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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

VOD

Video on Demand

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

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.