---

QuickTime Streaming

| Previous | Chapter Contents | Chapter Top | Next |

Media Atom

The media atom is a large and complex atom structure that holds the sample data tables for the hint track. The media atom contains three child atoms: the media handler header ( 'mdhd' ), the handler description ( 'hdlr' ), and the media information atom ( 'minf' ). The media information atom contains several child atoms of its own, including the sample tables. A top-level diagram of a typical media atom is shown below.

The next three sections describe these child atoms in detail. A fourth section describes the sample table atom contained in the media information atom.

Media Handler Header Atom ('mdhd' )

Media Handler Description Atom ('hdlr' )

The Media Information Atom ('minf' )

The Sample Table Atom ('stbl' )

| Previous | Chapter Contents | Chapter Top | Next |