Video glossary

A

ABR

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

A technique that automatically adjusts video quality in real time based on the viewer's bandwidth and device capabilities, preventing buffering.

API

Application Programming Interface

The interface that lets external software upload, manage and play back video by code, without going through the platform's web interface.

Bitrate

Video Bitrate

The amount of data processed per second in a video stream, measured in Mbps or kbps. Higher bitrate generally means better quality but larger file sizes.

CDN

Content Delivery Network

A distributed network of servers that caches and delivers video content from locations close to viewers, reducing latency and buffering.

Codec

Coder-Decoder

Software that compresses (encodes) and decompresses (decodes) video data, balancing file size and visual quality. Common codecs include H.264, H.265, VP9, and AV1.

DAM

Digital Asset Management

A central system for storing, organizing, finding and sharing an organization's media files (videos, images, audio, documents), along with their metadata and access rights.

DRM

Digital Rights Management

Technology that protects video content from unauthorized copying and redistribution using encryption and license-based access control.

Encoding Profile

Streaming Encoding Profile

A pre-configured set of encoding parameters — codecs, resolutions, bitrates, and audio settings — that determines how a video is transcoded for adaptive streaming delivery.

The European regulation governing the collection, processing, and storage of personal data, with obligations around transparency, minimization, and security for any organization handling EU residents' data.

HLS

HTTP Live Streaming

Apple's adaptive streaming protocol that delivers video in small segments over HTTP, enabling smooth playback across devices and network conditions.

OTT

Over-The-Top

Content delivered directly to viewers via the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite TV distributors.

RGAA

French digital accessibility framework

France's regulatory framework defining digital accessibility criteria for websites, apps, and content, including video, mandatory for public services and increasingly expected of private companies.

SRT

SubRip Subtitle

The most widely used subtitle file format: a plain text file pairing each line with a time range and the text to display, readable by nearly every video player and editor.

SSO

Single Sign-On

An authentication method that lets a user access a platform with the identity already verified by their company's identity provider, without a separate password.

SVOD

Subscription Video on Demand

A VOD model where viewers pay a recurring subscription for unlimited access to a catalog, rather than buying each piece of content separately.

Transcoding

Video Transcoding

The process of converting a video file from one format, codec, or resolution to another, enabling playback across different devices and network conditions.

TVOD

Transactional Video on Demand

A VOD model where each piece of content is charged individually, as a purchase or a time-limited rental, with no recurring subscription.

VOD

Video on Demand

A distribution model where viewers choose what to watch and when, as opposed to live broadcast or linear TV schedules.

VTT

WebVTT

A web subtitle format that, like SRT, pairs text with a time range, but is natively recognized by HTML5 video players and supports on-screen positioning.

WebRTC

Web Real-Time Communication

An open standard enabling real-time audio, video, and data communication directly between browsers without plugins, used for ultra-low-latency live streaming.