false contouring - An artifact common to fixed-pixel displays that produces splotchy, distinct sections in what should be gradual gradations of color or shadows. Also referred to as solarization and posterization.

FireWire - Bidirectional high-speed digital video/audio and data interface technology adopted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Unlike other video connectivity standards, FireWire requires software programming to ensure compatibility between devices; the FireWire jack on most DVD recorders, for instance, is programmed to be compatible only when connected to a digital camcorder. FireWire connections between HDTV devices, such as a digital cable box and an HDTV recorder, are controlled by 5C DTCP copy-protection technology. FireWire is Apple Computer's version of the IEEE 1394 interface and is now administered by a consortium that includes Apple and several other companies; sometimes referred to as i.Link (Sony's name), DISH Wire (by Echostar), and EIA-775.

fixed-pixel display - Digital televisions that use discrete pixels to create a picture image, such as plasma, LCD, DLP, LCoS, or any non-CRT display device. In the case of DLP, for instance, each pixel is represented by one of the hundreds of thousands of tiny mirrors mounted on a DLP chip.

flat-panel TV - Video display typically using gas plasma or LCD technology and that measures only a few inches thick. More info

footlambert - Measurement of light emitted or reflected from a perfectly diffused surface; used to rate brightness in projection TV sets; the higher the rating, the brighter the picture. One footlambert is equal to the relative reflected light radiated by one candle over a one-square-foot area. This measurement is often misleading and misused on projector spec sheets.

fps - Frames per second. The number of individual still pictures that pass by every second to create a moving image. Film runs at 24fps, while video, including DVD, runs at 30fps. To compensate for the difference, 2:3 pull-down detection is used.

front projection - Type of TV system in which the picture is projected onto a reflective screen or even a wall. The larger the picture, the more visible the pixels or scan lines and the darker the image. CRT systems use three tubes (red, blue, and green), whereas LCD and DLP uses a single projection lens. More info