encoder-decoder chip
nounUK /ɪnˈkəʊdə diːˈkəʊdə tʃɪp/
US /ɪnˈkoʊdər diːˈkoʊdər tʃɪp/
A tiny computer part that changes information into a secret code and then changes it back again.
The encoder-decoder chip inside the toy turns the secret message into words you can read.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A chip that compresses data so it takes up less space and then expands it when needed.
The video player uses an encoder-decoder chip to shrink the movie file.
3. A hardware unit that translates signals between two different formats.
The encoder-decoder chip converts the sensor's signals into a form the computer understands.
4. A component in communication devices that scrambles messages for safety and unscrambles them on arrival.
The walkie-talkie's encoder-decoder chip keeps the conversation private.