The Encyclopedia of Multimedia provides easily accessible coverage of the important concepts, issues and technology trends in the field of multimedia technologies, systems, techniques, and applications. It is a comprehensive collection of more than 250 entries from hundreds of leading researchers and world experts. With over 1000 heavily-illustrated pages, the Encyclopedia of Multimedia presents concise overviews of all aspects of software, systems, web tools and hardware that enable video, audio and developing media to be shared and delivered electronically. The Editor-in-Chief, Borko Furht, in collaboration with an Editorial Board, surveyed and divided the field of multimedia into specific topics that collectively encompass the foundations, technologies, applications, and emerging elements behind web technologies, wireless information transfer, and audio-visual formatting and storage.  Borko Furht is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the international journal, Multimedia Tools and Applications.  This essential reference features: — Over 250 topics ranging from multimedia servers, to multimedia databases and multimedia networks and communications, to emerging multimedia applications — Immediate point of entry into field for researchers — A–Z format — Many headers for easy skimming and navigation of topic — New standards  — Cross-referenced entries    — Internationally renowned Editorial Board — Index Each peer-reviewed entry includes: — Broken out definition of terms — Keywords — Full overview of the technology — Key citations to locate further resources in the field — Illustrations — Applications The intended audience of the Encyclopedia of Multimedia is technically diverse and wide; it includes professionals concerned with the internet, websites, telecommunications, multimedia players and technologies. Specifically, this volume serves as a valuable reference for system designers, software engineers, programmers, and business managers who are involved in multimedia system design and their applications. Practitioners in communications and software industries will benefit from this reference, as will advanced-level students in computer science, web design, and electrical engineering.