a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Jargon Buster - P

PAL
The television system used in UK.

PCM
Pulse Code Modulation. This is the uncompressed format used by a CD player and provides sonically superior performance to any compressed format such as MP3.

PDA
Personal Digital Assistant. Term used to describe any small, electronic organiser.

PDC
PDC (Programme Delivery Control) is a method of controlling video cassette recorders so that rescheduled or delayed programmes are recorded in their entirety. PDC, also known as StarText and VPS, is a European TV standard.

Picture in Picture
Facility on TVs to view more than one channel within smaller windows on the TV, can also be used to display picture and text where indicated.

Pixel
Picture Element. A point of light that forms part of a video or photographic image.

Plasma
Technology that uses electrical impulses that react with gases contained to produce pixels. Plasma televisions are increasing in demand due to their light weight and positioning flexibility as opposed to traditional CRT television sets.

Plug and Play
Generic term for any equipment that can be used without a complicated set up.

Progressive Scan
An advanced method of viewing video images that provides better quality than traditional interlaced images.