Re: SMIL2.0 Functionality

On Sun, Apr 21 2002 Yoshihisa Gonno wrote:

> I apologize if the below issues have already been discussed before.
> I'm playing with SMIL2.0 and have several questions on its functionality.
> 
> 1. Can SMIL2.0 describe media transparency, so-called 'alpha-blending'
> effect ? I see how SMIL2.0 can describe transitional alpha-blending effect using
> such as transIn and transOut. But I can't see how SMIL2.0 describes
> stable alpha-blending effect between still images or motion video
> streams.
> 
> 2. Can SMIL2.0 describe image/video coloring effect such as 'sepia
> decoration' or 'color to b/w deformation' or 'color-depth deformation' ?
> 
> 3. Can SMIL2.0 describe image/video deforming effect such as 'mosaic
> deformation' ?

SMIL 2.0 has no constructs for these three effects.  These effects
involve filtering and transformation of media files as they get
integrated.  For the most part, SMIL 2.0 takes media files "as is".
Thus, SMIL authors typically tailor the content media files to be
exactly as they should appear in the presentation.  However, SMIL 2.0
does have a few simple filter and transform features, such as the fit
attribute, and volume control.

SMIL does allow transparent media to show through to media placed
underneath.  Thus, to acheive media transparency, one would make the
media files themselves (semi-)transparent, and then use SMIL layout to
place them "over" other media that gets seen through to.  The other
effects would be acheived similarly by modifying the media directly
and saving the effects into the media files themselves.

> 4. Is there any conformance point how much SMIL2.0 should work with a
> linked stylesheet ? Browsers and authoring tools should support CSS2.

With SMIL host languages, such as the Profile and SMIL Basic, the
answer is "no".  They do account for CSS2 being included directly, but
have no direct constructs for linking to external CSS2 files.
XHTML+SMIL, on the other hand, has linked style sheets, but it gets
this feature comes from HTML, not SMIL.

-Lloyd

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Lloyd Rutledge  vox: +31 20 592 40 93       fax: +31 20 592 43 12
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Received on Monday, 22 April 2002 03:40:10 UTC