Editing Bitstream format

{{More sources needed|date=December 2009}}
A '''bitstream format''' is the format of the data found in a [[stream (computing)|stream]] of bits used in a [[digital communication]] or [[data storage device|data storage]] application.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Build software better, together |url=https://github.com/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref>  The term typically refers to the data format of the output of an encoder, or the data format of the input to a decoder when using [[data compression]].

== {{Anchor|BIT-STREAM-DECODER}}Processing ==
{{Main|Stream processing}}

Standardized [[interoperability]] specifications such as the [[video coding]] standards produced by the [[MPEG]] and the [[ITU-T]], and the audio coding standards produced by the MPEG, often specify only the [[bitstream]] format and the decoding process. This allows encoder implementations to use any methods whatsoever that produce bitstreams which conform to the specified bitstream format.{{clarifyme|reason=What else could the standards specify?|date=January 2012}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miles |first=Stephen |date=2021-11-28 |title=PCM Vs Bitstream: Pros and Cons |url=https://musicstudioinsights.com/pcm-vs-bitstream-pros-and-cons |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Music Studio Insights |language=en-us}}</ref>

Normally, decoding of a bitstream can be initiated without having to start from the beginning of a [[computer file|file]], or the beginning of the data transmission. Some bitstreams are designed for this to occur, for example by using indexes or [[key frame]]s.{{citation needed|reason=Probably should go in the bitstream article anyway|date=January 2012}}

Uses of ''bit stream decoders'' (BSD):
* [[Graphics processing unit#SP-GPGPU|Graphics processing unit]] (GPU)
* [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC#HW-BASED|H.264/MPEG-4 AVC]]
* [[Unified Video Decoder]] (UVD){{snd}} the video decoding bit-stream technology from ATI Technologies/AMD
* [[Nvidia PureVideo|PureVideo]]{{snd}} the video decoding bit-stream technology from Nvidia
* [[Intel Quick Sync Video|Quick Sync Video]]{{snd}} the video decoding and encoding bit-stream technology from Intel

==See also==
* [[Elementary stream]]
* [[Stream processing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bitstream Format}}
[[Category:Data compression]]