A Satellite receiver can send a 22KHz switch tone to connected devices such as LNBs or switches to facilitate switching of LNBs or Local Oscillators.

Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a standardized, highly efficient Audio compression and encoding scheme, it is used on Freeview HD to compress the Audio.

Traditional  UHF and VHF television was transmitted using modulated analogue signal, it is no longer used in NZ broadcasts.

Analogue switch-off or Digital Switch Over. The point at which the analogue signal was “switched off”.

The amount of spectrum required to send a signal. If MPEG compression is used, using more bandwidth will allow the image quality to be better.

The Belling-Lee connector also known as a TV aerial plug or RF connector is the traditional European antenna connector for TVs and DTT Set Top Boxes.

Satellite Receivers or Set Top Boxes may have a blind scan function which allows them to search an entire frequency range looking for DVB broadcasts. Blind Scan will find transmission frequencies and symbol rates then determine if any TV channels exist and add them to the list of channels available. This feature is useful for finding TV station feeds that are being relayed FTA by satellite.

Conditional Access Modules (CAMs) can be inserted into the CI slot of a Set Top Box  and allows decryption of encrypted TV using a viewing card.

Common Interface or EN 50221-1997 is an interface specification for interconnection of Set Top boxes and CAMs. Conditional Access Modules (CAMs) can be inserted into a Set Top Box with a CI solt and allows decryption of encrypted TV using a viewing card.

The video is separated into three parts Y (The luminosity), Pb (The Blue component), and Pr (The Red component) there is no need to send the green component as it can be calculated from the other components. Typically component video is connected using three RCA (Red, Blue and Green) connectors or a SCART connector.

The video signal combined into one signal (Composite Video Blanking and Sync). Typically composite video is connected using one RCA (Yellow) connector or a SCART connector.

Cathode Ray Tube. A CRT TV is a conventional TV-tube television. Most CRT TVs in NZ are standard definition and will display 576i.

Digital Satellite Equipment Control is a communication protocol used by a satellite receiver to control devices such as multiswitches or dish movers.

A Distribution amplifier amplifies a VHF or UHF signal, it could be used if the signal is not strong enough to provide a good analogue picture or is too weak for a Freeview HD STB to use. Splitters and Connectors have an insertion loss and cable has loss that are proportional to its length, a distribution amplifier can be used to over come these losses.

Digital terrestrial television, Freeview HD is broadcast from terrestrial transmitters and can be picked up with a UHF Antenna.

Digital Video Broadcasting - a European standard for digital television technology: DVB-S for satellite and DVB-T for terrestrial.

Digital Versatile Disc - Discs that can be used to store Video and Audio (or data).

Electronic Programme Guide - the on-screen TV guide, a listing of TV channels and programmes. You can use it to switch to the programme you want, or to select a programme to record (if you are using a PVR). The information is sent by the broadcasters with about a week of programming. Different brands of digital receiver may display this information in different ways. 

Free-to-air - a programme or service that  is not encrypted and is free to receive (no subscription is required). FTA digital TV is available through Freeview’s digital terrestrial and satellite services.

The F-Type connector is a 75ohm connector that is the standard connector for DVB-S Set Top Boxes.

High-Definition. There are a number of HD (e.g. 720p,1080i, 1080p ...) formats allowing pictures to de displayed at a higher resolution than with traditional SD or Standard Definition Television.

High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of Digital Rights Management (DRM) developed by Intel Corporation to control digital audio and video content as it travels across High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). HDCP adds encryption to the signal which can only be decrypted by a HDCP compliant TV.
For a significant proportion of their schedules NZ broadcasters are not the rights owner, therefore they must do what the rights owner requires them to do. The major international programme suppliers require HDCP or similar on high definition digital outputs for Free-to-air broadcasts.

HDCP is required for Freeview HD certified set top boxes to output HD to your TV.

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) This is a digital connection capable of sending HD signals between the set top box and TV, it is required to get HD from a Freeview HD set to box to your TV as it is capable of transmitting  HDCP.

HDCP is required for Freeview HD certified set top boxes to output HD to your TV.

Irdeto is the most common standard Encryption format used for digital content protection of digital TV in New Zealand.

This is the most commonly used frequency range for Satellite TV and extends from 11GHz to 14.5GHz.

Liquid Crystal Display. LCD TVs are a type of flat panel television that is becoming a popular replacement for conventional CRT TVs. Most are suitable for displaying HDTV.

Low Noise Block Converter. LNBs are mounted on the satellite dish and receive the signal broadcast from a satellite, they then filter out unwanted noise and convert the signal to an intermediate frequency to be sent to a set top box or other satellite tuner.

Local Oscillator. Typically the local oscillator is used to reduce the frequency of a transmission to an intermediate frequency so it can be sent to a set top box.

A Masthead amplifier amplifies a VHF or UHF signal, it is used if the signal is too weak for a Freeview HD STB to use. Splitters and Connectors have an insertion loss and cable has loss that are proportional to its length.

MHEG-5 is an interactive digital television open standard. It has been developed by the Multimedia and Hypermedia Experts Group (MHEG) and is used by some Set Top Boxes to display the Electronic Programme Guide.

Motion Picture Experts Group - coordinates standards for the digital image processing used for broadcasting digital TV. They have developed several technical standards including MPEG2 (used by Freeview’s satellite service) and MPEG4 (used by the Freeview HD DTT Service).

A digital TV multiplex is created by bundling together a group of digital TV channels so that together they fit into one broadcast stream. On analogue TV each TV channel occupied one whole VHF or UHF channel. With digital TV it is possible to multiplex a number of TV, radio, and data services into one UHF channel (for DVB-T).  E.g. Freeview HD uses 3 MUXs to broadcast a total of 14 TV and 3 Radio channels. The TVNZ MUX has TV One, TV2, TV1+1 and TV2+1, the Mediaworks MUX has TV3, FOUR, C4, and TV3+1, the Kordia Mux has Prime, Choice TV, Maori TV,  Parliament TV, Sommet Sports, Al Jazeera, The Shopping Channel, TVSN, Trackside and the regional and radio stations.*

* Freeviewshop has no control over the broadcasters, channels could be added or removed by the broadcasters.

NTSC is the television system in use in the United States and is 60Hz. New Zealand uses PAL.

Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is the television system in use in New Zealand and is 50Hz.

A plasma TV is a particular type of flat panel TV. They are popular for larger screen TVs. Many are suitable for displaying HDTV.

Personal Video Recorder - is a smart Set Top Box that records programmes to a hard drive instead of on a video tape. The hard disk may be built in or external. Programmes you want to record can be selected directly from the on-screen TV guide / EPG. Some PVRs can record several channels at the same time.

RG6 is a grade of coaxial cable used for residential and commercial Satellite and Digital Terrestrial applications. RG6 was originally a military specification of coaxial cable.

A RF Modulator allows Video and Audio to be distributed to multiple rooms in the home, but it means lower picture quality and sound.

The video is separated into three parts Red, Blue and Green. Typically RGB video is connected using a SCART cable.

A Set Top Box receives the Digital Signal from the Satellite or Terrestrial TV Transmitter and converts decodes it and output a signal to your TV. It is best to use one set top box per TV to enable you to watch different channels on each TV.

Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format is the specification for a digital audio connecton, it can be Coaxial or Optical.

SCART is a standard 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual (AV) equipment together. It can carry Composite, S-Video, RGB and Component Video (Often you can choose which of the signals will be sent)

The name used when broadcasters switch from analogue to digital by switching off the analogue transmitters. The point at which the analogue signal was “switched off”.

TV transmissions – that are broadcast over the air directly to your TV aerial from land based transmitter sites around the country.

A communications satellite’s channels are called transponders, these are often identified by their frequency. Often several channels are multiplexed together on the same transponder. E.g. Freeview uses 2 transponders to broadcast a total of 14 TV and 5 Radio channels. The 12483 TP has TV One, TV2, TV1+1, TV2+1 and Maori TV, the 12456 TP has TV3, FOUR, TV3+1, Choice, Sommet Sports, Parliament TV, CUE, Te Reo, Shine and the radio stations.*

* Freeviewshop has no control over the broadcasters, channels could be added or removed by the broadcasters.

Video Cassette Recorder a machine that records the analogue TV signal in fairly low quality. Because a VCR has only an analogue tuner built in, you need to use it with an external digital receiver to record digital TV. The same applies for a DVD recorder.

The ratio of the width to the height of a widescreen TV picture is 16 to 9, often called 16:9 format. NZ’s main TV channels are now broadcasting their programmes in this widescreen format. Older programmes were in the narrower 4:3 format.