Common Graphics/Image Acronyms
| BMP: |
BitMaP. BMP files are graphic files, normally saved in this format by Windows-applications. In this format the image is not compressed. The graphic is saved pixel by pixel, which can result in very large files. Bit-mapped graphics are often referred to as raster graphics. The other method for representing images is known as vector graphics or object-oriented graphics. With vector graphics, images are represented as mathematical formulas that define all the shapes in the image. Vector graphics are more flexible than bit-mapped graphics because they look the same even when you scale them to different sizes. In contrast, bit-mapped graphics become ragged when you shrink or enlarge them. |
| PICT: | PICT is the standard bitmap format used on the Macintosh. It is not widely supported on other platforms, although various PC utilities can read and write PICT files. |
| GIF: | Graphics Interchange Format. GIF is an image file format designed to be highly transportable between computers; most common format on the Web. It was designed by Compuserve to store images in a way that keeps the files as small as possible, in order to be easily transported by modem data lines. |
| PNG: | PNG or Portable Network Graphics is a graphics format similar to GIF. PNG was approved as a standard by the World Wide Web consortium to replace GIF because GIF uses a patented data compression algorithm. However, not all browsers currently support this format. PNG is the native format of Fireworks. |
| JPEG: | Joint Photographic Experts' Group. JPEG was made to store photographic images in compressed form. It is a format that provides a choice of levels of file compression and can provide very high quality photographic display on your computer. |
| TIFF: | Tag(ged) Image File Format. TIFF is a widely-supported and flexible image file format. It is platform independent. |
| MPEG: | The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is a working group of ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission) in charge of the development of international standards for compression, decompression, processing, and coded representation of moving pictures, audio and their combination. |
| MPEG-1: | MPEG-1 an internationally-supported, ISO digital multimedia standard for storage and retrieval of moving pictures and audio on storage media; originally envisioned for CD-based distribution, MPEG-1 is an optimized algorithm that calls for 1.5Mbps media at 24 or 30 frames per second. MPEG-1 delivers media at 300Kbps-5Mbps; typically the encoders and clients require only a low speed processor the creation or playback of media. |
| MPEG-2: | MPEG-2 is an internationally-supported, ISO digital multimedia standard for storage and retrieval of moving pictures and audio on storage media; originally envisioned for CD-based distribution, |
| MP3: | MP3 (MPEG-1 layer 3 audio) is a digital audio codec new employed by many groups to enable CD-quality distribution and playback of digital music. |
| MPEG-4: | MPEG-4 is a graphics and video compression algorithm standard that is based on MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 and Apple QuickTime technology. MPEG-4 files are smaller than JPEG or QuickTime files, so they are designed to transmit video and images over a narrower bandwidth and can mix video with text, graphics and 2-D and 3-D animation layers. |