M

marker

A text string that is associated with a designated time in Windows Media-based content. Markers often denote convenient points to begin playback, such as the start of a new scene.

MBR

See definition for: multiple bit rate (MBR)

media element

A content item that is streamed from a server-side playlist. This can be a file, a stream from an encoder, a remote stream, another playlist file, or a Windows Media file on a Web server.

metadata

Information about digital media content such as the artist, title, album, producer, and so forth. Also known as media information or tags.

Microsoft Media Server (MMS) protocol

A proprietary protocol using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to deliver content as a unicast stream.

MMS protocol

See definition for: Microsoft Media Server (MMS) protocol

multicast

A content delivery method in which a single stream is transmitted from a media server to multiple clients. The clients have no connection with the server. Instead, the server sends a single copy of the stream across the network to multicast-enabled routers, which replicate the data. Clients can then receive the stream by monitoring a specific multicast IP address and port.

multicast-enabled network

A network that has routers that can interpret Class D IP addresses.

multichannel audio

An audio reproduction system that processes several, typically more than two, channels of sound. For example, 5.1 multichannel audio refers to a surround sound system in which there are five primary channels and a subwoofer channel.

multiple bit rate (MBR)

A characteristic of a data stream in which the same content is encoded at several different bit rates in order to optimize content delivery.