time basen.
/ˈtʌɪm ˌbeɪs/, U.S. /ˈtaɪm ˌbeɪs/ 1.
a. A basis for measuring or calculating elapsed time, a time scale; a line serving this purpose.
ΚΠ
1911 Proc. Physical Soc. 24 310 The disadvantage of the falling-plate method is that the time base of the photographs has to be corrected for the slight acceleration during exposure.
1929 Jrnl. Sci. Instruments 6 116 Two lines..are drawn at distances A and B from the time base OX.
1950 U.S. Patent 2,532,620 1 An object of the invention is to provide means for making a record of pressure which has a uniform or linear time base.
1989 Nature 9 Feb. 516/3 Smaller searches, especially over a very long time-base, can be carried out satisfactorily with this printed version.
2007 R. K. Buchheim Sky is Your Lab. v. 190 The longer the time base over which astrometric data is taken, the more accurately the orbit is defined.
b. Electronics. A line on a cathode ray tube display providing a scale of time or representing the time axis, typically a horizontal straight line.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic devices or components > cathode-ray tube > [noun] > line or pattern on screen > line repeating axis
time base1923
1923 Proc. Royal Soc. A. 103 88 For observations on the time of duration and wave form of atmospherics a horizontal time base was used, produced by applying an alternating potential difference between the plates.
1925 Proc. Physical Soc. 37 167 Circular and elliptical time-bases were not nearly so useful as a linear and unidirectional base.
1959 R. D. Davies & H. P. Palmer Radio Stud. Universe iii. 43 As the speed of radio waves is 3 × 105 km/s, the horizontal trace of the tube, called the time base, can be calibrated in range directly.
2000 P. Scherz Pract. Electronics for Inventors ix. 267 In oscilloscopes, a saw-tooth generator is used to generate a horizontal electron sweep to establish the time base.
2. Electronics.
a. Originally: a signal for uniformly and repeatedly deflecting an electron beam so as to produce a time base (sense 1b), typically consisting of a sawtooth waveform. In later use also: any signal that serves as a reference for purposes of synchronization. Frequently attributive.
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1925 Brit. Patent 254,353 2/1 The displacement of the pattern..may be minimised by a controllable coupling between the receiving circuits and the local time-base generator.
1933 R. A. W. Watt et al. Applic. Cathode Ray Oscillograph ii. 44 The general nature of the e.m.f. desirable as a linear time-base for use with a cathode-ray oscillograph.
1977 Broadcast 7 Feb. 5 (advt.) VPR-1 systems, with..timebase correction..for installation in studio.
2002 Amer. Photo May 23/1 Along with a time-base corrector, which can stabilize the video signals of old or worn tapes, there's also a digital noise reduction feature.
2004 T. N. Decker & T. D. Carrell Instrumentation (ed. 3) vii. 105 The vertical deflectors are controlled by the amplitude fluctuations of the signal, and the horizontal deflectors are usually controlled by a time-base generator (clock).
b. A circuit or device for generating a time base signal.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > electronic circuit > [noun] > trigger circuit > used in time-base operations
time base1934
phantastron1943
sanatron1946
sanaphant1949
1934 Jrnl. Inst. Electr. Engineers 75 66/1 The arrangement..constitutes a time base which provides a scanning sweep..and a rapid fly-back.
1960 Pract. Wireless 36 408/2 A lead from the timebase is brought out to the front panel of the oscilloscope.
2007 Loo Wan Yong & Loo Kwok Wai Physics Insights: ‘O’ Level (ed. 2) xviii. 338 When the time base is on, the spot moves with a constant speed across the screen from left to right and then jumps back very quickly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1911