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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.
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A key or combination of keys that when pressed will quickly perform an action within an application that would normally require several user actions, such as menu selections.
The traditional format in which audio and video are transmitted using a wave or analog signal.
A small window that is displayed in the lower-right corner of the screen when Windows Media Player is in compact mode. See also compact mode.
The transmission method used by the radio station (AM, FM, or Internet). Internet radio stations usually play a preset, taped list of songs and commercials.
The data transfer capacity of a digital communications system, such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). Bandwidth is usually expressed in the number of bits that a system is capable of transferring in a second: bits per second (bps). High bandwidth or broadband refers to a network capable of a fast data transfer rate.
The speed at which digital audio and video content streams from a source, such as a file, to be rendered properly by a player, or the speed at which binary content in general is streamed on a network. Bit rate is usually measured in kilobits per second (Kbps), for example, 28.8 Kbps. The bit rate of a Windows Media file or live stream is determined during the encoding process, when the streaming content is created. Bandwidth is the total bit-rate capacity of a network. For audio and video content to render properly when streaming over a network, the bandwidth of the network must be high enough to accommodate the bit rates of all the different content that is being streamed concurrently.
A high-speed transmission. The term is commonly used to refer to communications lines or services at T1 rates (1.544 Mbps) or cable modem rates and above.
A small amount of RAM that Windows Media Player uses as a loading area for information before playing it. When you play a file or stream, Windows Media Player fills up the buffer before it begins playing so that you won't notice minor problems with traffic on the Internet or the local network.
The identifying code letters or numbers of a radio or television transmitting station, assigned by a regulatory body.
Text that describes the audio or video you are playing, similar to closed-captioning.
See also compact disc.
The computational and control unit of a computer. The central processing unit is the device that interprets and executes instructions.
Short for compressor/decompressor. Codecs are various types of computer algorithms that are applied to audio, video, and image files to compress the size of the files. The benefit of this is the files do not use as much disk space when stored or as much network bandwidth when streamed. To open a compressed file, the same codec must be used to decompress the file. If your computer does not have the correct codec to decompress a file, Windows Media Player will attempt to download the codec for you.
An optical storage medium for digital data, usually audio. A compact disc is a nonmagnetic, polished metal disc with a protective plastic coating that can hold up to 74 minutes of high-fidelity recorded sound.
A reduced operational state of Windows Media Player (both in size and function), allowing more room on your screen for other applications. You can customize this Windows Media Player mode by applying a different skin. To make sure you are in compact mode, press CTRL+2.
The coding of data to reduce file size or the bit rate of a stream. Content that has been compressed is decompressed for playback.
Determines the quality of the digital audio as the data is copied to your computer or portable device, or the quality of music as it is streamed to Windows Media Player. The better the compression quality used, the more disk space a copied file uses.
The speed at which your computer connects to the Internet or a network.
A method of copying media items using a digital format.
The process of playing a media item using a digital format. Computers use digital format, so data must be converted to this format, and then encoded to be played on a computer. Data that is digital has been converted to ones and zeros.
A method of delivering content over a network in which the content is copied to a client computer and then played locally. This method is different from streaming because the source media is copied from the server to the client computer. See also streaming
The process of compressing and separating a file into packets of information for delivery over a network. Windows Media Player can play a file that has been encoded into a Windows Media file (the file created when you copy a CD track) or stream (what your computer receives when you listen to a live radio station delivered over the Internet).
The process of packaging media items with a key. Once a media item has been encrypted, it cannot be played without the key.
A method of controlling and correcting data transmission errors that occur when streaming.
A set of characters added to a file name that serves to extend or clarify its meaning or to identify a file as a member of a category. An extension may be assigned by the user or by a program, as, for example, .avi or .txt. Also known as file name extension.
See file extension; media formats.
See file extension.
A security system intended to protect an organizationÆs network from external threats, such as hackers, coming from another network, such as the Internet.
The type of music (genre), such as rock, or classical, played by a radio station.
The number, such as 88.5 or 101.7, that is used to tune into a radio station.
The operational state of Windows Media Player that displays a complete set of toolbars. To make sure you are in full mode, press CTRL+1.
The category that best describes the type of music, such as classical or jazz.
The Internet protocol that delivers information over the World Wide Web. HTTP is the acronym for hypertext transfer protocol.
A type of streaming that detects network conditions and adjusts the properties of a video or audio stream to maximize quality. See also streaming.
Windows Media files that have an associated license restricting the copying of that file. The restrictions stated in the license will vary depending on the license creator. Any file created by copying a CD track using Windows Media Player is assigned a license that restricts the playing of that file to the computer where the file was created.
The types of media files that can be played using Windows Media Player. Supported media formats include the following: .aif, .aifc, .aiff, .asf, .asx, au, .avi, .cda, .ivf, .m1v, .m3u, .mid, .midi, mp2, .mp3, .mpa, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpv2, .rmi, .snd, .wax, .wav, .wma, .wms, wmv, .wvx, .wmz. See also Windows Media Format.
Information, such as the album cover, label, artist name, and length, gathered from the Internet about a CD. An Internet connection is required to access this information.
A set of standards for audio and video compression established by the Joint ISO/IEC Technical Committee on Information Technology. The MPEG standard has different types that have been designed to work in different situations.
A computer file format that compresses audio files far smaller than previously required for CD-quality recordings. A minute of music, or several minutes of spoken words, encoded in MP3 require only about one megabyte of disc space, about one-tenth of what the older .wav format required. MP3 has made quick transfer of CD-quality music over the Internet practical.
A one-to-many client/server connection in which multiple clients receive the same stream from a server. To receive a multicast, a client listens to a specific IP address on a multicast-enabled network, like tuning a television to a specific channel. In contrast, a unicast is a one-to-one connection in which each client receives a separate stream from a server.
A term used to identify streams that can be delivered at several speeds. Typically a stream has only one speed or bit rate. However, some streams are created so that if network traffic hinders the delivery of the stream, the stream will switch to a lower bit rate in an attempt to make the flow of information consistent. If the flow of information slows down, youÆll notice breaks in the audio and/or video or the stream will stop.
An agreed-upon structure for representing musical sounds, such as from a synthesizer, in a form that a computer can interpret.
The technology for securing content and managing the rights for its access. Also known as digital rights management.
A personalized list of links to various media files on your computer, your network, or the Internet, including radio stations and broadband broadcasts. You can create a playlist from any combination of media items. The items in the list are played sequentially.
A number that enables the sending of IP packets to a particular process on a computer connected to a network. Ports are most often identified with a particular service. For example, port 80 on an Internet computer indicates a Web server.
A computing device or storage card that is not a desktop computer. Portable devices can be computing devices, such as palm-size PCs and pocket PCs, or can be storage cards, such as CompactFlash cards or micro drives. Computing devices typically connect to a computer via a COM port. Storage cards typically are used in the computing devices as additional storage.
A set of rules or standards that allow computers to communicate. Internet protocols used to receive streaming media are UDP, TCP, HTTP.
A firewall component that manages Internet traffic to and from your network.
A key or combination of keys that when pressed will quickly perform an action within an application that would normally require several user actions, such as menu selections.
A file that customizes the look and functionality of Windows Media Player. When Windows Media Player is in compact mode, it will appear and work as the skin directs.
A method of delivering content, in which media content is located on a server and then played by sending the data across a network in a continuous flow. Streaming data enables Windows Media Player to begin rendering the data immediately instead of waiting for the entire file to be downloaded.
The individual songs from a CD.
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.
The connectionless protocol within TCP/IP that corresponds to the transport layer in the ISO/OSI model. UDP converts data messages generated by an application into packets to be sent via IP but does not verify that messages have been delivered correctly.
Splashes of color and geometric shapes that change with the beat of the audio that is currently playing.
A group of visualizations focused on specific themes.
A file, typically with an .asf or .wma extension, which contains audio, video, or script data. These files are highly optimized for streaming, yet they provide dynamic sound when downloaded and played by Windows Media Player.
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.