What Is a Codec Server?
A software program that compresses or decompresses media files, like a song or video, is called a codec. Codecs are used on nearly all media files that are played on computers or streamed from the Internet. An encoder compresses a file when a publisher makes it, and a decoder decompresses it to let it be played. To play a media file, therefore, requires finding the right codec to decode or decompress it. These codecs can come from codec servers.
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Codec Compression
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Codecs may involve some loss of quality, such as the case of a "lossy" codec where some data is sacrificed that arguably doesn't effect the quality of the file. Codecs may be lossless as well, but the advantage of a lossy codec is the ability to compress an enormous amount of data. Lossy codecs may also be optimized by use. For example, high-speed video may be favored over color definition for sporting events.
Decoding Codec
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Users of audio and video files that have been encoded and compressed with a codec need a matching codec to decode and decompress the file. Some codecs are sent with the file or with its accompanying hardware, but if this is not the case, users have to acquire the right codec, usually online, such as with a codec server.
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Codec Cost
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Most codecs for decoding files are free, with the possible exceptions of high-end versions that offer the convenience of decoding many file formats with just the one codec or the bundling of codecs from one software vendor. Other codecs may cost up to $50 and are geared toward users who want to both encode and decode files.
Server
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A server is a computer, usually on the Internet, that responds to requests for data, such as files, from other computers on the Internet. It exists to "serve" data to other computers, and usually has little functionality beyond administrative functions and the ability to respond to requests through Internet Protocols.
Requesting Codec
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To retrieve a codec on the Internet that can be used to decode and decompress an audio or video file, users usually have to request the codec from a server. The first step in doing this is finding the right codec. Users search for the appropriate codec by searching for codecs associated with a specific file type, such as MP3, or with a specific vendor or product, like Microsoft's Windows Media Player. Vendors offering the appropriate codecs will then direct users to codec servers that allow users to download a codec for playing the stored or streamed file.
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References
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