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 RadioShack Consumer Electronics Glossary: V

 
V: symbol for Volt.
 
VA
Acronym: Volt-Amp
Electronics: Unit of apparent power in an AC circuit containing capacitive or inductive reactance. Apparent power is the product of source voltage and current. This unit is most often found on rating labels, where it is equivalent to watts (i.e. a 200 VA transformer would be equivalent to a 200 watt transformer).
 
Vacuum
Satellite: A space entirely devoid of matter.
 
Variable Bit Rate: see VBR.
 
Variable Capacitor: see Capacitor, Variable.
 
Variable Frequency Oscillator: see Oscillator, Variable Frequency.
 
Variable Inductor: see Inductor, Variable.
 
Variable Resistor: see Resistor, Variable.
 
Varistor: see Resistor, Variable.
 
Vas
Audio: The equivalent air compliance.
 
VBR
Acronym: Variable Bit Rate
Audio: An encoding system that compresses music according to the amount of data. Compare to CBR.
 
VCA
Acronym: Voltage Controlled Amplifier
Electronics: A component that provides a level of amplification determined by the voltage on a control input, so that changing the voltage changes the amplification.
 
VCF
Acronym: Voltage Controlled Filter
Electronics: A component that applies a high-pass or low-pass filter with the cut-off frequency determined by the voltage.
 
VCO
Acronym: Voltage Controlled Oscillator
Electronics: A component that outputs an AC signal at a fixed frequency determined by the voltage on a control input, so that changing the voltage changes the output frequency.
 
VCP
Acronym: Video Cassette Player
Video: An electronic device designed to accept and play back pre-recorded video tapes.
 
VCR
Acronym: Video Cassette Recorder
Video: An electronic device designed to accept and play back pre-recorded video tapes, and to accept and record video from an external source onto blank video tapes.
 
Vd
Audio: The peak displacement volume. Vd can be calculated using the equation:
Vd = Sd x Xmax
 
VDRM
Measurement: Maximum repetitive peak-off state voltage.
 
Vector
DIY, Measurement: A line plotted on rectangular or polar coordinates, representing the magnitude and time phase of some quantity.
 
Veronica
Internet: A search engine for Gopher sites. Similar to Jughead, but with more options and a larger index of sites.
 
VFO: see Oscillator, Variable Frequency.
 
VGA
Acronym: Video Graphics Array
Digital Video: An image resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.
 
VGT
Measurement: Gate trigger voltage.
 
VHF
Acronym: Very High Frequency
Communications: The frequency band between 30 MHz to 300 MHz. High-band wireless systems generally operate between 150 MHz and 216 MHz; low-band wireless systems generally operate between 30 MHz and 50 MHz.
Video: The broadcast channels 2 through 13 (inclusive).
 
VHS
Acronym: Video Home System
Video: A proprietary videotape format created by JVC and used for recording composite video; this is the most common format in the United States. Compare to Beta and VHS-C.
 
VHS-C
Acronym: Video Home System - Compact
Video: A compact version of the VHS videotape format, used primarily in camcorders.
 
Video, Analog
Video: A video signal or image that is transmitted as an analog signal to be received by a standard broadcast antenna and carried on either a 75-ohm coax cable (along with the audio signal), an audio/video patch cable, an s-video cable, or component video cables.
 
Video, Digital
Digital Video: A video signal or image that is transmitted or converted to a digital signal or image. Broadcast digital video includes DTV, SDTV and HDTV. Other digital video formats are image file formats such as JPG, TIFF and GIF, that are created either on a computer, by converting an analog image or by using a digital capture device such as a digital camera.
 
Video Card
Computers, Video: A card the fits into a computer's expansion slot so you can edit and/or display digital video.
 
Video Cassette Player: see VCP.
 
Video Cassette Recorder: see VCR.
 
Video Out
Video: An output jack that can connect to televisions, monitors, and VCR's using either NTSC or PAL format.
 
Viewfinder
Digital Video: The window in a camera or camcorder that is used to frame the subject.
 
Viewfinder, Optical
Digital Video: An eye-level viewfinder.
 
Viewfinder, Electronic
Digital Video: A small color LCD with a magnified lens that displays the scene being presented to the image sensor.
 
Visual ID
Metal Detectors: A feature in which a visual indication such as a meter, LCD or LED is used to identify the target.
 
Visual Indicator
Metal Detectors: A meter, LCD or LED that signals a target's presence.
 
VLF/Disc
Acronym: Very Low Frequency / Discriminator
Metal Detectors: A type of detector capable of mineral-free operation in both the discriminate and all-metal mode.
 
VLF/TR
Acronym: Very Low Frequency / Transmitter Receiver
Metal Detectors: A type of detector that can operate in the all-metal, ground balance mode, and in the non-motion, discriminate, non-ground balanced mode.
 
Vocoder
Acronym: Voice encoder
Audio, Communications, Telephony: A device used to convert speech into digital signals. See also Digital Modulation.
 
Voice-Activated Dialing
Telephony: A feature that permits you to dial a number by calling them out to your cellular telephone, instead of punching them in yourself.
 
Voice Coil
Audio: The part of a speaker driver that converts the electrical signal from the amplifier into a magnetic field. This magnetic field fluctuates with the electrical signal, causing the permanent magnet to move the cone, creating sound waves.
 
Voice Mail:
Telephony: A service provided by most telephony providers (cellular and landline), in which a computerized answering system automatically answers an unanswered call, plays a greeting and allows the caller to record a message. Also called Voice Messaging.
 
Voice Messaging: see Voice Mail.
 
Volt (V)
DIY, Electronics, Measurement: The unit for measuring electrical potential. One volt represents the difference of potential required to make a current of one ampere flow through a resistance of one ohm.
 
Voltage
DIY, Electronics: The electric pressure between two points that produces a flow of current when a closed circuit is connected between the two points. Also called Electromotive Force, Potential or Potential Difference.
 
Voltage, Breakdown
Electronics, Cables: The minimum voltage at which a dielectric or insulator will break down and conduct.
 
Voltage, Breakover
Electronics: The minimum voltage at which a diac will break down and conduct.
 
Voltage Controlled Amplifier: see VCA.
 
Voltage Controlled Filter: see VCF.
 
Voltage Controlled Oscillator: see VCO.
 
Voltage, Forward
Electronics: The voltage applied across a semiconductor junction in order to create a forward current flow. Also called Forward Bias.
 
Voltage, Initial
Batteries: The voltage provided by a battery when it is new and fully charged.
 
Voltage, Threshold:
Electronics: The minimum gate source voltage required for conduction of source drain current for an enhancement-mode MOSFET.
 
Voltaic Cell: see Cell, Voltaic.
 
Volt-Ampere: see VA.
 
Voltmeter
DIY: A measurement device used to measure the potential difference between two points.
 
VOX
Acronym: Voice Operated eXchange
Audio, Telephony: A feature on recorders and telephones that uses a sound-sensitive trigger to allow for hands-free use. The trigger opens a switch to begin recording or transmitting when noise is detected.
 
VRRM
Measurement: Maximum repetitive peak reverse voltage.
 
VTM
Measurement: Peak on-state voltage.
 
VTO
Measurement: Threshold voltage.
 
VU Meter
Acronym: Volume Unit Meter
Audio, Measurement: A measurement device that displays a reading that corresponds to the perceived loudness of an audio signal.

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