What about video codecs?

 Compression/Decompression algorithms are the staple for video transportation between formats.  MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 are major examples of codec’s that encode video and audio to manageable sized clips that can be imported into an NLE system for editing. 

QuickTime is Apple’s bet on taking over the video delivery business. QuickTime now has codec’s for virtually any format conversion process. In fact, Apple’s Compressor is a codec commonly called an encoder, or more appropriately; a one way COdec.