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Lecture 12: MultimediaLecture 12: MultimediaNot in Web 101 TextNot in Web 101 Text

Important Multimedia IssuesImportant Multimedia Issues AudioAudio Movies and VideoMovies and Video Multimedia and HTML DocumentsMultimedia and HTML Documents

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Multimedia Includes:Multimedia Includes:

AnimationAnimation AudioAudio Graphics (2-D and 3-D)Graphics (2-D and 3-D) TextText VideoVideo

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What helpers and plug-ins are available for your What helpers and plug-ins are available for your operating system?operating system?

Is it safe to download a plug-in, and which plug-in Is it safe to download a plug-in, and which plug-in should you use? How can you check to see if a should you use? How can you check to see if a plug-in is virus-free? How do you install a plug-plug-in is virus-free? How do you install a plug-in? How much memory does a plug-in require?in? How much memory does a plug-in require?

What percentage of users can take advantage of What percentage of users can take advantage of multimedia? Should you include some on your multimedia? Should you include some on your Web page? What, if anything, should you provide Web page? What, if anything, should you provide for those who cannot take advantage of for those who cannot take advantage of multimedia?multimedia?

Important Multimedia IssuesImportant Multimedia Issues

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What is the future of multimedia? Are any What is the future of multimedia? Are any standards being developed?standards being developed?

What is the most widely supported way of What is the most widely supported way of including multimedia on a Web page? What including multimedia on a Web page? What HTML tags do you use?HTML tags do you use?

How long will it take a user to download your How long will it take a user to download your multimedia file? How large a file does a 10-multimedia file? How large a file does a 10-min. video require?min. video require?

Important Multimedia IssuesImportant Multimedia Issues

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Do you need special hardware to play Do you need special hardware to play multimedia? How fast a computer do you multimedia? How fast a computer do you need? What is the minimum need? What is the minimum configuration required?configuration required?

What kind of quality can you expect from What kind of quality can you expect from multimedia applications? Are movies multimedia applications? Are movies choppy? Is sound clarity good?choppy? Is sound clarity good?

Important Multimedia IssuesImportant Multimedia Issues

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HelperHelper Will automatically launch in a separate Will automatically launch in a separate

window when you view a multimedia Web window when you view a multimedia Web pagepage

Plug-inPlug-in Will automatically appear within a Will automatically appear within a

multimedia Web pagemultimedia Web page NeitherNeither

Your browser cannot display the multimedia Your browser cannot display the multimedia file, and may direct you to a plug-in page or file, and may direct you to a plug-in page or give you the option of saving the filegive you the option of saving the file

Multimedia DisplaysMultimedia Displays

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Lack of standardsLack of standards Many technologies are proprietaryMany technologies are proprietary

No graphical browser can handle every No graphical browser can handle every multimedia formatmultimedia format Plug-ins are requiredPlug-ins are required

Multimedia elements are largeMultimedia elements are large BufferBuffer used to produce used to produce streaming mediastreaming media – –

plays while downloadingplays while downloading

Current Multimedia ConcernsCurrent Multimedia Concerns

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These are the main 4 audio formats:These are the main 4 audio formats: MIDIMIDI WAVWAV MP3MP3 RealAudioRealAudio

• See See link L13alink L13a

AudioAudio

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MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)Interface)

Wide support in many browsers with no need for Wide support in many browsers with no need for a plugin.a plugin.

They can have very good sound quality, but this They can have very good sound quality, but this can vary somewhat with the quality of the sound can vary somewhat with the quality of the sound card.card.

Very small file size for a lengthy selection. Very small file size for a lengthy selection. The files are instrumental only.The files are instrumental only. The files can not be recorded. They must be The files can not be recorded. They must be

synthesized on a computer with special synthesized on a computer with special hardware and software.hardware and software.

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Waveform Extension (WAV)Waveform Extension (WAV)

Very good sound quality.Very good sound quality. Widely supported in many browsers with Widely supported in many browsers with

no need for a plugin.no need for a plugin. You can record your own .wav files from a You can record your own .wav files from a

CD, tape, microphone, etc.CD, tape, microphone, etc. The very large file sizes severely limit the The very large file sizes severely limit the

length of the sound clips that you can use length of the sound clips that you can use on your Web pages.on your Web pages.

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MPEG Layer-3 (MP3)MPEG Layer-3 (MP3) This is a compressed format which makes the sound This is a compressed format which makes the sound

files substantially smaller.files substantially smaller. The sound quality is very good. If an MP3 file is recorded The sound quality is very good. If an MP3 file is recorded

and compressed properly, the quality can rival that of an and compressed properly, the quality can rival that of an actual CD.actual CD.

New technology is emerging that will allow you to New technology is emerging that will allow you to "stream" the file so that the audience doesn't have to "stream" the file so that the audience doesn't have to wait for the entire file to download before they can hear wait for the entire file to download before they can hear it.it.

The file size is still larger than a Real Audio file and a The file size is still larger than a Real Audio file and a whole song would still take quite awhile to download over whole song would still take quite awhile to download over a normal phone line connection.a normal phone line connection.

Your audience must download and install a helper Your audience must download and install a helper application or plugin to hear the sounds.application or plugin to hear the sounds.

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Real Audio Real Audio (.ra, .ram, .rpm)(.ra, .ram, .rpm)

Very high degree of compression with smaller file sizes Very high degree of compression with smaller file sizes than .mp2 or .mp3. than .mp2 or .mp3.

Whole songs files are reasonable to download.Whole songs files are reasonable to download. The files can be "streamed" from a normal Web server The files can be "streamed" from a normal Web server

without any special software so that the audience can without any special software so that the audience can begin listening to the sound before the file has begin listening to the sound before the file has completely downloaded. Whole songs will start paying completely downloaded. Whole songs will start paying within seconds over normal phone line connections.within seconds over normal phone line connections.

The sound quality is poorer than the quality of the .mp2 The sound quality is poorer than the quality of the .mp2 or .mp3 filesor .mp3 files

Your audience must download and install a helper Your audience must download and install a helper application or plugin application or plugin

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One of these things will happen when you One of these things will happen when you open a page with audio contentopen a page with audio content File automatically playsFile automatically plays Option to download sound fileOption to download sound file Option to download plug-in to play sound fileOption to download plug-in to play sound file Pop-up dialog box says “no audio player Pop-up dialog box says “no audio player

installed”installed”

AudioAudio InstallationAudio Installation

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<OBJECT DATA=“filename.wav”<OBJECT DATA=“filename.wav” TYPE = “audio/wav”></OBJECT> TYPE = “audio/wav”></OBJECT> DATADATA TYPETYPE

<BGSOUND SRC=“filename.wav” <BGSOUND SRC=“filename.wav” LOOP=“2”>LOOP=“2”> LOOPLOOP ““infinite”infinite”

<A HREF> can also be used to link to an <A HREF> can also be used to link to an audio fileaudio file

AudioAudio and Web PagesAudio and Web Pages

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These five formats are the main ones :These five formats are the main ones : Microsoft’s AVI and WMVMicrosoft’s AVI and WMV Apple’s QuickTime (MOV)Apple’s QuickTime (MOV) RealNetwork’s RealPlayer (RA, RM, RAM)RealNetwork’s RealPlayer (RA, RM, RAM) MPEGMPEG Macromedia FlashMacromedia Flash

Video File FormatsVideo File Formats

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The most common format for audio/video The most common format for audio/video data on PCdata on PC

Dependent upon "codecs" (an acronym for Dependent upon "codecs" (an acronym for cocompressor / mpressor / decdecompressor)ompressor)

If you don’t have the right codec, you cannot If you don’t have the right codec, you cannot play the videoplay the video

Windows Media Player will try to find and Windows Media Player will try to find and download the codecs it needs, but it does not download the codecs it needs, but it does not always succeed always succeed

Audio Video Interleaved (AVI)Audio Video Interleaved (AVI)

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Has audio and/or videoHas audio and/or video Used to download and play files or stream Used to download and play files or stream

content content A highly flexible and compressed format that A highly flexible and compressed format that

contains streaming audio, video, slide shows contains streaming audio, video, slide shows and synchronized events and synchronized events

MS Windows Media File (WMV)MS Windows Media File (WMV)

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A technology developed by Apple for their A technology developed by Apple for their Macintosh computers and reworked for other Macintosh computers and reworked for other computer platforms computer platforms

The images are of higher quality, but file The images are of higher quality, but file sizes can be significantly larger than other sizes can be significantly larger than other video storage formats video storage formats

Can be used for streaming or download-and-Can be used for streaming or download-and-play moviesplay movies

QuickTime Movie (MOV)QuickTime Movie (MOV)

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Can stream live or pre-recorded audio/video to a Can stream live or pre-recorded audio/video to a client, such as a Web browser, by decompressing it client, such as a Web browser, by decompressing it dynamically so it can be played back in real time.dynamically so it can be played back in real time.

Uses compression techniques that reduce the frame Uses compression techniques that reduce the frame rate of the video clip and routines that remove rate of the video clip and routines that remove unnecessary information within framesunnecessary information within frames

The quality can vary greatly depending on the The quality can vary greatly depending on the amount of motion and detail in the original videoamount of motion and detail in the original video

Can also be used for download-and-play (not Can also be used for download-and-play (not streaming)streaming)

Real Networks Files Real Networks Files (RA, RM, RAM)(RA, RM, RAM)

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The MPG format frequently offers better The MPG format frequently offers better compression than the AVI format, and better compression than the AVI format, and better image and sound quality as well image and sound quality as well

Compliant with International Organization for Compliant with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) MPEG-4 open Standardization (ISO) MPEG-4 open standards standards

Moving Picture Experts Group, Moving Picture Experts Group, (MPEG)(MPEG)

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When a Macromedia Flash MX .FLA file is When a Macromedia Flash MX .FLA file is published for the Web, it takes on the SWF published for the Web, it takes on the SWF extension (Shockwave)extension (Shockwave)

Normally associated with vector graphics and Normally associated with vector graphics and audioaudio

Macromedia Flash MX now supports Macromedia Flash MX now supports embedded videoembedded video

An advantage of working with the Flash An advantage of working with the Flash player is its widespread distribution and the player is its widespread distribution and the ability to include powerful programming ability to include powerful programming elements using ActionScript. elements using ActionScript.

Macromedia FlashMacromedia Flash

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FlashFlash

Flash lets you move images to make stop-Flash lets you move images to make stop-motion animationmotion animation

Much smaller files than bitmap moviesMuch smaller files than bitmap movies Vector graphics – scale to different sizes Vector graphics – scale to different sizes

without getting grainywithout getting grainy Demonstrations at Demonstrations at

http://www.flashmagazine.com/html/530.htmhttp://www.flashmagazine.com/html/530.htm Tutorials at Tutorials at http://www.actionscripts.org/tutorials.shtmlhttp://www.actionscripts.org/tutorials.shtml