B

bandwidth

A network’s capacity for transferring an amount of data in a given time.

bit rate

The number of bits transferred per second.

broadband

A transmission medium designed for high-speed data transfers over long distances. Cable modem services and DSL are examples of broadband networks.

broadcast

A method by which a client receives a stream. During a broadcast connection, clients cannot control the stream. This is the opposite of an on-demand presentation.

broadcast publishing point

A type of publishing point that streams content to multiple users at once, similar to a television broadcast. Content streamed from a broadcast publishing point can be delivered as a multicast or unicast stream.

buffer

An area of computer memory reserved for temporarily holding data before that data is used on the receiving computer. Buffering protects against the interruption of data flow.

bumper advertisements

Advertising content that is played before and after the primary content. See also: interstitial advertisement, wrapper playlist