F

F – Fable (communications, computer) to FX ( A/V, computer)


Fable (communications, computer)
Colloquial term, sometimes used to describe the hardware, software, service, or support capabilities that have been touted to be released or that are "about to happen", or that are "about to arrive" in the marketplace, but somehow fail to appear (also called vapourware). It is also sometimes used, in a derisive way, as a nickname for fibre optic cable.

Fabry-Perot Resonator (communications, photonics)
Area bounded by two parallel mirrors: where light may bounce back and forth between them. If the distance is an integer multiple of half the wavelength, resonance is achieved.

Face Bonding (computer/microelectronics)
Process of bonding semiconductor chips so that the circuitry side faces the substrate. Flipchip and beam lead bonding are two common methods (opposite of back bonding).

F004. Facsimile or Fax (communications, computer)
Originally called telecopying, it is the communication of a printed page between remote locations. Fax machines scan a paper form and convert its image into a code for transmission over the telephone system. The receiving machine reconverts the codes and prints a facsimile of the original. A fax machine is made up of a scanner, printer, and fax modem. The code used by almost all fax machines is called "modified Huffman Code" after the inventor. Fax machines have evolved over time. Groups 1 and 2 transmit a single page in analog code at six and three minutes respectively and were used through the 1970's. Group 3 fax machines transmit one page in digital code up to 9,600 bps, with data compression (modified Huffman), in less than one minute. Group 3 resolution is 203x98 dpi in standard mode and 203x196 dpi in fine mode. The dramatic difference in speed between Group 3 and its predecessors led to the extraordinary increase in fax use in the late 1980s. Today, fax is a universal form of electronic mail. Higher-speed (Group 4) machines rely on all-digital networks (Group 4 Machines support colour facsimile).

Factorial (communications, computer, mathematics)
Total number of possible sequences that exist with a set of units. For 2 numbers, there can be 4 arrangements; for 3 numbers, there can be six. Factorials are derived by continuously multiplying the number of units by the next lowest unit until 1 is reached.

Fade (A/V)
Gradual appearance of a picture from black (fade-in) or disappearance to black (fade-out).

Fader (A/V, computer/Windows, M/M)
Audio term generally applied to a volume control. A fader is usually in the form of a slider but could also be a rotary knob. Faders are implemented in Windows applications by vertical or horizontal scroll bars and can be used to change the degree of application of digital effects, such as reverberation and chorusing.

Fader Bars (A/V)
Pair of levers on the video switcher that produce dissolves, fades, and wipes of different speeds, as well as superimpositions.

Fail Soft (communications, computer)
In a power failure or other disruption to the normal operations of a communications or computer system, the ability of the computer system to fail gradually with the minimum amount of loss or destruction (if any) of information.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (computer) USA
Legislation, passed in the United States Congress in 1970, allowing individuals access to computerized (or hard copy) credit records and the right to challenge for them.

Fake Colour (computer/printing)
Producing a colour illustration, usually from a black-and-white photograph by specifying tint areas in terms of their four process colour components.

Fall Off (A/V)

Speed or degree with which a light picture portion turns into shadow areas. Fast falloff means that the light areas turn abruptly into shadow areas. Slow falloff has gradual change from light to dark.

Fall Time (computer/microelectronics)
Measure of the time required for the output voltage of a circuit to change from a high voltage level to a low voltage level once a level change has started. Current could also be used as the reference, that is, from a high current to a low current level.

Family Set (computer)
Collection of related tape backups containing several backup sets.

FAMOS (computer/microelectronics)
Floating gate Avalanche-injection Metal Oxide Semiconductor: an integrated circuit fabrication system for creating programmable read only memory (PROM) chips that can hold their memory content until the chips are erased using ultraviolet light.

Fanin (computer/microelectronics)
Number of inputs available to a specific logic stage of function.

Fanout (computer/microelectronics)
Number of input stages that can be driven by a circuit output.

Farad (computer/microelectronics)
Unit of electrical charge used to measure the storage capacity of a capacitor. Measurements can be calculated in: microfarads, picofarads, femtofarads, etc.

Faroudja Circuit (A/V, communications, M/M)
Signal filter and booster that improves picture quality, clarity and sharpness, named after Yves Faroudja, the inventor (also, can be called a comb filter).

Fast ADDER (computer/microelectronics)
Parallel ADDER in which each stage is capable of looking back at all ADDEND and AUGEND bits of less significant stages and deciding whether the less significant bits provide a "0" or "1" CARRY IN. Having determined the CARRY IN, it combines it with its own ADDEND and AUGEND to give the SUM for that bit or stage (also call Anticipated CARRY ADDER, or look ahead CARRY ADDER).



Fast Fourier Transform (communications, computer, mathematics)
Class of algorithms that are used in digital signal processing: the analysis and reduction of complex frequency and signalling characteristics, into elementary component parts.

FASTOPEN (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that tracks the location of files and directories, as well as caching the file data, so data access is quicker. When a file is opened, FASTOPEN records the location of the file so the next time the file is needed, DOS knows where it is. This command is usually executed from the CONFIG.SYS file or the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Fast Lens (A/V)
Lens that permits a relatively great amount of light to pass through (low f-stop number); the lens can be used in low lighting conditions.

Fast Select (communications, computer)
Option of the CCITT X.25 virtual call that allows the including of data in the call setup and the call clearing packets.

FAT (computer/DOS)
File Allocation Table: table or list maintained by some operating systems to keep track of the status of various segments of disk space used for file storage. Part of DOS and OS/2 that identify and register where information is stored on disk. In DOS there is a table with an entry for each cluster on a disk. The directory contains file identification and points to the File Allocation Table where the files begin. If a cluster on the disk becomes damaged, its FAT entry is flagged and is not used again. If a file is larger than a single cluster, the FAT points to another cluster. Windows 98, Windows2000 and XP implement FAT-32 (32-bit allocation tables).

Fatal Error (computer)
Error that prohibits continued processing. A disk that cannot be read may cause a fatal error if the damaged part contains instructions for acting upon the data. Poor programming as well as computer virus strains can also cause Fatal Errors.

Fault Tolerant (computer)
Fault Tolerant computing is the art of building computing systems that continue to operate satisfactorily in the presence of faults (such as hardware failures). An extensive methodology has been developed in this field over the past four decades. Many fault-tolerant machines have been built and a large body of support research is available.

Fax Board (communications, computer)
Circuit board that fits inside a personal computer and allows the user to transmit computer-generated text and graphics without interrupting other application programs.

FC (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that compares two files and reports the differences. Unlike the COMP command, the FC command tries to resynchronize the files once it finds differences. Also, the output of the FC command is easier to understand when comparing text files. The FC command is better than DISKCOMP to compare files on two disks when the files were copied to the disk with a command other than DISKCOPY. This is because the files may be stored in different locations on each disk, which DISKCOMP will report but FC will not, assuming the contents of the files are identical.

FCC (communications, computer) USA
Federal Communications Commission (United States): the federal agency that regulates communications facilities (Broadcasting, CATV, Telecommunications, etc.) The FCC was created under the U.S. Communications Act of 1934.

FCBS (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that sets the number of file control blocks that programs can open currently. File control blocks were used in some older software. If old software is being used that worked with as many as eight files using file control blocks, the FCBS will have to be increased by including the line in the CONFIG.SYS file: FCBS=8. This command should only be used to change the number of file control blocks if the software used file control blocks to manipulate files, and the number to increase it to is known.

F Connector (communications)
Common plug and socket for coaxial cable that is typically used to connect antennas, TVs and VCRs. It is easily recognized with the stiff inner wire (centre conductor) stripped bare and sticking out of the plug looking unfinished.

FDDI: Fibre Optic Data Distributed Interface (communications/LAN)
Standard for 100 and 500-mbps (megabits per second) fibre optic communications. It is an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard and defines its implementation within the bottom two layers of the ISO/OSI model (International Standards Organisation).

FDISK (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that displays or changes how a hard disk is divided into partitions or how an extended DOS partition is divided into logical drives. Changing the partition information makes the information that was previously stored on the disk unavailable. The only way to later access the files on the hard disk where the partitions have been changed is by using the UNFORMAT command with the /partn switch, assuming the user has used the MIRROR command earlier with the /partn switch. Do not use FDISK with drives that were created with SUBST or JOIN commands. DOS can handle large disks, so it is not required to divide the disks into partitions.

FDM: Frequency Division Multiplexing (communications, computer)
Division of a transmission facility into two or more channels by splitting the frequency band into narrower bands, each of which is used to constitute a distinct channel.

FEA: Finite Element Analysis (computer, mathematics)
Mathematical science dedicated to the analysis of physical structures. A structure is reduced to a series of substructures called finite elements. These finite elements are converted into mathematical equations.

FEB: Functional Electronic Block (computer/microelectronics)
Another name for a monolithic integrated circuit of thin-film circuit design.

Feasibility Study (A/V, communications, computer)
Study that must take place at the beginning of a system development project or cycle that produces a feasibility report. It is a broad-brush study which seeks to determine two things: the exact nature of the problem to be solved and an outline of one or more solutions to the problem. It seeks to answer three questions: technical - will it work?; economic - will it pay?; operational/political - will it be used or will it succeed? The feasibility report is submitted to the problem proponent (end-user) who, after review, may authorize the detailed development work on a selected solution, modify the original design, or possibly abandon the entire project.

Federal Communications Commission: FCC (communications)
Federal agency that regulates communications facilities (broadcast, cable, voice, data). It was created under the U.S. Communications Act of 1934.

Federal Telecommunications System 2000: FTS (communications)
Digital fibre optic network providing voice, video, electronic mail and high speed data communications for the U.S. government. AT&T and Sprint are the equipment providers.

Feed (A/V)
Signal transmission from one program source to another: network feed or remote feed.

Feedback (A/V)
In audio terminology, a piercing squeal from the loudspeaker, caused by the accidental re-entry of the loudspeaker sound into the microphone and subsequent over-amplification of sound. In video terminology, wild streaks and flashes on the monitor screen caused by re-entry of a video signal into the switcher and subsequent over-amplification.

Feedback (computer/microelectronics)
When part of the output of a circuit is channelled back to an input, it is said to have feedback. When part of the output of an amplifier is routed back to augment the input signal, the amplifier has positive feedback, or if this re-channelling is employed to diminish the input it is called negative feedback.

Female Connector (communications, computer)
Receptacle into which the male counterpart of the connector is plugged.

Ferrite Devices (communications, computer/microelectronics)
Electrical devices whose principle of operation is based upon the use of ferrites, which are magnetic oxides. By common usage, ferrite devices are referred to as those using magnetically soft ferrites, with the spinel or garnet crystal structure. Since the electrical resistivity of ferrites is typically 1 million to 1 trillion times that of metals, ferrite components have much lower eddy current losses and are used at frequencies generally above about 10 kHz (kilohertz).

Ferroelectric (communications, computer/microelectronics)
Crystalline substances which have a permanent spontaneous electric polarization (electric dipole moment per cubic centimetre) that can be reversed by an electric field.

Ferromagnetic (communications, computer/microelectronics)
Unique capability of metallic substances to become highly magnetized.

FET: Field Effect Transistor (computer/microelectronics)
Semiconductor device in which resistance between source and drain terminals is modulated by a field applied to the third (gate) terminal.




Fetch (computer)
Read out of an instruction from the main memory and the insertion of the instruction into the working memory: to fetch the next instruction for execution.

Fibre Optic Data Distributed Interface: FDDI (communications/LAN)
Standard for 100-mbps, and 500-mbps (megabits per second) fibre optic communications. It is an ANSI standard (American National Standards Institute) for fibre optic local area networks and implements the bottom two layers of the ISO/OSI model.

Fibre Optic Cable (communications/cabling)
Cable that contains very thin (hair-like) glass filaments for the transmission of light: they have enormous capacities, capable of carrying billions of bits per second. Unlike electrical pulses, light pulses are not affected by electromagnetic interference. When the communications conglomerates or companies eventually replace the copper cabling from their central stations into everyone's home with optical fibres, all varieties of information services will be interactively available to consumers, including high definition TV.

Fibonacci Formula (computer/mathematics)
Mathematical formula for extracting, sorting, and reporting; it is based on a series of whole numbers (integers) where each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers.

Fidelity (A/V, communications)
Degree to which output accurately reproduces the essential characteristics of input. High fidelity in a sound system means that the reproduced sound is virtually indistinguishable from that picked up by the microphones in the recording or broadcasting studio. Similarly, a television system has high fidelity when the picture seen on the screen of a receiver corresponds in, essential aspects, to that picked up by the television camera. Fidelity is achieved by designing each part of a system to have minimum distortion, so the signal waveform is unchanged as it travels through the system.

Field (A/V, computer, M/M)
In video terminology, one half of a television image, consisting of only the odd or even numbered lines of resolution. It is one of the two equal parts of information in which a frame is divided in interlace scanning. To minimise flicker, TV pictures are sent at twice the normal rate by first sending the even-numbered scan lines and then filling in the missing odd-numbered lines. A single television frame field contains 262.5 horizontal lines of video information, half the normal horizontal lines per frame of 525. There are 60 fields per second, equalling 30 frames per second. For videotape recording, each of the two recording heads on the head drum lays down one field alternately across the frame to create a picture meeting the 525 line standard. For computer database management, a field is a single, distinct element of a complete database record.

Field Blanking (A/V, M/M)
Blanking signals occurring at the end of each field, used to make the vertical retrace invisible. Also called vertical blanking (see vertical blanking interval).

Field Emission (computer/microelectronics)
Emission of electrons from a meta or semiconductor into a vacuum (or a dielectric) under the influence of a strong electric field. In field emission, electrons tunnel through a potential barrier, rather than escaping over it as in thermionic or photoemission. The effect is purely quantum-mechanical: it occurs because the wave function of an electron does not vanish at the classical turning point, but decays exponentially into the barrier (where the electron's total energy is less than the potential energy). There is, then, the finite probability that the electron will be found on the outside of the barrier.

Field Effect Transistor: FET (computer/microelectronics)
Semiconductor device in which resistance between source and drain terminals is modulated by a field applied to the third (gate) terminal.

Field Frequency (A/V)
Rate at which one complete television frame field (1/2 a frame) is scanned.

Field Name (computer)
In a database, the unique name describing the data in a field.

Field Of View (A/V)
Portion of a scene visible through a particular lens: its vista.

Field Separator (computer)
In a database, a reference character used to define, or mark (or delimit) the separation of fields in a database record.

Field Type (computer)
In a database, a category describing a field and determined by the kind of data the field will accept. Common field types are character, numeric, date, and logical.

FIFO (computer)
First In - First Out: a storage method that retrieves the item stored for the longest time. (contrast with LIFO - last in - first out).

Fifth-Generation Computer
Computers that are designed for artificial intelligence applications. They will probably appear in the early part of 2020 and will represent the next quantum leap in computing.

File (computer/Windows)
Collection of related data records treated as a unit; files can be in different hardware forms such as disk, cassette, magnetic tape, or semiconductor memory. Also, a document or application that has been given a name. All documents are stored as files in Windows.

File Allocation Table: FAT (computer)
Table or list maintained by some operating systems to keep track of the status of various segments of disk space used for file storage.

File Attribute (computer/Windows)
Characteristic of a file: the read-only attribute that can be changed using File Manager.

File Element (computer)
Complete, independent logical file contained within a RIFF physical file.

File Format (computer)
Structure or arrangement of information stored in a file.

File Handle (computer/DOS)
Number assigned, usually by DOS, to a disk file when it is opened. The application may then refer to the integer file handle, instead of the file name, in future file operations.

File List Box (computer/Windows)
Special type of Windows list box displaying the file names, usually having predetermined file extensions, of the files within a selected directory of a specified file.

File Locking (communications, LAN)
Ability or facility to lock a file so that only one user may access it at any one time.

File Maintenance (computer)
In database management systems, the day-to-day updating of files and records (additions, deletions, updates to master files, etc.) In magnetic storage maintenance, it can be a utility that is used to optimize disk space, so that disk speed and memory are always maximized.

File Manager (communications, computer)
In a local area network, the file server can act as the LAN-based file manager. In programming, the application that manages the files on disk.

Filename (computer/DOS/Windows)
Name of the file using specific conventions.

File Protection (computer)
Hardware, software, application or administrative routines that are designed to prevent accidental erasing, or damaging stored information on disks, tapes, CD-ROMs.

File Server (communications, LAN)
System on a local area network that is usually dedicated to providing file services and communications services to local area network users, remaining transparent to those users.

File Sharing Protocol (communications, computer)
Protocol used to implement a discipline for file requests on a network. It is also called a client/server protocol where the file sharing is between workstations on the local area network and the file server. File Sharing is supported by the ISO/OSI Seventh Layer.

File Specification (computer/Windows/DOS
Reference to the location of a file on a disk including: drive, directory, file name.

File System (computer)
In an operating system, the overall structure in which files are names, stored, organized. In a database program, the application element that manages the files.

File Transfer Access and Management: FTAM (communications, computer)
Communications protocol for the transfer of files between systems of different vendors.

File Transfer Protocol: FTP (communications, computer)
Protocol using TCP/IP conventions that is used to log onto the network, list directories and copy files; it can also translate between ASCII and EBCDIC.

F083. FILES (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that sets the number of files that can be opened at one time using system calls. This command allocates space for DOS to use as a table for all of the open files. Most software works with several files at once, so the number of files that can be open must be equal to or greater than the number of files the user expects to use in an application. If the number of files open is to be increased, from 10 to say, 20, then the command entry line (on its own line) in the CONFIG.SYS file would be: FILES=20.

File Transfer Software (communications, computer)
Communications software that lets the user transfer files between connected computers. It can be a communications protocol for transmitting information without loss.

Fill (A/V, M/M)
In music, the percussion part acting as a transition between two rhythmic patterns. The fill is usually between the verses and the chorus of a song.

Fill Light (A/V)
Additional light on the opposite side of the camera from the key light to illuminate shadow areas and thereby reduce falloff (usually accomplished by flood lights).

Filler (A/V)
Extra programming material, for example, news copy, used for flexibility in timing; if time permits, the copy is presented, if time is short, it is not (also called pad copy).

Filling (computer/printing)
In offset lithography, the problem caused by ink filling in the areas between halftone dots or plugging up the small space in type.

Film Chain (A/V)
Also called a Film Island, or telecine, it consists of one or two film projectors, a slide projector, a multiplexer, and a television film camera, or telecine camera.

Film Conductor (computer/microelectronics)
Electrically conductive material formed by deposition on a substrate.

F091. Film Island (A/V)
Also called a Film Chain, or telecine, it consists of one or two film projectors, a slide projector, a multiplexer, and a television film camera, or telecine camera.

Film Style Direction (A/V)
Directing separate takes for post-production, not necessarily in presentation sequence.

Film Microcircuit (computer/microelectronics)
Thin or thick film network forming an electrical interconnection of numerous devices.

Film Recorder (A/V, computer, M/M)
Device that takes a 35mm slide picture from a graphics file, which has been created in a CAD (computer aided design), paint or business graphics package. Film recorders generate much higher resolution than traditional display screens. Typical resolutions are 2,000 lines and go up to 4,000 lines (as opposed to, say, TVs at 512 lines or resolution). The device usually works by recreating the image on a built-in CRT that shines through a colour wheel onto the film in a standard 35mm camera. Some units provide optional Polaroid camera backs for instant previewing. Film recorders can be connected to personal computers by plugging in a controller board that is cabled to the recorder.

Film Resistor (computer/microelectronics)
Device whose resistive material is a film on an insulator substrate; its resistance value is determined by trimming.

Filter (A/V, computer/Windows, M/M)
Electronic device removing portions of sound. The most common types of audio filters are low-pass (removing high frequency sounds), band-pass (removing low and high frequency sounds below and above the band), and high pass (removing low frequency sounds). In MIDI terminology, a filter removes certain types of messages (usually continuous signals such as aftertouch or pitch bend) from the MIDI message stream.

Filter (computer/printing)
Transparent material that selectively absorbs light of certain wavelengths; used to separate the red, green, and blue components of an original during the color separation process.

Final Seal (computer/microelectronics)
Hybrid microelectronic packaging step which encloses the circuit so that further internal processing cannot be performed without disassembly.

FIND (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that is used to find text in a file. It locates the text in a file. The command looks for a string of text, in either upper or lower case.

Fingerprint Reader (computer)
Scanner that is used to identify a fingerprint for security purposes. After a sample is taken, access to a computer or other restricted system is granted if the user's fingerprint matches the stored sample. A personal identification number (PIN) may also be used with the fingerprint sample.

Finite Element Method (computer)
Relatively recent and powerful approximation technique used to solve field problems in various engineering applications. Its development follows closely the increasing usage and availability of large processing power machines. Some of the areas of practical applications are in: fluid flow, diffusion, and consolidation problems; heat conduction and thermal stresses; liquid sloshing in an elastic container; lubrication problems; static and dynamic analysis of complex structures such as aircraft, autos, bridges, buildings, dams, networks, oil drilling platforms, ships, and submersibles.

Firmware (computer/microelectronics)
Category of memory chips that hold their content without electrical power and include ROM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM technologies: programming instructions that are stored permanently in Read Only Memory (ROM).

Fishpole (A/V)
Suspension device for a microphone; the microphone is attached to a pole and held over the scene for brief periods.

Fixed Disk (computer)
Non-removable hard disk that is part of most personal computer systems.

Fixed Length Field (computer)
In database management applications, a field that must contain the exact same number of allocation spaces, or bytes (contrast with variable length fields).

Fixed Length Record (computer)
In database management applications, a data record with fixed length fields.

Fixed Width Font (computer/printing)
Font in which all characters have uniform widths.

Flag (A/V, communications, computer)
In audio/visual terminology, a thin, rectangular sheet of metal or plastic used to block light from falling on specific areas. In computer terminology, a variable, usually Boolean (true/false), determining the status of a particular condition within an application. The term "Set" often indicates turning a flag from false to true. Reset indicates the reverse. In communications a flag can be a code in a transmitted message that indicates that the following codes are control codes, not information or data.

Flag Bit (computer/microelectronics)
Information bit indicating occurrence of a special condition such as overflow, carry, or interrupt.

Flare (A/V)
In Audio/Visual, camera control, dark, or coloured flashes caused by signal overload through extreme light reflections off polished objects or very bright lights.

Flash Memory (computer)
Type of PROM (programmable read only memory) that has characteristics that make it useful as a replacement for disk storage in some applications. Flash memory is nonvolatile, can be written to by the computer, and uses less power than the disk drive.

Flat (A/V, computer/printing)
Even, and not contrasting; usually referring to lighting. Flat lighting is highly diffused lighting with soft shadows. Also, term used to describe a piece of standing scenery used as a background or to simulate the walls of a room. In print processing, the assembled composite of film for each set of pages, ready for plate making.

Flat Angle (A/V)
Term that refers to a shot made head-on, at eye level.

Flatbed Plotter (computer/plotters)
Graphics plotter that draws on sheets of paper that have been placed in a bed. The size of the bed determines the maximum size sheet that can be drawn.

Flat Colour (computer/printing)
Solid or tint area without tonal variation, achieved with a special ink mixture, overlapping halftone tints, or a single halftone tint.

Flat File (computer)
Any data file that does not physically interconnect with or point to other files. Any relationship between two flat files is logical, for example, matching account numbers. The term usually refers to data file managers that have no relational capability.

Flat Pack (computer/microelectronics)
Integrated Circuit package with leads issuing radially in the same plane as the package: a useful technique for high density packaging.

Flat Panel Display (A/V, computer, M/M)
Thin display screen that uses any of a number of technologies, such as LCD (liquid crystal display), electroluminescent, or plasma. Used today in notebooks to reduce size and weight, they will eventually supersede CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes in TVs). The most popular types of flat panel displays are LCD, or TFT active matrix displays.

Flat Response (A/V)
Measure of a microphone's ability to hear equally well over the entire frequency range.

FLI (computer)
One of two file extensions (FLI and FLC) for animation files created by Autodesk, Inc.'s Autodesk Animator application. Both extensions are derived from the slang term "flic".

Flicker (A/V, computer)
Unstable, fluctuating image on a video screen.

Flip (A/V)
Reversal of the video image: accomplished on monochrome equipment with electronic sweep reversal and on colour with digital video equipment.

Flip Chip (computer/microelectronics)
Generic term describing a semiconductor device having all terminations on one side in the form of bump contacts. After the surface of the chip has been passivated or otherwise treated, it is flipped over for attaching to a matching substrate.

Flip-Flop (computer/microelectronics)
Electronic circuit that alternates between two states. When current is applied, it changes from its current state to the opposite (0 to 1, 1 to 0). Made of several transistors, a flip-flop can be used in the design of static memories (SRAM) and hardware registers.

Flip-Flop Control (A/V)
Video switcher mechanism that gives the technical director the option of cutting between two cameras with a single button, called the cut bar.

Flip-Flop D (computer/microelectronics)
Delay (D) Flip-Flop: circuit design whose output is a function of the input which appeared one pulse earlier; for example, if a "1" appeared at the input, then the output after the next clock pulse will be a "1".



Flip-Flop J-K (computer/microelectronics)
Circuit design having two inputs designated J and K. At the application of a clock pulse, a "1" on the "J" input and a "0" on the "K" input will set the flip-flop to the "1" state. A "1" on the "K" input and a "0" on the "J" input will reset it to "0" state. The "1"s simultaneously on both inputs will cause it to change state regardless of the previous state. With "J" = "0", and "K" = "0" this will prevent change.

Flip-Flop R-S (computer/microelectronics)
Circuit design consisting of two cross-coupled NAND gates having two inputs designated "R" and "S". A "1" on input will set it to the "1". It is assumed that "0"s will never appear simultaneously at both inputs. If both inputs have "1"s, it will stay as it was. A "1" is considered non-activating. A similar circuit can be formed with NOR gates.

Flip-Flop R-S-T (computer/microelectronics)
Circuit design having three inputs: "R", "S", and "T". This unit works as the "R-S" flip-flop except that the "T" input is used to cause the flip-flop to change states.

Flip-Flop T (computer/microelectronics)
Circuit design having only one input. A pulse appearing on the input will cause the flip-flop to change states. This flip-flop circuit is used in ripple counters.

Floating Point (computer, mathematics)
Arithmetic method of calculating and storing numbers, where decimal points do not line up as in fixed point numbers. The significant digits are stored as a unit called the mantissa, and the location of the radix point (decimal point to base 10) is stored in a separate unit called the exponent. Floating point operations can be performed in hardware by using a math coprocessor, or they can be performed by software.

Floating Point Processor or Unit: FPU (computer)
Arithmetic unit that is designed to perform floating point operations. It may be a coprocessor chip in a personal computer, a CPU designed with built-in floating point capabilities, or a separate machine, often called an array processor, which is then connected to the main computer CPU.

Floodlight (A/V)
Lighting instrument that produces diffused light.

Floor Director (A/V)
Person in charge of television studio floor activity who is linked by headset to the director in the control room and who executes the director's orders. In smaller television station operations, the duties may be performed by a studio camera operator.

Floor Plan (A/V)
Plan of a studio floor, showing the walls, the main doors, and the location of the control room, with the lighting grid or batten pattern superimposed over the floor plan. More commonly, it is a diagram of scenery and properties in relation to the studio floor plan.

FLOPS (computer)
Floating point operations Per Second: the unit of measurement of floating point calculations: 500 megaflops is 500 million floating point operations per second; 500 gigaflops/sec. equals 500 billion floating point operations per second.
Floptical (computer)
Enhanced Floppy disk technology. Data is written in the traditional magnetic, but grooves in the disk are used to optically align the read/write head over the tracks.

Flowchart (computer)
Sequence of operations charted with the aid of symbols, diagrams, and some other forms of representation to indicate the processing steps performed by a computer program. Flowcharts are graphic because they can use a two-dimensional pictorial format. The placement of the identifications of the operations in the pictorial format shows the sequence of the operations.

Flow Control (communications, computer)
In general usage, conditional expressions controlling the execution sequence of instructions or statement in an application's source code. If....Then....Endif is a flow control statement. The term is also used to describe diagrams that explain an application's mode of operation. In communications terms, the protocols and procedures used to regulate the rate at which data is transferred from one device to another (part of the "handshake" that occurs before two devices begin to communicate with each other).

Flow Diagram (computer)
Type of flow chart distinguished from other varieties of flowcharts by its emphasis on algorithms. The flow diagram depicts the details of how an algorithm is to transform data when used as a representation for a computer program: the are distinctly different from other flowcharts by the infrequent presentation of I/O (input/output) operations.

Fluid Flow Masking (computer/microelectronics)
Gold electro-plating technique in which the work to be plated is the cathode and current flows through the fluid stream of plating material, allowing control of deposit at the point of contact between the stream and the workpiece.

Fluid Head (A/V)
Most popular mounting head for lightweight ENG/EFP cameras. Because its moving parts operate in a heavy fluid, it allows very smooth pans and tilts.

Flying Erase Head (A/V)
Additional Erase Head not fixed in one position, but that can "fly" (in idle mode) above the moving tape in a video recorder, and instantly be activated to erase elements (frames) of the videotape, without incurring drop frames or dropouts (glitches and/or spikes) that does occur in many video tape recorders that do not have the extra flying erase head.

FM: Frequency Modulation (communications)
Communications transmission technique that modulates a signal into a fixed carrier frequency by modifying the carrier frequency: contrast with amplitude modulation (AM) & phase modulation (PM), the 2 other major techniques. FM broadcasting is allocated the frequency band from 88 to 108 MHz (megahertz), in a large part of the world, by international agreement. For a channel spacing of 200 kHz, there are 100 allocatable channels for transmission of an audio range of 50 to 15,000 Hz, with a frequency-deviation ratio of 5. This means that there are five significant sidebands above and below the carrier, the carrier is deviated a maximum of plus/minus 75 kHz, and the emitted spectrum is twice this value.


FM Synthesizer (A/V, computer)
Device creating electronically synthesized music. FM synthesizers combine carrier and modulator waveforms of various types and frequencies to create a new waveform. This new waveform contains overtones that simulate the sound of actual musical instruments.

F-Number (communications, computer, photonics)
Ratio of the focal length of a lens to its diameter.

Focal Length (A/V)
Distance from the optical center of the lens to the front surface of the camera pickup tube with the lens set at infinity. Focal lengths are measured in millimeters or inches. Short focal length lenses have a wide angle of view (wide vista); long focal length (telephoto) lenses have a narrow angle of view (closeup). In a variable focal length lens (zoom lens) the focal length can be changed continuously from wide angle to narrow angle and vice versa. A fixed focal length lens has a single designated focal length only.

Focal Plane (A/V, photonics)
Plane, perpendicular to the optical axis, passing through the focus of a lens.

Focus (A/V, photonics)
Point to which a lens concentrates the light of an incident collimated beam propagating along the optical axis. In A/V production, pictures are in focus when they appear sharp and clear on the screen: the point where the light rays refracted by the lens converge.

Focus (computer/Windows)
Windows term specifying the currently selected application, or one of its windows, to which all user-generated input (keyboard and mouse operations) is directed. The title bar of a focused window is coloured blue.

Focus Control Unit (A/V)
Control that activates the focus mechanism in a zoom lens.

Foly Artist (A/V)
On a production set, the artist or technician that provides sound effects that can be inserted into the productions, usually from a large database of sound clips.

Follow Focus (A/V)
Controlling the focus of the lens so that the image on an object is continuously kept sharp and clear, regardless of whether the camera and/or the object move.

Follow Spot (A/V)
Large, high-powered spotlight that can reduce its light beam from a rather large circle to a small "spot": used primarily to follow a specific action on stage.

Font (computer/printer)
Complete set of type characters of a particular design and size (typeface), in a specific size, weight, and attribute. In laser printers, some fonts are built in and others can be plugged in with a cartridge or downloaded from a computer. The size is usually specified in points (1 point = 1/72nd of an inch). Fonts have graphic design appearance and are applied to all character sets. A font usually comes in a number of different sizes and provides different styles, such as bold, italic, and underlining for emphasizing text.

Font Cartridge (computer/printer)
Hardware device that is plugged into a printer to supply one or more fonts (like a card).

Font Family (computer/printer)
Group designation that describes the general look of a font. For example, the Roman font family contains fonts with serifs and variable character widths such as Times Roman. The manuscript & final draft for the definitions you are reading were prepared in Times Roman 12.

Font Generator (computer)
Application program that can convert an outline font into precise patterns of dots that may be required for a particular size of font.

Font Set (computer/printer)
Collection of sizes for one font, customized for display and printing. Font sets determine what text looks like on screen and on paper. Windows includes seven sets of fonts.

Font Size (computer/printer)
Height of a printed character usually measured in points (1 point = 1/72nd of an inch).

Foot Candle (A/V)
Unit of measurement of illumination, or the amount of light that falls on a nearby object or surface: it is called incidence light and it is measured in foot-candles.

Footer (computer/printing)
Text that appears at the bottom of every page of a document when it is printed.

Footlambert (A/V)
Measurement of light emitted or reflected from a surface; used in rating the brightness of projection Monitor/ Receivers; the better the rating the better the picture brightness. A good rating is 300 or more footlamberts.

Footprint (communications, computer)
The amount of geographic space an object uses. A computer footprint is the amount of desk or floor surface it occupies. A satellite's footprint is the earth’s area covered by its downlink transmission (coverage area).

FOR (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that forms a loop which repeats a command that operates on a file several times, using a different file each time. If a user wanted to compare several files, they could combine them into one command.

Foreground (computer/Windows)
Area of the screen occupied by the active window.

Foreground/Background (computer/Windows, M/M)
Priority assigned to programs running in a multitasking environment. Foreground programs have highest priority, and background programs have lowest priority. Online users are given the foreground, and batch processing activities, such as long sorts and updates, are given the background. If batch processing activities are given a higher priority, terminal response times may slow down considerably. In a personal computer, the foreground program is the one the user is currently working with, and the background program might be a print spooler or communications program. In Windows, the application that has the focus is in the foreground. In Multimedia Movie Player, images displayed in front of other images have the foreground.

Foreground Task (communications, LAN)
Term used to describe the tasks that users perform on their own personal computer while connected to the IBM PC LAN (Local Area Network) Program.

Form (computer)
Paper used in a printer, or screen display designed for a particular application.

Form View (computer)
Screen display showing one item or record arranged in any required order.

Formal Languages (computer)
Abstract mathematical objects used to model the syntax of programming languages and (much less successfully) of natural languages such as English.

Format (A/V, computer)
Physical structure of an item. A screen format is the layout of fields on the screen. A report format is the layout of the printed page including print columns, page headers and footers. A record format is the layout of fields within the record. A file or database format is the layout of fields and records within a data file, layout codes within a word processing document or display lists (vector) or bit maps (raster) within a graphics file. It also includes the structure of header data, or identification data, that is typically affixed to the beginning of the file. In text processing, the appearance of text on the pages of a document. In audio/visual, a set of standards which determine all aspects of audio or video recording system. In television production, the type of television script indicating the major programming steps; generally containing a fully scripted show from opening scene or number, to closing scene or number.

FORMAT (computer/DOS)
DOS Command that prepares a disk to store information. FORMAT must be used on floppy diskettes before information can be stored on them the first time (if not pre-formatted), or on a hard disk when it is new or when the partition information has been changed.

Form Type (computer/Windows, M/M)
Four Character Code (FOURCC) identifying the type of data that is contained in an individual RIFF chunk. WAVE, indicates the chunk containing Wave-Audio data.

Fortran: FORmula TRANslator (computer)
Science oriented, high level computer language (procedure oriented).

Forward Chaining (computer)
Form of reasoning in artificial intelligence research that begins with what is known and reasons toward a solution (bottom-up approach); the opposite of backward chaining.


Forward Error Correction (communications)
Communications technique that can correct bad data on the receiving end. Before transmission, the data is processed through an algorithm that adds extra bits for error correction. If transmitted message is received in error, correction bits are used to fix it.

FOURCC (computer)
Four Character Code - FOURCC is a set of four ASCII characters defining the content of a RIFF chunk. WAVE, for example, indicates the chunk containing WaveAudio data.

Four-Wave Mixing: FWM (photonics)
Method of achieving optical phase conjugation.

Foundation (A/V)
In A/V terms, a makeup base, upon which further makeup is applied (rouge, eye shadow).

Four Colour Process (computer/printing)
Method of reproducing full-colour artwork and photographs by separating the original into its cyan, magenta, yellow, and black components.

Fourier Transform: FT (communications, mathematics)
Transformation from the spatial, or temporal domain, to the frequency domain.

Fourth Generation Computer
Computer that is made up almost entirely of chips with limited amounts of discrete components. We are currently in the fourth generation.

Fourth Generation Language (computer)
Computer language that is more advanced than traditional high-level programming languages. For example, in dBase, the command LIST displays all the records in a data file. In second and third generation languages, instructions would have to be written to read each record, test for end of file, place each item of data on screen and go back and repeat the operation until there were no more records to process. Query language and report writers are also fourth-generation languages. Any language that doesn't require traditional input-process-output logic falls into the Fourth Generation Language category.

Fourth Utility (communications)
Term used to describe and categorize communications (voice, data, video) as a necessary utility for the 21st Century, as necessary as fuel, electricity, and water.

Fractals (computer/mathematics)
In computer graphics, the use of fractional mathematics to describe an image. It allows images of natural objects, such as trees, clouds, and rivers, to be highly compressed for computer storage and transmission. Instead of turning an image into bit maps (raster graphics) or lines (vector graphics) (routinely in computer graphics), Fractals turn an image into a set of data and an algorithm for expanding the data into the object. when required. Fractals come from the science of chaos, which, contrary to its name, reveals an orderly pattern in the universe.

Fragmentation (computer)
Uneven distribution of data on a disk. As files are updated, they become less contiguous on the disk. When data is added, the operating system stores it in the available free space. As a result, parts of the file wind up in disparate areas of the disk, causing additional arm movement when the file is sequentially read. Fragmented files slow the transfer of data to and from the disk because the disk drive head must see too many different locations. A maintenance /optimizer program (Norton Utilities) is used to reorder files in a contiguous manner.

Frame (computer/Windows)
In Windows, an enclosure (generally with a single-pixel-wide border) surrounding a group of objects (usually of the dialog-box type). When referring to SMPTE timing with MIDI files, the frame is one image of a motion picture film or one complete occurrence of a television image (1/30th of a second). Frame-base animation uses the term to define an image statically displayed for a specified period of time.

Frame (A/V, M/M)
One complete picture frame scanning cycle, consisting of two fields of 262.5 (in NTSC) interlaced scanning lines. One field contains the odd-numbered; the other, the even-numbered scanning lines. This scheme is used to prevent large-area flicker and totals 525 horizontal lines (NTSC). One complete TV frame is scanned in 1/30th of a second (i.e. 30 frames per second). In film media, it's the smallest picture unit, a single picture.

Frame Advance (A/V)
Special effect that stops on-screen actions on most VCRs and video disc players and allows the user to advance one frame at a time: it is used to verify frame-by-frame action. There are 30 frames per second in North American video recording standards.

Frame Buffer (computer)
In computer graphics, a separate memory component that holds a graphic image. Frame buffers may have one plane of memory for each bit in the pixel. For example, if eight bits are used to represent one pixel, there are eight separate memory planes.

Frame Capture (A/V, computer)
Graphic computer hardware and software enabling a selected broadcast or recorded television images to be displayed and stored by a PC. Also called a frame grabber.

Frame Check Sequence (communications, computer)
Error-detecting code inserted as a field in a block of data to be transmitted. The code serves to check for errors upon reception of the information (data).

Frame Grabber (A/V, computer)
In computer graphics terminology, a device that converts video images into the computer. The frame grabber accepts standard TV signals and digitizes the current video frame into a computer graphics image.

Frame-Store Synchronizer (A/V)
Image stabilization and synchronization system that has a memory large enough to store and read out one complete video frame: used to synchronize signals from a variety of video sources that are not genlocked.

Freedom Of Information Act (computer)
Legislation passed in 1970 by the United States Congress, that allows citizens access to personal information gathered by computer systems or in hard copy, by federal agencies.
Free Form Database (computer)
Database Application that provides entry of text without regard to length or order.

Free Form Language (computer)
Programming or command language where statements can reside anywhere on a line or even cross over lines.

F199. Free Space (computer/Windows)
In Windows terminology, the unused and unformatted portion of a hard disk that can be partitioned or sub-partitioned. Free space within an extended partition is available for the creation of logical drives. Free space that is not within an extended partition is available for the creation of a partition, with a maximum of four partitions allowed.

Freeze Frame (A/V)
Arrested motion, perceived as a still-shot: special effect, stopping on-screen action.

Frequency (computer/printing)
Number of lines per inch in a halftone, also called screen ruling.

Frequency Counter (communications, computer)
Electronic device capable of counting cycles in an electrical signal during a preselected time interval. The high-speed electronic counter is a tool in the measurement of frequency when an accurate time base is available. It provides a digital counting or scaling device for registering the total number of events occurring during a given time interval. Commercial units operate up to 100 gigahertz, or 100 billion counts per second.

Frequency Divider (communications, computer)
Electronic circuit that produces an output signal at a frequency that is an integral submultiple of the frequency of the input signal. Several information processing and transmission techniques require frequency division. In television, for example, it is essential to maintain a precise relationship between the horizontal scanning frequency and the vertical scanning frequency. Frequency division can be conveniently accomplished in two ways: digital division - and division by triggering a subharmonic frequency.

Frequency Division Multiplexing: FDM (communications, computer)
Division of a transmission facility into two or more channels by splitting the frequency band into narrower bands, each of which is used to constitute a distinct channel.

Frequency Measurement (communications, computer)
Measurement of the frequency of a periodic quantity, defined as the number of times a cyclic phenomenon occurs per unit of time. The second is a universal unit of time. The standard second is defined as the length of time required for 9,192,631,770 oscillations at the transition frequency of the cesium atom at zero magnetic field. The Primary Frequency Standards used in national standards laboratories for frequency reference are atomic standards of the cesium-beam type. Different types of measurements are: audio-frequency meters, radio frequency meters; light frequency meters (generally, visible light).




Frequency Modulation (FM) (A/V, communications)
Interaction of two signals, in which the modulation signal varies the frequency of a carrier. IN FM radio, the carrier is a high-frequency signal (88 to 108 MHz), and the modulator is the sound signal. In FM synthesis, a low-frequency oscillator modulates a carrier that is the fundamental frequency of the sound. Frequency modulation is a special kind of angle modulation, in which the instantaneous frequency of a sine-wave carrier is varied by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the modulating wave.

Frequency Modulation Detector (communications, computer)
Detection or demodulation of a frequency-modulated wave. FM detectors operate in several ways. In once class of detector, known as a discriminator, the frequency modulation is first converted to amplitude modulation, which is then detected by an amplitude-modulation detector. Another type of FM detector employs a phased-locked oscillator to recover the modulation. A still different type converts the frequency modulation to pulse-rate modulation which can be converted to the desired signal by use of an integrated circuit (locked-oscillator detectors and integrating detectors).

Frequency Modulator (communications, computer)
Electronic circuit or device producing frequency modulation. The frequency modulator changes the frequency of an oscillator in accordance with the amplitude of a modulating signal. If the modulation is linear, the frequency change is proportional to the modulating voltage. A simple example of a type of frequency modulator is a capacitor microphone used as the capacitive tuning element in an oscillator. The acoustic waves that strike the diaphragm of the microphone change the capacitance, which in turn changes the oscillator frequency. The acoustic pressures are usually so small that the capacitance change, and the frequency change, or frequency deviation, are linearly related to the acoustic pressures. This modulation method, however, is physically cumbersome and is seldom used. Practical circuits usually employ either a reactance tube or a varactor diode to change the oscillator frequency in accordance with a modulating voltage.

Frequency Phenomenon (communications)
Number of times which sound pressure, electrical intensity, or other quantities specifying a wave vary from their equilibrium value through a complete cycle in unit time: number of oscillations, or vibrations, that are in an alternating current in one second. The most common unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz); 1 Hz is equal to 1 cycle per second. In one cycle there is a positive variation from equilibrium, a return to equilibrium, then a negative variation, and return to equilibrium. This relationship is often described in terms of the sine wave, and the frequency referred to is that of an equivalent sine-wave variation in the parameter under discussion. Frequency is a convenient means for describing the various ranges of interest in wave motion. For example, audible sound is between approximately 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. Infrasonic frequencies are below approximately 20 Hz; sound having frequencies above the audible is termed ultrasonic. Electromagnetic waves vary in frequency from less than 1 Hz for commutated direct current up to 10 to the 23rd power for the most energetic radio waves that have been observed. Within this range, typical approximate frequency ranges are: AM radio band in North America at 550 to 1700 kHz; FM radio band at 88 to 108 MHz (megahertz); visible light band starts at about 100 quadrillion Hz (4 x 10 to the 14 power). Another way of defining frequency bandwidths is described in the following table:

#1 Below 30 hertz ---------------------- SLF (infrasonic/commutated dc)
#2 30 - 300 hertz Megametric waves ELF (extremely low frequency)
#3 300 to 3,000 Hz Megametric waves VF (voice frequency)
#4 3 to 30 kHz Myriametric waves VLF (very low frequency)
#5 30 to 300 kHz Kilometric waves LF (low frequency)
#06 300 to 3,000 kHz Hectometric waves MF (medium frequency)
#07 3, to 30 MHz Decametric waves HF (high frequency)
#08 30 to 300 MHz Metric waves VHF (very high frequency)
#09 300 to 3,000 MHz Decimetric waves UHF (ultra high frequency)
#10 3, to 30 GHz Centimetric waves SHF (super high frequency)
#11 30 to 300 GHz Millimetric waves EHF (extremely high frequency)
#12 300 to 3,000 GHz Decimillimetric --- ----- ----------------------
#13 3 THz to 30 THz ------------------- ----- ---------------------------

(a) Acoustical Band Up to about 20,000 hertz or 20 kilohertz (kHz)
(b) Ultrasonic Band From 20 kHz to about 100 kHz.
(c) Radio Frequencies From 100 kHz to about 1 terahertz (THz) (VLF to EHF)
(d) Infrared Band In Wave Lengths, not in Hertz: 300 to 3 micrometers
(e) Visible Spectrum In Wave Lengths, from 0.7 to 0.4 micrometers (microns)
(f) Ultraviolet Spectrum In Wave Lengths, from 10 to the minus 6 microns.
(g) X-Ray, Gamma-Ray Range ---------------------------------------------------------------

Frequency Multiplier (communications, computer)
Electronic circuit that produces an output frequency which is an integral multiple of the input frequency. There are two basic types of frequency multipliers. The nonlinear amplifier generates harmonics in its output current, and the tuned load that resonates at one of these harmonics. The nonlinear coupler uses the nonlinear capacitance of a junction (semiconductor) diode to couple energy from the input circuit, which is tuned to the fundamental circuit (the output circuit), which is tuned to the desired harmonic.

Frequency Response (A/V)
Measure of the range of frequencies a microphone can pick up and reproduce.

Frequency Response Equalization (communications, computer)
Process of obtaining a desired overall frequency-response characteristic in an audio-frequency circuit by introducing corrective electrical networks of various types, termed equalizers, into the circuit. Equalizers are used both in communications networks and in systems for recording/reproducing of photographic film, magnetic tape, and disk phonograph records. Major record companies in North America use the RIAA Standard.

Frequency Shift Keying (communications, M/M)
Simple modulation technique that merges binary data into a carrier frequency. It usually creates only two changes in the frequency, one for the 0 bit and another for the 1 bit. FSK is an audio signal varying in frequency at a fixed rate. FSK signals are recorded on one track of a multitrack recording for synchronization and were the first form of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) recorder synchronization is commonly used.

Fresnel Spotlight (A/V)
One of the most common spotlights, named after the inventor of the Fresnel Lens, which has steplike, or layer-like concentric rings.

Fresnel Zone (A/V, Photonics)
The area around or aura around very bright light sources that appear as concentric circles. For example, if you were to shine a very bright flashlight through a pinhole in a piece of cardboard (in a dark room, of course), then the light that came through would also show you several concentric rings – sort of like harmonic rings – or secondary & tertiary rings of light – The Fresnel Zone.

Friction Head (A/V)
Camera mounting head that counterbalances the camera weight by a strong spring: useful only for relatively light-weight cameras.

Fringes (photonics)
Alternate bright and dark bands that form the interference pattern of two beams. Each fringe represents a relative phase change of one wavelength.

From The Top (A/V)
Term used to describe doing something over from the very beginning.

Front End (computer/printing)
Hardware, computer system, on which graphics and documents are created and stored, prior to being output on the back end of a computerized printing system.

Front End Processor (communications, computer)
Communications computer. It connects to communications channels on one end and the main computer on the other. Software in the front end processor directs the transmitting and receiving of messages according to the protocol used in the network. It detects and corrects transmission errors and assembles and disassembles messages. A front end processor is sometimes synonymous with a communications control unit, although the communications control unit is usually not as flexible as a front end processor. Front end processors are small, limited capability, digital computers that are programmed primarily to replace the hard-wired input and output functions of a mainframe or minicomputer systems (for example, providing the control of remote terminals in a time sharing system). The front-end processor thereby permits the host computer to perform its primary functions with little regard for the slower input/output activities associated with large-scale multi-programmed or time-shared computing systems. In addition to receiving and transmitting all data passing through a mainframe or minicomputer system, front end processors may also support a wide variety of other functions such as: assembly of characters and messages; data and/or format conversion; error control and editing; fail-soft functions; message switching; queuing; polling routines.

Front Focus (A/V)
Proper relationship of the front elements of the zoom lens to ensure focus during the entire zoom range. Front focus is set at the extreme close-up position with the zoom focus control. Colour tube cameras have a front-focus adjustment because the pickup tubes can't be moved.

Front Porch (A/V)
Portion of the composite picture signal lying between the leading edge of the horizontal blanking pulse and the leading edge of the corresponding horizontal sync pulse.

Front Timing (A/V)
Process of calculating clock times by adding given running times to the clock time at which a program begins.
f-stop (A/V)
Calibration on the lens, indicating the aperture, or diaphragm opening (and therefore the amount of light transmitted through the lens). The larger the f-stop number, the smaller the aperture; the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture.

FSK (communications, M/M)
Frequency Shift Keying: simple modulation technique that merges binary data into a carrier frequency. It usually creates only two changes in the frequency, one for the 0 bit and another for the 1 bit. FSK is an audio signal varying in frequency at a fixed rate. FSK signals are recorded on one track of a multitrack recording for synchronization and were the first form of MIDI recorder synchronization commonly used.

FTAM: File Transfer Access and Management (communications, computer)
Communications protocol for the transfer of files between systems of different vendors.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol (communications, computer)
TCP/IP convention that is used to log onto a network, list directories and copy files; it can also translate between ASCII and EBCDIC: an Internet communications protocol for performing file transfer operations on a UNIX based, Operating System Host.

FTS2000: Federal Telecommunications System 2000 (communications)
Digital fiber optic network providing voice, video, e-mail and high-speed data communications for the U.S. government. AT&T and WorldCom/MCI/Sprint are the equipment providers.

Full ADDER (computer/microelectronics)
Switching circuits which combine binary bits to generate the SUM and CARRY of these bits. It takes the bits from the two binary numbers to be added (ADDEND and AUGEND) plus the CARRY from the preceding less significant and generates the SUM and the CARRY (same as ADDER, differing from the HALF ADDER).

Full-Duplex Transmission (communications)
Transmitting/Receiving simultaneously. In pure digital networks, this is achieved with two pairs of wires. In analog networks or digital networks using carriers, it is achieved by dividing the bandwidth of the line into 2 frequencies, 1 for sending, 1 for receiving.

Full Motion Video (A/V, communications, computer, M/M)
Presenting video images in a window with accompanying sound. If you have a sufficiently high-speed computer and disk drive, each frame of video comprising the sequence will be displayed and all the sound will be heard. Slower computers and data sources (such as CD-ROM drive) drop as many video frames as required when attempting to provide intelligible sound from waveform audio files. Full motion video files must be compressed, either by hardware or software techniques, to prevent even short video segments from occupying all available hard disk space.

Full Name (computer/Windows)
In Windows networking terminology, a User's complete name, consisting of a last name, first name, and initial. The full name is information that can be maintained by User Manager as part of the information identifying and defining a user account (see user account).

Full Screen Applications (computer/Windows)
Non-Windows application occupying the whole screen rather than running in a window.

Full Track (A/V)
In audio terms, a tape recorder, or recording, that uses the full width of the tape for recording an audio signal.

Fully Scripted (A/V)
Term used to describe a production for which the dialogue is completely written out and detailed video and audio instructions are provided.

Function (computer)
Sub-program called from within an expression in which a value is computed and returned to the program that called it by name. Functions are classified as internal to the application language when names are keywords.

Function Generator (computer/microelectronics)
Electronic instrument which generates periodic voltage or current waveforms that duplicate various types of well-defined mathematical functions. The simplest function generator usually generates a combination of square, triangular, and sine waves.

Function Keys (computer)
Special keyboard keys programmed to execute commonly used commands (F1, F2, etc.).

Functional Electronic Block (computer/microelectronics)
Another name for a monolithic integrated circuit of thick-film circuit design.

Functional Programming (computer)
Sometimes called, applicative programming, it is a style of programming that uses function application as the only control structure. Rather than conditional statements, one uses conditional expressions to yield alternative results; rather than an assignment statement, one uses binding of a parameter to an argument to place a name on a value; rather than explicit sequencing or looping of control flow, one uses patterns of nested function invocations to direct the generation of answers.

Functional Specifications (computer)
Blueprint for the design of an information, computer, communications system. It provides documentation for the database, human and machine procedures, and all the input, processing and output detail for each entry, query, update, report.

Furnace Processing (computer/microelectronics)
Enclosed elevated temperature processing of solid state devices and systems, in gaseous atmospheres. Diffusion furnaces are operated at temperatures from 1,000 to 1,300 degrees Celsius, to achieve doping of semiconductor substrates, by one of a number of processes. Oxidation is a process that puts a protective layer of silicon oxide on the wafer and is used either as an insulator or to mask out certain areas when doping occurs. Deposition systems, of which there are three (liquid, gaseous, solid) are used to deposit impurities on the silicon wafer. Other systems include a drive-in system used to diffuse impurities into the wafer to a specified level, and an alloy system which is used in a final step of the metallization process. Firing furnaces are used for the curing of multi-layer ceramics for integrated electronics and for the firing of thick film materials on microcircuits.


Furnace Screen Printing Process (computer/microelectronics)
Process equipment designed to cure substrates after screen printing and drying.

Fuse (computer)
Protective device designed to melt or break, when its capacity is exceeded ( a circuit breaker trips its own switch). Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips contain fuses selectively blown to create binary patterns on the chip (also, to bond together).

Fusible Link (computer/microelectronics)
Type of PROM (Programmable, Read Only Memory) chip in which circuits form bit patterns by being made to be an open circuit (the fusible link is destroyed by applying high current) or left closed (fusible link left intact).

Fusible Metal Alloy (computer/microelectronics)
Any alloy with a low melting point, used as solders (bismuth, lead, tin).

Futurebus+ (computer)
Proposed IEEE standard for an advanced industrial 64-bit bus architecture that has 32, 128, and 256-bit variations. Futurebus+ was supported by Intel and Motorola, makers of the widely-used MULTIBUS and VMEbus architectures.

Futures Book (A/V)
Term, in broadcasting, that is sometimes used to describe upcoming news events.

Fuzzy Logic (A/V, computer)
Mathematical technique for dealing with imprecise data and problems that have many solutions rather than one. Fuzzy logic can deal with values between 0 and 1 not just O and 1, and is more analogous to human logic than the traditional binary logic (O & 1) of digital computers.

Fuzzy Search (computer)
Inexact search for information that finds answers that are close to the desired answers.
FX (A/V, computer)
Abbreviation for Effects.