Putting Media Into Hypermedia

May 1996

Abstract:

Hypermedia is so much more than just hypertext. Learn basic to intermediate ways to integrating graphics, audio, and video into your World-Wide Web site. Many step-by-step techniques for editing, manipulating, and converting digital media for Web use will be covered, with numerous real-time examples and case studies. Topics such as file organization and copyright issues will also be included.

This tutorial is geared for:

• Users who are already familiar with Web basics and HTML
• Content providers who wish to learn more about integrating media into their Web sites

You will learn:

• Copyright basics
• How to organize and archive media
• Digital graphics, audio, and video basics
• How to use software for capturing, conversion, and editing
• What the best and most popular media tools and formats are

Needs:

Many examples of graphics, audio, and video will be shown - a Macintosh will be used to display the tutorial. Required are an overhead projector and a color LCD panel capable of VGA input and at least 640 by 480 resolution. No Internet access is required.

Time:

About four hours.

Handouts:

Preferably the printed presentation materials would be included in the proceedings or by themselves, as the presentation is quite long and covers a good deal of material. Ideally it should be printed with two slides per page, which would amount to 30 double-sided pages. Printing it any smaller or with fewer pages will greatly detract from the presentation.

Outline:

What's covered

• Copyright issues
• Format basics
• Using graphics, audio and video
• With lots of examples

What won't be covered

• HTML issues
• Server topics
• General page layout and site design issues

The growth of content

Information provider issues

Copyright issues

• International copyright
• U.S. copyright
• Recent updates to U.S. copyright law
• Public domain
• Infringement
• Reasonable notice
• Fair use and fair use factors
• Examples and pointers

Taking a multimedia approach

File issues

• Directory structure
• Naming conventions
• Permissions and aliases

Archiving and cataloging

• Contact sheets and thumbnails
• Examples

External viewers

• How they work
• Common MIME types
• Viewers for multiple platforms
• Configuration and setup
• Where to find software

Using graphics

• Popular platforms and tools
• Compressed and uncompressed images
• Compression methods and examples
• Bitmap vs. vector-based images
• Bit depths and screen resolutions
• Browser working areas

Graphics conventions and standards

• What is GIF?
• GIF licensing issues
• About the PNG format
• What is JPEG?
• Examples and when to use JPEG
• What is TIFF and PICT?
• What is XBM?
• Pointers

About color

• Color components
• Color models
• Palettes

Miscellaneous tools, tips, and tricks

• Color allocation
• Color reduction
• Dithering
• Antialiasing
• Smoothing and reduction
• Blends and banding
• Transparent, interlaced, and commented GIFs
• Tools and techniques

Capturing media

• Scanning
• Frame grabbing and digital cameras
• Screen shots
• Filtering and conversion

Low-end considerations

• Considerations for text-only users
• Considerations for low-bandwidth users
• Modem transfer rates

Should I use HTML extensions?

Graphics examples and pointers

Digital audio basics

• Sample rates
• Common sound formats
• AIFF, U-LAW, and others
• Sound samples
• Capturing and conversion
• Pointers

Using video

• Codecs
• What is MPEG?
• How MPEG works
• MPEG encoding tips
• What is QuickTime?
• Compression examples
• Putting video on the Web
• A/V distribution in real time
• Pointers
• Time-lapse and real-time video
• Cheap video solutions
• Pointers

Media design tips