Glossary of Terms - M

Software that enables a server to transfer email between its network and the internet.

An expansion format favoured by Sony, used to provide storage to devices such as digital and DV (digital video) cameras and PDAs (personal digital assistants).

Musical Instrument Digital Interface. The industry standard for connecting a musical instrument, such as a keyboard, to a PC.

Magneto Optical. A type of drive that combines magnetic disc technologies with those of a CD-ROM. Commonly used to back up data, MO discs can be read, written to and removed. They are a high-capacity medium and offer fast access times.

Modulator/Demodulator The device which allows a computer to communicate and exchange information with other modem-equipped computers via normal phonelines.

The main circuit board of a PC, containing the connectors on to which are attached the components, such as the processor, memory and graphics cards.

Mpeg-1 audio layer 3. A standard for compressing and storing audio sequences in very small files while maintaining high-quality sound. MP3 encoders use a mathematical model of the human ear and remove frequencies that would not normally be detected.

Motion Picture Experts Group. A committee that defines the standards for digital video and audio compression techniques. Mpeg-1 compression allows video CDs to be played on computers at 30fps (frames per second) while Mpeg-2 is used for digital TV broadcasts and DVD movies.