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Contents

Glossary

To find a term in the glossary, click the letter of the alphabet that is the first letter in the term you want to look up.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

analog

The traditional format in which audio and video are transmitted by using a wave or analog signal. An analog signal may not work with digital speakers; computers use digital signals.

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B

bandwidth

A network's capacity for transferring an amount of data in a given time.

See also: bit rate

bit rate

The number of bits transferred per second.

See also: bandwidth, multiple bit rate (MBR)

broadband

A transmission medium designed for high-speed data transfers over long distances. Cable modem services and DSL are examples of broadband networks.

buffer

An area of computer memory reserved for temporarily holding data before that data is used on the receiving computer. Buffering protects against the interruption of data flow.

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C

caption

Text that accompanies images or videos, either as a supplemental description or a transcript of spoken words.

codec

An abbreviation for compressor/decompressor. Software or hardware used to compress and decompress digital media.

See also: compression

compression

A process for removing redundant data from a digital media file or stream to reduce its size or the bandwidth used.

See also: codec

connection speed

The maximum rate, in bits per second, at which data can be transferred between a network and a computer or device.

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D

decrypt

To convert encrypted content back into its original form.

See also: encrypt

digital rights management (DRM)

A technology that provides a persistent level of protection to digital content by encrypting it with a cryptographic key. Authorized recipients (or end users) must acquire a license in order to unlock and consume the content.

download

To transfer a file over a network in response to a request from the device that receives the data. Downloaded content is kept on the receiving device for playback on demand. In contrast, streamed content is played as it is delivered.

See also: streaming

DRM

See definition for: digital rights management (DRM)

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E

encode

To convert audio and video content to a specified digital format.

encrypt

To programmatically disguise content to hide its substance.

See also: decrypt

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F

file format

The structure or organization of data in a file. File format is usually indicated by the file name extension.

See also: file name extension, file type

file name extension

A set of characters added to the end of a file name that identifies the file type or format.

See also: file format, file type

file type

A description of the content or format of a file. File type is usually indicated by the file name extension.

See also: file format, file name extension

firewall

A combination of hardware and software that enforces a boundary between two or more networks and prevents unauthorized access to a private network.

frame

One of many sequential images that make up video.

frame rate

The number of video frames displayed per second. Higher frame rates generally produce smoother movement in the picture.

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H

HTTP

See definition for: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

The Internet protocol used to deliver information over the World Wide Web.

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I

intelligent streaming

A type of streaming that detects network conditions and adjusts the properties of a video or audio stream to maximize quality.

See also: streaming

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L

licensed file

A Windows Media file that has an associated license restricting the playing of that file. The restrictions stated in the license vary depending on the license creator.

See also: digital rights management (DRM)

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M

MBR

See definition for: multiple bit rate (MBR)

See also: bit rate

Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)

The committee that creates international standards for coding audio-visual information to a digital, compressed format. The acronym MPEG is appended to the beginning of individual specifications developed by the committee. For example, MPEG-2 refers to the standard, ISO/IEC - 11172.

MPEG

See definition for: Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)

multiple bit rate (MBR)

A characteristic of a data stream in which the same content is encoded at several different bit rates in order to optimize content delivery.

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P

playlist

A list of digital media content.

port

A connection point in a computer through which a peripheral device or another computer can communicate.

protocol

A set of formats and procedures that enable computers to exchange information.

See also: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

proxy server

A server located on a network between client software, such as a Web browser, and another server. It intercepts all requests to the server to determine whether it can fulfill them itself. If not, it forwards the request to another server.

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S

sampling rate

The frequency of sampling. The higher the sampling rate (that is, the more samples taken per unit of time), the more closely the digitized result resembles the original.

streaming

A method of delivering digital media across a network in a continuous flow. The digital media is played by client software as it is received. Typically, streaming makes it unnecessary for users to download a file before playing it.

See also: download, intelligent streaming

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T

TCP

See definition for: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

The protocol within TCP/IP that governs the breakup of data messages into packets to be sent via IP, and the reassembly and verification of the complete messages from packets received by IP.

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U

UDP

See definition for: User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

A connectionless transport protocol in the TCP/IP protocol stack that is used in cases where some packet loss is acceptable, for example, with digital media streams.

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W

Windows Media file

A file containing audio, video, or script data that is stored in Windows Media Format. Depending on their content and purpose, Windows Media files use a variety of file name extensions, such as: .wma, .wme, .wms, .wmv, .wmx, .wmz, or .wvx.

Windows Media Format

The format used by Microsoft Windows Media Technologies (or a third-party product that incorporates a licensed Windows Media technology) to author, store, edit, distribute, stream, or play timeline-based content.

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