Re: timed-text update and further discussion

Hi, Mike:

>Can you elaborate on the current charter of this adhoc group and this email 
>list?  I was invited under the impression it was still a public discussion 
>and activity at this point, however the link below is W3C private and thus 
>not accessible to non-members.

Whoops-- attached is an html file of the timed-text document.  I'll see if we can get this moved to public space (Al?  Daniel?).  The timed-text task force (as we're currently called) has no formal charter, but our main INformal purpose is to gather from participants a list of requirements for a standard timed-text format playable by any number of devices, thus eliminating the need for proprietary text formats (like QText, RealText, SAMI, etc.).  From my point of view, this will make it easier to include closed captions and subtitles with multimedia, but there undoubtedly be many other uses for the new format.

We are currently seeking working-group status from the W3C.  Once approved, we will begin the work of actually bashing together this format.

>Also, you may wish to note that April 8-9 is the opening of the NAB 
>conference, which means you will greatly reduce participation from the 
>television industry (except apparently from WGBH ;-).

If it turns out that NAB eats into participation, I'm sure we can schedule another date for a teleconference.  April 8 and 9 are convenient because the WAI/PF participants will be all together.  But missing NAB... gee... does that make me lucky or unlucky?

Geoff/WGBH


>At 04:59 PM 2/19/2002 -0500, geoff freed wrote:
>
>>After a period of inactivity, it's time to move the timed-text format 
>>discussion along.  To this end, I would like to invite people to send any 
>>remaining timed-text requirements to the list.  These requirements will be 
>>added to the existing document, available at
>>
>>http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/Group/timetext.html
>>
>>The W3C has not yet granted us working-group status, but gathering 
>>requirements at this stage will save us time later, when (assuming) the 
>>W3C gives us the go-ahead to begin the real work.  All requests will be 
>>added to the document referenced above.  Since we're primarily interested 
>>in gathering everyone's ideas, we won't yet be wrestling with what is vs. 
>>what is not a valid request or requirement.  That sort of fun will begin later.
>>
>>In addition, the Web Accessibility Initiative's Protocols and Formats 
>>Working Group (WAI/PF), which is currently hosting the timed-text 
>>discussion, will be holding a meeting in Boston, MA, on April 8 and 9, 
>>2002.  We'd like to have a teleconference with all timed-text participants 
>>during that time, if possible.  The teleconference should last 
>>approximately two hours.  Are people available those days?  Please send me 
>>a note off-list (geoff_freed@wgbh.org) to let me know your availability, 
>>and I'll coordinate a date and time.
>>
>>Finally, for the purpose of creating a baseline, next week I will post a 
>>document detailing what formats already exist for displaying timed text.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>Geoff Freed
>>CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)
>>WGBH Educational Foundation
>>geoff_freed@wgbh.org
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Michael A. Dolan, Chair SMPTE D27 DDE AHG, S22 SID AHG
>619-445-9070 FAX 208-545-6564
>PO Box 1673 Alpine, CA 91903  USA
>