S

SACL

See definition for: system access control list (SACL)

sampling

The process of measuring the amplitude of an analog signal at regular intervals for the purpose of converting the signal into a digital format.

sampling rate

The frequency of sampling. The higher the sampling rate (that is, the more samples taken per unit of time), the more closely the digitized result resembles the original.

script commands

Named data that is associated with a designated time in Windows Media-based content. The data can be used by players to perform a specific action such as displaying a Web page.

SDMI

See definition for: Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI)

Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI)

An organization that sets standards for secure digital music. One of the main goals of SDMI is to create a framework for the secure playing, storing, and distribution of digital music.

sign

To bind an identity, such as a network login, hardware ID, or certificate, to a message, file, or other piece of digitally encoded information.

silent delivery

To deliver licenses without the consumer being aware of the process. A server running Windows Media License Service can issue a license without prompting the consumer.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

A network protocol used to manage TCP/IP networks. In Windows, the SNMP service is used to provide status information about a host on a TCP/IP network.

skin

A user interface that provides an alternative appearance and customized functionality for software such as Windows Media Player.

skin definition file

An XML document that specifies the elements in a skin, along with their relationships and functionality. A skin definition file has a .wms file name extension.

skin mode

An operational state of Windows Media Player in which its user interface is displayed as a skin.

SMIL

See definition for: Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL)

SNMP

See definition for: Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

source

Audio and video content that can be captured and encoded from devices installed on your computer or from a file.

stream

Digital media that is in the process of being delivered in a continuous flow across a network.

stream format

The properties of a stream, such as the codecs used, frame rate, and frame size. A player uses stream format information to decode a stream.

stream format file

A file used by a player to decode a multicast stream.

stream thinning

The process of lowering the frame rate of source video to reduce the bandwidth required for streaming to be lower than or equal to the available client bandwidth. If necessary, the video portion of the stream may stop streaming and only the audio portion streamed.

streaming

A method of delivering digital media across a network in a continuous flow. The digital media is played by client software as it is received. Typically, streaming makes it unnecessary for users to download a file before playing it.

Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL)

An XML-based language being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that enables Web developers to divide content into separate streams (audio, video, text, and images), send them to a client computer, and then have them displayed as a single stream. This separation reduces the time required for transmission over the Internet.

system access control list (SACL)

A list that represents part of an object’s security descriptor that specifies which events (such as logon attempts and file access) are to be audited per user or group.

system profile

The default, predefined templates that contain the necessary technical details for encoding a particular piece of content.