B
two-way data circuit, such as a coaxial cable
or satellite circuit. This upstream channel
usually has lower bandwidth than the forward
channel.
B8ZS (binary 8 zero substitution or bipolar 8
zero substitution) (n.) A process used with
DS-1 signals to maintain ones density, in which
a special code is substituted for eight consecutive zeros and marked by two bipolar violations. B8ZS allows the use of a full 64kb/s DS-0
for data transmission. This technique is not
compatible with older Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI) equipment.
backdoor (n.) A breach that designers or
maintainers purposely leave in the security of
a system. Some operating systems are shipped
with privileged accounts, or backdoors, intended for use by field service technicians or
the maintenance programmers. Also referred
to as a trapdoor or wormhole.
babbling tributary (n.) In LAN technology
jargon, a workstation that constantly sends
meaningless messages.
back-electromotive force (back-emf )(n.) Also
known as back-voltage, this is a phenomenon
found in all moving-coil electromagnetic systems, like loudspeakers. After a signal stops, the
speaker cone continues moving, causing the
voice coil to move through the magnetic field,
creating a new voltage moving in the opposite
direction. If the loudspeaker is allowed to do
this, the cone vacillates in an undesirable way.
To prevent back-emf, the loudspeaker must receive zero ohms from the source. See damping
factor.
backbone (n., adj.) In relation to networks, the
primar y trunk or high-speed connection
within a network that connects shorter, often
slower, stub and transit networks. It carries the
heaviest traffic and is the top level in a hierarchical network. Stub and transit networks that
connect to the same backbone are guaranteed
to be interconnected.
backbone site (n.) A major Internet, Usenet,
or mail site that processes a great deal of thirdparty traffic. Important backbone sites since
early 1993 include UUNet, the mail machines
at the University of California at Berkeley, and
the Western Research Laboratories of Digital
Equipment Corporation (DEC).
back-emf See back-electromotive force.
back end (n.) Software that performs the last
stage of a process, executing a task that is transparent to the user. The term refers to network
applications that run on a server without mak-
back channel (n.) Return connection in a
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background
ing the client aware of their operations.
<zip-code> <end-of-line-character>
background (n.) 1. The area of a screen or
frame over which images or objects are placed;
the most distant element in composite layering. 2. The place where less critical events or
operations are conducted during shared processing in a multitasking environment. Print
spooling while a document is being edited is
an example, as is the ability to receive a facsimile while performing other computing
functions.
In translation, this would yield the name of a
city followed by a comma, a state code, and a
zip code followed by an end-of-line (EOL)
character.
background music (n.) Music without lyrics
and typically not performed by the original
artist, used to replace silence.
back light (v.) To illuminate a subject from
behind in a video production or camera shoot,
creating a sense of depth by separating the foreground from the background. This process can
result in silhouetting if done improperly.
backplane (n.) High-speed communications
bus to which individual components are connected, such as expansion cards on a PC.
back up (v.) To record an archival copy of data
on a storage medium.
backup (n., adj.) The copy of data that is recorded and stored for archival purposes, typically offline.
Backus-Naur form (BNF) (n.) High-level syntax that can be used to express context-free
grammars formally. This type of notation is
rarely documented but is commonly used to
specify the syntax of programming languages.
The BNF for a city, state, and zip code would
appear as follows:
<address> ::= <city-name> "," <state-code>
40
bad sector (n.) Area on the surface of a disk that
is unable to hold data reliably due to damaged
formatting or a flaw in the medium itself.
bad track table (n.) Label attached to a hard
disk drive case identifying flawed tracks. The
low-level formatting program initially used to
define tracks and sectors on the disk contains
this information.
balance control (n.) Found on professional
and consumer stereo preamplifiers, a balance
control is used to change the relative power
between the left and right channels. One channel is apparently strengthened by attenuating
the opposite channel. In analog designs, this is
accomplished by the use of a dual potentiometer with an “M-N taper.” An M-N taper consists of a “shorted” output for the first 50% of
travel and then a linear taper for the last 50%
of travel, operating in reverse for each channel. With the control in the center detent position, there is no attenuation of either channel.
Rotating it causes one channel to be attenuated, while having no effect on the other channel. Contrast with crossfader.
balanced circuit (n.) Any circuit in which two
branches are electrically alike and symmetrical
with respect to a common ground. The two
lines in the circuit are driven equally and oppositely with respect to ground. The receiving circuits have matching impedances, which provides common mode rejection. Balanced lines
are used to connect speakers and to connect
data signals, as in the RS-422 specification. The
bandwidth
signal is transmitted over one wire and received
back on another wire. The shield does not carry
any information, and it must be earth
grounded at each end to be successful. The
ground is not needed to transmit the signal,
only for shielding and safety purposes. In an
unbalanced circuit, the signal is transmitted
between one wire and the shield cable. The circuit flows through the wire and back through
the shield cable connected to ground. The
ground serves as the return path, and the circuit does not work without it. A balanced circuit has great common-mode rejection, or
noise canceling properties. Induced noise appears equally (commonly) on each wire. A good
balanced circuit has exactly equal impedance
between each line relative to the ground, with
equal noise susceptibility. The balanced input
stage amplifies only the difference between the
lines and rejects all noise that is common to the
lines.
balanced line (n.) A grounded line with two
conductors that carry equal voltages that are
opposite in polarity. In a balanced-to-ground
line, the impedance-to-ground levels in both
conductors are equal in strength. Audio connections made with this type of line are less
susceptible to interference and radio frequency
(RF) noise.
balanced-to-ground (n.) An implied threewire circuit, where the impedance-to-ground
on one wire equals the impedance-to-ground
on the other wire. This is the preferred method
of transmitting data, according to the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) RS-422
standard.
balun (n.) Abbreviation of balanced-unbalanced, jargon used by radio engineers that refers to the balanced to unbalanced transformer
used to interface with a radio antenna. It also
applies to any interface (usually a transformer)
between balanced and unbalanced circuits. A
balun may also transform impedance, as in a
common 300 ohm balanced to 75 ohm unbalanced line converter used to connect balanced
twisted-pair cabling with unbalanced coaxial
cable.
band (n.) Frequency range between two defined limits. The audio band of frequencies that
can be detected by the human ear lies between
approximately 20 Hz and 20 kHz.
band-limiting filter (n.) A low-pass filter and a
high-pass filter in series, which act together to
restrict the overall frequency range of a system.
bandpass filter (n.) 1. A filter that allows a finite number of frequencies to pass through,
with neither of the high or low cutoff frequencies set to zero or infinity. The cutoff frequencies in an audio filter are often set to define
the half power points, such as plus or minus 3
dB. 2. In an asymmetric digital subscriber line
(ADSL), the voice frequency band of 300 Hz
is blocked and redirected to a telephone set by
a bandpass filter. All other frequencies are
passed through to the modem or transceiver.
A plain old telephone service (POTS) splitter
is essentially a combination low-pass and highpass filter, in which frequencies below 10 kHz
go to the phone service, and frequencies between 15 kHz and 1 MHz go to ADSL.
bandwidth (n.) 1. The transmission capacity
of an electronic medium, such as network wiring, fiber-optic cable, or microwave links. 2.
The range of signal frequencies in which a piece
of audio or video gear can operate. 3. The difference between high and low limiting frequencies. See the accompanying table for commonly accepted definitions of bandwidths in
telecommunications and broadcasting. The
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public telephone system has a bandwidth of
about 3 kHz. 4. In audio, the numerical difference between the upper and lower cutoff points
of a band of frequencies. This number is used
to calculate the quality factor, or “Q,” of a filter. See figure and table.
relation to the Internet, this is a rectangular
box that appears on a web page and which is
linked to a site. It typically contains a logo and
a marketing blurb intended to attract visitors
to the site.
bar (n.) A unit of atmospheric pressure equal
to ten newtons per square centimeter.
100 5001K 2K 5K
10K
bar code (n.) A pattern of parallel lines whose
variable thickness and separation encode a
message that an optical scanner or wand can
read and that a computer can then decode.
Many businesses use a bar code as a universal
product code (UPC) on retail items, and libraries use it to catalog books. It can be used to
control videodisc playback as well. See figure.
bandwidth between 1K and 5K is shaded
bang path (n.) A specified series of machine
names through which a mail message from one
user to another will pass. It is possible to identify an explicit Unix-to-Unix CoPy (UUCP)
path through which email is to be routed. See
also mail path or Unix-to-Unix CoPy.
banner (n.) 1. Any title page automatically
added to a print job by a print spooler. 2. In
bar code
Definitions of Bandwidths in Broadcasting and Telecommunications
Acronym
ELF
ILF
VLF
LF
MF
HF
VHF
UHF
SHF
EHF
42
Definition
Extremely Low Frequency
Infra Low Frequency
Very Low Frequency
Low Frequency
Medium Frequency
High Frequency
Very High Frequency
Ultra-High Frequency
Super High Frequency
Extremely High Frequency
Frequency Range
under 300 Hz
300 Hz–3 kHz
3 kHz–30 kHz
30 kHz–300 kHz
300 kHz–3 MHz
3 MHz–30 MHz
30 MHz–300 MHz
300 MHz–3 GHz
3 GHz–30 GHz
30 GHz–300 GHz
Basic Rate Interface
barker channel (n.) Cable TV channel dedicated to promoting pay-per-view events, most
often by displaying crawling text.
barn doors (n.) A set of folding flaps that cover
the front of a video light and are adjusted to
control dispersion.
barrel distortion (n.) The situation in which
the vertical sides of a video display area curve
outward. Compare pincushion distortion. See
figure.
barrel distortion
barrier strip (n.) Another term for a terminal
strip connector.
baseband (n.) A transmission medium with
capacity for a single channel, often found in a
local area network (LAN). In a baseband LAN,
the entire capacity of the cable is used to transmit a single digital signal. All data transmitted
or received on the cable shares one channel and
travels at a very high speed, which allows each
device to use the channel for a brief period.
All attached devices, such as computers and
peripherals, take turns using the same cable.
In videoconferencing applications, baseband
refers to audio and video signals that are transmitted over separate cables. Compare with
broadband.
baseband signaling (n.) The transmission of
a digital or analog signal at its original fre-
quencies in its original form, not altered by
modulation.
base multitimbral specification (n.) A synthesizer subsystem standard that Multimedia
Personal Computer (MPC) audio board
manufacturers follow in implementing MIDI
playback. According to this specification, three
pitched tones are available at once to play up
to six notes, and two percussive timbres can
play two percussive notes.
base station (n.) In telephony, a transmission
and reception station for handling cellular traffic, typically with an antenna, a microwave dish,
and electronic circuitry. It is also referred to as a
cell site, because it holds one or more transmitting (TX) or receiving (RX) cells. Base stations
are constructed and placed on structures that
are elevated over the coverage area. A group of
base stations within an area form a wireless network. Most 800 MHz sites are spaced 6–8 miles
apart, and 1900 MHz sites are spaced about 2
miles apart. In wireless LAN applications, a base
station is the access point to the LAN.
BASIC See Beginners’ All-Purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code.
Basic Encoding Rules (BER) (n.) Standard
method of encoding data units. This method
is described in Abstract Syntax Notation One
(ASN/1), which refers to the abstract syntax
description language used to encode data, not
a specific encoding technique.
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) (n.) A file
that contains system control instructions for a
microcomputer. Instructions in the ROM of
the BIOS help start up a system and define the
existing input and output connections.
Basic Rate Interface (BRI) (n.) One of the com43
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batch compression
mon interfaces used in an Integrated Services
Digital Network (ISDN). It consists of two fullduplex bearer B-channels at 64 kilobits per second (Kbps), along with a data D-channel at
16 Kbps. The B-channels can accommodate
videoconferencing, voice, or facsimile data,
whereas the D-channel handles private data. The
BRI “U” interface uses two wires, whereas the
BRI “T” interface uses four wires.
batch compression (n.) Grouping two or more
files together to be compressed sequentially,
avoiding the need to start each compression
job manually.
batch file (n.) In MS-DOS, a text-based file with
the file name extension .bat that carries out commands when executed. Batch files can be used to
avoid retyping commands, to load other programs, or to change a computer’s parameters.
Batch processing consists of the continuous execution of a series, or batch, of commands.
baud (n.) A communication channel’s capacity, as measured in symbols or transitions per
second. This measurement is equivalent to
bits per second (bps) only for two-level
modulation with no framing or stop bits. A
symbol is a unique state of the communication channel, distinguishable by the receiver
from all other possible states. The term baud
was originally a unit of telegraph signaling
speed, set at one Morse code dot per second.
It was proposed at the International Telegraph
Conference of 1927 and named after J.M.E.
Baudot (1845–1903), the French engineer
who constructed the first successful teleprinter. The term baud causes much confusion and is usually best avoided. The use of
bits per second (bps), bytes per second (Bps),
or—more accurately—characters per second
(cps) is recommended.
Baudot code (n.) Data transfer code used for
44
teletype (TTY), radio teletype (RTTY), and telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD).
This 5-bit code has undergone numerous revisions.
Baxandall tone control (n.) A commonly used
type of active bass and treble tone control circuit based on research by British engineer P.J.
Baxandall in 1952. The Baxandall design exhibits very low harmonic distortion, which is
accomplished by using negative feedback.
bay (n.) In the physical frame of a microcomputer case, a space for installing an internal
drive or a peripheral.
Bayonet-Neill-Concelman (BNC) (n.) A
round connector attached to the end of a coaxial cable and used in video applications. It is
pushed onto the receptacle and then locked
with clockwise twisting. See figure.
female
male
BNC connectors
BBS See bulletin board system.
BCC See blind carbon copy or block check character.
BCD notation See binary-coded decimal notation.
B-channel (n.) An ISDN user channel that carries digital data at 64 kilobits per second
(Kbps). It can carry a mixture of data types,
including voice data that is encoded with pulse
code modulation (PCM).
Bell standards
Because It’s Time Network (BITNET) (n.)
Network that was widely used by educational
institutions in the 1980s and that had nodes
on hundreds of college campuses. It was officially discontinued in 1996.
Beginners’ All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction
Code (BASIC) (n.) An algebraic computer programming language that was designed by John
G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth
College in 1963. The language employs “ifthen” logic statements and other English commands as well as mathematical formulas.
BASIC interpreters became standard features
in mainframes and minicomputers.
bel (n.) A unit of pressure equal to ten decibels. The term originally was used in telephony
to define the amount lost in a signal level over
a one-mile distance of telephone wire.
Bellcore (n.) Bell Communications Research;
a company owned by the seven Regional Bell
Operating Companies (RBOCs) that was
formed in 1984 with the divestiture of AT&T.
Its mission was to provide centralized research
and development services for the RBOCs. It
has also coordinated communications for the
federal government. Bellcore was purchased in
1996 by Science Applications International
Corporation (SAIC).
Bell 43401 (n.) A publication from Bell that
defines the requirements for data transmission
over DC-continuous, private metallic circuits
provided by the telephone company, primarily for limited-distance applications.
Bell Operating Company (BOC) (n.) The
name of any of the 22 regulated telephone
companies formed by the divestiture of the
former AT&T Bell System. They were created
in December 1983 by a consent decree between
AT&T and the U.S. government. As part of this
agreement, they were permitted to carry local
(intraLATA) traffic exclusively and forced to
hand off long-distance (interLATA) traffic to
competitive exchanges (interexchange carriers,
or IXCs). The seven Regional Bell Operating
Companies (RBOCs) are known as Baby Bells.
These holding companies are made up of
some, but not all, of the 22 BOCs. The RBOCs
are Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth,
NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, SBC Communications,
and US West. RBOCs are generally known as
local exchange carriers (LECs).
Bell standards (n.) A set of standards defined
by AT&T for modem communications, numbered as follows:
•
Bell 103: Any AT&T 300-bps modem that
provides asynchronous transmission with
both originate and answer capabilities.
Frequency shift keying (FSK) type.
•
Bell 113: Any AT&T 300-bps modem that
provides asynchronous transmission with
either originate or answer capabilities, not
both. FSK type.
•
Bell 201, 201B, and 201C: Any AT&T
2400-bps modem that provides synchronous transmission. 201B applies to fullduplex public telephone line operation;
201C applies to half-duplex public telephone line operation. Differential phase
shift keying (DPSK) type.
•
Bell 202: Any AT&T 1800-bps modem that
provides asynchronous transmission and
uses a four-wire circuit for full-duplex
operation. Also describes an AT&T 1200bps modem that provides asynchronous
transmission and that uses a two-wire circuit for half-duplex operation. FSK type.
•
Bell 208, 208A, and 208B: Any AT&T
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4800-bps modem that provides synchronous transmission. Bell 208A refers to
leased-line applications, whereas 208B was
designed for public telephone line operation. Phase shift keying (PSK) type.
•
Bell 209: Any AT&T 9600-bps modem that
provides synchronous transmission and
that uses a four-wire leased-line circuit for
full-duplex operation. Combined PSK
and amplitude shift keying (ASK) type or
quadrature amplitude modulation
(QAM) type.
•
Bell 212 and 212A: Any AT&T 1200-bps
modem that provides synchronous transmission and that uses a public telephone
line for full-duplex operation. PSK type.
benchmark (n.) A task or series of tasks used
to test the capabilities of a processor or system
for speed and performance.
bending radius (n.) The least amount of curvature that can be put into a cable under a
specified degree of tension. It affects the size
of bends in conduits and the size of openings
at pull boxes where loops can form. It is a critical aspect of cable deployment, particularly
in hybrid fiber networks and fiber-optic cable
systems.
BeOS (n.) An operating system for desktop
computers created by Be, Inc. It is optimized
for streaming media, both audio and video.
The 64-bit multithreaded system is compatible with multiprocessors and has built-in
Internet services in an efficient design.
BER See Basic Encoding Rules or bit error rate.
Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) (n.)
Domain name system (DNS) developed and
46
distributed by the University of California at
Berkeley. It is commonly used by Internet
hosts.
Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) (n.)
Implementation of the Unix operating system
and utilities developed by the University of
California at Berkeley. The version number of
the distribution is typically used to identify it;
4.3 BSD is version 4.3 of the Berkeley Unix distribution. It is commonly used on machines
that serve as an Internet host.
Bernoulli principle (n.) The airfoil principle
named for the Swiss mathematician Daniel
Bernoulli (1700–1782). This principle states
that pressure in a fluid decreases with the rate
of flow. It has been applied to the design of
removable media and disk drives.
bespoke (adj.) Describes custom-made computer-based training software or courseware.
Bessel crossover (n.) An audio speaker crossover circuit design with flat phase response and
decreasing amplitude response. Linear phase
response reduces ringing from sudden transitions between signal levels, but it exhibits a
sluggish roll-off rate.
best-effort (adj.) A phrase used to identify lowpriority network traffic on the Internet. Realtime communication, such as video and audio
streams that require a minimum bandwidth
and latency, is given a higher priority. Email
can tolerate an arbitrary delay, so it is classified as a best-effort service.
betacam (n.) A professional-quality 0.5-inch
video recording and playback format developed by Sony. Betacam is portable and provides video quality comparable to 1-inch
videotape. Betacam SP is a higher-quality ver-
bias
sion that uses true component video signals.
Betamax (n., adj.) A consumer videotape format developed by Sony, sometimes referred to
as Beta. The format calls for 0.5-inch
(12.65 mm) tape in a 6-inch x 3.75-inch
(155 mm x 95 mm) cassette. Although the format offers superior resolution, it was eclipsed
in popularity by the VHS system developed by
Matsushita and JVC.
beta test (n.) A second and final test for a software product, usually done by actual users in
real-world situations with the beta release.
bezel (n.) The housing that encases the front
of a video monitor. Touch screens usually have
a large bezel for their controlling electronics.
Pronounced “BEHZ-ul.”
Bézier curve (n.) A graphic element defined
by a formula consisting of two anchor points
and two vector values, as opposed to a bitmap.
See also vector data. Pronounced “behz-ee-yay.”
See figure.
handle
anchor point
Bézier curve
B-frame (n.) (Bi-directional frame) An MPEG
frame that is defined in part by the difference
between both the previous and the following
frames. B-frames do not contain enough data
to make up an entire picture, and therefore cannot be edited independently.
BGP See Border Gateway Protocol.
BGs (n.) Background sounds that are mixed
in an audio production. Typically, they are
environmental sounds, such as crowds or outdoor noises, edited to fit the length of a scene
or spot. Pronounced “BEE-gees.”
bias (n.) In audio engineering, a high-frequency signal in the 100 kHz range, recorded
on magnetic tape along with the audio signal
to compensate for the tape characteristics. The
characteristic frequency response would be
very narrow if just the audio signal were recorded on tape, and low-frequency distortion
would be high. With the bias adjusted properly, the frequency response is relatively flat
across the audible range. With bias set too low,
bass distortion will be audible, and with too
much bias, the high frequency response will
drop off. Engineers usually set the bias so that
the reproduction of a 10 kHz tone (at 15 ips)
is as high as possible, then to increase the bias
until the reproduced level drops a small
amount. This is called overbias. The amount
of optimal overbias differs from one tape to
another. Bias is necessary because of the phenomenon of inertia. A tape contains many
small magnetic particles called domains. These
domains are exposed to a magnetic field from
the record head and oscillate in polarity as the
AC signal voltage changes. These small domains have their own inertia. Each time the
analog signal moves from positive to negative
and back again, the voltage passes the zero
point for an instant. At this moment, the domain is at rest, and there is a short period of
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inertia before it starts moving again. The high
frequency of a bias signal ensures that the domains are always kept in motion, negating the
effect of inertia at audio frequencies.
form ensures that a stable analog filter results
in a stable digital filter, preserving the frequencydomain characteristics.
binary 8 zero substitution See B8ZS.
bid (v.) To vie for connectivity or access among
other competing lines that address the same bus.
bidirectional (adj.) 1. Describes the capability
to transmit data in two directions, both sending and receiving, but not necessarily the capability to do so simultaneously. 2. Describes
a microphone pattern that picks up sounds
equally well on the two opposing sides. See
microphone pattern.
bifilar windings (n.) In professional audio, this
describes a pair of adjacent wires used to wind
a transformer. The technique provides unity
coupling and reduces leakage inductance.
big-endian (adj.) Describes the method of storing and transmitting binary data so that the
most significant bit (or byte) is at the head, or
beginning of a packet. The term is adapted
from the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels by
Jonathan Swift; they debated whether softboiled eggs should be opened at the big end or
the little end. Compare little-endian.
big iron (n.) Fast, powerful computers. The
term originally described Cray supercomputers
and some IBM mainframes.
bilinear filtering (n.) A means of predicting
the most appropriate pixel value in a three-dimensional texture on the screen, based on interpolation from the four adjacent pixels in the
texture.
bilinear transform (n.) A mathematical
method used in the transformation of an analog function into an equivalent digital function. In audio applications, a bilinear trans48
binary code (n.) A code in which each element
has one of two possible values, a 1 or a 0, expressed by the presence or absence of a pulse
or a high- or low- voltage level in the circuitry.
binary-coded decimal notation (BCD notation) (n.) A binary number system in which
each digit in decimal notation is represented
by adding four digits in binary notation. Multiple sets of four-digit groupings are used to
represent larger decimal numbers. The weighting of binary digits in each column is 8, 4, 2, 1.
The number five, 0101, is the result of adding
4 plus 1. Here are more examples:
0 = 0000
1 = 0001
2 = 0010
3 = 0011
4 = 0100
5 = 0101
6 = 0110
7 = 0111
8 = 1000
9
10
11
23
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99
213
952
= 1001
= 0001
= 0001
= 0010
= 0100
= 0111
= 1001
= 0010
= 1001
0000
0001
0011
1000
0110
1001
0001 0011
0101 0010
binary digit (bit) (n.) A numeral in the basetwo binary notation system; a 1 or a 0.
binary file (n.) A file that contains nontextual
data, such as an image or an application.
binary notation (n.) The base-two numbering system that uses the digits 1 and 0. This
system can be used to represent any type of
data. Logic circuits can define these two digits
as different states in many ways. Binary notation is not divided into discrete groups of four
digits like binary-coded decimal notation. The
bit
value of each column increases by a power of
two, from right to left (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64).
Here are examples:
0 = 0000
1 = 0001
2 = 0010
3 = 0011
4 = 0100
5 = 0101
6 = 0110
7 = 0111
8 = 1000
9 = 1001
10
11
12
13
14
16
32
37
64
74
= 1010
= 1011
= 1100
= 1101
= 1110
= 10000
= 100000
= 100101
= 1000000
= 1001010
binary phase shift keying (BPSK) (n.) Digital
modulation scheme used for upstream signaling on hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) networks.
binary synchronous communication (BSC;
bisync, pronounced “BYE-sink”) (n.) An industry-standard IBM communications protocol that is character- or byte-oriented. A defined
set of control characters is used to synchronize
the transmission of binary-coded data between
two stations, both of which must be synchronized prior to data transmission.
binary transfer (n.) A method of transferring
information between computers that involves
the use of error correction protocol, such as
XModem or Systems Network Architecture
(SNA). This method is useful if the data is not
purely text-based ASCII characters.
binaural audio (n.) Two audio tracks that are
recorded with special microphone placement
for each track to give the listener a perception
of depth, or three-dimensional sound, when
the tracks are played back together. This is different from simple stereo audio.
BIND See Berkeley Internet Name Domain.
BinHex (n.) Process that converts an eight-bit
file into a seven-bit ASCII code with the file
name extension .hqx. A file is converted to lines
of letters, numbers, and punctuation. BinHex
files can be sent through email systems and
stored on any type of computer, because they
consist exclusively of text and do not require
that a system be “eight-bit clean.” Converting
a file to text makes it larger, so it takes longer
to transmit a BinHex type of file.
BIOS See Basic Input/Output System.
bipolar (b) (adj.) In semiconductors, a design
based on the flow of current across a PN junction. See PNP.
bipolar 8 zero substitution See B8ZS.
bipolar transmission (n.) A signaling method
used in digital transmission in which a signal
carrying a binary value alternates between
positive and negative polarities. The signal
amplitude can represent a 0 or 1 at either polarity, and the spaces with no value are represented by zero amplitude.
bis (n.) The second version of an original
CCITT standard. In common usage, the term
appears after the “V.x” designation, as in
“V.42bis,” which refers to a modem specification. The third version in a succession is referred to as “V.xter,” as in “V.27ter.”
B-ISDN See Broadband Integrated Services
Digital Network.
bisync See binary synchronous communication.
bit (n.) Binary digit; representing a single unit
(either 0 or 1) of data, it is the smallest unit in
computer information handling. Computer
processing capability is evaluated by the num49
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bit-block transfer
ber of bits handled at once. PCs use 8-, 16-, 32-,
or 64-bit microprocessors.
bit-block transfer (n.) A technique for moving
pixel blocks in memory onto a monitor. More
efficient than moving individual bits or bytes,
this method is referred to as blitting.
bit clock (n.) A synchronizing signal that serves
as a reference for the rate of individual data
bits moving through an interface.
bit depth (n.) On computer monitors, each
pixel can be represented by a variable number
of bits used to describe the pixel’s color. Bit
depth is the number of bits used in this capacity. A bit depth of two means that only black
or white pixels can be shown, a bit depth of
four allows the display of 16 colors, a bit depth
of eight allows 256 colors, a bit depth of 16
represents 65 536 colors, and 24-bit color yields
16.7 million colors.
bit error (n.) A case in which the value of an
encoded bit is altered in transmission, and it
is interpreted incorrectly by the receiver.
bit error rate (BER) (n.) A unit of measurement defining the number of bit writing errors compared with the total number of bits
received during a transmission, or the percentage of bits in error found in a given volume or
area of storage medium.
bitmap (n.) 1. An image defined by discrete
values that are assigned to each pixel. 2. A common PC graphics file format in which the image is stored as a pattern of dots with the file
name extension .bmp.
BITNET See Because It’s Time Network.
bit-oriented (adj.) Describes a communications protocol or transmission procedure in
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which control information is encoded in fields
of one or more bits. It is intended for full-duplex link operation. Bit orientation requires less
overhead and is more efficient than byte oriented protocols.
bit rate (n.) The speed at which data is moved,
expressed in bits per second (bps). If a file size
is known and the data transfer rate at which it
streams is known, it is possible to determine
the duration of time that an audio or video
file will play, based on its size. To calculate the
duration of playback for an existing MPEG file
of known size and bit rate, divide the file size
by the data transfer rate. A 5-MB (megabyte)
file equals 5000 KB (kilobytes). If the data
transfer rate is 150 KBps, the 5000-KB file contains 33 seconds of running video (5000 divided by 150). A bit rate expressed in megabits
per second (Mbps) is a factor of 8.192 times
the same rate expressed in kilobytes per second (KBps), because a kilobyte is equal to 1024
bits times 8.
bits per inch (bpi) (n.) The number of units
of binary data that can be written within the
area of a square inch on the surface of a disk
or other type of storage medium.
bits per second (bps) (n.) A rate of data transfer, not to be confused with Bps, which refers
to bytes per second.
bitstream transmission (n.) The transmission
of characters at a fixed rate of speed. No stop
and start elements are used, and there are no
pauses between bits of data in the stream.
bit stuffing (n.) The process of adding bits, or
marks, to a data stream. It is used in bit-oriented data link protocols to prevent the “flag”
sequence (01111110) from entering the data
block. It is also used to balance the input/output (I/O) flow in asynchronous data commu-
blue screen
nications buffers for DS-2 and DS-3 applications.
BlackBerry (n.) A two-way wireless device
develope d by Research in Motion in
Ontario, Canada. The device allows users to
receive email and voice mail (translated into
text) and page other users over a wireless
network service. Also known as a RIM device, it has a miniature QWERTY keyboard
for typing messages. It uses the Short Messaging Service protocol (SMS). To transmit
data, BlackBerry users must subscribe to a
wireless service.
black box (n.) An electronic circuit or assembly that can be isolated from a system in order
to perform a special function, such as controlling an external peripheral.
blackburst (n.) Also known as house sync, a
timing signal or clock reference consisting of
a video signal without a picture or any positional information.
blanking interval (n.) 1. In a video display, the
short duration at the end of a scan line when
the signal is suppressed and when the beam repositions itself. 2. The time it takes a video player
to locate the next frame to display. See figure.
scan
lines
blanking
interval
blanking interval between scan lines
bleed (n.) The blurring of color borders in a
video image or in printed graphics. The result
is color that overruns its defined boundary.
blending (n.) The combination of two pixels
in the context of a graphic.
blind carbon copy (BCC) (n.) Part of an email
header that lists addresses to which a message
should be sent but that will not be seen by all
recipients. It is defined in RFC 822 and supported by many mail systems.
blinkenlights (n.) Humorous jargon for frontpanel lights found on electronic equipment.
block (n.) 1. In a CD-ROM or CD-i, the user
data portion of a logical sector. 2. Any group
of bits transmitted as a unit or packet. It contains control delimiters at the beginning and
end, a header, a data stream, and check characters used for error correction.
block check character (BCC) (n.) A control
character appended to each packet of data that
is transmitted in blocks. The BCC allows the
receiver to check for errors and request retransmission if necessary.
block diagram (n.) Rough graphical layout of
a system’s logical structure.
block error correct (v.) To add 276 bytes of
error correction code to the end of each block
of data while premastering a CD-ROM, allowing errors in the user data block to be corrected.
blocking (n.) The inability of a network,
switch, or access node to grant service to a requesting user due to the unavailability of a
transmission channel.
Blue Book standard (n.) 1. The format used
by CDs that are designed for laser disc players.
2. One of the four standard references from
Adobe Systems on the page-layout and graphics-control language PostScript. The other
guides are known as the Green Book, the Red
Book, and the White Book.
blue screen (n.) A solid blue background used
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blue screen of death
when shooting video with special lighting so
that the background can be “keyed” out, leaving only the subject, which may be placed over
any background of the compositor’s choice.
This is the technique used by television weather
forecasters, who appear with a map juxtaposed
behind them.
blue screen of death (n.) Jargon for the condition of a monitor after a Windows NT system
suffers an error from which it cannot recover.
Bluetooth (n.) In 1998, Intel and Microsoft
established an industry consortium that included IBM, Toshiba, Ericsson, and Nokia with
the goal of standardizing data transfer and synchronization between various mobile devices
over short distances. The consortium named
their technology after BlueTooth, the 10th century Danish king who unified Denmark. The
technology itself is intended to provide a single
protocol through which digital devices may
communicate. The Bluetooth consortium
listed over 1800 members in 2001.
Bluetooth is a standard for wireless communications between devices in a personal area
network (PAN) using radio frequency for a
range of approximately 10 meters. The technology uses radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band.
No line of sight is required. It operates in a
confined area, but supports multipoint connections, not just point-to-point. Bluetooth
can support data transfer rates of 1 to 2 Mbps,
with higher speeds expected as the technology
evolves. Any two devices that follow the standard can communicate and exchange data
without a connecting cable. A group of devices,
such as a mobile phone, a digital camera, and
a handheld computer could network with each
other simultaneously if they were all compatible with the standard.
Several manufacturers, including Intel, have
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designed the sending and receiving radio frequency chip sets for installation in Bluetooth
appliances. In 2002 it is expected that products
deploying the technology will be available to
consumers. Component products that can be
integrated into finished products are available
now. Version 1.1 of the specification was released in April 2001.
Blumlein, Alan Dower (1903–1942) An English engineer who over 15 years participated
in writing 128 patents. He developed stereophonic sound, designed new uses for microphones, and designed a lateral disc-cutting system that made vinyl records possible. He also
helped develop the 405-line TV system broadcast used in Great Britain and improved radar
system designs.
blur filter (n.) A type of image filter that averages pixels together to soften the picture. It is
used to minimize subtle differences between
frames of compressed video.
BMP (n.) A three-character MS-DOS extension at the end of a file name that identifies
the file as containing a bitmapped pattern (for
example, filename.bmp).
BNC See Bayonet-Neill-Concelman.
BNF See Backus-Naur form.
board (n.) Short for printed circuit board; an
internal plug-in unit with printed circuit wiring and components. It can control some essential function of the computer’s central
processor or provide a special feature, such as
telecommunications, audio, or video control
and display. Also known as a card.
boat anchor (n.) Jargon for obsolete hardware.
BOC See Bell Operating Company.
bot
bomb (n., v.) Synonym for crash, referring to
the failure of software or the operating system.
bonding (n.) Also referred to as “dial-in channel aggregation,” this takes place at the customer premises through inverse multiplexing.
The process splits a high-bandwidth signal for
transport through the network over multiple
lower-bandwidth channels. At the receiving
end, the lower-bandwidth signals are recombined into the original high-bandwidth signal.
The industry standards for inverse multiplexing ISDN connections are defined by the Bandwidth On Demand Interoperability Group
(BONDING) Consortium and are listed in ISO
13871.
bookmark (n.) A pointer or reference to an
HTML document. In Netscape Navigator, a
user can archive a bookmark. In MS Internet
Explorer, a bookmark is stored in the Favorites directory.
Boolean algebra (n.) Named for the logician
George Boole (1815–1864), this term means
two-valued logic in computer science. Boole’s
work, which inspired the descriptive term in
mathematics, concerned the algebra of sets,
involving the operations of intersection, union,
and complement of sets.
Boolean operator (n.) A qualifying term that
refines a definition. Examples include “AND”
(items that include both terms that appear in
a query), “NOT” (items that contain one term
but not another), and “OR” (items that are derived from either class defined). In general, a
Boolean operator is a variable that can accept
only true or false values.
Boolean search (n.) A type of search for information in which qualifiers such as “AND,”
“OR,” and “NOT” are used.
boost/cut equalizer (n.) A common type of
graphic EQ with 10 to 31 bands on 1-octave to
1/3-octave spacing. The output is flat with all
sliders in the center détente position. Each frequency range has bandpass filters that boost
signals when the sliders are raised and attenuate signals when sliders are lowered.
boot (v.) To start a computer and prepare it to
process commands by loading the operating
system.
boot record (n.) Under the ISO 9660 standard,
the record that identifies the location of a boot
file on a CD-ROM. This file contains an operating system that can be loaded.
boot sequence (n.) The sequence in which a
microprocessor receives instructions from
ROM to check its circuits and then tries to load
files from a disk drive. It initially tries the A:
(floppy) drive, and if the necessary files are not
found, it tries to read from the C: (first hard
disk) drive.
boot virus (n.) An MS-DOS virus that infects
the boot record program on hard disks and
floppy disks or that infects the master boot
record on hard disks and that is loaded into
memory before MS-DOS. The virus takes control of the computer, infecting any floppy disks
subsequently inserted.
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) (n.) Exterior
gateway protocol defined in RFCs 1267 and
1268 by the Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF).
bot (n.) Truncation of robot; a term most often found in multiuser dimensions (MUDs)
and Internet Relay Chats (IRCs). It refers to a
character that is not a person but rather a collection of responses from a computer program.
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bottleneck
bottleneck (n.) Refers to any point in a system
that responds more slowly than the rest of the
system, causing overall delays.
Boucherot cell See Zobel network.
bounce (v.) 1. To mix two or more audio tracks
into one. Also called ping-ponging. 2. To return
a piece of email because of a delivery error.
bound variable (n.) In programming logic, a
quantified variable. It is a formal argument in
a function that is replaced by the actual argument when the function is applied.
boundary node (n.) In the IBM Simple Network Architecture (SNA), this is a subarea node
that can provide certain protocol support for
adjacent subarea nodes. This node can transform network addresses to local addresses, and
vise versa. It can also perform session-level sequencing and flow control for other incapable
peripheral nodes.
Bourne shell (n.) The first command line interpreter shell and script language for Unix,
written by S. R. Bourne of Bell Laboratories in
1978. The Berkeley C shell is more widely used
today.
bpi See bits per inch.
choose, given two or more directions or destinations.
branch prediction (n.) A function that a microprocessor with “instruction pre-fetch” performs by guessing whether or not a branch will
be taken and by fetching the anticipated code
in advance from its location. A branch instruction and the instruction that immediately follows it are stored in the branch target buffer.
Based on this pattern, the microprocessor predicts which way the instruction will branch the
next time it is executed. A pipeline break is
avoided when a branching prediction is correct.
breach (n.) In network security, a violation of
the controls of an information system. It may
expose and compromise information or system components. In general, a breach is any
successful defeat of security controls resulting
in penetration of the system.
break (v.) 1. To stop a program in progress temporarily to debug. The point at which it stops
is the breakpoint. 2. To send an RS-232 break
of two character widths over a serial line.
BRender (n.) A three-dimensional Application
Programming Interface (API) provided by Argonaut, a British game developer. Pronounced
“BE-render.”
bps See bits per second.
BRI See Basic Rate Interface.
Bps See bytes per second.
BPSK See binary phase shift keying.
branch (v.) To leap from one location in a program to another, based on programmed responses to user input.
branching point (n.) A path that a user can
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bridge (n.) 1. A connecting device between two
or more subnetworks, or local area networks
(LANs), that run similar cabling and protocols. It uses the bottom two layers of the Open
Systems Interconnection (OSI) model to create an extended network on which workstations on different subnetworks can share data.
2. A balanced electrical network, such as the
brute force
Wheatstone bridge.
bridge disc (n.) A technique for storing data on
a CD-ROM XA disc that allows the data to be
played back on several platforms. A Photo-CD
is a type of bridge disc that can be played on a
CD-i or Photo-CD player, as well as on a multiple-session CD-ROM drive.
bridge/router (n.) A sophisticated networking
device that performs the functions of a bridge,
a router, or both simultaneously. It can route
multiple protocols, such as TCP/IP and XNS,
while bridging other traffic.
bridge tap (n.) In telecommunications, a segment of cable not on a direct path between a
central office (CO) and a subscriber.
broadband (adj.) Describes any transmission medium that supports a wide frequency
range, including audio and video frequencies. It can be multiplexed to carry several
independent channels, each in its own bandwidth. Broadband transmission is often in
the range of 1 MHz or more. At the minimum, the term refers to bandwidth greater
than that required for voice, which telecommunications standards have set at 4 kHz.
ISDN is considered a broadband medium.
Cable television employs broadband techniques to send multiple channels over a single
cable. Compare baseband.
(LAN) that is distributed via broadband coaxial cable, often using CATV technology and
broadband modems. It is most commonly used
with Ethernet (CSMA/CD) and token bus.
broadband PCS (BPCS) (n.) Services that
transmit voice, data, and multimedia information. Messaging, caller ID, and voice-mail are
typically supported by broadband PCS services
over frequency bands in the 1850–2200 MHz
range.
broadband wireless (n.) A generic term for
high-speed wireless transmission at rates above
250 kbps. Broadband for wired connections is
generally considered above 1.5 Gbps.
broadcast (v.) 1. To transmit television and
radio programs through the air. 2. In network
applications, to forward a message to numerous destinations.
broadcast quality (n.) Loosely defined, the
level of quality at which television stations will
transmit, adhering to the NTSC format in the
United States. This format calls for 525 lines
of video at a rate of 60 fields per second, with
the appropriate levels of brightness and color
(luma and chroma).
browse (v.) To scan networked information
with no particular target in mind.
Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN) (n.) ISDN services offered at
rates higher than the Primary access rate
(23B+D) of 1.544 Mbps or 2.048 Mbps. Proposed broadband ISDN service is defined by
CCITT as switched services from 150–600
Mbps) using cell-relay technology or ATM.
browser (n.) 1. Software that allows a user to
search through information on a server. The
term usually refers to a universal client application, such as Netscape Navigator or MS Internet
Explorer, that interprets HTML documents. 2.
The name Eastman Kodak uses on Photo-CDs
for the database program that lets users search
for images by keyword or title.
broadband LAN (n.) A local area network
brute force (n.) A way of programming that
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BSC
computer or peripheral device.
torus formed by a bicubic B-spline surface
relies on a computer’s processing power instead of elegant technique or useful abstraction.
BSC See binary synchronous communication.
BSD See Berkeley Software Distribution.
B-spline (n.) A basic spline from which an
approximated curve is derived, typically used
in the creation of wire-frame models for a dimensional figure. See figure.
bubble memory (n.) A filmlike storage device
made of materials that are easily magnetized in
just one direction, either upward or downward.
When a magnetic field is imposed on the film,
the areas in opposite alignment to the field
shrink to bubbles. Bubble memory is nonvolatile and requires very low power levels but is not
as fast as electrically erasable programmable
read-only memory (EEPROM).
buffer (n.) 1. Memory space that temporarily
stores a small amount of data to help compensate for differences in the rate at which one device transfers data to another. A buffer can also
be used to store small bits of data that are used
repeatedly (such as a digitized beep or some
other sound). Most CD-ROM drives have buffers. 2. A storage space in which data is held
temporarily until it is passed to or from a host
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buffer amplifier (n.) Any amplifier in which
the reaction of output-load-impedance variation on the input circuit is reduced to a minimum for isolation purposes. It isolates the
loading effects of the output stage on the input stage, separating the two. Both analog and
digital circuits use buffers to minimize similar
loading effects.
buffer overflow (n.) A condition that occurs
when an attempt is made to store more data in
a buffer than it can handle. This results from
using a buffer too small to hold all the data that
must accumulate before a piece of it can be processed. The overflow may be caused by a mismatch in the processing rates of the producing
and consuming processes.
bug (n.) An undesirable aspect of a software
or hardware system that may cause it to malfunction.
build (n.) An interim version of software in
which bugs are resolved and features are refined prior to release.
bulletin board system (BBS) (n.) An accessible
computing system that provides an electronic
database. Users can log into the BBS and leave
messages for a group, or they can download files.
Topic groups are usually established, allowing
any user to submit or read a message. A BBS
often offers users archives of files, personal
email, and other services, depending on the preferences of the system operator, or sysop. There
are thousands of local bulletin board systems
run by hackers from their homes.
bulletproof (adj.) Describes an extremely robust, crash-resistant software development
with great powers of recovery. Synonymous with
Butterworth crossover
armor-plated.
bump (v.) To adjust the timing between audio
and video tracks in precise framing units while
both are running. Frequently used to fine-tune
lip sync and to position sound effects.
bump map (n.) A texture map that can be applied to the surface of a three-dimensional
image to simulate natural surfaces, patterns,
or imperfections.
bundled title (n.) A CD-ROM that is packaged
with hardware components, peripherals, or
entire systems and that is not priced separately
from the other items.
burn-in (n.) An initial period of operation in
which a manufacturer or reseller screens equipment and circuits for problems and establishes
that components are stable.
burst (n.) In color television reception, a signal that provides a reference for the 3.58-MHz
oscillator. The signal is sent during the vertical blanking interval (VBI).
burst EDO DRAM (n.) Burst Extended Data
Out Dynamic Random Access Memory; a type
of EDO DRAM in which read or write cycles
are batched in bursts of four. Burst EDO bus
speeds range from 40 MHz to 66 MHz, much
faster than the 33 MHz that is available with
the use of fast page-mode RAM or EDO
DRAM.
burst error (n.) An error that contains a group
of consecutive bits, often because of scratches
on the surface of a CD-ROM.
bus (n.) 1. The connection or path between
the CPU and the input/output (I/O) devices
or the connection between two processors.
Types of buses that have traditionally been
used in IBM-compatibles include ISA, VESA,
and PCI. The NuBus system was used on
older Macintosh computers. In 1995, Apple
Computer replaced the NuBus with the 64bit PCI bus in selected Power Macintosh
models. Today, USB is the most widely used
bus in computer applications, with Firewire
(IEEE 1394) gaining popularity. 2. A signalor power-transmitting conduit that allows
two or more lines to be connected and their
signals to be mixed.
bus architecture (n.) A set of connections between functional units in a computer. Buses exist
within the central processing unit (CPU), connecting it to external memory and peripheral
devices. The width of the bus determines the
size in bits of the largest data unit it can carry.
The bus width and the number of data units
transmitted per second determine a computer’s
performance. Most microprocessors have 32-bit
buses both internally and externally. The internal bus in most microcomputers is wider than
the external bus.
bus master (n.) In a microcomputer, this device drives both the address bus and bus control signals at some point in time. In a simple
architecture, only the central processing unit
(CPU) can be the bus master, so all communications between input/output (I/O) devices
(slaves) must involve the CPU. Advanced architectures allow other capable devices or processors to control the bus. Direct memory access
(DMA) is a basic form of bus mastering, in
which the CPU sets up the I/O device to read
from contiguous blocks of memory and to signal the CPU when it has done so. Full bus mastering indicates that an I/O device is capable of
performing complex sequences without CPU
intervention.
Butterworth crossover (n.) An audio crossover
circuit that uses low-pass filters to achieve flat
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button
magnitude response. It is based on Butterworth
polynomials, named after the British engineer
S. Butterworth, who first described these equations in 1930.
button (n.) A graphic component of an interface that represents some embedded function.
When clicked, a button can branch the user to
another location in the program.
buyout music (n.) Audio tracks sold with a license that allows the purchaser to duplicate
and use them in productions without paying
royalties.
by hand (adv.) Describes a way of performing
a repetitive or tedious operation that could be
done automatically by a computer but that a
programmer performs step by step. For example, HTML can either be created by an editing program or coded by hand.
bypass mode (n.) An operating mode on ring
networks, such as Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and on token ring networks.
In this mode, an interface is removed, or bypassed, from the ring.
byte (n.) A measurable number of consecutive bits that are usually treated as a unit. Bytes
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of eight bits usually represent either one character or two digits. A computer’s storage capacity or memory is figured in kilobytes (KB).
One KB equals 1024 bits, or 2 to the 10th
power.
byte aligned (adj.) Describes information in
memory that is located an exact multiple of
eight bits from the starting point.
bytecode (n.) A portable file format into which
Java programs are compiled. The bytecode is
distributed to a computer that interprets it into
native processor instructions on the fly as the
Java program is executed.
bytecode compiler (n.) A translator that outputs a Java program in bytecode intended for
interpretation by a bytecode interpreter. The
same bytecode can be executed on any processor on which the bytecode interpreter runs,
which is an advantage over outputting machine code for each particular processor on
which the code will run. The Java engine compiles bytecode for the Java Virtual Machine
(JVM).
bytes per second (Bps) (n.) A rate of data transfer, not to be confused with bps, which refers
to bits per second.