2007-01-17 00:10:52 · 7 answers · asked by jtrdlr 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
A codec is a device or program capable of performing encoding and decoding on a digital data stream or signal. The word codec may be a combination of any of the following: 'Compressor-Decompressor', 'Coder-Decoder', or 'Compression/Decompression algorithm'.
An endec is a similar (but not identical) concept for hardware. In the middle 20th Century a "codec" was hardware that coded analog signals into PCM and decoded it back. Late in the century the name came to be applied to a class of software for converting among digital signal formats, and including compander functions.
Codecs (in the modern, software sense) encode a stream or signal for transmission, storage or encryption and decode it for viewing or editing. Codecs are often used in videoconferencing and streaming media applications. A video camera's ADC converts its analog signals into digital signals, which are then passed through a video compressor for digital transmission or storage. A receiving device then runs the signal through a video decompressor, then a DAC for analog display. A "codec" is a generic name for a video conferencing unit.
2007-01-17 00:14:24 · answer #1 · answered by Mandar 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A codec (named by combining the words Code & Decode) is used to decode audio and video (possibly others...I only know of these two for sure) files so that you can listen to/view them using your computer. If you cannot view certain videos or listen to certain audio files on your computer-chances are all you need to do is download codecs-they're easy to find by typing codec in your search bar.
2007-01-17 08:35:58 · answer #2 · answered by deese28 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Codec is a portmanteau of the words "COmpressor-DECompressor", "enCOder-DECoder" or variations thereof and refers to a hardware device or software program capable of converting a (typically digital media) data stream between two different formats.
Codecs can be 'lossless' (i.e. where encoding maintains all the information in the stream) or 'lossy' (i.e. where encoding discards some of the information in the stream). Most modern codecs are 'lossy'; examples of modern commonly used codecs in audio and video compresison are MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), DV, H.264, VC-1 among others.
2007-01-17 08:27:03 · answer #3 · answered by cosmix 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A codec is a device or program capable of performing encoding and decoding on a digital data stream or signal. The word codec may be a combination of any of the following: 'Compressor-Decompressor', 'Coder-Decoder', or 'Compression/Decompression algorithm'.
go here for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codec
2007-01-17 08:14:42 · answer #4 · answered by amelia black 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A program or device that compresses the data in a signal or data stream. The term especially applies to codecs used by Video for Windows or QuickTime
2007-01-17 08:15:36 · answer #5 · answered by Kiran V 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Codec" is a technical name for "compression/decompression". It also stands for "compressor/decompressor" and "code/decode". All of these variations mean the same thing: a codec is a computer program that both shrinks large movie files, and makes them playable on your computer. Codec programs are required for your media player to play your downloaded music and movies.
2007-01-17 08:14:48 · answer #6 · answered by Cur10u5_m1nD 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See wiki article. It stands for compression/decompression. Its usually for decompressing and playing a particular commercial format of video or sound file.
2007-01-17 08:14:41 · answer #7 · answered by ricochet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋