Component - Individual elements that represent parts of the composite signal. Composer Dub - A videotape copy made specifically for a music editor or composer. The onscreen time code window provides the composer with a visual time code reference while the audible channel 2 time code provides machine reference. Specifications for composer dubs vary depending upon the requirements of the particular composer. Composite - A complete signal that includes all sync signals, blanking signals, and active video.
Active video contains luminance and chrominance information encoded into one signal.
Composite sync includes horizontal and vertical sync and vertical pre and post equalizing pulses. Control Track - A recorded signal on videotape that allows the VTR scanner or head to align itself with the beginning of each video track. One control track pulse occurs for each revolution of the scanner. Digital processes divide a signal into extremely minute units of time, measure the signal strength with each time unit and then represent that strength in numeric code. The main advantage of digital recordings is that with each successive generation, there is little or no signal degradation.