Steven Curtin wrote:
>
> I've recently seen mention of a file format called SMIL, and another called
> AAF that Microsoft is hosting. Do either of these have a connection to
> MPEG-4, even so far at they could encapsulate an MPEG-4 file?
SMIL (pronounced "smile") is the Synchronized Multimedia Integration
Language, and is a recently-promoted specification of the WWW
consortium. The idea is that a web page should be able to
say, use this video clip, and this audio clip, and stream them
over the WWW and play them back synchronized.
I don't know much about the technical details (anyone else?), but
it seems like a good idea. I do know that they're purposely
not specifying codecs, so there wouldn't seem to be any reason
why you couldn't send an MPEG-4 program this way (although MPEG-4
embeds a lot of its own synchronization requirements).
AAF is (my opinion here) a vaporware response by Microsoft
to the announcement of Quicktime's use for the MPEG-4 Intermedia
Format. It's an attempt to quickly come up with a "product"
which competes with QuickTime File Format (which is not really
a "product" to begin with). I don't think it's likely
to go anywhere, really.
Disclaimer: I'm not a Microsoft basher; please don't agree with
me just because you, too, hate Microsoft.
New release of saolc at the end of the week!
Best to all,
-- Eric
-- +-----------------+ | Eric Scheirer |A-7b5 D7b9|G-7 C7|Cb C-7b5 F7#9|Bb |B-7 E7| |eds@media.mit.edu| < http://sound.media.mit.edu/~eds > | 617 253 0112 |A A/G# F#-7 F#-/E|Eb-7b5 D7b5|Db|C7b5 B7b5|Bb| +-----------------+
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