File Formats and Media Standards Flashcards
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Read the first 7 File Formats and Media Standards flashcards as text
What file extension identifies a native Adobe Photoshop document that preserves layers and editing data?
Answer: .psd
The .psd (Photoshop Document) format is Photoshop's native file type, storing layers, masks, channels, and adjustment data in an editable, non-destructive format.
Which audio format is most widely used for streaming music and podcasts on the web due to its balance of quality and file size?
Answer: MP3
MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III) achieves significant file size reduction through lossy psychoacoustic compression while maintaining perceptually acceptable quality, making it the dominant streaming audio format.
In digital audio production, what does 'bit depth' determine?
Answer: The number of possible amplitude values per sample, affecting dynamic range
Bit depth defines how many discrete volume levels can be represented per audio sample; a 16-bit depth provides 65,536 amplitude values, while 24-bit provides over 16 million, resulting in greater dynamic range.
Which image file format supports the CMYK color mode required for professional offset printing?
Answer: TIFF
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) supports CMYK color mode along with high bit depths and lossless compression, making it the preferred format for prepress and professional print workflows.
What is the primary purpose of a media container format such as MKV?
Answer: To hold multiple streams of video, audio, subtitles, and metadata in a single file
A container format like MKV (Matroska Video) wraps multiple encoded streams—video, audio tracks, subtitles, and chapter markers—into one file without dictating the codec used for each stream.
Which video compression standard is used for encoding content on Blu-ray discs, offering high-definition quality at manageable bit rates?
Answer: H.264 (AVC)
H.264 (Advanced Video Coding) is one of the primary video codecs specified for Blu-ray disc, delivering high-definition 1080p video with efficient compression suitable for disc storage capacity.
What type of information is stored in EXIF data embedded within a digital image file?
Answer: Camera settings, GPS coordinates, date/time, and device information at capture
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) metadata records technical details at the moment of capture including shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, GPS location, and timestamp.