Pufferelés

Pufferelés is a Hungarian term used in computing and digital media to describe the process of buffering, or temporarily storing data in a local area to compensate for differences between data production and consumption rates. It is commonly discussed in the context of video and audio playback, online gaming, and other streaming applications.

The basic idea of pufferelés is that data arrives from a source at varying speeds, while the playback device reads data at a steady rate. A buffer collects incoming data ahead of time, allowing smooth playback even when the network or server experiences short delays. The size of the buffer influences both startup time and resilience to interruptions: a larger buffer may delay the start of playback but reduces the likelihood of rebuffering, while a smaller buffer starts sooner but is more prone to pauses if data arrives slowly.

Common events related to pufferelés include startup buffering (the initial delay before playback begins) and rebuffering (pauses during playback to fetch more data). Causes of excessive buffering include network fluctuations, high latency, limited bandwidth, and server-side bottlenecks. On adaptive streaming platforms, algorithms adjust the quality of the served content to maintain a balance between image quality and buffering risk.

Mitigation strategies focus on improving delivery and efficiency. These include adaptive bitrate streaming, content delivery networks, preloading and caching, efficient encoding, and optimization of buffer management strategies. In live streaming, reducing latency often requires different trade-offs between immediacy and stability compared with on-demand services.