Glosario de conversión de archivos

Definiciones breves de términos técnicos sobre formatos, compresión y conversión.

Bitrate: Amount of data stored per second of audio or video (e.g. 128 kbps, 320 kbps). Higher bitrate = better quality but larger file. For MP3 conversion use at least 192–256 kbps.; .MP3 .AAC .MP4
Codec: Algorithm for encoding/decoding multimedia data (e.g. H.264 video, AAC audio, JPEG image). The file format (MP4, JPG) is a container — the codec defines compression.; .MP4 .MP3 .JPG
Lossy compression: Shrinks files by permanently removing data (MP3, JPG, AAC). Each re-conversion degrades quality. Lost information cannot be recovered.; .MP3 .JPG .AAC
Lossless compression: Shrinks files without losing data (FLAC, PNG, ZIP). After decoding you get an identical copy. Larger than lossy compression.; .FLAC .PNG .WAV
Container format: Wrapper combining video, audio, and subtitle streams (MP4, MKV, AVI). The container doesn't define quality — the codec inside does (H.264, AAC).; .MP4 .MKV .AVI
MIME type: Standard file type identifier sent by servers (e.g. image/jpeg, application/pdf). Browsers and OS use MIME to pick the opening app.; .PDF .JPG .JSON
Resolution: Pixel count in an image or video frame (e.g. 1920×1080 = Full HD). Higher resolution = more detail but larger file. Downscaling (4K → 1080p) loses detail permanently.; .MP4 .JPG .PNG
DPI (dots per inch): Pixel density for print. 72 DPI is enough for screens, 300 DPI is photo print standard. Changing DPI without changing pixels doesn't improve image quality.; .JPG .PNG .PDF
Alpha channel (transparency): Extra image layer defining pixel transparency. PNG and WebP support alpha, JPG doesn't. Logos and icons should use alpha-capable formats.; .PNG .WEBP
Metadata: Data describing a file: photo date, camera model, author, GPS. EXIF in JPG, ID3 in MP3. Conversion may remove or change metadata.; .JPG .MP3 .MP4
Transcoding: Converting from one codec/format to another (e.g. H.265 → H.264, FLAC → MP3). Requires full decode and re-encode — affects quality and processing time.; .MP4 .MP3 .WEBM
Sample rate: Audio samples per second (Hz). CD: 44100 Hz, pro recordings: 48000 or 96000 Hz. Higher rate = wider bandwidth, larger file.; .WAV .MP3 .FLAC
Aspect ratio: Width-to-height ratio (e.g. 16:9, 4:3, 1:1). Instagram Stories: 9:16, YouTube: 16:9. Wrong ratio causes black bars or cropping.; .MP4 .JPG
Color space: Color description system (sRGB, Adobe RGB, CMYK). sRGB is web/screen standard. CMYK is for print. Converting between spaces may shift colors.; .JPG .PNG .PDF
Vector graphic: Mathematically defined image (SVG, EPS) — scales without blur. Not for photos. Logos, icons, and technical illustrations should be vector.; .SVG
Raster graphic: Pixel-based image (JPG, PNG, WebP). Enlarging causes blur. Photos and 3D renders are raster.; .JPG .PNG .WEBP
OCR (text recognition): Technology extracting text from images or PDF. PDF → DOCX often uses OCR. Quality depends on original clarity and language.; .PDF .DOCX
Print resolution: Minimum for quality print: 300 DPI for photos, 150 DPI for text. A 1000×1000 px image at 300 DPI prints at roughly 8.5×8.5 cm.; .JPG .PNG .PDF
File hash: Unique file fingerprint (MD5, SHA-256). Two identical files share the same hash. Used to verify integrity after download or conversion.
Encryption (HTTPS/TLS): Toolando.tech uses HTTPS — files sent to the server are encrypted in transit. Files are deleted after conversion. Encryption doesn't replace caution with sensitive documents.