bitstreams
Sequences of bits
Bitstreams are sequences of binary data—ones and zeros transmitted or stored as a continuous flow.
In computing and telecommunications, a bitstream is raw digital information before it's interpreted or processed: The audio bitstream was corrupted during transfer.
In digital media, bitstream often describes encoded content flowing to a decoder: The Blu-ray player outputs a Dolby bitstream to the receiver.
Consisting of two parts
- serializationEncoding objects for transmission
- encodingConverting data to format
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- compressionForcing into smaller space
decompression · codec · format · parsing · framing · checksum · parity · header
Data transmission capacity
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- multiplexingCombining signals on one line
- broadcastingMass signal transmission
- uplinkTransmission to spacecraft
downlink · carrier · signal · frequency · transceiver · fiber-optics · satellite · buffering
binary
Consisting of two parts
- serializationEncoding objects for transmission
- encodingConverting data to format
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
compression · decompression · codec · format · parsing · framing · checksum · parity · header · payload
bandwidth
Data transmission capacity
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- multiplexingCombining signals on one line
- broadcastingMass signal transmission
uplink · downlink · carrier · signal · frequency · transceiver · fiber-optics · satellite · buffering · latency
audio
Transmitted sound content
AAC · playback · rendering · transcoding · container · frames · samples · timeline · scrubbing · seeking
file
Stored collection of data
buffer · memory · disk · flash · read · write · sequential · random-access · block · sector