R

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

radio frequency

(RF) The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with frequencies between 10 kilohertz and 300 gigahertz. This portion includes the frequencies used for radio and television transmission.

RAM

Random access memory. RAM is semiconductor-based memory within a personal computer or other hardware device that can be rapidly read and written to by a computer's microprocessor or other devices. It does not generally retain information when the computer is turned off. See also ROM.

rating

A category applied to movies and other programs to reflect the age appropriateness of their content, particularly to help parents decide whether children should view the shows. Possible Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings include NR (not rated), G (general), PG (parental guidance suggested), PG-13 (parents strongly cautioned), R (restricted), NC-17 (no children under 17).

recordset

A recordset represents the entire set of records from a table in a database or that result from an executed command. A recordset is a set of rows in which each row has columns of data.

registry

In the Microsoft® Windows® 98 and Microsoft® Windows NT® operating systems, a hierarchical database that provides a repository for information about a computer's hardware and software configuration.

renderer filter

A filter that renders the contents of a stream on an output device such as a computer monitor, sound card, or printer. Renderer filters have only input pins.

resource

A piece of static data, such as a dialog box, that can be used by more than one application or in more than one place within an application. Alternatively, any part of a computer or network, such as a disk drive, printer, or memory, that can be used by a program or process.

RF

See radio frequency.

ring 0

The operating system kernel or core—in other words, the portion that allocates system resources; manages memory, files, and peripheral devices; maintains the time and date; and starts applications. See also kernel mode.

ring 3

The application layer. Ring 3 includes applications, dynamic-link libraries (DLLs), and DirectShow filters.

ROM

Read-only memory. ROM is semiconductor-based memory within a personal computer or other hardware device that contains instructions or data that can be read but not modified. See also RAM.

router

A device that helps local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks connect and interoperate. A router can connect LANs that have different network topologies, such as Ethernet and token ring. Routers choose the best path for a packet, optimizing network performance.