| HDMI versions in common use | HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 (HDMI Forum specifications) |
| Standard TV refresh rates | 60 Hz and 120 Hz |
| Bluetooth audio codec: highest data rate | LDAC (up to 990 kbps) (Sony LDAC specification) |
| IP67 water resistance depth limit | 1 meter for 30 minutes (IEC 60529 standard) |
| Common HDR formats | HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG |
| 4K resolution pixel count | 3,840 × 2,160 pixels (Consumer Electronics Association) |
Why Electronics Jargon Matters
Spec sheets, product boxes, and user manuals are filled with abbreviations and technical terms that manufacturers assume you already know. Most people don't — and that gap leads to confusion at the store, frustration during setup, and underused features for years afterward.
This glossary covers the terms that appear most often across TVs, audio equipment, cameras, and home gadgets. For smartphone-specific vocabulary, see the smartphone glossary. For broader tech concepts like bandwidth or firmware, the foundational tech glossary is a useful companion.
| HDMI versions in common use | HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 (HDMI Forum specifications) |
| Standard TV refresh rates | 60 Hz and 120 Hz |
| Bluetooth audio codec: highest data rate | LDAC (up to 990 kbps) (Sony LDAC specification) |
| IP67 water resistance depth limit | 1 meter for 30 minutes (IEC 60529 standard) |
| Common HDR formats | HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG |
| 4K resolution pixel count | 3,840 × 2,160 pixels (Consumer Electronics Association) |
Display and Picture Terms
Television marketing leans heavily on picture-quality language. Here are the terms you'll encounter most.
OLED
Organic Light-Emitting Diode. A display technology where each pixel generates its own light and can switch off completely, producing perfect blacks. Contrast is typically superior to traditional LED-backlit LCD panels.
QLED
Quantum Light-Emitting Diode. A marketing term for LED LCD TVs that use a quantum dot filter to enhance color volume and brightness. QLED panels require a backlight, unlike OLED.
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
A display standard that expands the brightness and color range of an image beyond standard dynamic range (SDR). HDR content requires both an HDR-capable display and HDR-mastered source material to take effect.
HDMI ARC / eARC
Audio Return Channel and Enhanced Audio Return Channel. HDMI port features that allow audio to travel back from a TV to a connected soundbar or AV receiver through a single HDMI cable, eliminating the need for a separate audio connection.
Codec
Short for coder-decoder. Software or hardware that compresses and decompresses audio or video data. Common audio codecs include AAC and LDAC; common video codecs include H.264 and HEVC (H.265).
Latency
The delay between an input signal and the device's response or output. In audio, latency causes lip-sync issues; in gaming, high display latency makes controls feel sluggish. Measured in milliseconds.
IP Rating
Ingress Protection rating. A two-digit code defined by the IEC 60529 standard indicating a device's resistance to dust and water. The first digit covers solid particle protection (0–6); the second covers liquid ingress (0–9).
Aperture
The opening in a camera lens that controls how much light reaches the sensor. Expressed as an f-number — a lower number (e.g., f/1.8) means a wider opening, more light, and shallower depth of field.
Refresh Rate
The number of times per second a display updates its image, measured in hertz (Hz). Higher rates (120 Hz, 144 Hz) produce smoother motion in video and gaming.
Dolby Atmos
An object-based surround sound format developed by Dolby Laboratories. Instead of fixed channels, audio objects are placed in three-dimensional space, allowing sound to move overhead and around the listener.
Wi-Fi Band (2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz)
Wi-Fi operates on multiple radio frequency bands. The 2.4 GHz band has longer range but lower maximum speed and more interference; the 5 GHz band offers faster speeds at closer range with less congestion.
Sensor Size (cameras)
The physical dimensions of a camera's image sensor. Larger sensors capture more light, generally producing better image quality in low-light conditions and greater control over depth of field.
Refresh rate is the number of times per second a screen redraws its image, measured in hertz (Hz). A 60 Hz panel redraws 60 times per second; a 120 Hz panel redraws 120 times. Higher refresh rates generally produce smoother motion, particularly noticeable during sports and action scenes.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) expands the range between the darkest and brightest parts of an image. HDR10 is the baseline open standard; Dolby Vision is a licensed format that adds dynamic, scene-by-scene metadata for more precise adjustments. For a deeper look at how these standards compare, see picture-quality terms worth knowing.
Resolution — the total number of pixels on screen — is one of the most discussed TV specs. If you want a plain-language breakdown of HD, 4K, and 8K differences, TV resolution explained covers exactly that.
HDR Labels Don't Guarantee HDR Content
A TV labeled HDR-compatible will only display HDR visuals when the source — a streaming app, Blu-ray disc, or game console — is also delivering HDR-encoded content. Watching standard-dynamic-range material on an HDR TV does not automatically upgrade the picture. Check both the display and the content source for HDR support.
Connectivity, Audio, and Camera Terms
Beyond the screen, consumer electronics share a second layer of terminology around how devices connect and how sound and images are captured.
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) allows a single HDMI cable to send audio both to and from a TV, so a soundbar connected to the ARC port can receive TV audio without a separate optical cable. HDMI eARC is an enhanced version that supports lossless audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Bluetooth codecs — including SBC, AAC, aptX, and LDAC — determine how audio data is compressed and transmitted wirelessly. SBC is the universal baseline; LDAC supports higher data rates, which can improve audio quality when both the source and headphones support it.
Aperture on a camera or phone lens is expressed as an f-number (e.g., f/1.8). A lower f-number means a wider aperture, which allows more light in — useful in dim conditions — and produces a shallower depth of field, creating the blurred background effect often called bokeh.
IP rating (Ingress Protection) is a two-digit code indicating resistance to solids and liquids. In a rating like IP67, the first digit (6) means fully dust-tight; the second (7) means the device can withstand submersion in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. Ratings vary, and real-world conditions may differ from controlled tests.
4x
More pixels in 4K vs. 1080p HD
A 4K panel has approximately 8.3 million pixels compared to roughly 2 million in a 1080p display, based on standard resolution definitions.
990 kbps
Maximum LDAC Bluetooth audio bitrate
Sony's LDAC codec supports up to 990 kbps, significantly higher than the SBC baseline of around 328 kbps, per Sony's published specification.
2
Digits in an IP ingress protection rating
Every IP rating consists of exactly two digits: one for solid particle resistance, one for liquid resistance, as defined by IEC standard 60529.