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Content format

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Graphical representations of electrical data: analog audio content format (red), 4-bit digital pulse code modulated content format (blue).
Chinese calligraphy written in a language content format by Song dynasty (A.D. 1051-1108) poet Mi Fu.
A series of numbers encoded in a Universal Product Code digital numeric content format.

A content format is an encoded format for converting a specific type of data to displayable information. Content formats are used in recording and transmission to prepare data for observation or interpretation.[1][2] This includes both analog and digitized content. Content formats may be recorded and read by either natural or manufactured tools and mechanisms.

In addition to converting data to information, a content format may include the encryption and/or scrambling of that information.[3] Multiple content formats may be contained within a single section of a storage medium (e.g. track, disk sector, computer file, document, page, column) or transmitted via a single channel (e.g. wire, carrier wave) of a transmission medium. With multimedia, multiple tracks containing multiple content formats are presented simultaneously. Content formats may either be recorded in secondary signal processing methods such as a software container format (e.g. digital audio, digital video) or recorded in the primary format (e.g. spectrogram, pictogram).

Observable data is often known as raw data, or raw content.[4] A primary raw content format may be directly observable (e.g. image, sound, motion, smell, sensation) or physical data which only requires hardware to display it, such as a phonographic needle and diaphragm or a projector lamp and magnifying glass.

There has been a countless number of content formats throughout history. The following are examples of some common content formats and content format categories (covering: sensory experience, model, and language used for encoding information):

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bob Boiko, Content Management Bible, Nov 2004 pp:79, 240, 830
  2. ^ Ann Rockley, Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy, Oct 2002 pp:269, 320, 516
  3. ^ Jessica Keyes, Technology Trendlines, Jul 1995 pp:201
  4. ^ Oge Marques and Borko Furht, Content-Based Image and Video Retrieval, April 2002 pp:15
  5. ^ David Austerberry, The Technology of Video and Audio Streaming, Second Edition, Sep 2004 pp: 328
  6. ^ M. Ghanbari, Standard Codecs: Image Compression to Advanced Video Coding, Jun 2003 pp:364