K

K – K (communications, computer) to Ku Band (communications)

K (communications, computer)
Kilo: one thousand; it may be used as a reference for 1 kilobit or 1 kilobyte, which interprets to 1,024 bits or 1,024 bytes. Kilohertz indicates one thousand Hertz, or one thousand cycles per second (frequency).

Karaoke (A/V)
Musical arrangement designed to accompany an added singing voice. A karaoke can be used to describe a consumer audio or audio-video component equipped with a microphone (and often with digital signal processing). The added singer's voice is combined with the accompaniment and heard through the same speakers.

Kb (communications, computer)
Kilobyte - One Kilobyte equals 1,024 bytes. Similarly, k (lowercase) is an abbreviation letter along with Hz to designate increments of 1,000 cycles per second: kHz.

Kelvin: K (computer/microelectronics)
Unit of temperature measurement starting from absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius).

Kelvin Bridge (computer/microelectronics)
Specialized circuit bridge designed to eliminate, or greatly reduce, the effect of lead and contact resistance and thus permit accurate measurement of low resistance.

Kelvin Degrees (A/V, computer/microelectronics)
In Audio/Video production, a standard scale that may be used for measuring colour temperature, or the relative reddish-ness or bluish-ness contained in white light.

Kerf (computer/microelectronics)
Slit or channel cut in a resistor during trimming by a laser beam or an abrasive jet.

Kernel (computer)
Fundamental part of program, (an operating system), that resides in memory at all times. Sometimes called the nucleus, the kernel is applied to the set of programs in an operating system which implement the most primitive of the system's functions. The precise interpretation of kernel programs depends on the operating system being used.

Kernel Driver (computer)
Driver that accesses hardware through the kernel, or fundamental part of the program.

Kerning (computer)
Spacing of certain letter combination, such as WA, MW, and TA, where each character overlaps into some of the space of the other character for improved appearance.

Key (A/V, computer)
In Audio/Visual terminology it can pertain to Key Light, the principal source of illumination; or an electronic effect - keying - or cutting in of an image (usually lettering) into a background image. In musical notation, the number of sharps & flats (accidentals) applied to notes. Key is indicated by the signature following the clef symbol. Keys are expressed as note letters followed by the terms major and minor. In computer terminology, keys of the keyboard.

KEYB (computer/DOS)
DOS Command changing the keyboard to use a character set for another language. This command is used to invoke the keyboard layout of another country's keyboard. Changing the keyboard allows the user to access frequently used characters in another language.

Keyboard Interrupt (computer)
Signal capability from the keyboard to cause an interrupt message to be sent to the personal computer's central processing unit (CPU).

Keyboard Processor (computer)
Small microprocessor that controls the keystroke entries between the keyboard and the personal computer's central processing unit (CPU).

K015. Keyboard Standards (computer)
Specifications made to save manufacturing costs by standardizing both the keyboard and interface with other equipment, to save training costs, to achieve higher operator efficiency in keying, and to minimize errors (i.e. IBM Enhanced 101 Key standard).

Key Caps (computer)
Visible and replaceable caps on the keyboard that attach to the armatures embedded under the key cap, within the computer keyboard.

Key Card (A/V)
Also called a super card: a studio card with white lettering on a black background, used for superimposition of a title, or for keying of a title over a background scene. For chroma keying, the white letters are on a chroma-key blue background.

Key Click (computer)
For modern computer keyboards and optional click sound when a key is depressed, as opposed to a slight resistance only, on a "soft key" keyboard. Some older keyboards have no option, all keys click when depressed. Some keyboards let users choose the option.

Keying (A/V)
In audio/visual production, a voice-over scripting technique in which text is correlated with the visual so that certain words or phrases are delivered at key locations in the picture story, for example, a name identification delivered at about the time the person appears on the screen.

Key Level Control (A/V)
Also called clip control: a regulator on a video switcher that prevents title letters from tearing the video monitor/screen (screen distorting) during the key.

Key Light (A/V)
Principal source of illumination. Also, in lighting, high or low key lighting. It can also include an electronic effect. Keying, by itself is cutting in of an image (usually lettering) into a background.

Keyline (computer/printing)
In printing terms, a thin line around a box containing an image.


K023. Keyword (computer)
Word that has specific meaning to the interpreter or compiler in use and will cause predefined events to occur when encountered in source code. You may not use keywords as variables, procedures, or function names.

Keyword In Context: KWIC (computer)
Applications with automatically produced information search tools. Typically, the index is a list produced by filtering titles, text, or text portions extracted from documents, using a preconstructed stop list to eliminate words that are not indicative of content (and, if, of, or, etc.) and including in the index an entry for each of the remaining text words. Each line of text may thus appear many times in the list.

kHz (communications, communications)
kilohertz - one kilohertz equals 1,000 hertz or 1,000 cycles per second.

Khornerstones (computer)
Another type of benchmark test that measures a personal computer's performance.

Kicker (A/V)
Kicker light, usually directional light coming from the side and back of the subject.

Kinescope (A/V)
Originally, the method of preserving video productions on film, prior to the invention of videotape, by photographing a monitor.

ine Tube (A/V)
Video picture tube that uses a modulated electron gun striking a phosphor screen to reproduce a visual picture from a video signal; also called a CRT (cathode ray tube).

Kirchoff's Laws (computer/microelectronics)
Fundamental natural laws dealing with the relation of current at a junction and the voltages around a loop. These laws are commonly used in the analysis and solution of microelectronic bridges and substrate networks. They may be used directly to solve circuit problems, and they form the basis for circuit network theorems.

Kludge (computer)
Also spelled "kluge" and pronounced "klooj" the word was invented by Jackson Graholm in an article "How to Design a Kludge" in Datamation, February, 1962. His definition is given as: "an ill-sorted collection of poorly matching parts, forming a distressing whole". It is a crude, inelegant system, component, add-on, or application. It may refer to a makeshift, temporary solution to a problem as well as to any product that is poorly designed. The newest edition of the definition is: an ill-conceived and hence unreliable system that has accumulated through patchwork, expediency, and poor planning".

Klystron (communications)
Evacuated electron-beam tube in which an initial velocity modulation imparted to electrons in the beam results subsequently in density modulation of the beam. A klystron is used either as an amplifier in the microwave region or as an oscillator.


K033. Knockout (computer/printing)
In printer terminology, the absence of ink in a specified area, so that the color of an object printing on top of it is not altered.

Knowledge Based System (computer)
Collection of expert facts, history, background, current knowledge on a subject stored in a computer system waiting to be used; sometimes accessed using natural language.

K035. Ku Band (communications)
In communications, the 11.7 to 12.7 gigahertz portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.