Audio Level An alternative term for audio volume.
AVI Abbreviation for Audio Video Interleaved, this is the standard Windows format for delivering uncompressed video.
Bit Short for binary digit, this is the smallest unit of data recognized by a PC.
Bit Rate The number of bits transferred per second.
Capture Recording audio, video, or still images as digital information in a movie project file.
Capture Device Hardware used in transferring audio and video from an external source, such as a camcorder or VCR, to a computer.
Clip A segment of a video extracted from a larger video file.
Codec Software or hardware used to compress and decompress digital media.
Collection A file container within Windows Movie Maker used to organize video clips, images, and audio.
Compression The process of reducing a file size by removing redundant information from the file.
Cross-fade A video transition method where the frames in the current clip fade out as frames in the new clip fade in.
Digital8 Sony’s proprietary digital video format, which is backward compatible with Hi8. This format uses standard 8mm tape to record and store video data.
Digital Artifacts Distorted areas in a video or image file, often appearing as square shapes within the picture.
Digital Camcorder A device for recording video in a digital format. Common digital camcorders capture video in mini-DV, Digital8, and DVD MPEG-2 formats.
Digital Video (DV) Video and sound stored in a digital format.
DV-AVI An uncompressed Microsoft audio/video format used to encode camcorder data into a format usable by Windows Movie Maker.
Effect A special effect applied to video footage in Windows Movie Maker.
Fade A transitional effect designed to bring the video from or to black by gradually decreasing or increasing light in the picture.
FireWire A high-speed data serial transfer standard providing connectivity for a wide range of devices, including camcorders, external hard drives, and portable media devices.
Frame One single image in the series of images making up a video.
Frame Rate The number of video frames displayed per second. Most DV camcorders record video at 29.97 frames per second. In general, the higher the frame rate the smoother the picture.
IEEE 1394 (See also FireWire and iLink) A high-speed data serial transfer standard providing connectivity for a wide range of devices, including camcorders, external hard drives, and portable media devices.
i.LINK (See also FireWire and IEEE 1394) The Sony implementation of IEEE 1394.
Line Noise Unwanted noise in an audio track caused by electrical currents interfering with the transmission of audio data through a cable.
Microphone Noise Unwanted sound captured when a microphone is bumped during recording.
Mini-DV The format common to most digital video camcorders, which uses 6.35mm tape to record and store video data.
NTSC National Television Standards Committee. This is most commonly referenced in terms of the technical standard for video formatting in the United States.
PAL Phase Alternative Line. A competing standards body to NTSC. Most of the world outside the U.S. conforms to video standards based on PAL.
Project File The master file used by Windows Movie Maker to store information about imported data and how it is arranged within the project.
Source Device containing audio and video content to be captured and encoded by Windows Movie Maker.
Split Dividing one larger audio or video clip into two smaller clips.
Storyboard A layout of a Windows Movie Maker project displaying video clips, transitions, and effects sequentially in a simplified workspace.
Super 8 A film format introduced by Kodak in 1965, which uses 8mm cartridge-loaded film reels for recording movies.
S-Video Sometimes referred to as SVHS, this video transmission format separates black-and-white video information from color data into two signals. Traditional composite video sends this information as one signal.
Timeline A detailed workspace view of a Windows Movie Maker project showing relative lengths of each element used within the project and how they overlap.
Transition A transition is a special kind of effect placed between two movie clips to enhance the progression of the movie’s story as it moves to the next scene.
Trim Hiding parts of an audio or video clip in the project space without permanently removing them from the source file. Audio and video clips can be trimmed by adjusting the start or end trim points, which alters playback within the project, while leaving the original file intact.
Trim Points Markers on the timeline of a project file designating the starting and ending points for a particular media clip.
Windows Media file A file containing audio, video, or script data stored in Windows Media Format. Depending on content and purpose, Windows Media files use a variety of Component extensions, including: .wma, .wme, .wms, .wmv, .wmx, .wmz, or .wvx. Most Windows Movie Maker projects deal with .wma and .wmv files.
Workspace The area of Windows Movie Maker where movies are pieced together. The workspace is made up of two views: storyboard and timeline.
Zoom Magnifying or shrinking the image viewed by a camera lens, making the object appear closer or farther than it actually is in physical space.
