Each architecture has a
different file format, and thus each requires the user to have a playback system??”whether a plugin, ActiveX
control, or Java applet??”capable of handling that particular format.
In an effort to keep file sizes as small as possible, Web videos are often presented in relatively small dimensions.
It??™s not uncommon to display a video at 360 ?— 240 pixels. Furthermore, you??™re likely to notice a difference
between conventional and Web-based video in terms of quality. Lossy compression can also lead to
artifacting??”visible flaws introduced by the compression itself.
Although video on the Web is far from perfect, it??™s currently highly usable. Furthermore, advances are
occurring at a rapid rate, both in the development of new video architectures and codecs (a codec is a compression
algorithm) and in explosive dissemination of new, higher-speed Internet delivery systems, such as
cable and DSL. What you learn in this chapter enables you to include video in your Dreamweaver-built
Web pages today and gives you a good foundation for accommodating future enhancements.
The Flash Video Revolution
With the introduction of video in Flash MX, Adobe planted the seeds of a revolution. Suddenly, video on
the Web was easy. Although early Flash video did not have the same quality as the more established players
like QuickTime, it had one major advantage: ubiquity.
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