Timing Acronyms: What Do They Mean?

An Explanation of Acronyms Commonly Used With Timing Solutions

Measurement is essential to frequency control and timing. There are many different units of measurement and terms that can be confusing if you don’t have an understanding of what they mean.

The following will focus on what the main acronyms mean and what they represent to the processes that ECS Inc. products are installed in..

Breaking Down Timing Acronyms

Here are some industry timing acronyms you’ll commonly see:

Hertz

Commonly symbolized as Hz, hertz is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI) that defines one cycle per second. The term is named after Rudolf Hertz, the first person to prove the existence of electromagnetic waves. Hertz are commonly illustrated in multiples and sometimes can be used as a representation of one second in frequency.

Kilohertz

Abbreviated as kHz, kilohertz is an alternating current (AC) or electromagnetic (EM) wave frequency that measures as one thousand hertz (1,000 Hz). Kilohertz is also used in the measurement and expression of signal bandwidth. AC signals over 1kHz are considered in the range of human hearing. An EM signal that has a 1 kHz frequency has a wavelength of 300 kilometers, or 190 miles. Amplitude-modulation broadcast, or AM radio, operates between frequencies of 535 kHz to 1,605 kHz. Kilohertz is often used to explain bandwidth for digital and analog signals. For a digital signal, the bandwidth is related to data speed, measured in bits per second.

Megahertz

Abbreviated as MHz, megahertz is also a unit of AC or EM wave frequency. The difference is that megahertz represents one million hertz. The most common use for megahertz is to express microprocessor clock speed. It is also used in measurements or statements of bandwidth for high-speed data, analog and digital video signals, and spread spectrum signals. An EM signal that has a frequency of 1 MHz would be in the middle of the AM radio and have a wavelength of 300 meters, or 980 feet. 100 MHz would place the frequency near the standard-frequency modulation, or FM, band. There are radio signals that go up to thousands of megahertz.

Gigahertz

Gigahertz is usually symbolized as GHz and is a frequency unit that equals 1,000,000 Hz or 1,000 megahertz per second. This unit of measurement is often used to measure the speed of central processing units (CPUs). This means the higher the CPU speed is in gigahertz, the faster the computer is.

Understanding these units of measurement and what they represent is important to a basic knowledge of engineering and frequency control. ECS Inc. timing solutions are being used in projects daily that use these units of measurement. So not only is understanding these frequency measurements critical to the success of any processor or computer, but it is also important to understand the resulting data of these projects and timing solutions.

Why Is This Important to Timing Solutions?

ECS Inc. timing solutions are responsible for frequency control in many different systems and processors that are measured in these units of measurement. Our offering of high-quality components includes:

These components are essential in different processes that must be accurate and precise. ECS Inc. takes pride in timing, reliability, and performance in each component offered. These components can be used in many different settings including:

IoT
Industrial
Non-life Sustaining Medical
Consumer Electronics
Technology
Watches
Automotive
And More

For more information regarding timing acronyms, check out this video explanation.

Where Can I Find These Timing Solutions?

ECS Inc.’s website is easy to navigate and helpful when you are searching for timing solutions. The Parametric Search and Search Inventory pages make it easy to find the component needed to complete your project. You can sort by different specifications such as size, frequency, mounting type and more to see options that fit what you’re looking for.

If you need more help or would like to place an order, you can reach out to a sales representative closest to you. Another option you have is to fill out the contact form online and one of our engineering professionals will contact you.

Ready to purchase? ECS Inc. authorized distributors are listed on the site for easy access and assurance that you are getting quality parts from quality distributors.