There are many types of encoding used in different contexts, but three common types include:
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Character Encoding: This type converts characters into a format that can be easily stored and transmitted by computers. Examples include:
- ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): It uses 7 bits to represent characters, covering standard English letters and control characters.
- UTF-8: A variable-length character encoding for Unicode that supports a wide array of characters from different languages and scripts.
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Data Encoding: This involves converting data into a specific format for efficient transmission or storage. Examples include:
- Base64: Encodes binary data into ASCII characters, making it suitable for transmission over text-based protocols, like email.
- Hexadecimal Encoding: Represents binary data in a base-16 format, often used in programming and computer science.
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Audio/Video Encoding: This type focuses on compressing and converting audio and video files into formats suitable for storage and playback. Examples include:
- MP3: A popular audio format that compresses sound to reduce file size while preserving quality.
- H.264: A widely used video compression standard that provides high-quality video at lower bit rates.
Each of these encoding types serves specific purposes and is essential for efficient data handling and communication in computing and media.