Application + Technology = Platform
During this blog post I am going to be writing an article that will show that I understand the principles of digital video technology in interaction media. The way I'm going to do this is by talking about the title above: applications, plus the technology, equals a platform.
Firstly, applications. What are they? Applications are the way we use a variety of technology, a system, or a product. Examples of applications are things like film trailers, TV adverts, short films, music videos and even something called User Generated Content (UGC).
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/6/8/24688018/6748294.png?322)
The first application I have looked at is film or movie trailers. [http://www.imdb.com/glossary/T [24-04-15] & http://www.movietrailers101.com/class-handouts/who-makes-trailers/ [24-04-15].
A film or movie trailer is a small snippet of the rest of the film. It is classed as a form of advertisement, therefore they put all the most dramatic scenes into the sequence along with some appropriate music or the genre of film in order to intrigue you further to then go and watch the film.
Some people often get confused with a short film and a film trailer. A recent example of this would be the most recent short film which is Disney's Frozen spin off called 'Frozen Fever'. In order to keep their audience involved with the company and the makings of the film, they did a short film to keep us all eagerly awaiting the next thing, which should hopefully be the second movie. This is a good form of another application, which is adverts, as it continues to advertise the company, the brand, and the film in the waiting time before the next film, so the branding can continue to go. People get confused in thinking these short films are simply trailers because they are not long enough to be the film, on the other hand, they are also not using any of the technical elements that a film trailer would have such as cutting to different clips in the film, and the use of dramatic, or appropriate music. A short film can only be classed as a short film if it is over 15 minutes long. http://www.catalogs.com/info/books-music-dvd/what-is-a-short-film.html [24-04-15].
A lot of the time short films are actually done in a documentary style format/technique. In terms of selling points social and environmental often subject choices as this is long enough to get an educated message across without becoming like a school lesson. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUHyOug-UGk.
The type of people or team that its likely that’d be involved with the makings of a film trailer, and a short film are the editors, creative directer, graphic designer, the film producer/directer/editor, and studio head. This is because all members of the team have different elements to their job roles that equally have a part in the trailer and the overall creation of the selling point of the film. You would find a similar set of crew members and people within a team during a music video as well, which is another kind of application.
Advertisement, a different type of application, is a way of selling a product or getting a piece of media [for example] out there to the public. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/advert [24-04-15]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_advertising [24-04-15].
This can be done in a wide variety of ways such as TV ads, shop windows, billboards and radio adverts. Adverts are made and then paid for by an organisation, which demonstrates a message, usually to market a product or service, and therefore making it a key source of potential sales.
This is when it seems clear that a film/movie trailer has a direct link to advertisement as the application, because essentially, a film trailer is the biggest form of advertisement the film company could make.
The creators of these adverts now often choose to air within a given network, television program, or time of day (called a “daypart") which is a placement at which the program charges a specific rate for. So essentially if they want to show something as their advert, a highly charged rate can be put out there, resulting in a lot of money being made. A well known example of this would be the Super Bowl and the amount of money it costs to have a branded advert put in this one placement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsjRRMMg_Q. Other brands such as coca-cola, doritos, go daddy have all been well known for making a regular occurrence during the advert of the Super Bowl which can cost up to $4.5 million. Nevertheless, the concept is undoubtedly worth it for the volume of being who are going to be watching the superbowl, and therefore the advert.
As for the application that is music videos, these are basically a way of advertising the artist or band. http://www.slideshare.net/HannahCostello/what-is-a-music-video-14714016 [24-04-15]
A film or movie trailer is a small snippet of the rest of the film. It is classed as a form of advertisement, therefore they put all the most dramatic scenes into the sequence along with some appropriate music or the genre of film in order to intrigue you further to then go and watch the film.
Some people often get confused with a short film and a film trailer. A recent example of this would be the most recent short film which is Disney's Frozen spin off called 'Frozen Fever'. In order to keep their audience involved with the company and the makings of the film, they did a short film to keep us all eagerly awaiting the next thing, which should hopefully be the second movie. This is a good form of another application, which is adverts, as it continues to advertise the company, the brand, and the film in the waiting time before the next film, so the branding can continue to go. People get confused in thinking these short films are simply trailers because they are not long enough to be the film, on the other hand, they are also not using any of the technical elements that a film trailer would have such as cutting to different clips in the film, and the use of dramatic, or appropriate music. A short film can only be classed as a short film if it is over 15 minutes long. http://www.catalogs.com/info/books-music-dvd/what-is-a-short-film.html [24-04-15].
A lot of the time short films are actually done in a documentary style format/technique. In terms of selling points social and environmental often subject choices as this is long enough to get an educated message across without becoming like a school lesson. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUHyOug-UGk.
The type of people or team that its likely that’d be involved with the makings of a film trailer, and a short film are the editors, creative directer, graphic designer, the film producer/directer/editor, and studio head. This is because all members of the team have different elements to their job roles that equally have a part in the trailer and the overall creation of the selling point of the film. You would find a similar set of crew members and people within a team during a music video as well, which is another kind of application.
Advertisement, a different type of application, is a way of selling a product or getting a piece of media [for example] out there to the public. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/advert [24-04-15]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_advertising [24-04-15].
This can be done in a wide variety of ways such as TV ads, shop windows, billboards and radio adverts. Adverts are made and then paid for by an organisation, which demonstrates a message, usually to market a product or service, and therefore making it a key source of potential sales.
This is when it seems clear that a film/movie trailer has a direct link to advertisement as the application, because essentially, a film trailer is the biggest form of advertisement the film company could make.
The creators of these adverts now often choose to air within a given network, television program, or time of day (called a “daypart") which is a placement at which the program charges a specific rate for. So essentially if they want to show something as their advert, a highly charged rate can be put out there, resulting in a lot of money being made. A well known example of this would be the Super Bowl and the amount of money it costs to have a branded advert put in this one placement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsjRRMMg_Q. Other brands such as coca-cola, doritos, go daddy have all been well known for making a regular occurrence during the advert of the Super Bowl which can cost up to $4.5 million. Nevertheless, the concept is undoubtedly worth it for the volume of being who are going to be watching the superbowl, and therefore the advert.
As for the application that is music videos, these are basically a way of advertising the artist or band. http://www.slideshare.net/HannahCostello/what-is-a-music-video-14714016 [24-04-15]
The way the music video is branded almost determines the way that we as the public look at the artists in terms of style. They use this as a way to promote and sell themselves as well as expanding their own credibility with who they work with behind the scenes during these videos which is likely to increase their sales too. They are able to be really versatile in terms of the techniques they use in order to sell themselves such as documentary style, animation, non-narrative and even narrative also. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_v9MY_FMcw. - See more information on platforms at end of blog.
User Generated Content is the final application I looked at, and I feel this overrules all of the others in terms of what its capable to do. http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/user-generated-content-UGC [24-04-15] http://www.engagesciences.com/user-generated-content-campaigns/ [24-04-15]
Content created by someone using a platform for content such as blogs, forums, tweets, digital images, audio files. These are now very often made available through using online social media websites. Media does rely on UGC in the social world, as it works as a way to spread the word, and for all members to be involved and share information quick and easily with each other through various platforms, expanding their own businesses. However some business feel it necessary monitor this content incase anything explicit is shared. Nevertheless, many businesses use UGC as a very successful way of bringing their brands into the market and holding the ability to share their business with the rest of the viral world.
User Generated Content is the final application I looked at, and I feel this overrules all of the others in terms of what its capable to do. http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/user-generated-content-UGC [24-04-15] http://www.engagesciences.com/user-generated-content-campaigns/ [24-04-15]
Content created by someone using a platform for content such as blogs, forums, tweets, digital images, audio files. These are now very often made available through using online social media websites. Media does rely on UGC in the social world, as it works as a way to spread the word, and for all members to be involved and share information quick and easily with each other through various platforms, expanding their own businesses. However some business feel it necessary monitor this content incase anything explicit is shared. Nevertheless, many businesses use UGC as a very successful way of bringing their brands into the market and holding the ability to share their business with the rest of the viral world.
When it comes to the technology element, things start to get a little more complicated. There are a whole range of components that go as a part of technology. These are; Digital Video Capture, the different types of file formats, the access methods, file sizes, and finally what media players are then used before going onto a platform.
All of the applications above need to be digitally captured and they will all have to go through this process. Firstly, Compression http://techterms.com/definition/compression [26-04-15] & http://techterms.com/definition/file_compression [26-04-15]. Compression goes by what is known as the rule of four. However, the rule is actually of 3, as only 3 out of these four elements can be used at the expense of the fourth. So essentially whichever application it is - one desired element will have to be lost. These four components are as followed: the tiny file size (MB), A high quality file type (pixel data, colour, space + definition), High resolution file (the number of pixels or related data form), and the length of the running time or the duration (minutes/seconds/milliseconds, frames).
To put this into practise you could (for an example) have a tiny file size, a good high quality file type, and high resolution file - however it would only be able to last or a couple of seconds as the component you’d have let go for this one would be the duration.
An example of this would be the new Star Wars film trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCc2v7izk8w), which for a film trailer is actually quite long at 1:50 minutes. This would mean that the one component of the compression's rule of 4 would not have been lost is the length of the running time/duration. So would have to be either the file size, high resolution file or even the quality file. However, we, as an audience would never be able to tell from this because it is all about balancing the 3 other components which are left over so they are on the closest level to each other as possible.
As I've already stated, all applications must follow and go by this rule, for example another example of this would be a music video, however I would say in this circumstance they are likely to keep the component which most affects the audio. Obviously, in terms of a music video they wouldn't use the singing they do while performing in their music video, only a pre-recorded studio version they've perfected which would be put over in a type of voice-over format.
Nowadays, the most commonly used compression type is one called H.264. Also known as 'M-PEG4 Part 10 Advanced Video Coding' (MPEG-4 AVC). This type of compression was made for the new demand and use in high definition systems. These are the likes of HDTV - which many have in our homes now via the popularity in TV's such as 'Smart' TV's, Blu-ray and HD DVD. Even portable devices such as iPods and PSP require to use this type of compression also.
When it comes to streaming TV products including films using things such as Netflix, the same rule applies. Netflix is a form of streaming http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/streaming.html [04-05-15] http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/streaming-media [04-05-15].
So what does streaming actually mean? It means ‘to deliver data’. However streaming media is all forms of media which is on-going in being received by and shown to and end-user, while, at the same time is also being delivered by a provider (network provider).
The term ‘live streaming’ is a phrase I personally would immediately associate, and think of when hearing the word streaming. This actually makes sense when it comes to the explanation and the overall use of the streaming process and what it is.
The process of streaming media files such as music or videos is sent in a form which is known as compression. This is done over the internet and played straight away oppose to having to be saved to the computers hard drive.
Due to the media being sent continuously to stream the data, it means that it is able to start playing as soon as possible, and as soon as it arrives to the computer at the other end. The same as how you can pause, stop and play a file once you have downloaded it, streaming also allows the user to do this. The only type of streaming that this cannot happen during, it live streaming.
Live streaming works a little differently to standard pre-recorded file streaming. The process of live streaming is that the video signal has to be instantly converted into a digital signal which has to be compressed. It is then transmitted from a web server as ‘multicast’ (which is the connection) which is able to send that one file to a broad range of of users all at the same time which is how we’re all able to watch live sports on the TV in our own home and not in one other place. However when it comes to the amount of devices that is on the internet, for example watching Netflix, it all depends on how quick your broadband is. This is why the new fiberoptic broadband has become a hit, as with with this style of broadband, the tube of wires which transfer the data are much bigger allowing more people to be able to watching 'Netflix' all at the same time. This is why many people experience that annoying 'buffering' stage when trying to play a film using netflix, or even watching a music video on youtube. It all depends on your area and how many people are using the internet at once. The best time to have the most smoothest connection, would be at say, 2am in the morning where everyone else is likely to be asleep.
Live streaming being possible allows the content deliverers to record and keep track of what visitors are watching and how long they’re watching the footage for.
All of the applications above need to be digitally captured and they will all have to go through this process. Firstly, Compression http://techterms.com/definition/compression [26-04-15] & http://techterms.com/definition/file_compression [26-04-15]. Compression goes by what is known as the rule of four. However, the rule is actually of 3, as only 3 out of these four elements can be used at the expense of the fourth. So essentially whichever application it is - one desired element will have to be lost. These four components are as followed: the tiny file size (MB), A high quality file type (pixel data, colour, space + definition), High resolution file (the number of pixels or related data form), and the length of the running time or the duration (minutes/seconds/milliseconds, frames).
To put this into practise you could (for an example) have a tiny file size, a good high quality file type, and high resolution file - however it would only be able to last or a couple of seconds as the component you’d have let go for this one would be the duration.
An example of this would be the new Star Wars film trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCc2v7izk8w), which for a film trailer is actually quite long at 1:50 minutes. This would mean that the one component of the compression's rule of 4 would not have been lost is the length of the running time/duration. So would have to be either the file size, high resolution file or even the quality file. However, we, as an audience would never be able to tell from this because it is all about balancing the 3 other components which are left over so they are on the closest level to each other as possible.
As I've already stated, all applications must follow and go by this rule, for example another example of this would be a music video, however I would say in this circumstance they are likely to keep the component which most affects the audio. Obviously, in terms of a music video they wouldn't use the singing they do while performing in their music video, only a pre-recorded studio version they've perfected which would be put over in a type of voice-over format.
Nowadays, the most commonly used compression type is one called H.264. Also known as 'M-PEG4 Part 10 Advanced Video Coding' (MPEG-4 AVC). This type of compression was made for the new demand and use in high definition systems. These are the likes of HDTV - which many have in our homes now via the popularity in TV's such as 'Smart' TV's, Blu-ray and HD DVD. Even portable devices such as iPods and PSP require to use this type of compression also.
When it comes to streaming TV products including films using things such as Netflix, the same rule applies. Netflix is a form of streaming http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/streaming.html [04-05-15] http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/streaming-media [04-05-15].
So what does streaming actually mean? It means ‘to deliver data’. However streaming media is all forms of media which is on-going in being received by and shown to and end-user, while, at the same time is also being delivered by a provider (network provider).
The term ‘live streaming’ is a phrase I personally would immediately associate, and think of when hearing the word streaming. This actually makes sense when it comes to the explanation and the overall use of the streaming process and what it is.
The process of streaming media files such as music or videos is sent in a form which is known as compression. This is done over the internet and played straight away oppose to having to be saved to the computers hard drive.
Due to the media being sent continuously to stream the data, it means that it is able to start playing as soon as possible, and as soon as it arrives to the computer at the other end. The same as how you can pause, stop and play a file once you have downloaded it, streaming also allows the user to do this. The only type of streaming that this cannot happen during, it live streaming.
Live streaming works a little differently to standard pre-recorded file streaming. The process of live streaming is that the video signal has to be instantly converted into a digital signal which has to be compressed. It is then transmitted from a web server as ‘multicast’ (which is the connection) which is able to send that one file to a broad range of of users all at the same time which is how we’re all able to watch live sports on the TV in our own home and not in one other place. However when it comes to the amount of devices that is on the internet, for example watching Netflix, it all depends on how quick your broadband is. This is why the new fiberoptic broadband has become a hit, as with with this style of broadband, the tube of wires which transfer the data are much bigger allowing more people to be able to watching 'Netflix' all at the same time. This is why many people experience that annoying 'buffering' stage when trying to play a film using netflix, or even watching a music video on youtube. It all depends on your area and how many people are using the internet at once. The best time to have the most smoothest connection, would be at say, 2am in the morning where everyone else is likely to be asleep.
Live streaming being possible allows the content deliverers to record and keep track of what visitors are watching and how long they’re watching the footage for.
Two other types of digital video capturing within the compression process are lossy and lossless.
http://techterms.com/definition/lossy [26-04-15]
Firstly, lossy describes whether or not, during the compression of a file full of all the data can be recovered when the file is uncompressed. It determines the final quality of the file after being uncompressed back to the original file.
Usually, lossy files are seen to be linked with files such as JPEGS[images], but can also be associated with audio files such as MP3 files and AAC. The actually lossy of a file that you can visually notice will be whether or not the edges are pixelated - for images. Then theres the lossless method, which essentially is a better, version on the ‘lossy’ process, http://techterms.com/definition/lossless [26-04-15] as it rewrites the original to a better standard. This method reduces the file sizes and can be applied to both audio and image files. JPEG and MP3 use the ‘lossy’ process, newer versions of the ‘lossy’ compression algorithms known as ‘JPEG 2000’ and ‘Apple Lossless compression’ are now available and able to create lossless compressed files.
Going back to streaming, and access methods, there are two other types which are similar and almost a form of streaming, and certainly are a form of one another. The first being the downloading process http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/downloading [04-05-15]http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/downloading-files-internet-faq#1TC=windows-7 [04-05-15].
Downloading is a way to transfer files, documents and data via a computer or device to another, perhaps smaller computer or device. Even downloading an update on your computer for the latest software is something we all do so regularly but wouldn’t class as a ‘download’ but possibly just as an ‘update’. Downloading is a form of streaming but when you download something you get the file as a whole rather than it being a live transfer. So downloading is basically a safer way to receive and keep a file, this could potentially be why so many people illegally download films, music.
Many people worry about viruses when downloading files from the internet. Devices such as Macs do not have a anti-virus systems, due to the majority of people within their own homes not yet, even now, actually have Macs, but still PC's such as those ran by Windows. Even though many people are under the impression that Macs do not need a anti-virus because they have regular updates, these are only updates to keep all elements of the device at the best standard as possible, for example the latest update might be a newly improved way to get around Safari - the internet explorer Mac uses.
Whereas Windows ran PC's, have to ensure they have regular updates of anti-virus programmes such as Norton, of which can often cost a lot of money, yet are not always successful.
There are some filed out there which have been known to bring viruses to a computer more than others and those are the following: .exe, .scr, .bat, .com, or .pif. These files have extensions which means they’re more likely to carry a virus into your computers or devices.
Even in the fast moving world of technology today, people still often complain that some files can take an overly amount of time to download. This could be due to anything from your broadband connection generally being slow, like I previously spoken about with the increased use of fiberoptic broadband, which allows more people to use it at once and at a faster speed. Also, if you're running a lot of different programs at the same time or even if you’ve missed a software update could be the issue.
In advance to normal downloading, comes Progressive Downloading http://www.techopedia.com/definition/14840/progressive-download [04-05-15] is a modern and more advance version of standard downloading. The main attribute towards it is that it allows you to view and access the media digital file you’re downloading even before it has been fully downloaded. The main reason that makes this process possible to happen is because the media player being used reads the metadata and starts a playback process, after just one initial piece of data has been downloaded. Before the thorough development of progressive downloading, the metadata was put at the end of the file oppose to how it is now at the front, which obviously meant that no playback was possible to view it beforehand so it was essentially a standard case of an original download.
Apple was one of the very first company to experiment using the progressive download process. They did this by using an image file, known as a JPEG, and used their QuickTime media player to do so in 1977.
Most media players (obviously including Apple’s QuickTime player) offer progressive download such as Windows’ Media Player and VLC.
http://techterms.com/definition/lossy [26-04-15]
Firstly, lossy describes whether or not, during the compression of a file full of all the data can be recovered when the file is uncompressed. It determines the final quality of the file after being uncompressed back to the original file.
Usually, lossy files are seen to be linked with files such as JPEGS[images], but can also be associated with audio files such as MP3 files and AAC. The actually lossy of a file that you can visually notice will be whether or not the edges are pixelated - for images. Then theres the lossless method, which essentially is a better, version on the ‘lossy’ process, http://techterms.com/definition/lossless [26-04-15] as it rewrites the original to a better standard. This method reduces the file sizes and can be applied to both audio and image files. JPEG and MP3 use the ‘lossy’ process, newer versions of the ‘lossy’ compression algorithms known as ‘JPEG 2000’ and ‘Apple Lossless compression’ are now available and able to create lossless compressed files.
Going back to streaming, and access methods, there are two other types which are similar and almost a form of streaming, and certainly are a form of one another. The first being the downloading process http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/downloading [04-05-15]http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/downloading-files-internet-faq#1TC=windows-7 [04-05-15].
Downloading is a way to transfer files, documents and data via a computer or device to another, perhaps smaller computer or device. Even downloading an update on your computer for the latest software is something we all do so regularly but wouldn’t class as a ‘download’ but possibly just as an ‘update’. Downloading is a form of streaming but when you download something you get the file as a whole rather than it being a live transfer. So downloading is basically a safer way to receive and keep a file, this could potentially be why so many people illegally download films, music.
Many people worry about viruses when downloading files from the internet. Devices such as Macs do not have a anti-virus systems, due to the majority of people within their own homes not yet, even now, actually have Macs, but still PC's such as those ran by Windows. Even though many people are under the impression that Macs do not need a anti-virus because they have regular updates, these are only updates to keep all elements of the device at the best standard as possible, for example the latest update might be a newly improved way to get around Safari - the internet explorer Mac uses.
Whereas Windows ran PC's, have to ensure they have regular updates of anti-virus programmes such as Norton, of which can often cost a lot of money, yet are not always successful.
There are some filed out there which have been known to bring viruses to a computer more than others and those are the following: .exe, .scr, .bat, .com, or .pif. These files have extensions which means they’re more likely to carry a virus into your computers or devices.
Even in the fast moving world of technology today, people still often complain that some files can take an overly amount of time to download. This could be due to anything from your broadband connection generally being slow, like I previously spoken about with the increased use of fiberoptic broadband, which allows more people to use it at once and at a faster speed. Also, if you're running a lot of different programs at the same time or even if you’ve missed a software update could be the issue.
In advance to normal downloading, comes Progressive Downloading http://www.techopedia.com/definition/14840/progressive-download [04-05-15] is a modern and more advance version of standard downloading. The main attribute towards it is that it allows you to view and access the media digital file you’re downloading even before it has been fully downloaded. The main reason that makes this process possible to happen is because the media player being used reads the metadata and starts a playback process, after just one initial piece of data has been downloaded. Before the thorough development of progressive downloading, the metadata was put at the end of the file oppose to how it is now at the front, which obviously meant that no playback was possible to view it beforehand so it was essentially a standard case of an original download.
Apple was one of the very first company to experiment using the progressive download process. They did this by using an image file, known as a JPEG, and used their QuickTime media player to do so in 1977.
Most media players (obviously including Apple’s QuickTime player) offer progressive download such as Windows’ Media Player and VLC.
The reason why people use the media players I mentioned above is so that they can play the files they may be downloading, or streaming. Whether this is music files, or audio file, such as listening to internet radio. As well as the likes of film trailers, short films or even films themselves.
Firstly there is the media player known as Flash Player http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/Adobe-Flash-Player [01-05-15] which was firstly made my Macromedia, but eventually it was developed by Adobe who then took it on giving it the name we know it as which is ‘Adobe Flash Player’. The software is for a purpose to stream. It can stream and view all audio, video, multimedia, and rich internet application on a PC/backed up mobile which is why tablets and smart phones are so well incorporated with having applications which allow for this such as Netflix and Amazon Instant Video/TV. In order for these to work and continue to download and stream flash player needs to be regularly updated.
Now that adobe flash player has been well and thoroughly developed which allows the most well known desktop platforms to use it. These platforms are as follows: Windows, Linux, Solaris and Mac OS X. There is also a ‘plugin’ version available which you can download through the internet available via Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari - this allows the individual to view a wider variety of things online.
Due to the format adobe flash player runs which is called a “Small Web Format” commonly abbreviated to SWF. This format is basically used to allow ‘animated graphics’ to be shown such as audio, video and many more.
Firstly there is the media player known as Flash Player http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/Adobe-Flash-Player [01-05-15] which was firstly made my Macromedia, but eventually it was developed by Adobe who then took it on giving it the name we know it as which is ‘Adobe Flash Player’. The software is for a purpose to stream. It can stream and view all audio, video, multimedia, and rich internet application on a PC/backed up mobile which is why tablets and smart phones are so well incorporated with having applications which allow for this such as Netflix and Amazon Instant Video/TV. In order for these to work and continue to download and stream flash player needs to be regularly updated.
Now that adobe flash player has been well and thoroughly developed which allows the most well known desktop platforms to use it. These platforms are as follows: Windows, Linux, Solaris and Mac OS X. There is also a ‘plugin’ version available which you can download through the internet available via Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari - this allows the individual to view a wider variety of things online.
Due to the format adobe flash player runs which is called a “Small Web Format” commonly abbreviated to SWF. This format is basically used to allow ‘animated graphics’ to be shown such as audio, video and many more.
Then there is QuickTime, https://documentation.apple.com/en/finalcutpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=103%26section=1%26tasks=true [01-05-15]
http://www.winxdvd.com/resource/quicktime.htm[01-05-15] http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/MPEG_4.html[01-05-15] http://www.h264info.com/h264.html [26/05/15]
which is Apple’s private multimedia platform. This controls their video, sound, animation, graphics, text, interactivity, and music. Due to Apple having this cross-platform technology and capability, QuickTime is able to deliver information on both Mac’s and standard Window PCs.
Exporting certain multimedia files via QuickTime also allows you to share the media through emails, Facebook, twitter, youtube, vimeo and flickr.
The movie file format that QuickTime uses is called .MOV, and MP4 is also based upon using the QuickTime technology. Both .MOV and MP4 are able to use the M-PEG4 formats which is the method used for the compression of both audio and visual digital data. This then makes them both interchangeable when using Apple’s QuickTime player. Due to MP4 being an international standard, it means that it is better supported. Devices such as Sony’s playstation and some DVD players show this though their software. Even though Apple have now full taken on H.264 as the format for QuickTime, it is still the most commonly and generally used compression format, as it is still comparable for PC's to use which makes it worldwide and easiest access for all system operations whichever device is being used.
MP4 is a container format which defines how the video, audio and other data is stored. It can be used to 'house' various types of compression codecs, and not just H.264. However, MP4 should still not be confused with MPEG-4 video.
Another way that Apple uses QuickTime with multimedia is when recording using your mac computers.
which is Apple’s private multimedia platform. This controls their video, sound, animation, graphics, text, interactivity, and music. Due to Apple having this cross-platform technology and capability, QuickTime is able to deliver information on both Mac’s and standard Window PCs.
Exporting certain multimedia files via QuickTime also allows you to share the media through emails, Facebook, twitter, youtube, vimeo and flickr.
The movie file format that QuickTime uses is called .MOV, and MP4 is also based upon using the QuickTime technology. Both .MOV and MP4 are able to use the M-PEG4 formats which is the method used for the compression of both audio and visual digital data. This then makes them both interchangeable when using Apple’s QuickTime player. Due to MP4 being an international standard, it means that it is better supported. Devices such as Sony’s playstation and some DVD players show this though their software. Even though Apple have now full taken on H.264 as the format for QuickTime, it is still the most commonly and generally used compression format, as it is still comparable for PC's to use which makes it worldwide and easiest access for all system operations whichever device is being used.
MP4 is a container format which defines how the video, audio and other data is stored. It can be used to 'house' various types of compression codecs, and not just H.264. However, MP4 should still not be confused with MPEG-4 video.
Another way that Apple uses QuickTime with multimedia is when recording using your mac computers.
The screenshots above demonstrate my own personal experience, of exporting the Vlog-style video I made using the QuickTime compressor that final cut pro has installed. The right screenshot shows the file being exported to .mov format I spoke about previously.
Windows Media Player http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Windows-Media-Player-WMP http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/fdd/fdd000067.shtml [03-05-15] is the equivalent media player of Apple’s QuickTime, only this is Windows version.
Again, this software application is used to play, store, and organise multimedia such as digital audio, images and video.
Windows media player uses WMV (windows media video - which is the file format for the video), WMA (windows media audio - this is the file format for audio) and also ASF (advanced system format - this 'format wraps' various multimedia such as audio, video, script command, JPEG-compressed still images. However like the previous two this file format also focusses on audio and video). The more modern versions of windows media player also have the capability to sync digital media with a portable media player like an MP3 Player. However, files encoded using WMP are not compatible with Apple’s iPod.
In order to fightback to windows rivalry, Apple, Windows then came up with a solution to make a newly improved navigation of the various multimedia which overall, was improved to stream media over a network like Apple were already doing by having iTunes.
Then there is 'open source' media players which means they are compatible for more than their own brand such as how windows and apple work their systems. The first being VLC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player [03-05-15]
VLC media player was created and developed by the videoLAN project. This is a portable open-source cross platform multimedia program. The idea behind this media player is that it can do everything and anything. Everything from a multimedia player, encoder, streaming (both audio and video files) as well as DVD/VCD’s. It is able to run on most platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Unix. A VLC is able to stream across different networks and to transfer multimedia files and then is able to save them in a variety of file formats.
VLC is able to play the majority of codecs without actually needing a codec pack. A codec is the program that is behind the compression data enabling faster transmission and then is able to decompress the received data. These codecs are: MPEG-2, DivX, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3.
Another example of a open source media player is the UM Player “Universal Media Player” http://www.umplayer.com/download/ [04-05-15] http://download.cnet.com/UMPlayer/3000-13632_4-75332747.html [04-05-15]
This media player is similar to VLC which is a cross-platform media player which means that it is compatible to work on various platforms such as Macs, Windows, and Linux/GNU.
UM Player is free and it works well for those that may be in contact with a variety of different contacts whom of which use different operating systems, which would mean they’d all have to use a cross-platform media player such as this universal media player to view and share their documents and information.
During my research I found that UM player may offer something that other media players do not.
This is the unusual feature that UM player offers a built-in subtitles search. It also has a built in youtube player and recorder. This automatically expands upon those who are able to sue it widening the name ‘universal media player’ even more as its available for a wider range of people.
Again, this software application is used to play, store, and organise multimedia such as digital audio, images and video.
Windows media player uses WMV (windows media video - which is the file format for the video), WMA (windows media audio - this is the file format for audio) and also ASF (advanced system format - this 'format wraps' various multimedia such as audio, video, script command, JPEG-compressed still images. However like the previous two this file format also focusses on audio and video). The more modern versions of windows media player also have the capability to sync digital media with a portable media player like an MP3 Player. However, files encoded using WMP are not compatible with Apple’s iPod.
In order to fightback to windows rivalry, Apple, Windows then came up with a solution to make a newly improved navigation of the various multimedia which overall, was improved to stream media over a network like Apple were already doing by having iTunes.
Then there is 'open source' media players which means they are compatible for more than their own brand such as how windows and apple work their systems. The first being VLC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player [03-05-15]
VLC media player was created and developed by the videoLAN project. This is a portable open-source cross platform multimedia program. The idea behind this media player is that it can do everything and anything. Everything from a multimedia player, encoder, streaming (both audio and video files) as well as DVD/VCD’s. It is able to run on most platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Unix. A VLC is able to stream across different networks and to transfer multimedia files and then is able to save them in a variety of file formats.
VLC is able to play the majority of codecs without actually needing a codec pack. A codec is the program that is behind the compression data enabling faster transmission and then is able to decompress the received data. These codecs are: MPEG-2, DivX, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3.
Another example of a open source media player is the UM Player “Universal Media Player” http://www.umplayer.com/download/ [04-05-15] http://download.cnet.com/UMPlayer/3000-13632_4-75332747.html [04-05-15]
This media player is similar to VLC which is a cross-platform media player which means that it is compatible to work on various platforms such as Macs, Windows, and Linux/GNU.
UM Player is free and it works well for those that may be in contact with a variety of different contacts whom of which use different operating systems, which would mean they’d all have to use a cross-platform media player such as this universal media player to view and share their documents and information.
During my research I found that UM player may offer something that other media players do not.
This is the unusual feature that UM player offers a built-in subtitles search. It also has a built in youtube player and recorder. This automatically expands upon those who are able to sue it widening the name ‘universal media player’ even more as its available for a wider range of people.
After having mentioned a lot of the 'Platforms' area in the text above. I'm going to now explain a few of the individual types/other types of platform. A platform is the underlying computer system on which applications - some that I've mentioned about above, that programs can be run on by using.
As all of the above applications would be achievable to find on YouTube - this is would be the platform it is known to be found on once it has gone through the technology process.
As all of the above applications would be achievable to find on YouTube - this is would be the platform it is known to be found on once it has gone through the technology process.
The actual name of the platform that YouTube would class as is a simple, straight forward website. A website is something on the web, which has to be connected to the internet to the internet to stream and function correctly (as previously spoken about in technology section) and it is the place or thing that keeps together one or more web pages.
Using websites such as YouTube as their platform base, many world-wide superstars have been found via this platform, as it is now so greatly used worldwide and is a main source for things going 'viral'. You can find literally everything on this platform which is why it is so popular.
Anyone can have a YouTube account where they can upload their videos about anything on their for the world to see. The way that bloggers use this as a good platform source is by beginning a channel for themselves and creating a video style of blog - now known as a blog. ZOELLA is a young girl who has taken the world by storm by doing these on youtube. She started out as a fashion blogger, then took the platform move to Youtube where she began her Vlogs and using this as a platform to get herself out there she is now going to be in a film, acting as herself. Here is one of her VLOGS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rLjnJgIM1U . [04-05-15].
Also, as previously mentioned, considering the fact that music is a large part of Youtube there is a service within youtube that singers, artists and bands can use as their own platform within youtube itself. This is a video hosting service and is known as ‘Vevo’. The videos on Vevo are managed across the web, with Google and Vevo sharing the advertising profits. VEVO: https://www.youtube.com/user/VEVO [04-05-15].
Using websites such as YouTube as their platform base, many world-wide superstars have been found via this platform, as it is now so greatly used worldwide and is a main source for things going 'viral'. You can find literally everything on this platform which is why it is so popular.
Anyone can have a YouTube account where they can upload their videos about anything on their for the world to see. The way that bloggers use this as a good platform source is by beginning a channel for themselves and creating a video style of blog - now known as a blog. ZOELLA is a young girl who has taken the world by storm by doing these on youtube. She started out as a fashion blogger, then took the platform move to Youtube where she began her Vlogs and using this as a platform to get herself out there she is now going to be in a film, acting as herself. Here is one of her VLOGS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rLjnJgIM1U . [04-05-15].
Also, as previously mentioned, considering the fact that music is a large part of Youtube there is a service within youtube that singers, artists and bands can use as their own platform within youtube itself. This is a video hosting service and is known as ‘Vevo’. The videos on Vevo are managed across the web, with Google and Vevo sharing the advertising profits. VEVO: https://www.youtube.com/user/VEVO [04-05-15].
The platform that is probably the one essential that not many people can leave the house without is their phones. These are not any phones nowadays though, they are smart phones - essentially mini computers. Smart phones are able to hold so much on them that they’re a platform in themselves.
There area wide variety of different smart phones which specify in certain areas which each individual can decide what brand they need that can aid them within the platform areas that benefits them in their lifestyle most. Quite often people now tend to stick with the same brand for each device. For example Fire OS in the smartphone brand created by amazon, so a person that holds this smart phone device, is likely to have the Amazon Fire Tablet (oppose to an iPad). Other examples of brand types of smart phones are iOs which is most common as its Apples software. Windows - used by those who world with the software a lot possibly in work for example. Blackberry, Tizen, and Cynogen OS.
Another platform which is very similar to a smart phone is a tablet. They are both handheld device, and you can now buy smart phones as big as mini tablets and vice-verca which makes the two devices very similar.
Just like smart phones, tablets are a platform of a variety of different platforms within it, mostly used by using the apps where they can branch out in whichever direction of platform they desire whether its social media or apps such as word - which would most likely mean that you have a android tablet and smart phone as this works with Microsoft software. The variety of tablets available are iPad, android, blackberry and windows. And as I mentioned above the majority of people stay with the same brand of devices to keep things ‘in the loop’ or ‘the cloud’ most commonly known and used by with apple devices which allows you to keep all of the same usernames and passwords and documents you create on one device can appear on another as well. The main difference between the most modernly developed tablets and smartphones which are now being developed is that 3/4G isn’t available on a tablet, and in order to get access to the internet you need a decent connection - this is really the only thing which differentiates the two devices. However, some apps do not require internet connection which the tablet owner would know before purchasing in order for the individual to use it as required and whatever platform and app they need and desire to use. Tablets are also a good accessory to have for business men and women as they can use all the social media applications to feed them with information they may need for their job in hand whatever that may be, as it is such a huge part of our daily lives now. It is likely that in a office job, the worker would be given a works tablet where they can quickly access information, all at the same time and then have a separate PC to transfer their information and knowledge onto.
Another platform which is very similar to a smart phone is a tablet. They are both handheld device, and you can now buy smart phones as big as mini tablets and vice-verca which makes the two devices very similar.
Just like smart phones, tablets are a platform of a variety of different platforms within it, mostly used by using the apps where they can branch out in whichever direction of platform they desire whether its social media or apps such as word - which would most likely mean that you have a android tablet and smart phone as this works with Microsoft software. The variety of tablets available are iPad, android, blackberry and windows. And as I mentioned above the majority of people stay with the same brand of devices to keep things ‘in the loop’ or ‘the cloud’ most commonly known and used by with apple devices which allows you to keep all of the same usernames and passwords and documents you create on one device can appear on another as well. The main difference between the most modernly developed tablets and smartphones which are now being developed is that 3/4G isn’t available on a tablet, and in order to get access to the internet you need a decent connection - this is really the only thing which differentiates the two devices. However, some apps do not require internet connection which the tablet owner would know before purchasing in order for the individual to use it as required and whatever platform and app they need and desire to use. Tablets are also a good accessory to have for business men and women as they can use all the social media applications to feed them with information they may need for their job in hand whatever that may be, as it is such a huge part of our daily lives now. It is likely that in a office job, the worker would be given a works tablet where they can quickly access information, all at the same time and then have a separate PC to transfer their information and knowledge onto.
Then theres Blu Ray. This is a strange one as far as a platform goes because it's more of an object oppose to a platform. I feel as though this type of platform is a special and updated version of a DVD which is made to hold high definition video and data. The first one ever created was done as a joint project by many different companies, whom of which were as follows: Hitatchi, LG, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Thomson.
The main difference between a standard DVD and the newly improved one (blu-ray) is the old DVD is read from the old red laser, whereas the blu-ray reads from the blue one. This is why blu-ray discs will not play with DVD/CD disk players. Even other platforms I’ve already spoken about during this blog above, now have blu-ray comparable players oppose to standard DVD’s and these are gaming consoles such as playstation3. Blu-ray has more of a capacity to hold information for each layer which is, 25 instead of 15 gigabytes, like the DVD (HD) was, but may begin to be more expensive to produce to start off with. Applications can be played on here as a way of seeing something on a bigger screen (the TV). Eventually, it is desired that the use of compression type H.264 will also be used for Blu-Ray, as it is already used in Blu-Ray based camcorders.
The main difference between a standard DVD and the newly improved one (blu-ray) is the old DVD is read from the old red laser, whereas the blu-ray reads from the blue one. This is why blu-ray discs will not play with DVD/CD disk players. Even other platforms I’ve already spoken about during this blog above, now have blu-ray comparable players oppose to standard DVD’s and these are gaming consoles such as playstation3. Blu-ray has more of a capacity to hold information for each layer which is, 25 instead of 15 gigabytes, like the DVD (HD) was, but may begin to be more expensive to produce to start off with. Applications can be played on here as a way of seeing something on a bigger screen (the TV). Eventually, it is desired that the use of compression type H.264 will also be used for Blu-Ray, as it is already used in Blu-Ray based camcorders.