HP Compaq Presario,Presario 5000 User Manual page 210

byte Eight bits of data strung together to
make a message that the computer can
interpret. Most information is organized
into bytes, the standard unit of data. One
byte of data is required to represent a
single character that you can see on the
screen (a letter, number, punctuation mark,
or other symbol). For example, the byte
01001000 represents the capital letter H.
See bit.
cable modem A modem that allows you
to access the Internet through your cable
service provider. Continuously connected
to the Internet, it allows high-speed,
high-capacity data transfer.
CD (compact disc)
player (digital recordings of music) or
CD-ROM drive (computer data, such as
programs). Both types of compact disc are
read-only; once data is recorded or written
to them, they can only be played or read.
Compact disc-digital audio.
CD-DA
Jointly developed by Philips and Sony and
launched in October, 1982, CD-DA was
the first incarnation of the compact disc,
used to digitally record and play back
music. The standard under which CD-DA
discs are recorded is known as the Red
Book.
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Media used in a CD
CD Extra, CD Plus, or Enhanced CD
A multisession CD containing a number of
audio tracks in the first session, and one
CD-ROM XA data track in the second
session. Additional characteristics are
defined in the Blue Book standard. An
alternative to mixed-mode for combining
standard CD-DA audio, which can be
played in a normal audio player, and a
computer application on a single CD.
CD-I A compact disc format developed by
Philips, designed to allow interactive
multimedia applications to be run on a
player attached to a television. The
standard document defining CD-I is called
the Green Book.
CD-R (CD-recordable) Media used in a
CD-R drive to record or write data that
cannot be erased. The base is a circular
piece of clear plastic, molded with a spiral
track to ensure that the CD-R drive follows
the same spiral path as that stamped on a
conventional CD. The plastic layer is
covered first with an organic dye that is
photosensitive, then a reflective layer of
silver alloy or 24-carat gold, and finally
lacquer to protect the metal from air and
dust. Depending on the dye and metal used
in manufacture, the disc may be gold/gold
(gold on top and bottom), green/gold,
silver/blue, or silver/silver. When referring
to CD media, "CD-R" is often used to refer
to write-once CDs in contrast to CD-RW.
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LOSSARY