Glossary -E-
E to E — Electrical-to-electrical connection, usually a sample of the signal fed to a recorder and appearing at its output (not the signal from the tape).
Echo chamber — Device that adds echoes to an audio signal.
Echo — The repeat of a sound several times in diminished volume after the sound has ceased.
Echo — The repetition of a sound like hello, hello, hello, etc.
ED beta — Extended definition betamax. Much improved version of betamax, downwardly compatible with it.
Edging — A dark (or occasionally white) ridge around letters to make them stand out.
Edit decision list or EDL — A refined editing sheet listing each shot to be recorded, the exact time code of edit-in and -out prints for each shot, any effects to be included, their duration, and other details. Often the EDL resides on a computer disk and is the script to drive the editing VCRs during the final edit.
Edit in — Begin recording new material; the beginning of an edit.
Edit out — Cease recording new material; the end of an edit.
Edited master — Same as master tape, but created by the editing process.
Edit-in point — The first frame of raw footage video you wish to copy onto the master tape. Also the point on the master tape where you wish to start copying the footage. Both can be described by time code numbers.
Editing sheet — A plan showing which shots will be used to create the edited master. Usually time code numbers and edit-in and out points are included.
Editor controller — A remote control device that can backspace two or more editing decks, preroll them, and make them perform an edit.
Edit-out point — The last frame of raw footage video you wish to copy onto the master tape. Also the point on the master tape where you’ll stop copying the footage.
EDL — Edit Decision List.
Eff 1 (or effects bus 1) — A video source can be selected on channel A. Another source can be selected on channel B. A combination of these two can be a special effect which is available through a circuit called the effects bus. There may be several effects set up on several effects busses. Eff 1 is the name given to just one of those effects busses.
Effects — bus — Group of related buttons on video SEG/switchers to create special effects. A channel on the switcher which you can dissolve to and from, bringing a special effect onto the screen or taking it away.
Efficiency — How much of a signal is actually used (i.e., turns into audible sound) compared with how much is wasted by the electronics and simply turns into heat.
EFP — Electronic field production, producing TV shows outside the studio. Usually involves studio-quality equipment, techniques, and editing.
Egg crate or honeycomb grid — Metal fins used to direct light from a fluorescent fixture. Sometimes slats, like venetian blinds, sometimes squares, like an ice cube tray control the spread of the light.
EIRP dBw contour map — Effective Isotropic Radiated Power map used to show how a transmitter’s power is distributed geographically.
Electret condenser — Type of microphone, usually built into portable TV cameras. Sensitive and inexpensive, they have good sound fidelity.
Electric zoom — Electric motor on a lens or camera which zooms the lens at the touch of a button.
Electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter — Device that changes electrical signals to light to go over fiber.
Electronic autofocus — Circuit that “looks” at a camera’s picture to determine if it is sharp and focuses the lens appropriately.
Electronic image stabilization (EIS — ) Electronic mechanism used in cameras to reduce shakiness in the picture.
Electronic viewfinder — Tiny TV monitor mounted on a camera showing the image the way the camera sees it. It can also be used to view tapes played back in the field.
Element — Each glass part of the entire lens.
Elements — The long probes on a TV antenna.
Elevation — Up/down direction, or north/south when tracking satellites.
Encode — Modification or processing of a signal while it is being recorded, usually to make it less “noisy” during playback when the signal is decoded.
Encode — To combine component video signals into a composite video signal.
Encoded — Combined, as in the merger of Y (luminance) and C(chroma) to make NTSC, one signal. Not “component” video.
Encoder — Device used to compress picture data. You would send video through an encoder to make MPEG compressed data.
Encoder — Electronic device to combine M-S audio signals in a way to create stereo.
ENG — Electronic news gathering, portable video production for the news. Often quick-and-dirty techniques are used with minimal equipment and crew.
Engineer — Person who operates the VCRs and watches the waveform and other monitors to maintain technical standards for the signals.
EP or ELP or SLP — Extra play or extra long play or super long play—the 6-hour speed of a VHS VCR.
Equalization — A tone adjustment for audio frequencies, often needed to boost high or low tones coming from a phonograph cartridge or microphone, or audio tape head.
Erase head — Electromagnet inside a VTR upstream from the video head. The erase head demagnetizes the tape prior to the video head recording on it.
Error correction — Digital method of checking if all the numbers were transmitted or recorded correctly, and if not, resending them or estimating them.
Establishing shot — An introductory shot showing viewers where the scene takes place.
Event — A single title or transition from one title to another.
Event video — The recording of a special event, such as a wedding, baptism, dance recital or graduation.
Executive producer — A business manager for a TV production company; a higher-level authority dealing with policies, corporate posture, and money raising; not generally involved with production details.
Expander — Opposite of a compressor, an electronic audio device that extends the range of volumes in an audio signal, making loud parts louder than they actually were. Undoes the effects of a compressor, making compressed audio sound more normal.
Express or direct access tuning — TV tuner which selects the channel and fine-tunes it after you punch the channel number into a calculator-type keypad.
External key — Key effect where the dark and light parts of one camera’s image determine which of two other cameras’ pictures will be shown. Also, the absence or presence of a color could be used to determine which parts of two other images would be shown.
External sync — Electronic pulses, coming from outside the TV camera, which synchronize the camera’s picture with other cameras in the studio so the pictures can be mixed or switched.
Externally locked — A VCR that “listens” to an outside video signal and tries to coordinate its own signal to match the other’s timing. Such a VCR can synchronize its sync to another source’s sync.
