| MPEG MPEG
is a standard for compressing sound and movie files into an attractive
format for downloading--or even streaming--across the Internet. The MPEG-1
standard streams video and sound data at 150 kilobytes per second--the
same rate as a single-speed CD-ROM drive--which it manages by taking key
frames of video and filling only the areas that change between the frames.
Unfortunately, MPEG-1 produces only adequate quality video, far below that
of standard TV. MPEG-2 compression improves things dramatically. With
MPEG-2, a properly compressed video can be shown at near-laserdisc clarity
with a CD-quality stereo soundtrack. For that reason, modern video
delivery mediums, such as digital satellite services and DVD, use MPEG-2. |