Re: [media] Displaying Multitrack Video (issue-152)

On Feb 18, 2011, at 8:14 , Philip Jägenstedt wrote:

> On Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:17:41 +0100, Silvia Pfeiffer <silviapfeiffer1@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Note that I have started a page in the wiki to collect different
>> rendering possibilities for multitrack video:
>> http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/HTML/wiki/Media_Multitrack_Media_Rendering
>> 
>> My idea is that in order to understand what different display
>> possibilities we have for multitrack video we have to analyse what
>> people do now. I get the feeling that there are only a limited number
>> of ways in which they can be displayed and we could possibly cover
>> that with CSS. We also have to consider that we don't always have all
>> the real estate of a Web page available to put multiple videos next to
>> each other, because when the video goes full-screen it is no different
>> to a TV display. So, getting inspiration from existing ways in which
>> multiple video tracks are displayed should be a good idea. Please help
>> with your images.
>> 
>> If you want to contribute images but cannot upload there directly,
>> feel free to email me the image and I will upload it for you.
> 
> Thanks for collecting these, Silvia.
> 
> Looking through the list, it's clear that all of these have a non-trivial layout of the multiple video tracks.
> 
> For example, Mlbtv_02.jpg is a baseball video with plenty of overlayed information together with the extra video track. The extra video track has a special border that fits with the rest of the presentation.
> 
> Transhud.jpg also has special UI around the overlayed video track, and it appears as though the many overlayed video tracks in Winclip.jpg has at least a thin black border.
> 
> The conclusion I draw from this is that the effects "people" want are only really feasible with multiple <video> elements that are positioned and styled with CSS. In other words, for multi-track video, we need only really consider the technical solutions that link together several sibling <video> elements.


I sort of agree.  I think.  I think that when there are visual elements in the markup, then HTML and CSS should be used to position and style them.  I am not sure I agree that that means that they all have to be <video> elements.  Why can't HTML+CSS handling styling and positioning of <tracks> within the <video> as well as the overall <video> element itself?


David Singer
Multimedia and Software Standards, Apple Inc.

Received on Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:37:44 UTC