Acontent format is anencoded format for converting a specific type ofdata to displayableinformation. Content formats are used inrecording andtransmission to prepare data forobservation orinterpretation.[1][2] This includes bothanalog anddigitizedcontent. Content formats may be recorded and read by either natural or manufactured tools and mechanisms.
In addition to converting data to information, a content format may include theencryption and/orscrambling of that information.[3] Multiple content formats may be contained within a single section of astorage medium (e.g.track,disk sector,computer file,document,page,column) or transmitted via a singlechannel (e.g.wire,carrier wave) of atransmission medium. Withmultimedia, multiple tracks containing multiple content formats are presented simultaneously. Content formats may either be recorded in secondary signal processing methods such as a software container format (e.g.digital audio,digital video) or recorded in the primary format (e.g.spectrogram,pictogram).
Observable data is often known asraw data, or raw content.[4] A primary raw content format may be directlyobservable (e.g.image,sound,motion,smell,sensation) orphysical data which only requires hardware to display it, such as aphonographicneedle anddiaphragm or aprojectorlamp andmagnifying glass.
The following are examples of some common content formats and content format categories (covering: sensory experience, model, and language used for encoding information):
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