Chapter 7. Time-Based Media and the JMF: An Introduction
IN THIS CHAPTER
Time-Based Media
Processing Media
Audio Primer
Video Primer
Java and Time-Based Media: A Short History
Media Formats and Content Types Supported by JMF
Levels of Usage of the JMF API
Programming Paradigms When Using JMF
Structure of the API
Time—A Central Concept
Bare Bones Player Applet—A First Applet Using JMF
This section of the book covers time-based media (that is, video and audio) and the JMF (Java Media Framework)—a Java API dedicated to the processing of time-based media.
The section is broken into three chapters—this one, Chapter 8, “Processing Media with JMF,” and Chapter 9, “RTP and Advanced JMF Topics”—that follow a progression of simple out of the box utilizations of the API to sophisticated usage such as in combination with other specialized features and APIs of Java. Hence, a linear progression through the material is recommended as the default. However, those of you possessing familiarity with time-based media or parts of the API might want to skip some of the introductory material.
In particular the structure of the three chapters is as follows:
Chapter 7, “Time-Based Media and the JMF: An Introduction,” serves as both an introduction to time-based media in general and to the JMF API. In particular, some of the fundamental concepts and issues for both digital audio and video are introduced. Midway through the chapter, that is followed by an introduction to the JMF API in terms of its features, promise, central concepts, and main classes.
Chapter 8, “Processing Media with JMF,” serves as the core chapter of Part II, “Time-Based Media: The Java Media Framework and Java Sound,” covering the key features of the JMF API. The topics include managers, data sources and sinks, multiplexing and demultiplexing, codecs, format conversion, effects, and capture of media from devices.
Chapter 9, “RTP and Advanced JMF Topics,” covers some of the more advanced features of the JMF API. Chief among these covered topics is the RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) support within JMF and the corresponding ability to transmit or receive streaming media such as over the Internet. Also covered are issues such as extending the API and utilizing other APIs in conjunction with JMF.
This chapter serves as a general overview of time-based media followed by an introduction to the JMF API. The area of time-based media is not only a broad and involved topic, but also one that is continually changing as new approaches, formats, and standards are introduced. The first section introduces time-based media as well as some of its key concepts and considerations—particularly those with a direct bearing on the JMF API. Those of you who want a more detailed coverage of time-based media are directed to the plenitude of material in book form as well as on the Web.
Midway through the chapter, the JMF API is introduced. The main features and potential of the API are illustrated. Next is a more detailed introduction that covers the main classes of the API, programming approaches to using the API, and the central concept of time before concluding with an example applet that shows how simple using the API can be.