codec

[′kō‚dek] (electronics) A device that converts analog signals to digital form for transmission and converts signals traveling in the opposite direction from digital to analog form. Derived from coder-decoder.

CODEC

coder/decoder

codec

(1) (COder/DECoder) A hardware circuit that performs analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and/or digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion. When a digital device receives analog signals from a microphone, VHS tape or other analog source, the ADC converts them to digital audio samples and video frames. Generally, the results are further compressed to save bandwidth (see definition #2).

(2) (COmpressor/DECompressor) Software and/or hardware that compresses digital audio and video data in order to reduce file size. Compressed files can be transmitted faster and stored in less space. For example, a song on a CD can be reduced to 10% of its original file size using MP3 compression (see MP3). The size of a movie/video file is dramatically reduced using various compression techniques (see video format).

Video formats generally use one codec, which may comprise several quality levels. "Container formats," such as Apple's QuickTime and Microsoft's AVI, support a variety of codecs (see container).

The goal of codec designers is to maintain audio and video quality while compressing the binary data further. Lossy methods are widely used, which actually discard bits that most people cannot hear or see. See lossy compression, codec examples, companding and codec switching.

(3) (COmpressor-DECompressor) A general data compression algorithm; for example, a "Zip codec." The term may also be applied to the built-in algorithms used to create and render images such as GIFs and JPEGs. See data compression.

codec

A device that uses hardware and/or software to translate analogue transmissions into digital transmissions and compressed data from 10- to 100-fold. Codecs were used to transmit information in telemedicine, but are now of historic interest.

codec

Coder/decoder Telemedicine A device that uses hardware and/or software to translate analog transmissions into digital transmissions and compresses data from 10- to 100-fold; codecs are used to transmit information in telemedicine. See Asynchronous transfer mode switching, T-1, Telemedicine.

CODEC

Acronym	Definition
CODEC➣Compression/Decompression Module (usually applied to audio data)
CODEC➣Coder-Decoder
CODEC➣Coder Decoder
CODEC➣Compressor Decompressor
CODEC➣International Conference on Computers and Devices for Communication (University of Calcutta; India)
CODEC➣Consortium for Distance Education from CALI (Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction)