Posted by Richard Crowley on 11/29/07 18:51

"Don Pearce" wrote ...
> Randy Yates wrote:
>>However, the Lempel-Ziv algorithm is indeed a source coding algorithm
>>and in that sense can be called a codec.
>
> And there, in a nutshell, is the problem with the definition. An audio
> codec is something that does stuff with - specifically - audio. It
> makes use of the qualities and features of audio to enable compression
> that would not be valid for - eg - pictures or documents.

I don't see the problem. We all regularly refer to an "MP3 file" or a
"ZIP file". And it is understood by everyone that decoding an MP3
file requires a MP3 codec, just as decoding a ZIP file requires a
ZIP codec.

A standalone application of an MP3 codec is called an "MP3
Player" just as a standalone application of a ZIP codec is
called "WinZip" (etc.). But note that there are also versions of
both MP3 and ZIP codecs (and most others) that are just DLL
files and usable internally by other applications.

[Back to original message]