Glossary of Terms

3D - A three-dimensional medium, display, or performance, especially a cinematic or graphic medium in three dimensions.

3D-enabled^TM  - Magnetic Media brand name of it’s 3D ready television or 3DTV.

3D Enhancement – This is a process that Magnetic Media content creation services team expertly does when adding 3D elements to existing traditional 2D content. 

A - Access control - A way to protect confidential date on a computer (or a computer network) from unauthorized access.

Activation: A buying decision motivated at the point-of-purchase by such factors as buying convenience, price, promotion, impulse selection, etc.

After Effects: Is the name of a one of the content creation software’s that Magnetic Media content creation services uses to composite graphical elements.

Anaglyph - moving or still pictures in contrasting colors that appear three-dimensional when superimposed. Anaglyph works well for printed matter or computer display, but color problems inherent in NTSC displays (normal TV) result in poor 3D broadcasts.

Archetype™ 3DTV – is Magnetic Media model of their 3D television and branded as  Archetype™ 3DTV

ASF (Active Streaming Format): The standard file format of WindowsMedia™ Technologies files

Auto-Stereoscopic- Term used for glasses-free 3D.

B - Bandwidth - The amount of information that can pass through a network connection. For a digital connection it is usually measured in bits per second, represented in Kilobits Kbps), Megabits (Mbps) and Gigabits (Gbps).

Bit - Short for "binary digit", bits are used to describe transmission speed. A bit has either a value of one (high current) or zero (low current) and is the smallest unit of measure of data in a computer.

Bit rate - A measure of bandwidth, expressed as the number of bits transmitted per second.

Brand: A simple, cohesive identity or consumer impression of a product, service or organization. Branding increases shareholder equity, allows for premium pricing, enables higher gross margins and allows for easier line extensions, and decreases business costs relative to equity achievement. Brands enjoy statistically higher Return on Investment (ROI).

Branding: The actions of gaining a favored view on the part of consumers for a product, service, organization or experience. These actions include advertising, merchandising, demonstration, education (consumers, sales staff, etc.) profile through media, events, etc., co-branding, etc. The measures of branding success include revenues, customer base, share of category revenues, category growth, awareness and perception of brand.

Buffering -The method for compiling enough data to begin streaming over the Internet. Bandwidth and Internet traffic determine the length of buffering time.

Business Model: The costs of Digital Signage network are met in different ways. An “Ad Model” creates profit through ad display and sponsorship revenues, coupon redemption commissions and marketing intelligence sales. The costs in a “Venue Model” are considered by the display location provider (typically) as a cost of business or investment toward patron marketing, up-selling, or improving a wait, service or shopping experience. It is common to blend the two business models allowing the benefits of a Venue model with investment offset through sponsorship or advertising.

Byte - Short for "binary term". A byte is the basic unit of measurement for computer storage, typically the amount needed to store a typed number or letter.

Category: A product group that enables a point of reference or comparison with products or services that other similar value or experience of use.

Channel: Script that has been published in such a way that when its contents change, the updated material is forwarded to machines running the viewer that have subscribed to the channel. Synonym: zone.

Compression - By compressing data, or making it smaller, your computer uses less memory to store information. Compressed data takes less bandwidth and allows faster transmission.

Content: Media, clips, text, video and audio that is presented by display and audio devices by a digital signage system.

Content distribution server: A computer, server, or device that stores the contents that are distributed to the player in the store. Synonyms: broadcast server, network manager, content management server.

CPM: Acronym for COST PER THOUSAND (“M” is the roman numeral for 1,000). CPM is the costing unit used in mass advertising for calibration and comparison of display rates. The CPM level increases with the quality of the audience and scarcity of display opportunity. Display buys will often be bundled to include a range of more and less attractive display spots. This common practice in TV ad sales increases the overall display contract and “averages down” the CPM rate.

Curiosity: An open-ness to having a new opinion. For consumers, the rewards of curiosity include getting higher value, bragging rights, having news value or product enthusiasm, or achieving an aspiration to be identified with the brand. Marketers wish to deliver these rewards through their marketing communications. Curiosity is the tap through which benefits can be mutually enjoyed by the consumer and the marketer.

Display device: flat panel LCD, plasma, or other electronic devices that are at the end-point of a digital signage system, presenting the content.

Digital Media - Sound, pictures, text and video available in digital format for downloading or streaming across the Internet or other network.

Digital Signage: A network of digital displays that are centrally managed and addressable for targeted information, entertainment, merchandising and advertising. Also referred to as Digital Media Advertising, Digital Signage Network, In-store TV Network, Captive Audience Network, Narrowcasting Network, Out-of-home Media Network, Digital Media Network, Advertising Network.

Demand: A desire for a product or service. A buying decision is based on brand identity and the impression based on previous purchases and experience of use.

Effective: Greater output from the same or less input.

Emotional Identity: The way a consumer interprets the identity of a brand

Encoding - Rewriting or transferring media sources from one format to another (i.e., from video tape to RealVideo).

Extension (or File Extension) One or several letters at the end of a file name that determine how the file is formatted and viewed. Filename extensions usually follow a period (dot) . For example, this.txt is a plain text file, that.htm or that.html denotes an HTML file. Some common image extensions are picture.jpg, or picture.gif.

F - Flash - A vector graphic animation software that requires much less bandwidth on the Web or on a CD than traditional video.

Flight: The display of an ad or other content message on the display

Format - Different programs and devices store information in a variety of ways. The specific organization of information a program or device requires is called its format. Some types of formatting are VHS, DVD, and PDF.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - a common method of transferring files via the Internet from one computer to another. Depending on which 3M digital Signage software you use, you may be provided with a specific FTP login in

Footfall: Store traffic

Ghosting – A condition that occurs when the right eye sees a portion of the left image or vice versa causing a faint double image to appear on the screen.

Graphics - Everything seen on a web page that is not text based, including pictures and illustration. There are basically two types of graphics for computers, vector graphics (object -based) that use computer algorithms to describe the shape, and raster graphics (bitmaps), that define the shape pixel by pixel.

Graphics - Everything seen on a web page that is not text based, including pictures and illustration. There are

H - Host - Computer that provides documents to users, functioning as the beginning and end point for data transfers.

Intensity of Desire: “Desire” is not absolute. Creating intensity of desire which will result in revenues is the marketer’s job.

JPS – Stereoscopic JPEG file. A stereoscopic image file format that is based on JPEG compression. Used by DepthCharge & other stereoscopic imaging applications.

Local Playback - A file that exists on the same computer device, versus an external source such as the web.

Lenticular Lens- This is the lens that is affixed to the existing glass of the monitor that is resides under the bezel. The lens effect that creates a convex perspective of multiple images or light sources.

M - Media - This is the blanket term used for audio, images such as photos, and video, as well as the ways they are used to reach the viewer (i.e., streaming media).

Memory - The actual amount of data a computer can store either on a disk or on a chip.

MPEG - ( standards developed by Moving Picture Experts Group) A type of audio/video file found on the Internet. There are three major MPEG standards: MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4.

MP3 (MPEG1, audio layer 3) - A format used for the compression, storing and transmitting of CD-quality audio, which can be downloaded and listened to on a computer or handheld MP3 player.

Multichannel player: Outputs multiple streams of unique content to multiple display devices. Synonyms: site server, in-Store server.

Multimedia - Presenting information by means of more than one "media", i.e. any combination of traditional computer graphics, text, animation, sound, and video.

Multiplex – the process of taking a right and left image and combining them with a multiplexing software tool or with a multiplexer to make one stereo 3D image.

Need State: The condition of a consumer defining their receptivity to considering and acting upon a brand identity or trial opportunity. For example, when recuperating in from of a TV, a consumer needs different information to encourage intended brand perception than the information needed at a point of purchase to activate a sale.

Nine Views- Amount of viewing angles or zones when experiencing the Magnetic Media 3D media solution and screen.

Organizational Alignment: Consistency of message content and tone across each delivery mechanism including executive and staff, ads, packaging, public and media relations, etc. each communications is either brand-building or “de-branding”.

Player: Presents content to the display device for presentation.

Playlist: a schedule defining the order and duration of content to be displayed.

Playlog: Record of information created from the digital signage system reflecting the content played, the system performance and other data.

Plug-in - A type of software that extends the capabilities of programs already on your computer. For instance, you probably require a plug-in to see certain types of animation or watch movies on your computer.

Program Revenues: When digital signage display and connectivity infrastructure is used to deliver live programming such as new product instructions, training, sponsored events, etc.., non-ad revenues are generated for the signage network owner.

Q - QuickTime -Software program that allows the user to view and experience a variety of digital media, including video, sound, animation, graphics, text, music, and 360-degree virtual reality ( VR ) scenes.

Real time - The actual time an event takes place. For example, real-time can refer to a live broadcast or an active exchange between a host and user.

Re-evaluation: New perspectives and information can inspire consumers to change their perceptions. To cause re-evaluation is to seek change or reinforcement of previous perceptions.

Recency: Timely, Relevant impressions

Resolution - Described in dots per inch (dpi), resolution refers to the clarity and detail of an image. On a 15-inch monitor there are usually 680 pixels of width, times 480 lines of height. This multiplies to a total of around 300,000 pixels, or a resolution of around 50 dpi. The higher the dpi, the more clear and precise the image will appear.

RGB: Red, Green, Blue: the three colors that are combined to comprise all the "mixed" colors on a computer screen.

S - Server - A computer, or a software package, that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running, e.g. "Your content will be stored on the FRED NE server, so you will not need to purchase a computer for your digital signage content storage."

Sales Lift: Revenue increase. Usually expressed as a % increase over normal

Salience: Core relevant information. In addition to its relevance as a quality of content for selling or branding, salience can be a determinant and predictor of immediate trial and revenue growth. There is a “vertical” salience, which is a single individual’s knowledge of a brand, but also “social salience”. Salience becomes “horizontal” when information is exchanged between individuals.

Sound Card - An expansion or circuit board that adds audio capabilities to a computer. Sound cards enable the translation of audio from the traditional analog format to digital for computer use.

Stereoscopic 3D - two photographs taken from slightly different angles that appear three-dimensional when viewed together.

Streaming media - An Internet data transfer technique that allows a live flow of digital information, both audio and video, in real time. The user needs a player, or a special program (plug-in) to hear and/or view the streaming media.

Trial: First purchase and use of a new product by a consumer. An essential step on the road to recurring revenues. A general rule of thumb is that a prospect will need to hear about a product 7 times before they trial.

Triggered Content: Media that can over-ride planned content when certain pre-determined conditions are realized such as the proximity of a shopper, removal of an item from display for examination or the reading of various inputs such as bar code, loyalty card, biometrics, etc.

Virtual Private Network (VPN): A VPN is used in Digital Signage networks to provide secure, reliable connectivity as a private network but at much lower cost. Using a VPN the Digital signage network can operate outside of the internet or other organizational connectivity infrastructure to assure cost-effective, secure and reliable network operations at required levels.

VBR (Variable Bit Rate) - A two-pass encoding process that analyzes and compresses movies to an optimal data rate; as opposed to a uniform data rate, VBR varies from second to second.

Webcast - Web delivery of a live or delayed broadcast, such as movies, videos, or radio and television.

Z - Zip (.zip) An easy-to-use data compression technology that holds directory structures in addition to files. Large file and graphics are usually compressed as ZIP files to sent over the Internet to another user. After the ZIP file is downloaded, a decompression software program to "unzip" it is needed.