Multimedia: Action!

Communicating info with motion and sound

So you're sick of reading and clicking?

Perhaps some of the most exciting innovations in Internet technology is the integration of sounds and motion into the World Wide Web. It seems that with each day, quality improves and accessibility is enhanced for viewing animations and movies.

What's out there?

This list expands every day, and I'm sure I'm missing a few things. Here's some of the things that I've used the Internet to view:

• Education: Internet Webcast events of lecturers, researchers, politicians, & organizations

• Movie Trailers: Stay in-the-know about the latest movie releases

• Animation: Special Internet-only animation series for cartoon enthusiasts

• Television clips: Current newscasts and select television show clips (from cable too)

• Full Movies: Films and movie shorts from professional and amateur filmmakers

How does it work?

When pondering file types and file sizes, it doesn't take long to appreciate how far the technology has come. If you consider that a print-quality image the size of a postcard can't fit on a 3.5" floppy disk, and a four minute song is takes up to four floppy disks, it's incredible that we can view an hour long presentation with movement and sound over the Internet. More about file sizes is offered by the Internet 2 lesson on Files.

I'm not going to go into the painful details of how something is digital and all the pro's and con's. If you have a burning desire to know more, Boston University's Information Technology has a tutorial that explains the differences between Analog and Digital Audio and Video.

The moral of the story is that the multimedia file has to be delivered from it's remote location on the Internet to the our computer. Multimedia files can either be viewed by full download of streaming:

The biggest challenge faced by web animators and multimedia enthusiasts is delivering the data safely so it can be viewed successfully. High Internet traffic, slow Internet connection, or minor computer errors can ruin any viewing of a multimedia file.

Viewing a multimedia presentation in the free RealPlayer software

Resources Hog!

Viewing multimedia presentations demands a lot from your computer's resources. Depending on how new and fancy your computer is, you may need to close other programs to load and view something in a special multimedia format. Multimedia files require sound (sound card and speakers), a fast processor (usually Pentium II or better), a fast Internet Connection (56 kps modem or better), and usually specialized software.

Software needed?

This is where it gets tricky. Many of the multimedia formats are only able to be viewed by special software and plugins for your web browser. Sometimes, web browsers are "prepackaged" with this software. Other times, we may need to download and install the latest versions of this software. Below is a list of the websites for downloading the free software:

RealOne Player Basic (free): http://www.real.com/realoneplayer.html

Quicktime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Macromedia Flash and Shockwave Player: http://macromedia.com/downloads/

If you are unsure if you need to download special software to view something— have no fear! Your computer will most likely prompt you if you are unable to view a special multimedia file type.

Action! Examples of visual multimedia on the Internet

Christopher Walken dancing to Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice video
http://www.astralwerks.com/fbs/woc/

Movie Trailers from Apple's Quicktime website
http://www.apple.com/trailers/

The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation's Webcast Series
http://www.bu.edu/cpr/webcast/

Groovechamber.com animation shorts
http://groovechamber.com/animation.htm

The Next Spielberg? All student film projects at Studentfilms.com
http://www.studentfilms.com/

Outstanding Examples of Flash Animation from About.com
http://animation.about.com/cs/flashexemplars/

Find your own examples, and post to the guestbook!