data compression Last modified: Thursday, January 22, 2004
Storing data in a format that requires less space than usual. Data compression is particularly useful in communications because it enables devices to transmit or store the same amount of data in fewer bits. There are a variety of data compression techniques, but only a few have been standardized. The CCITT has defined a standard data compression technique for transmitting faxes (Group 3 standard) and a compression standard for data communications through modems (CCITT V.42bis). In addition, there are file compression formats, such as ARC and ZIP. Data compression is also widely used in backup utilities, spreadsheet applications, and database management systems. Certain types of data, such as bit-mapped graphics, can be compressed to a small fraction of their normal size.
Compression information page Contains several archiver benchmark comparisons, archiver information and download links, and compression news. PKWARE Home Page Provides news and information about PKWARE Inc., and their popular data compression utility PKZIP. Video over the Internet Extensive paper on some of the problems, solutions and technologies, and products associated with streaming video on the Internet. WinZip Home Page Offers a collection of information for the WinZip archive utility for Windows including ordering information, download links, and support and FAQs. Yahoo!'s archiving and compression utilities for UNIX page Yahoo!'s directory of links to shareware, resources, and utilities for data archiving and compression for UNIX systems. Yahoo!'s compression page Yahoo!'s directory of compression software, utilities, and companies. Data Compression FAQ Contains links to three FAQs about data compression.

Related Terms

AAC ARC B-frame CCITT DCT decoder disk compression DSP Huffman compression I-frame JPEG lossless compression lossy compression LZW MNP MP3 MPEG MPEG-4 P-frame ripper wavelet wavelet compression ZIP

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