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Metadata

A QuickTime file stores the description of its media separately from the media data. The description, or metadata, is called the movie resource, movie atom, or simply the movie, and contains information such as the number of tracks, the video compression format, and timing information. The movie resource also contains an index describing where all the media data is stored.

The media data is the actual sample data, such as video frames and audio samples, used in the movie. The media data may be stored in the same file as the QuickTime movie, in a separate file, in multiple files, in alternate sources such as databases or real-time streams, or in some combination of these.

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