---
title: "Data rate atom ('rmdr')"
framework: quicktime-file-format
role: symbol
role_heading: Atom
path: quicktime-file-format/data_rate_atom
---

# Data rate atom ('rmdr')

A data rate atom specifies the minimum data rate required to play a movie.

## Overview

Overview A data rate atom specifies the minimum data rate required to play a movie. This is normally compared to the connection speed setting in the user’s QuickTime Settings control panel. Applications should play the movie with the highest data rate less than or equal to the user’s connection speed. If the connection speed is slower than any movie’s data rate, applications should play the movie with the lowest data rate. The movie with the highest data rate is assumed to have the highest quality. Only one data rate atom is allowed in a given reference movie descriptor atom.

## Topics

### Data fields

- [Size](quicktime-file-format/data_rate_atom/size.md)
- [Type](quicktime-file-format/data_rate_atom/type.md)
- [Flags](quicktime-file-format/data_rate_atom/flags.md)
- [Data rate](quicktime-file-format/data_rate_atom/data_rate.md)

## See Also

### Describing reference movies

- [Reference movie atom ('rmra')](quicktime-file-format/reference_movie_atom.md)
- [Reference movie descriptor atom ('rmda')](quicktime-file-format/reference_movie_descriptor_atom.md)
- [Data reference atom](quicktime-file-format/reference_movie_data_reference_atom.md)
- [CPU speed atom ('rmcs')](quicktime-file-format/cpu_speed_atom.md)
- [Version check atom ('rmvc')](quicktime-file-format/version_check_atom.md)
- [Component detect atom ('rmcd')](quicktime-file-format/component_detect_atom.md)
- [Movie importer component flags](quicktime-file-format/movie_importer_component_flags.md)
- [Quality atom ('rmqu')](quicktime-file-format/quality_atom.md)