Lab: Sound and Video on the Web

In today's Lab we will talk about

How to add Sound and Movies to a Web Page

Add links to pages with examples. Now the related lecture is not linked from the syllabus any longer.
  • You use the EMBED tag to embed sound or movies to a web page: 

    <EMBED SRC = "myMovieFile.mov"
       PLUGINSPAGE="http://quicktime.apple.com"
       HEIGHT="300"
       WIDTH="300"
       CONTROLLER="FALSE"
       LOOP="TRUE"
       AUTOPLAY="TRUE"></EMBED>

  • As an alternative, try to reference a .mov file, in a regular <A HREF> tag, like this:

    <A HREF="bounceBall.mov">bouncing ball</A>

Notes:

  • Have your movies and sound files in QuickTime format (.mov) so they can play in more browsers.
  • Dimensions of controller bar are 16 pixels (height) by 200 pixels (width). You can display the controller by setting CONTROLLER=TRUE in the EMB tag.

 

How to capture and compress Sound

Capture Sound from a CD

We will use QuickTime Player Pro(a licensed version available in all public computers at Welleslley. Currently version 7.1 is available on public computers).

Here are the steps to follow to digitize a CD track in QuickTime:

  • Insert your CD into your computer's CD drive
  • Start QuickTime Player (MACs may start up iTunes, PCs may start up a CD player or MediaPlayer automatically to play the CD. Quit out of them. You need QuickTime Player to capture the sound!)
  • File --> Open File...
  • In the pop up window, navigate to locate the Audio CD and select the Audio track you wish to capture the sound from. Click on Open button (or double click on the track).
  • Use the In and Out selection markers to select the part of the movie you want. Listen to the selected piece of sound at this point, to make sure this is what you want!
  • Copy the selected piece of sound. (Edit menu options available at this point): Edit --> Copy
  • Create a new file (File --> New Player)
  • Paste the selected sound part into the new file: Edit --> Paste
  • File --> Export (Movie To QuickTime Movie)
  • Click on Options button
  • Set your Settings
    • Recommended settings: Rate: 44.100kHz, Sample Size: 16 bits, Channels: Stereo
      For now, let the format be "Linear PCM". (We will change this soon!)
  • Click OK, and Save the converted file on your Desktop

At this point check the size of the digitized sound file. Remember, the file is not compressed yet! (To see the file size: select the file, click apple button and "I" simultaneously)

Compress the sound file

In QuickTime Player:

  • Open the uncompressed file: File --> Open File...
  • File --> Export...
  • In the pop up window, click on the "Options..." button, and then on "Settings". Choose the format of the exported file:
    Recommended Compressor: QDesign Music 2
  • Click OK to close the two pop up windows
  • Click Save.

Make sure to check the file size again at this point. How does it compare to the uncompressed file size?

Digitize your voice

Wouldn't it be cool for your web site's visitors to hear your voice welcoming them to the site?

To record your voice, use Amadeus II on a Power Mac with system X (like any public computer).

Here is how (instructions for Amadeus II v.3.8):

  • Launch the application
  • Sound --> Record to New File
  • On the pop up window, click on the red button when you are ready to start recording
  • Speak close to the microphone
  • Click on the Stop button, of the record group, when you are done recording
  • Click OK. The sound window will pop up, where you can edit your sound
  • File --> Save As to select the Format (Movie), and set your Settings (don't forget to Compress!)

Digitize Video

To digitize viseo, you can use some software called iMove. Check out this page for help on how to do that. The application iMovie is available in some of the Knapp macs, and some of the PNE media lab macs.


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