Glossary of Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y

A

API

Application Programming Interface - A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications.    Most operating environments, such as MS-Windows, provide an API so that programmers can write applications consistent with the operating environment.  Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are ultimately good for users because they guarantee that all programs using a common API will have similar interfaces.

AutoCommissioning

Also known as AutoSetup.  The process of registering the DirecPC satellite demodulator (USB or PCI Device) for your account.  This forms based process first dials into the registration server and downloads the latest forms, then hangs up the phone line as the user fills out the forms.  Upon completion of the forms, the phone once again dials the server and uploads all information provided by the user.  In DirecPC release 2.2, a Web based commissioning will be available also.

Azimuth

Also known as the magnetic azimuth.  This is the compass direction the antenna is pointing.

B

bit

Short for binary digit, the smallest unit of computer information often notated by 'b' as in bps.

Broadcast

Transmitting data to all users on a network.

byte

Eight consecutive bits often notated by 'B', as in Bps.

C

Cache

Cacheing comes in many types, but it all works the same way - it stores information where you can get to it fast.  A Web browser cache stores an HTML page’s code as well as any graphics, and multimedia elements embedded in it.  When you go back to that page, the basic core of the page is already on your hard drive.   In the DirecPC world, we cache heavily hit web pages at our Operations Center.

CAC

Conditional Access Controller - A DirecPC service utilizing encryption technology to protect the various DirecPC services from unauthorized access.

CIR

Committed Information Rate - The bandwidth (measured in bits per second) guaranteed by the DirecPC system to a service provider. It's possible that additional traffic may also be delivered, but it's not guaranteed.

CRC

Cyclic Redundancy Check - A technique for detecting data transmission errors by the receiver.

D

DAK

DirecPC Access Kit - The USB or PCI adapter card and antenna dish that allow a PC to receive the DirecPC signal.

DNS

Domain Name Service - An Internet service that translates domain names, such as direcpc.com, to an Internet Protocol (IP) based address such as 192.168.x.y.  If a particular server cannot resolve a name to an address, it will poll other servers until one can translate it.

Driver

A program that controls a hardware device.  Drivers act like a translator between the device and programs that use the device.  Each device has its own set of specialized commands that only its driver knows.  These files usually have an extension of either .sys or .drv in the Microsoft world.

E

Elevation

The number of degrees the antenna is pointed above the horizon.

Encryption

The translation of data into a secret code.  Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security.  To read an encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it

EPG

Electronic Program Guide - A Graphical User Interface to access our Turbo Internet, Turbo Newscast and Turbo Webcast Services.

F

FTP

File Transfer Protocol

G

GUI

Graphical User Interface

H

I

J

K

L

Latitude

A geographical term for the number of degrees North or South of the equator.  Think of it as ladder steps running horizontally across the earth's surface.

Longitude

A geographical term for the number of degrees East or West of the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, England.

LNB

Low Noise Block - Part of the antenna dish that amplifies the received signal from the antenna and converts it from a microwave signal to a lower frequency signal.  The lower frequency signal, can then be carried on coaxial cable to the DirecPC adapter.

M

Multicast

Transmitting messages to a select group of recipients in a network.  In the DirecPC world, this select group of recipients is called a community.

N

NOC

Network Operations Center - The heart of the DirecPC system. This central office (a.k.a. earth station), has a T3 link to the Internet backbone.  Your requests are received off the backbone and the data is then transmitted over the satellite to the end user.

O

P

Polarization

The angle of rotation, either clockwise or counter-clockwise, of the oval shaped DirecPC Satellite dish.

POP3

Post Office Protocol (version 3) - A protocol used to retreve e-mail from your mail server.

PPP

Point-to-Point Protocol - A method of connecting your PC to your local ISP, and provides error checking features.

Protocol

An agreed upon, standardized format for communicating between computers or devices.

Proxy

Also known as Proxy Server - A technique used to cache information on a Web Server and acts as an intermediary between a Web client and that Web server.  It basically holds the most commonly and recently used content from the World Wide Web for users in order to provide quicker access and to increase server security.

Q

R

Registry

A database-type application used by Microsoft Operating Systems since 1995 to store configuration information.  Most Windows applications write information to the registry during installation for use during boot and application startup.
WARNING!  Incorrect registry modifications have the potential to disable your computer.

S

T

Turbo Internet

DirecPC application software that allows the user to browse the Internet at download speeds in excess of 20 KBps (160 Kbps).

Transponder

A satellite component that receives and retransmits data.

Terrestrial

From the telecommunications point of view, terrestrial describes data signal paths remaining on (or near) earth, as compared to being retransmitted via a satellite.

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

DirecPC is a product and service of Hughes Network Systems, a Hughes Electronics (GMH) company. Hughes Network Systems also manufactures DirecDuo and HNS Brand DIRECTV System.

Copyright 2000, Hughes Network Systems, Inc. , a Hughes Electronics Corporation company. DirecPC® is a registered trademark of Hughes Network Systems, Inc. Turbo Internet, Turbo Webcast, and Package Delivery are trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.