Glossary of Terms
Chapter 26: Glossary of Terms
Introduction
Recording software, like any technical field, comes with its own vocabulary. Words like "codec," "bitrate," "frame rate," and "encoding" get thrown around constantly. This chapter is your comprehensive dictionary—explaining every technical term you might encounter when using SeaMeet or reading about audio/video recording.
Don't worry if you're not technical. Each term is explained in plain English with analogies to help you understand. Use this chapter as a reference whenever you encounter an unfamiliar word.
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
- Understand technical terms used in SeaMeet
- Know the difference between commonly confused terms
- Use correct terminology when troubleshooting
- Make informed decisions based on technical concepts
A
Audio Buffer
Temporary storage for audio data before it's processed or saved. Like a waiting room where audio samples line up before being encoded.
Audio Interface
Hardware that connects microphones and instruments to your computer. Often provides better audio quality than built-in sound cards.
Audio Track
A separate stream of audio within a video file. A video might have multiple tracks: your microphone, system audio, background music.
Auto-Detection
SeaMeet's feature that automatically recognizes when you join a meeting and can start recording without manual intervention.
AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
An older video file format developed by Microsoft. Works well on Windows but less compatible with modern devices.
B
Bit
The smallest unit of digital information. Either a 0 or 1. Everything on your computer is made of bits.
Bit Depth (Audio)
How many bits are used to represent each audio sample. Higher bit depth = more detail = larger files. CD quality is 16-bit.
Bitrate
The amount of data processed per second. Usually measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). Higher = better quality = larger files.
Bluetooth Latency
The delay between when sound is produced and when you hear it over a Bluetooth connection. Typically 100-300ms, which causes sync issues.
Buffer
Temporary storage area that holds data while it's being transferred or processed. Like a reservoir that holds water before it flows through a pipe.
Buffer Duration (Flashback)
How many seconds of footage SeaMeet keeps in the circular buffer. When you save Flashback, you get this amount of past footage.
Byte
A group of 8 bits. The standard unit for measuring file sizes. A megabyte (MB) is about a million bytes.
C
Circular Buffer
A type of buffer that loops back to the beginning when it reaches the end. SeaMeet uses this for Flashback—constantly recording and overwriting old data.
Codec (Coder-Decoder)
Software that compresses and decompresses audio or video. H.264 is a video codec. MP3 is an audio codec.
Codec vs. Container
Codec is the compression method (how data is squeezed). Container is the file format (the box that holds the data). MP4 is a container that often holds H.264 video.
Compression
Reducing file size by removing redundant or less important data. Can be lossless (no quality loss) or lossy (some quality loss but smaller files).
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
The "brain" of your computer. Does calculations and runs programs. Recording software uses CPU to encode video.
Cursor Highlighting
A visual effect that draws attention to your mouse cursor in recordings. Useful for tutorials so viewers can follow your actions.
D
Decibel (dB)
A unit for measuring sound volume. Used in SeaMeet's audio level meters. -12 dB is good recording level. 0 dB is maximum (distortion).
Default Device
The audio or video device that Windows/macOS uses automatically. SeaMeet can use the default or let you pick a specific device.
Detection Method (Auto-Detection)
How SeaMeet recognizes that you're in a meeting. Methods include window title analysis, process monitoring, and audio detection.
Digital Audio
Sound represented as numbers. Your computer converts sound waves into digital samples (numbers) that can be stored and processed.
Disk Space
The amount of storage available on your hard drive or SSD. Recording video requires significant disk space.
DRM (Digital Rights Management)
Technology that prevents copying of protected content. Netflix, DVDs, and some streaming services use DRM, which prevents screen recording.
Drop Frame
When a video recording misses frames, causing stuttering. Usually happens when the computer can't keep up with encoding demands.
E
Echo Cancellation
Technology that removes echo from recordings. Useful when using speakers instead of headphones—prevents your microphone from picking up speaker sound.
Encode
The process of converting raw video/audio into a compressed format. CPU or GPU does this in real-time while you record.
Encoder
Software or hardware that performs encoding. SeaMeet uses software encoders (CPU) or hardware encoders (GPU).
External Drive
A hard drive or SSD that connects via USB. Can be used for storing recordings but may be slower than internal drives.
F
Flashback
SeaMeet's time-machine feature that continuously records in a circular buffer, letting you save moments from the past.
Flashback Buffer
The temporary memory storage used by Flashback. Holds the last X seconds of video/audio.
Floater (SeaMeet Floater)
The floating widget that appears on your screen for quick recording controls. Can be minimized to a small icon or expanded for full controls.
FPS (Frames Per Second)
How many still images (frames) are captured each second to create video. 30fps is standard. 60fps is smoother.
Fullscreen Recording
Recording mode that captures your entire screen. Useful for meetings and when you want to capture everything.
Frame
A single still image in a video. Video is essentially a series of frames played rapidly (30-60 per second) to create motion.
G
Gain
The amplification level of an audio signal. Increasing gain makes the audio louder in the recording. Different from volume (which affects playback).
Game Mode
Windows feature that prioritizes game applications. Can help recording performance but sometimes conflicts with recording software.
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)
The graphics card in your computer. Can be used for hardware-accelerated video encoding (much faster than CPU).
GPU Encoding
Using the graphics card instead of CPU to encode video. Also called hardware acceleration. Faster and more efficient.
H
H.264 (AVC)
The most common video codec. Provides good quality at reasonable file sizes. Works on virtually all devices.
H.265 (HEVC)
A newer, more efficient video codec. Produces files about 50% smaller than H.264 at the same quality. Less universal support.
Hardware Acceleration
Using specialized hardware (like GPU) to perform tasks instead of general CPU. Makes video encoding much faster.
Hardware Encoder
Dedicated chip on GPU that encodes video. NVIDIA calls theirs NVENC. Intel calls theirs Quick Sync.
HD (High Definition)
Video resolution of 1280×720 (720p) or higher. Provides clear, detailed video.
Headphones vs. Speakers
Using headphones while recording prevents echo (sound from speakers being picked up by microphone). Recommended for best audio quality.
I
I-Frame (Intra-frame)
A complete video frame that doesn't rely on other frames. Acts as a reference point. Larger file size but necessary for seeking.
Import
Bringing external audio or video files into SeaMeet. SeaMeet can import various formats for playback and management.
Input Device
Hardware that sends audio/video into your computer. Microphones, cameras, and capture cards are input devices.
J
Jitter
Variation in timing of audio/video data. Causes choppy or uneven playback. Usually due to system performance issues.
Join a Meeting
Entering an online meeting via Zoom, Teams, Meet, etc. SeaMeet can auto-detect when you join and start recording.
K
Kbps (Kilobits per second)
A measurement of data rate. Used for audio bitrates. 128 kbps is standard for MP3. 192 kbps is higher quality.
Keyframe
See I-Frame. Complete video frames used as reference points.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Key combinations that trigger actions quickly. Ctrl+Alt+R starts recording. Shortcuts save time vs. clicking interface.
L
Latency
Delay between an action and when it's processed or heard. Bluetooth headphones have high latency. Wired headphones have almost none.
Library (Recording Library)
The collection of all your recordings in SeaMeet. Shows thumbnails, metadata, and allows playback/management.
Lossless Compression
Compression that reduces file size without losing any data. Can be perfectly reconstructed. FLAC audio uses lossless compression.
Lossy Compression
Compression that permanently removes some data to achieve smaller files. MP3 and H.264 are lossy. Quality loss is usually unnoticeable.
Low-Memory Mode
SeaMeet feature that reduces quality to use less RAM. Useful for older computers or when running memory-intensive apps.
M
Macroblock
A 16×16 pixel square used in video compression. H.264 divides frames into macroblocks to compress efficiently.
Mbps (Megabits per second)
A measurement of data rate used for video. 8 Mbps is good for 1080p video. Higher = better quality = larger files.
Metadata
Information about a file (not the actual content). Includes creation date, duration, resolution, etc.
Microphone Array
Multiple microphones working together. Some laptops have microphone arrays for better sound pickup and noise cancellation.
Minimize to Tray
SeaMeet can run in the background, accessible via the system tray icon (near your clock). Saves taskbar space.
MKV (Matroska)
A flexible video container format. Supports multiple audio tracks and subtitles. Good for archiving.
Monitor
Your computer screen. SeaMeet can record one monitor or all monitors if you have multiple displays.
Mono vs. Stereo
Mono = 1 audio channel. Stereo = 2 channels (left and right). Stereo sounds more immersive but creates larger files.
MOV
Apple's video container format. Common on Macs. Good quality but less compatible with Windows without additional software.
MP3
The most popular audio format. Uses lossy compression. Small files, universal compatibility. 128-320 kbps typical.
MP4
The most popular video container format. Works on virtually all devices. Usually contains H.264 video and AAC audio.
Multi-Monitor
Using more than one screen. SeaMeet can record all monitors or just one. Recording multiple monitors uses more resources.
Mute
Temporarily turning off audio input or output. SeaMeet can mute the recording without affecting system volume.
N
Native Resolution
The actual number of pixels your screen displays. Recording at native resolution provides sharpest results.
Noise Suppression
Technology that removes background noise (fans, air conditioning) from audio recordings. Makes voices clearer.
Notification
A popup message that alerts you to events. SeaMeet shows notifications when recordings start, stop, or when meetings are detected.
NVENC
NVIDIA's hardware video encoder. Available on GTX 600 series and newer. Very fast encoding with minimal CPU usage.
O
Ogg
An open-source audio format. Good compression but limited device support. Often uses Vorbis codec.
Output Device
Hardware that plays audio from your computer. Speakers and headphones are output devices.
Overhead (CPU/Memory)
Resources used by the recording software itself, separate from the actual recording. SeaMeet has low overhead.
P
P-Frame (Predicted Frame)
A video frame that only stores changes from the previous frame. Much smaller than I-Frames. Creates efficient compression.
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation)
Uncompressed digital audio format. Used internally before encoding to MP3 or other formats. High quality, large files.
Permissions
Authorization to access system resources. macOS and Windows require you to grant SeaMeet permission to record screen and audio.
Pixel
A single point of color on your screen. Images are made of thousands or millions of pixels. 1920×1080 = about 2 million pixels.
Playback
Watching or listening to a recording. SeaMeet has a built-in player for reviewing recordings.
Pop Filter
A foam or mesh cover for microphones that reduces "p" and "b" popping sounds. Improves audio quality.
Process Monitoring
Auto-detection method that watches which programs are running. Detects when zoom.exe or Teams.exe starts.
Q
Quantization
Reducing precision of data to save space. Part of compression. Simplifies colors/sounds that are nearly identical.
Quick Sync
Intel's hardware video encoder. Built into modern Intel processors. Efficient and good quality for recording.
R
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Your computer's short-term memory. SeaMeet uses RAM for Flashback buffers and processing. More RAM = better performance.
RAW Audio/Video
Uncompressed data. Large files but maximum quality. SeaMeet usually encodes to compressed formats to save space.
Real-time
Happening live, without delay. SeaMeet encodes video in real-time as you record. No waiting for post-processing.
Recording Mode
How SeaMeet captures video: Fullscreen (entire screen), Window (specific app), or Region (selected area).
Region Recording
Recording only a selected portion of your screen. Most efficient mode—captures only what you need.
Resolution
The number of pixels in an image. 1920×1080 means 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall. Higher = sharper = larger files.
Ring Menu (Floater)
The circular control interface that appears when you expand the Floater widget. Provides quick access to recording controls.
S
Sample Rate (Audio)
How many times per second audio is measured. CD quality is 44.1 kHz (44,100 samples per second). Higher = better quality.
Sampling
Converting continuous sound waves into digital numbers by measuring at regular intervals.
Save Location
The folder where SeaMeet stores recordings. Can be changed in settings. Should have plenty of free space.
Screen Recording
Capturing video of your computer screen. SeaMeet specializes in screen recording with audio.
Screenshot
A still image capture of your screen. SeaMeet can take screenshots via keyboard shortcut or Floater.
Sensitivity (Auto-Detection)
How aggressively SeaMeet looks for meetings. High sensitivity catches more meetings but may have false positives.
Shortcut
See Keyboard Shortcuts. Quick way to control SeaMeet without using the mouse.
Sidebar
The left panel in SeaMeet showing different sections: Recordings, Video, Flashback, etc.
Source (Audio/Video)
The origin of the signal. Audio sources include microphone and system audio. Video sources include screen and windows.
SSD (Solid State Drive)
Fast storage device with no moving parts. Better for recording than traditional hard drives (HDD). Faster write speeds.
Stereo Mix
Windows audio feature that lets you record system audio. SeaMeet can use Stereo Mix or WASAPI for system audio capture.
Storage
Space on your hard drive or SSD where recordings are saved. Video recordings require lots of storage space.
Stream
Continuous flow of data. Audio and video streams are captured and encoded while recording.
Sync (Audio-Video)
When audio and video are properly aligned. Out of sync means you see lips move before/after hearing words.
System Audio
Sound from your computer—notifications, videos, meeting voices. SeaMeet can record system audio separately from microphone.
System Tray
The area near your clock where background apps show icons. SeaMeet can minimize to system tray.
T
Theme (Light/Dark)
Visual appearance of SeaMeet. Light theme has white backgrounds. Dark theme has dark backgrounds. Easier on eyes at night.
Thumbnail
Small preview image representing a video. SeaMeet shows thumbnails of your recordings in the library.
Time Machine (Flashback)
Metaphor for Flashback feature. Lets you "go back in time" to capture moments that already happened.
Timeline
Visual representation of a recording's duration. SeaMeet's player shows a timeline with playback position.
Toggle
A switch that turns a feature on or off. SeaMeet uses toggles in settings—click to switch between states.
Track (Audio)
A separate audio stream within a file. SeaMeet can record multiple tracks: microphone, system audio, etc.
Trim
Removing unwanted beginning or end portions of a recording. SeaMeet allows trimming saved recordings.
Troubleshooting
The process of diagnosing and fixing problems. Chapter 21 covers troubleshooting common SeaMeet issues.
U
USB Microphone
A microphone that connects via USB port. Easy to use and often better quality than built-in laptop microphones.
V
VBR (Variable Bit Rate)
Encoding method that adjusts quality based on content complexity. Simple scenes use lower bitrate. Complex scenes use higher.
Video Buffer
Temporary storage for video frames during Flashback recording. Holds the rolling window of recent footage.
Video Track
The visual component of a video file. Separate from audio tracks. A video file contains at least one video track.
Volume
Loudness of audio. Different from gain—volume affects what you hear. Gain affects what is recorded.
VP8/VP9
Open-source video codecs used in WebM files. Good quality, free to use. VP9 is newer and more efficient than VP8.
W
WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API)
Modern Windows method for capturing system audio. More reliable than Stereo Mix on some systems.
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
Uncompressed audio format. Large files but perfect quality. Good for archiving or editing.
WebM
Open-source video format developed by Google. Good for web use. Uses VP8 or VP9 codecs.
Window Recording
Recording mode that captures only a specific application window. More efficient than fullscreen.
Window Title Detection
Auto-detection method that reads application window titles. Looks for keywords like "Zoom Meeting" or "Teams."
X
XLR
Professional audio connector used on high-end microphones. Requires an audio interface to connect to computer.
Y
YouTube
Popular video sharing platform. SeaMeet recordings can be uploaded to YouTube. YouTube recommends specific settings for best results.
Z
Zero Latency
No delay between action and recording. Impossible in practice, but wired connections and good hardware minimize latency.
Zoom (App)
Popular video conferencing platform. One of 47+ apps SeaMeet can auto-detect and record.
Zoom (Digital)
To magnify or enlarge a view. SeaMeet's player allows zooming into video for detail examination.
Quick Reference: Common Acronyms
| Acronym | Full Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|
| AAC | Advanced Audio Coding | Audio format |
| ADC | Analog-to-Digital Converter | Audio hardware |
| API | Application Programming Interface | Software interface |
| AVI | Audio Video Interleave | File format |
| AVC | Advanced Video Coding | H.264 video codec |
| CBR | Constant Bit Rate | Encoding method |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit | Computer hardware |
| DAC | Digital-to-Analog Converter | Audio hardware |
| DRM | Digital Rights Management | Content protection |
| DTS | Dedicated to Sound | Audio format |
| DVD | Digital Versatile Disc | Storage medium |
| FHD | Full High Definition | 1080p resolution |
| FPS | Frames Per Second | Video frame rate |
| GPU | Graphics Processing Unit | Computer hardware |
| HD | High Definition | 720p+ resolution |
| HEVC | High Efficiency Video Coding | H.265 codec |
| I/O | Input/Output | Data transfer |
| kbps | Kilobits per second | Data rate |
| LAN | Local Area Network | Network type |
| Mbps | Megabits per second | Data rate |
| MKV | Matroska | File format |
| MP3 | MPEG-1 Audio Layer III | Audio format |
| MP4 | MPEG-4 Part 14 | File format |
| NVENC | NVIDIA Encoder | Hardware encoder |
| OS | Operating System | Windows/Mac/Linux |
| PCM | Pulse Code Modulation | Audio format |
| RAM | Random Access Memory | Computer hardware |
| RAW | Uncompressed data | Image/audio format |
| SD | Standard Definition | 480p resolution |
| SSD | Solid State Drive | Storage device |
| UHD | Ultra High Definition | 4K resolution |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator | Web address |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus | Connection type |
| VBR | Variable Bit Rate | Encoding method |
| VCE | Video Coding Engine | AMD hardware encoder |
| WAV | Waveform Audio File Format | Audio format |
| WASAPI | Windows Audio Session API | Audio system |
| WebM | Web Media | File format |
| XLR | Professional audio connector | Hardware |
Confusing Terms Explained
Codec vs. Container
- Codec: HOW data is compressed (H.264, MP3)
- Container: WHERE data is stored (MP4, WebM, AVI)
Analogy: Codec is the language a book is written in. Container is the book itself.
Bitrate vs. Resolution
- Bitrate: How MUCH data per second (affects quality and file size)
- Resolution: How MANY pixels (affects sharpness)
You can have high resolution with low bitrate (blocky) or low resolution with high bitrate (smooth but small).
Gain vs. Volume
- Gain: Input level (how loud recording is)
- Volume: Output level (how loud playback is)
Changing volume doesn't affect recording. Changing gain affects recording.
Latency vs. Delay
- Latency: Technical term for delay in digital systems
- Delay: General term for any waiting time
They're essentially the same thing, but "latency" is used for technical contexts.
Frame Rate vs. Resolution
- Frame Rate: How MANY pictures per second (smoothness)
- Resolution: How DETAILED each picture is (clarity)
60fps 720p is smoother than 30fps 1080p, but 1080p is sharper.
Summary
This glossary covers the most important technical terms you'll encounter:
✅ Audio Terms: Bitrate, sample rate, bit depth, codec, compression
✅ Video Terms: Resolution, frame rate, codec, container, encoding
✅ Hardware Terms: CPU, GPU, RAM, SSD, USB
✅ SeaMeet Terms: Flashback, Floater, Auto-Detection, Ring Menu
✅ File Format Terms: MP4, WebM, MP3, WAV, MKV, MOV
✅ Technical Concepts: Latency, buffer, sync, compression, bandwidth
Use this chapter as a reference whenever you need to look up a term!
Chapter Checklist
You should now understand:
- The difference between codec and container
- What bitrate and resolution mean
- How Flashback works conceptually
- Common audio and video terms
- Hardware-related terminology
- SeaMeet-specific feature names
- File format differences
Glossary Complete! 📚 You now speak fluent "recording tech"!
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