Glossary
This Glossary includes various technical acronyms, abbreviations, and common terms with their definitions. These terms are important to understand for those working with Disguise software and hardware, and engaging with the wider Disguise Ecosystem.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1080p | Full HD, 1920 x 1080 pixel screen resolution, progressive, i.e. non-interlaced. |
| 1080i | Full HD, 1920 x 1080 pixel screen resolution, interlaced. |
| 2K | 2048 x 1080 pixel screen resolution, DCI defined. |
| 4K | Screen resoluton. See DCI 4k and 4K UHD. |
| DCI 4K | 4096 x 2160 pixel screen resolution. |
| 4K UHD | 3840 x 2160 pixel screen resolution. |
| 4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0 | Different levels of Chroma Subsampling. A common video / image data compression strategy. |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as perception, reasoning, learning, and decision-making. In XR, AI is often used for functions like object recognition, natural language interaction, scene understanding, and adaptive user experiences. |
| Aperture | Aperture is the lens opening that controls how much light enters the camera and affects both exposure and depth of field. A larger aperture (smaller f-stop number) lets in more light with a blurrier scene outside of the focal plane, while a smaller aperture (larger f-stop number) lets in less light with more of the scene in focus. |
| ArtNet | Data distribution protocol that allows DMX and RDM lighting data to be transported over an Ethernet network. |
| AR | Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital elements, such as graphics or information, onto the real world in real time. It enhances, rather than replaces, the user’s physical environment, typically through devices like smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses. |
| ARC | Audio Return Channel. |
| AV | Audio Visual. |
| BNC | Bayonet Neill–Concelman (a type of connector, used for SDI & Genlock). |
| BP / BP2 | Backplane v2 - the infrastructure in disguise servers which houses VFC cards, e.g DisplayPort (DP). |
| BPC | Bits Per Channel - 8 or 10, usually - other standards have 12 or 16 BPC. This is what people are referring to when they say “10 bit”. |
| BPP | Bits Per Pixel. The number of data bits used to represent a 3 channel RGB (Red, Green, Blue) pixel. Normally 24 (8 x 3) but recently 30 (10 x 3). |
| Broadcast (multiple definitions) | Distribution of audio/video content to an audience, i.e. TV; OR A reserved IP address used to send information to all devices on a network. |
| BSOD | Blue Screen Of Death - OS-level crash due to faulty drivers or hardware. |
| CM | CodeMeter - Encryption and Licensing product used for disguise servers, designer and some 3rd party products (Notch). |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit, the main chip in a computer that does number crunching. |
| CTD | Crash to Desktop. |
| d3 | Designer, Disguise software. |
| d3Manager | The software utility used to manage the Disguise media server hardware, including networking, display settings, and system diagnostics. |
| DCI | Digital Cinema Initiatives. |
| DHCP | Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. |
| DMX | Digital Multiplex (DMX512 - used for lighting control, can be used to control d3, via a module called sockpuppet). |
| DoF | Depth of Field, the part of a camera lens which is in focus and consequently the parts of the image that are out of focus. Defined as shallow or wide - shallow means only a small part of the image is in focus, wide means that everything the camera sees is in focus. |
| DOF | Degrees of Freedom. Number of independent variables of a system, e.g. a 2D coordinate has 2, a 3D camera pose (position and orientation) has 6. Camera lens parameters have at least 1 (focal length), but typically many (2 for lens shift, plus varying number of distortion coefficients). |
| DP | DisplayPort, a common video connector present on our VFC cards. |
| DSE | Dynamic Softedge / Dynamic Blend. |
| DVI | Digital Visual Interface. |
| EDID | Extended Display Identification Data, the metadata between display and GPU. |
| FFS | Four-Finger Salute, CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+F12 a shortcut for resetting emulated edids / displays from d3service. This is a very common fix to a wide range of problems. |
| Focal Length | Focal length, measured in millimeters (mm), determines the angle of view of a camera or projector lens. Wide-angle lenses have a short focal length, capturing a broader scene, while telephoto lenses have a long focal length, magnifying distant subjects. The effective focal length of a lens is its physical focal length multiplied by a camera’s crop factor, which is determined by the size of its sensor. |
| FPGA | Field Programmable Gate Array (programmable chip). |
| FPS | Frames Per Second. |
| GPU | Graphics Processing Unit, hardware for displaying graphics in a computer. |
| GSOD | Grey/Green Screen Of Death. |
| HD | High definition (1280 x 720 pixel screen resolution, but most people use it to mean 1920 x 1080 screen resolution). |
| HD-BNC | High-Density Bayonet Neill–Concelman connector (small ones on the VX 4). |
| HDCP | High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. |
| HDD | Hard Drive (spinning platter.) |
| HDMI | High Definition Multi-media Interface. |
| HDR | High Dynamic Range. |
| IMAG | Image Magnification, screens specifically for displaying close-ups of performers’ on-stage acts so the audience in the back doesn’t miss detail. |
| Interlacing | A means of increasing perceived framerate by displaying a single frame of video as two “half” frames. |
| Internet Protocol address | A unique (per network) numerical “address” attached to a device on a network. |
| IP-VFC | The next-generation of the Video Format Conversion (VFC) card using the IP workflow. |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode. |
| Localhost | A reserved hostname referring to this computer; resolves to the loopback address. |
| Loopback address | 127.0.0.1 is a reserved IP address used for communicating with this computer. |
| LTC | Linear Time Code. |
| LUT | Look-up table. |
| mDP | Mini DisplayPort, connector type. |
| Media Server | A specialised computer system, that stores, processes, and outputs high-resolution video content for live shows and events. |
| MIDI | Musical Instrument Digital Interface, common AV / sound protocol. |
| MR | Mixed Reality (MR) merges the physical and digital worlds so that virtual objects can interact with and respond to the real environment. MR experiences are more immersive than AR, allowing users to engage with both real and virtual elements simultaneously. |
| MST | Media Streaming Terminal. |
| MST | Multi-Stream Transport (DisplayPort). |
| Multicast | one-to-many or many-to-many network communication. More scalable and network-friendly than broadcast. |
| NAS | Network-attached storage. |
| NDI® | A relatively popular proprietary but royalty-free means of transporting video over an IP network. |
| NMOS | Networked Media Open Specifications. |
| NVMe | Non-Volatile Memory express, a connector for a solid state hard drive via the pci express bus, much faster than the more old fashioned SATA connector. |
| OSC | Open Sound Control, common AV / sound protocol. A network protocol that allows Disguise to communicate with and be controlled by other creative tools, lighting desks, and devices. |
| OTT | Over-the-top, initially named in reference to devices that go “over” a cable box to give the user access to TV content. In OTT channels, content is delivered via an internet connection - rather than through a traditional cable/broadcast provider. |
| PID (control) | Proportional Integral Derivative Controller. |
| QA | Quality Assurance. This relates to our testing process and quality control procedures for all software and hardware for making sure there are no bugs in our products. |
| QuickCal | Quick Calibration. |
| Prime Lens | A prime lens has a fixed focal length, meaning you can’t zoom in or out. Because of their simpler optical design, prime lenses often offer larger maximum apertures for faster shutter speeds, reduced distortion, and sharper images compared to zoom lenses. |
| Projector Calibration | The process of using software to align and blend the output of one or more projectors to create a seamless, cohesive image on a physical surface. |
| RAID | Redundant Array of Independent Disks (hard disk configuration) |
| Render Node | Render Node is a dedicated computer or server used to process and generate graphics or visual data, often as part of a distributed rendering system. In XR and visual effects workflows, render nodes accelerate complex scene calculations, allowing high-quality images, animations, or real-time simulations to be produced more efficiently. |
| RenderStream | A proprietary Disguise protocol that allows real-time 3D rendering engines (like Unreal Engine, Unity, TouchDesigner, and Notch) to be seamlessly integrated with and controlled by the Disguise media server. |
| RGB | A colour encoding system based on the three primary colours red, green and blue |
| RMA | Return Merchandise Authorisation. This is what we call the repair procedure. |
| RT | ResourceTransport, mechanism for synchronising data between multiple d3 instances. |
| SAAS | Software as a service. |
| sACN | Streaming ACN, or ANSI E1.31. An open DMX over Ethernet standard. |
| Sensor Size | Crop sensors have a tighter field of view than full sensors. There are different types of crop, including APS-C, Super 35 and micro 4/3, each with their own crop factors and aspect ratios. Focal length measurements are based on a standard (35mm) sensor size. If you are using a crop frame camera the sensor is cropping out the edges of the frame, which is effectively increasing the focal length. The amount of difference in the field of view or focal length with a crop sensor is measured by its “Multiplier.” For example, a Nikon APS-C crop sensor has a 1.5x multiplier. When a Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens is attached to that Nikon DSLR, the focal length is multiplied by 1.5x and effectively acts like a 75mm lens on a full frame DSLR. Large sensor = shallower depth of field Smaller sensor = deeper depth of field. |
| Shutter Angle | Shutter angle is a way of describing the shutter speed relative to the frame rate. This is a term taken from rotary shutters, where the wider the angle is the slower the shutter speed. A shutter angle of 180° means the shutter will be open for half the time of a 360° shutter angle. The relationship between shutter angle, shutter speed and frame rate is defined as: S = A/(F*360) |
| Standard Definition | Abbreviated to SD, includes resolutions at or below 480p. |
| Secure Digital | Secure Digital, officially abbreviated as SD, is a proprietary, non-volatile, flash memory card format the SD Association developed for use in portable devices. |
| SDI | Serial Digital Interface. |
| SFP | Small form-factor pluggable transceiver. |
| SLC | Single Large Canvas. |
| SMPTE timecode | A standard timing signal used to synchronise Disguise systems with audio, lighting, cameras, and other show elements. Standardised by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). |
| SSD | Solid State Disk, a faster hard drive (compared to a HDD). |
| T-Stop | T-stop measures the amount of light that passes through a lens. Depending on the glass in the lens, different amounts of light will pass through to the sensor. T-stop takes the f-Stop number and divides it by the percentage of light transmitted through the lens. The larger the T-Stop, the darker the image. T-Stops are used more in the film world than the photography world. |
| Unicast | One-to-one network communication. |
| UXF/UXFade | Universal Crossfade. |
| UVM | UV Mapping (UV is not an acronym, they are like XYZ coordinates). |
| VFC | Video Format Conversion (VFC) cards are a proprietary Disguise hardware component that allows compatible Disguise servers to output synchronised content at different resolutions. Video format conversion is achieved at very low latencies, compared to external format converters (lines rather than frames). |
| VGA | 640 × 480 pixel screen resolution - Video Graphics Array, a display standard. |
| VR | Virtual Reality (VR) is a fully immersive digital experience that replaces the physical world with a computer-generated environment. Using headsets and motion tracking, VR allows users to interact with and explore 3D spaces as if they were physically present within them. |
| XFade | Crossfade. |
| XGA | 1024 x 768 pixel screen resolution - eXtended Graphics Array, a display standard, follow up to VGA. |
| XLR | External Line Return. A type of connector commonly used for lighting and audio cabling. |
| xR | Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term for immersive technologies that blend the physical and digital worlds. XR relies on cameras, sensors, and real-time processing to create interactive environments that enhance or fully replace the user’s perception of reality. See also VR, AR and MR. |