PAL -

      Phase Alternation Line.
    palette -
      See color palette, standard palette, and custom palette.
    pan -
      A camera movement where the camera moves sideways on its stationary tripod; left-to-right balance in an audio system.
    panel -
      A particular arrangement of information grouped together for presentation to users in a window.
    panning -
      Progressively translating an entire display image to give the visual impression of lateral movement of the image.

      In computer graphics, the viewing of an image that is too large to fit on a single screen by moving from one part of the image to another.

    paradigm -
      An example, pattern, or model.
    patch mapping -
      The reassignment of an instrument patch number associated with a specific synthesizer to the corresponding standard patch number in the General MIDI specification.
    pause -
      To temporarily halt the medium. The halted visual should remain displayed but no audio should be played.
    pause stop -
      In data streaming, a stop that pauses the data stream but does not disturb any data.
    PDC -
      Physical device component.
    PDD -
      Physical device driver.
    pedestal up/down -
      A camera movement where the camera glides up or down on a boom.
    pel -
      The dimensions of a toned area at a picture element. See also picture element.
    Phase Alternation Line (PAL) -
      Television broadcast standard for European video outside of France and the Soviet Union.
    physical device driver (PDD) -
      A program that handles hardware interrupts and supports a set of input and output functions.
    picon -
      A graphic or natural image reduced to icon size. Similar to thumbnail.
    picture element -
      In computer graphics, the smallest element of a display surface that can be independently assigned color and intensity. See also pel.
    picture-in-picture -
      A video window within a larger video window.
    pixel -
      See picture element.
    plaintext -
      Nonencrypted data.
    platform -
      In computer technology, the principles on which an operating system is based.
    play backward -
      To play the medium in the backward direction.
    playback window -
      The graphic window in which software motion video is displayed. This window can be supplied by an application, or a default window can be created by a digital video device.
    play forward -
      To play the medium in the forward direction.
    pointer -
      A symbol, usually in the shape of an arrow, that a user can move with a pointing device. Users place the pointer over objects they want to work with.
    pointing device -
      A device, such as a mouse, trackball, or joystick, used to move a pointer on the screen.
    polish -
      The version of the script submitted for final approval.
    polyphony -
      A synthesizer mode where more than 1 note can be played at a time. Most synthesizers are 16-note to 32-note polyphonic.
    postproduction -
      The online and offline editing process.
    PPQN -
      (1) Parts-per-quarter-note. (2) A time format used in musical instrument digital interface (MIDI).
    preproduction -
      The preparation stage for video production, when all logistics are planned and prepared.
    preroll -
      The process of preparing a device to begin a playback or recording function with minimal latency. During a multimedia sequence, it might require that two devices be cued (prerolled) to start playing and recording at the same time.
    primary window -
      A window in which the main interaction between a user and an object takes place.
    Proc -
      A custom procedure, called by the particular utility manager, to handle input or output to files of a format different from DOS, MEM, or BND; for example, AVC or TIFF. By installing custom procedures, existing applications no longer need to store multiple copies of the same media file for running on various platforms using different file formats. See also static resource and dynamic resource.
    production -
      In videotaping, the actual shooting.
    production control room -
      The room or location where the monitoring and switching equipment is placed for the direction and control of a television production.
    progress indicator -
      A control, usually a read-only slider, that informs the user about the status of a user request.
    props -
      In videotaping, support material for the shoot, for example, equipment being promoted, auxiliary equipment, software, or supplies; anything provided to make the set look realistic and attractive.
    protection master -
      A copy of the edit master that is stored as a backup.
    PS/2 CD-ROM-II Drive -
      An IBM CD-ROM drive that can play compact disc digital audio (CD-DA) and CD-ROM/XA interleaved audio, video, and text, and adheres to the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI). The drive can be installed on Micro Channel and non-Micro Channel IBM PS/2 systems.
    pulse code modulation (PCM) -
      In data communication, variation of a digital signal to represent information.
    push button -
      A graphical control, labeled with text, graphics, or both, that represents an action that will be initiated when a user selects it. For example, when a user clicks on a Play button, a media object begins playing.


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