Arbitrary Code Execution occurs when a game's logic and memory state are manipulated in such a way that arbitrarily-defined instructions will eventually be performed by the system.

A single frame worth of inputs where the inputs are all in their default position (e.g. buttons are unpressed.) Blank frames of input are occasionally inserted at the front of a TAS replay in the attempt to workaround unforeseen issues in the dump process, the replay device's timing, or other unknown factors that affect when the replay must begin.

A highly TASing-capable emulator with support for a large variety of systems.

A strategy to compensate for superfluous clock pulses that, left unfiltered, would potentially desync a TAS replay. At this time, only the NES is known to use this strategy due to two design oversights in how its DMC DMA procedure is implemented. The filter is a period of time (typically ~3.5us) after a clock pulse where any additional clock pulses are ignored by the replay device.

A device used to provide inputs into a gaming or computer system (e.g. a gamepad, or a keyboard.)

Also known as an emulation core, a core is an abstraction that contains all of the components required to emulate a particular computer system. Some emulators, such as BizHawk, contain numerous cores enabling the user to play games from a variety of different systems without installing an entirely different emulator for each system.

A situation where a TAS replay becomes desynchronized with the game. In order for a replay to work successfully, its inputs must be transmitted with extremely high precision. Sending an input too soon, or too late, will cause the game to diverge from the expected path.

The Delta Modulation Channel is a piece of integrated hardware in the NES that is responsible for generating delta-modulated audio samples.

A pair of hardware design oversights in the NES' DMA unit used by the DMC that unintentionally triggers an additional read of a controller while simutaneously discarding the returned data. See here for more details.

Differential pulse-code modulation. A method of encoding the changes in an electric signal over time. Samples using this encoding are fed into the NES' DMC in order to produce audio.

A collection of data produced using a TAS movie, and typically an emulator, that is used to replay the TAS on real hardware. A dump may also contain additional metadata as well as configuration details that specify how the data should be interpreted.

The action of producing the data necessary to replay a TAS movie on real hardware. TAS movies themselves rarely contain all of the information necessary to successfully replay it. Thus additional data must be retrieved, or "dumped," from the emulator originally used to create the TAS.

Electromagnetic Interference is a phenomenon where an electrical signal can be disrupted by an external source. If the EMI is severe enough, it may degrade the signal to the point of data loss or corruption. EMI can be disasterous for a TAS replay as it can produce unexpected and difficult to diagnose desyncs.

Hardware or software that imitates another piece of hardware or software. Typically, emulators are created as software programs that behave like computer hardware, such as a gaming console or personal computer. Another form of emulator, known as a hardware emulator, or replay device, is used in console verifications to imitate game controllers. Instead of physically pressing buttons on a controller, a replay device emulates the electrical signals that a physical controller would normally produce.

Hardware designed specifically to emulate or replicate the behavior of video game cartridges. While the "flash" in "flashcart" often refers to the usage of flash memory to store game data, other forms of memory may also be used instead.

One of many consecutive images that make up the graphical video output of a computer system.

A peripheral that enables the GameCube to play games from the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. The peripheral attaches to the bottom of the system, and contains a near-identical implementation of a Game Boy Advance. TASes for the GB, GBC, and GBA can be successfully replayed using a combination of this peripheral and homebrew software running on the GameCube.

The action of powering a system off completely and back on again. Also known as a "cold reset."

A piece of data or a physical action that is inserted into a computer system (e.g. pressing a button on a gaming controller, or the digital representation of that action.)

A technique used in SNES replays that counts the number of times the console is expected to poll a controller before stopping for at least a frame. For example, a sequence of latch trains, "10

A strategy for representing multiple reads (aka polls) of a controller's state using only a single input. Starting from when a controller's state is read, all subsequient reads during the filter period must return the same value as what was returned for the initial read.

Refers to a file used by TAS-capable emulators to store the inputs of the TAS and any relevant emulator settings. A TAS movie is not the same as a TAS dump. TAS movies are primarily used by and for emulators, and almost always do not contain sufficient data for replaying on real hardware.

A process where by a system actively communicates with a controller to read its input state. This may take many forms, but common examples include triggering a latch or using a serial protocol. Reading a controller's input without triggering the controller in some way, is typically not considered polling as there is no way to detect the read.

Refers to the state or event of a system's power being activated. Often this term is used to describe the starting point of a TAS replay: "The replay begins at power on."

A deprecated binary dump format for NES TASes. Each pair of bytes represents the input states for each controller, over either a single poll, or over an entire frame. The latter option would require using a latch filter, but the format doesn't provide any way to specify that.

A deprecated binary dump format for SNES TASes.

An electronic device that emulates the electrical signals a controller (or other input device) would normally produce. Replay devices are capable of feeding sequences of input values to a system with a high degree of precision and reliability. Replay devices are sometimes incorrectly refered to as "TASBot(s)." TASBot is the name of both a community and the mascot of that community; while the mascot may sometimes hold or contain a replay device, the two terms must not be used interchangeably.

May refer to either a "soft reset" or "hard reset."

A common connector found on the ends of ethernet/cat5/cat6 cables which are sometimes repurposed for use with TAS replay devices.

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An action that typically reverts a device to a default state, or otherwise reconfigures a device, without completely shutting off its power. The exact effects will vary depending on the device.

A state in which a TAS movie's or TAS replay's inputs are correctly synchronized.

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