the viewer to control what they watch by pausing, rewinding and playing live TV! You can also record and watch two channels at the same time.
Sky HD Sky HD brings a new home viewing experience, providing images in much greater detail and vibrant colours, complete with full recording facilities as Sky+. HD Compatible TV & Subscription required to take full advantage of a Sky HD system.
Sky Freesat Sky digital system providing access to a range of Free To Air channels, no monthly subscription required. SMATV Satellite Master Aerial TV: Sky/UHF reception distribution system.
Splitter Splits signal to two or more TV's.
Subwoofer Dedicated speaker for providing bass frequencies. The '.1' in a 5.1 surround sound system
Surround sound All DVD players can be connected to external surround-sound decoders (Dolby Digital 5.1 etc), amplifiers and speakers so you can experience 'cinema-like' surround sound. Virtually all DVDs have the surround sound tracks on them. Some players have a built-in Dolby Digital surround-sound decoder, but you'll still need additional surround sound amplifiers and speakers to get the home cinema experience, so there's really any advantage over using an external decoder. However, on occasion, a DVD-Audio surround sound decoder is also built-into the player. These are included so that players which can play back audio discs recorded in the higher-quality DVD-Audio format can also decode the surround sound tracks, which often come with these discs. This makes more sense but again you'll still need external amplifiers and speakers to hear this surround-sound.
Tetra Terrestrial Trunked Radio. Used by the Emergency Services.
Tetra filter Blocks interference from Tetra transmissions.
THX Audio certification program for home cinema equipment
Top Up TV UK digital terrestrial pay-TV service.
UHF Abbreviation used to describe the frequency bandwidth for Terrestrial TV reception.
UHF modulator If your TV doesn't have a Scart input (Scart isn't usually available on older models), you'll need a set-top box with a UHF modulator, which connects to the TV's aerial socket.
UHF loop through None of the Freeview set-top boxes let you watch one digital programme while recording another on your VCR. However, if you opt for a box with a "UHF loop through", you can record a digital programme while watching an ordinary analogue channel (or vice versa), with minimal disruption to your TV and VCR connections.
VGA A VGA input lets you connect your PC - effectively turning your TV into a PC monitor. Digital DVI sockets provide an alternative but in our tests VGA looked better on the screen. DVI can over enhance the picture, making it too sharp.
VHF Redundant frequency bands 1, 2 & 3. Part of Band 3 is now used for DAB.
Video input If you're short of Scart inputs composite video can provide an alternative. Composite video (usually a yellow phono socket) is the lowest quality video connection. It's usually used to plug other AV equipment, such as camcorders and games consoles, directly into your TV.
VideoPlus Numerical code used to identify individual TV programs. Allows VCRs and DVD recorder timers to be easily set. Codes are included in TV program schedules (e.g. Radio Times, newspapers, etc)
Wall bracket Secures an LCD or Plasma screen TV to the mounting surface.
Wideband aerial A TV aerial used to receive UHF channels 21-68.
Wi-Fi Wireless data transmission. Mostly used in laptop and desktop computers, but applications are being found for home entertainment devices.
Yagi A TV aerial that has a dipole, director and reflector elements.
