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parametric EQ: An EQ in which the frequency and bandwidth are fully adjustable.

patch: A sound created by a synthesizer. The term comes from the early days of modular synthesis when modules were "patched" together to produce different sounds.

P2P or peer-to-peer: A communications network that allows all workstations and computers in the network to act as servers to all other users on the network. Dedicated file servers may be used, but are not required as in a client/server network. Napster and Gnutella are examples of P2P networks.

patch bay: An electrical panel that, ideally, contains an input and output for the various devices used in a studio. It serves as a central point to connect the various devices together.

PDA (personal digital assistant): A handheld device that organizes personal information, combining computing and networking features. A typical PDA includes an address book and a to-do list. Some function as cell phones and fax senders. Unlike portable computers, which use a keyboard for input, most PDAs incorporate a stylus.. This means they also have handwritingrecognition features. Some PDAs are also equipped with voicerecognition technologies.

phantom power: Power that is for condenser microphones that is delivered discretely through a balanced cable. Usually +48V.

picoliter: One-trillionth of a liter (10 to the - 12th power).

PING (packet Internet groper): An Internet utility that determines whether a particular IP address is online. Administrators use it to test and debug a network by sending out a packet and waiting for a response. There are many freeware and shareware PING utilities available. It also functions like a domain name (DNS) server, because "pinging" a domain name will return its IP address.

pink noise: A random audio signal that has equal energy across its frequency range.

plug-in: A type of program that integrates with a larger application to add a special capability to it. Two applications designed around plug-in architecture are Adobe Photoshop and Netscape Navigator.

POP 1. (point of presence): A telephone number that gives you dial-up access. Internet service providers (ISPs) generally provide many POPs so that users can make a local call to gain Internet access. 2. (post office protocol) A protocol used to retrieve email from a mail server
preamp: An amplifier that is used to boost a low level signal up to line level (approx. up 60dBv).

port: An interface on a computer to which you can connect a device. Personal computers have various types of ports. Internally, there are several ports for connecting disk drives, display screens, and keyboards. Externally, there are ports for connecting modems, printers, mice, and other peripheral devices. Almost all personal computers come with a serial RS-232C port or RS-422 port for connecting a modem or mouse, and a parallel port for connecting a printer. On PCs, the parallel port is a Centronics interface that uses a 25-pin connector. SCSI (small computer system interface) ports support higher transmission speeds than do conventional ports and enable you to attach up to seven devices to the same port. All Apple computers since the Macintosh Plus have SCSI ports. Ports have numbers identifying their type. For example, port 80 is used for HTTP traffic.

portal: A website that allows you to link to other sites and offers Internet services such as email, chat rooms, and personal webpages.

port sniffing: Sending queries to Internet servers (hosts) in order to obtain information about their services and level of security. Port sniffing is sometimes done to find out if a network can be compromised.

pre fader listen (PFL): Monitoring an audio signal before it has passed through the main faders of a mixing console. This form of monitoring is non-destructive during mixdown.

printer: A device that prints text or pictures directly onto paper.

processor: The brains of the entire computer. The processor, which is where a computers instructions are decoded and executed, performs all of its logical. operations.

processor cache: The usually small amount of high-speed Static RAM (SRAM) that can significantly improve CPU performance. This cache resides between the CPU and the main system memory. There are two levels of processor cache: "Primary" and "Secondary." Primary cache, also known as Level 1 or L1, is that cache memory built into the processor itself and is usually very small, 4KB to 16KB. Secondary cache, or Level 2 L2), is external from the CPU and can consist of different chip or module styles, but all usually operate at 12ns to 25ns.

program: A term used interchangeably with software, a program is an organized list of instructions that tells a computer what to do. In other words, software is an executable version of a program.Without programs, computers are useless.

pulse code modulation (PCM): A way of encoding audio data as a series of pulses, with each pulse defining a binary one or zero.

Don't see the word you want? Let us know at techglossary@techtv.com. For links to other resources, go back to the glossary's start page.

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