Understanding digital media concepts

Digital media content that plays as it is streamed to your computer is known as streaming media. Digital media content that is stored on your computer (or a shared network drive) when you play it is known as local media.

Local media can be downloaded to your computer from a server on the Internet. There are two download methods: traditional and progressive. When a file downloads traditionally, the entire file must be copied to your computer before you can play it. When a file downloads progressively, you can begin to play the file before it is completely copied to your computer. In both cases, the files are stored on your computer.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both streaming and local media content. Streaming media does not take up any permanent disk space on your computer, but you must be connected to the Internet to play it. You can play local media without being connected to the Internet, but it can take up a lot of disk space on your computer.

This section covers:

• Understanding streaming. Provides information about how files are streamed.
• Understanding buffering. Explains what buffering is and how to adjust the amount of time digital media is buffered when files are streamed.
• Understanding progressive downloading. Explains the difference between traditional and progressive downloading.
• Understanding licensed files. Describes licensed files and some of the rules associated with them.
• Supported file types. Lists the type of files and file name extensions of the files that the Player supports.