Glossary -S-
S connector (aka s-video) — Small multipin connector carrying Y/C video signals from or to “super” VCRs.
Safe copy — A second video tape made just in case the first gets damaged or doesn’t record correctly.
Safe title area — Central portion of a graphic or a control-room monitor’s TV screen that can always be seen when the picture is viewed on misadjusted TV sets; the place where it is “safe” to put a title because you know it will all show.
Safety cord — Loop of chain, cable, or rope that fastens loosely around the lamp and the grid pipe and stops the lamp from falling if its C-clamp becomes undone.
Safety tab — A button or tab on a videocassette that can be removed to render the tape unrecordable (thus unerasable).
Sampling frequency — The number of measurements made per period of time (i.e., per second). For digital video, 13.5 million samples per second is common (also expressed as 13.5 MHz).
Sans Serif — Lettering without serifs.
SAP or supplementary audio program — Technique for broadcasting a third, additional sound track along with stereo TV signals.
SAP — Supplementary audio program-a third channel of sound broadcast using the MTS system.
Satellite receiver — The tuner part of a satellite downlink, the part that resides in your house and takes commands from your remote control.
Saturation — The purity and vividness of a color. A stop sign is saturated red. Pink, garnet, or cardinal are less saturated reds.
Saturation — The vividness of a color. Colors lacking saturation look pastel.
Scalar map — Texture map describing parts of a surface that will disappear and be replaced by other materials or surfaces.
Scan converter — Electronic device that changes the signals that a computer sends to its monitor, into video signals that can be displayed on a TV monitor or recorded on a VCR.
Scan, fast scan, or picture search — Playback of a VCR at several (up to 30) times the normal speed. Useful for skimming through a show in search of a particular event.
Scanned area — Part of a graphic “seen” by the studio camera and control room monitor but not necessarily seen on all home viewer TV sets.
Scanner — Desktop device that “looks” at a document, photo, or page of a book, and records it as a computer file. The process takes about 1/2 minute.
Scoop — light — Funnel-shaped fill light.
Scramble — Code the picture and sound signals so that they are unviewable without a descrambler (decoder) box.
Scramble — Distortion of the TV sync signals by a broadcaster or a cable company to render the picture unwatchable (it contorts and wreathes) without a descrambler.
Scramble — To make a satellite TV signal unviewable without a descrambling device and a special code (which you rent) to activate it.
Screen door effect — LCD panels and projectors sometimes show the spaces between their pixels and the image looks like it were being seen through a screen door.
Screenplay or live TV format or center column format — Script format with dialogue in the center of the page and big margins for director’s notations.
Scrim — Glass fiber or metal screen mesh which clips to front of lighting instrument to diffuse and soften light.
Scroll bar — Icon along the margin of a picture showing a marker. Move the marker and the picture scrolls (moves across the screen revealing more of the picture) up or down or sideways.
Scroll or roll — To move text vertically, as in rolling credits upward through your TV screen as you read them.
SCSI — Small Computer Systems Interface, a hard disk drive controller. Various flavors include SCSI-2, SCSI-wide, and SCSI-Ultrawide for faster speeds.
SDTV — Standard Definition Television, digitally broadcast TV signals with about the same sharpness and screen shape as today’s NTSC television.
SECAM — SEquential Color And Memory—a video standard used in much of Asia, incompatible with our NTSC system.
Seek — Ability of a VCR or camcorder to play slowly, frame-by-frame, and parking on a specific frame.
Seek time — Time it takes a disk drive to find data and begin sending it out.
Segue — (pronounced “SEG-way”) A smooth change from one sound, place, or subject to another.
Selective focus — Adjusting the focus of a lens so that one part of the picture is sharp and other parts fuzzy, useful for directing attention.
Serial — A way of sending computer data over a single wire, one command after another. Long wires are possible. Modems and mice are serial devices, as are RS-422 and RS 232 ports on a computer.
Serif — The flare or crook at the ends of some letters, like at the top and bottom of the capital letter “I”.
Servo lock — Editing VCR feature that assures vertical interval edits only at the end of even (or odd) fields.
SESAC — Society of European Stage Actors and Composers-an agency that licenses the use of copyrighted music.
Session — An event on a CD. A single session might be a series of songs on a CD or a file on a CD-ROM. CD players are capable of playing single sessions only and CDs have a single session on them.
Set light — Lighting instrument used to illuminate the background or set.
Settlement brochure — A video program showing the opposing side how much evidence there is against them, intended to increase the chance for settlement out of court.
Shield — Braided wire or foil that creates a flexible pipeline surrounding another wire, protecting it from outside electrical interference.
Shield or ground line — The woven braid around an audio wire that wards off hum and interference and is also one part of the electrical circuit.
Shielded speaker — Loudspeaker with a metal shield to keep magnetic interference from bothering nearby TVs and computer screens.
Shock mount — Protects a microphone from picking up noises as it is moved or handled.
Shot sheet — An index of all shots recorded on a tape. Includes time code numbers for each shot plus a commentary on the quality of each take.
Shot sheet — Brief list of the kinds of shots a camera operator will need to take during a show.
Shotgun mike — Microphone shaped like a gun barrel, which “listens” only in the direction it is aimed.
Shoulder pod — Cushioned device connected to the base of a camera, allowing it to rest on the operator’s shoulder.
Shutter bar — Occurs when a TV camera records a movie from a projector-a soft dark band runs through the TV picture when the projector doesn’t synchronize its shutter with the TV camera’s picture-making frequency.
Shuttle speed control — A fast scan control allowing video tape to be played slower or faster than normal-useful when hunting for edit points on a tape.
Signal splitter — Small electrical device which divides a TV signal into several components. A TV coupler could split an antenna signal into two parts for two TVs. A band splitter could divide a multichannel antenna’s single signal into separate bands such as UHF, VHF, and FM.
Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio) — A number describing how much desired signal there is compared to undesirable background noise. The higher the S/N ratio, the “cleaner” the signal.
Silk or net — Reflective or translucent material, usually in a frame, for reflecting light or softening light passing through it.
Single-channel antenna — Antenna designed to pick up one channel only.
Single-chip camera — A black-and-white camera or a color camera with a pickup chip sensitive to all colors at once.
Single-tube TV projector — Obsolete TV projector with only one TV picture tube, usually recognizable because it has only one lens snout.
Site survey — Evaluation of the place where you plan to install a satellite dish to assure there are no obstructions or interferences to the signal.
Skew — The control which adjusts the tape tension on a video tape machine to hold the picture steady during playback. When you have a skew error, the top of a TV picture flutters or pulls to the side.
Skylight filter — Slightly pink lens filter that reduces blue atmospheric haze, used mostly to protect the camera lens from dirt.
Slate — A visible and/or audible cue recorded at the beginning (or end) of a take, identifying the take number for later reference.
Slave — In the tape copying process, the videocassette recorder that actually does the recording.
Slide chain — Slide projector connected to a TV camera for converting slides to video.
Slow speed shutter — An electronic circuit in a video camera that allows the CCD chip to “see” for a period longer than the usual 1/60 second, making the camera more sensitive in low light.
Slow tracking — Adjustment on a VCR used to attain a clear picture while the tape is playing slowly or is still framed.
Smear — A temporary white vertical streak passing through bright objects in a CCD camera’s picture.
Smoothshade — Rounded surface applied to what the computer calculates to be round surfaces to give wireframes substance and realism. Smoothshades render quickly but not as quickly as flatshades.
SMPTE time code — A time code used to address every frame on a tape with a unique number to aid in logging and editing. The time code format is standardized in the United States by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
Soft key — Key effect with a fuzzy, soft edge.
Soft light — Large lighting instrument with built-in reflector for soft, shadow-free lighting. Also the kind of light that has soft shadows or no shadows.
Soft wipe — A split screen or wipe effect with a soft border where the two pictures join.
Solid or flag or cutter — Opaque fabric often in a frame, used to block light.
Sony Vbox — An interface device used to incorporate lower-end VCRs into higher-level computer editing systems.
Sound bite — A long enough stretch of acceptable sound to be useful during editing.
Sound card — Circuit installed in a computer to change audio signals into data the computer can handle and vice versa.
Sound card — Computer circuit that digitizes audio or converts digital audio back to sound signals, and perhaps plays audio from MIDI instructions.
Sound coloration — The characteristic tone a microphone gives to the sounds it picks up.
Sound mix — The process of editing and mixing numerous sounds into the final form heard by the audience.
SP — Standard play—The 2-hour speed of a VHS VCR.
Spade lugs — Small metal half-circles bonded to the ends of some twin lead cables and accessories to simplify their connection to TV antenna terminals.
Sparklies — Specks of snow in a satellite reception.
Special effects generator (SEG) — Electronic video device that creates effects such as wipes, fades, keys, etc.
Specular color — The highlight you get on shiny surfaces.
Speech compressor — Electronic circuit which changes the pitch of fast playing tape so that it sounds normal (not like the “Chipmunks”).
Speed — A measure of how much light a lens can transmit. A “faster” lens has a lower f-stop number.
SPID — Service Profile Identifier, a number telling the phone company what kind of device (phone, fax, computer) you have connected to an ISDN line.
Splice — To reattach the broken ends of tape together. Also the junction where the tape ends were attached.
Splicing — tape — In audio, special adhesive tape used to attach the ends of audio tape together for continuous playback. A “splice” is a physical “cut” in a tape followed by attaching the tape to another tape.
Splicing tape — In video, a thin adhesive tape to connect the ends of a video tape.
Split field color bars — Color bar test signal where the bars don’t go all the way down the screen; the bottom 1/3 of the screen is used for additional test signals.
Split page or split column format — Two (or more) column script format with video described on the left and audio on the right.
Split screen — A wipe that stops partway across the picture, revealing a section of the original picture and a section of the new picture.
Spot — Narrowly focused light that concentrates its intensity over a limited area.
Spotlight — Light that travels in a beam and spreads out slowly.
Spotlight — Special effect to highlight a portion of the picture as if a spotlight were aimed at it.
Stabilizer — Inexpensive processing amplifier made for home video market.
Standard lens — Inexpensive, nonzooming lens which gives a “normal” (not close-up, not wide angle) field of view.
Standards converter — A device that changes one standard of video signal (say, NTSC) into another (say, PAL) or vice versa, bridging the gap of incompatibility between standards.
Standards converter — Expensive electronic device which changes one TV standard into another (i.e., PAL into NTSC) for use with other TV equipment.
Star pattern — Lens effect creating shafts of light gleaming from any bright points of light in a picture.
Statement of purpose or treatment — Document listing in a few sentences the objective of a TV production, what the desired outcomes will be.
Steadicam — An elaborate framework of levers and springs used to hold a camera steady while the camera operator walks or climbs. A harness straps to the camera operator while the camera attaches to the other end of a movable arm.
Stepping ring — Adapter to allow a lens attachment to fit a lens of a different size.
Stereo adapter — Device that creates pseudostereo sound (fake stereo sound) from monaural sound.
Stereo imaging — Ability to discern the original positions or placement of sounds when listening to earphones or speakers.
Stereo microphone — Microphone that “hears” in two directions and sends out two separate audio signals to a stereo recorder.
Stereo separation — The amount of difference there is between the left and right stereo channels. Poor separation mixes the two together. No separation is monaural sound.
Stereo — Two separate audio channels are used at the same time. One represents what the left ear would hear and the other, the right.
Still frame audio adapter — Device to convert a still frame of encoded audio from a videodisc into several seconds of sound.
Still frame audio — Technique of turning audio into data that can be stored like a picture on a disc. With the help of a decoder, the “picture” can be “read” and converted back into 10-40 seconds of sound.
Still Store — Digital effect where an image is electronically “frozen” and displayed or mixed with other images.
Sting — Short sound effect or a few notes of music or just a chord used to introduce, segue between, or end scenes.
Stop edit — Technique of editing a video tape by stopping the VCR (pressing stop) at the end of one scene and then starting it recording again (pressing record/play) at the beginning of the next.
Storyboard — A script done in pictures, showing the sequence of shots that will make the show. NLEs allow you to make a storyboard from the picons captured from tape.
Storyboard — A series of comic-book-like sketches showing what the TV scenes should look like. The corresponding audio is typed at the bottom of each sketch.
Strike — To clear props and set pieces from the studio.
Stripe — Record time code on a tape.
Studio crane — Large studio device able to smoothly lift camera and operator high into the air.
Studio production switcher — A large active switcher/SEG that receives all the video sources (inputs from cameras, etc.) and is used to select the pictures or effects to be shown.
Subcarrier or 3.58MHz subcarrier — A color reference signal. Burst is a short sample of subcarrier that is part of the sync pulse.
Subcarrier phase — Adjustment on cameras and other video equipment which alters all the colors coming from them.
Submaster dimming control — Lighting control that fades up or down all the lights for a particular channel.
Super — SVHS, Hi8, ED Beta 3/4U-SP or any improvement to a VCR format that increases the picture sharpness above 400 lines of resolution. Sometimes called High Band.
Super VHS (S-VHS) — Improved VHS format using special tape and yielding 400 lines of resolution picture sharpness.
Superband — Cable TV channels 23-36.
Superbeta — Slightly improved totally compatible version of betamax.
Superimposer — Circuit that lays computer text over videodisc scenes so that both can be viewed together on the same TV monitor.
Superimposition — Two pictures shown atop one another. They may look semitransparent or “ghosty.” A dissolve stopped halfway.
Supplementary area — Outside edge of a graphic or control room monitor’s picture “seen” by the camera and control room monitor but not usually seen by the audience because it is just off the edge of their TV screens.
Supply reel — On a reel-to-reel tape machine, this reel contains the program you wish to play or the blank tape you wish to record.
Sustained data transfer rate — Rate at which a hard drive can continuously play data without interruption.
S-VHS — Super VHS, much improved version of VHS, downwardly compatible with VHS.
Sweep reverse — Button on a camera which switches the camera’s picture left to right or flips it upside down.
Sweetening — Manipulation of recorded sound to give it echo, filter out a noise, boost a particular frequency, or mix it with other sounds.
Swish pan — Rapid sideways movement of the camera as it goes from one scene to another causing the image to streak.
Switched digital video or SDV — Technology for sending motion video through cable TV or phone lines in real time upon request. VOD and VDT would use SDV.
Switcher — Push-button device which selects one or another camera’s picture to be viewed or recorded.
Sync — A circuit or a signal which directs the electron gun in a camera or TV picture tube to create a TV picture steadily on a screen. Sync also synchronizes the electronics of other TV equipment.
Sync generator — An electrical device which makes sync (timing) signals which synchronize TV equipment and keep TV pictures stable.
Sync generator — Electronic device that makes sync signal used to synchronize the electronics of several cameras so their pictures can be mixed together.
Sync generator — Electronic device that makes sync, the pulses that keep studio cameras, etc. electronically in step.
Synchro-edit — Simple editing protocol where one VCR controls another, activating its buttons.
Synchronization clearance — Permission acquired from music copyright holders to use parts of their music to go along with parts of your TV show.
Synthesizer — Musical device that makes sounds electronically.
