How Digital Media Works

In the world of computers and the Internet, all data is stored in digital format. (In a digital file, information is assembled from a series of 0 and 1 bits.) Digital is better than its counterpart (called analog) in that noise and distortion aren't introduced into the process. A digital copy, if recorded properly, can be an exact copy of the original. It's impossible to make an exact copy using analog methods.

In the audio and video world, music and movies used to be recorded and stored nondigitally. (Vinyl records and VHS videotapes are both analog formats.) However, with the advent of compact discs (CDs) and DVDs, music and movies began to be stored digitally.

When music and movies are digital, it's easy to incorporate ...

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