Glossary

Absolute Channel – A numbering system that uniquely identifies every channel, simply 1 to the last channel needed. Displays can have very large channel counts, which can be hard to manage.

BBB – BeagleBone Black; commonly used as shorthand for the whole BeagleBone series of single‑board computers.

Broadcast – Sending the same network data to every device on the network.

btrfs – A Linux filesystem with advanced features including compression, at the cost of more CPU usage.

Channel – An identifier for a component in a lighting display — commonly a pixel's colour/brightness, but also DMX channels for other devices.

DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol; automatically assigns IP addresses to devices. Addresses are not permanent. Requires a DHCP server (most routers have one).

DNS – Domain Name System; lets you use friendly host names instead of IP addresses. Requires a DNS server configured in your network settings (most routers provide one).

E1.31 – A network protocol for transmitting DMX data; the most common protocol in the animated‑lighting hobby.

Effect – A small sequence, usually for one model, used to overwrite the data a sequence is playing; triggered by an event or manually.

eMMC – On‑board flash memory on the BeagleBone Black/Green; the FPP OS can be stored on it.

eth0 – The wired network interface of the FPP.

Event – A sequence or script run when a trigger fires, or triggered manually from the FPP interface.

ext4 – The standard Linux filesystem.

FPP – Falcon Player; a widely used player and operating system for animated‑lighting displays.

FSEQ file – The standard raw data file format that tells controllers how to illuminate each light or DMX channel.

Gateway – The IP address a device sends data to when it does not know how to route it — usually your router, or an FPP bridging two subnets.

Git – A distributed version‑control system; the core of GitHub.

Host Name – A friendly name for a device, used instead of its IP address.

IP Address – A numerical device address: four parts (0–255) separated by dots.

Multicast – Sending the same data only to devices that requested it.

MultiSync – FPP's mechanism to discover relevant FPP instances in a Player/Remote configuration and keep them synchronised.

Netmask – A mask defining a subnet's size; typically 255.255.255.0 on home networks.

Network – A group of devices connected to share data.

NTP – Network Time Protocol; keeps system clocks synchronised to accurate time.

P10/P5 panel – Display panels (typically 6″×12″) whose pixel spacing matches the type (P5 = 5 mm apart). Combined into larger matrices, often used for "Tune To" signs.

Pixel – An individually addressable LED whose colour is independent of the other pixels in the string.

Player/Remote – An FPP method to synchronise several FPP devices via small sync signals — useful for large or widespread displays where Ethernet cabling is impractical.

Playlist – An ordered list of items FPP plays to control lights and props.

Plugin – A component that adds functionality to FPP.

Port – The physical connection point on a controller for a pixel string.

Raspberry Pi – A single‑board computer used to play sequences or act as a controller interface.

Real Time Clock (RTC) – A component with an accurate timing crystal that keeps time when there is no network.

SBC – Single‑Board Computer; the Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone series are the most common in this hobby.

Script – A small program that performs a specific function in FPP.

SSH – Secure Shell; a secure command‑line way to access a device (for advanced users).

Subnet – A portion of a larger network, usually the first three segments of an IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.x, where 192.168.0 is the subnet).

Tethering – Connecting two devices directly (via Ethernet, USB or Wi‑Fi) with no router or switch.

UI – User Interface; how you interact with a device or program. FPP's UI is web‑based.

Unicast – Sending data individually to each target device; usually more efficient than Multicast or Broadcast unless the same data goes to many devices.

Universe/Channel notation – A numbering system that groups channels into user‑defined universes (up to 512 channels each), often easier to manage than absolute numbering. Universes can have gaps and need not start at 1.

uSD card – A micro‑SD card; in FPP it usually holds the operating system and related files.

wlan0 – The Wi‑Fi (wireless) network interface of the FPP.

WPA Pre‑Shared Key – The password for a Wi‑Fi network.

WPA SSID – The technical name for a wireless network.