OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/mmadvt.zip/MMADVT.INF

OS/2 Help File | 1993-10-29 | 126KB | 1,074 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Using the Online Reference ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Before you begin to use this reference, it would be helpful to understand how
you can:

o Expand the Contents to see all available topics
o Obtain additional information for a highlighted word or phrase
o Use action bar choices.

How To Use the Contents

When the Contents window first appears, some topics have a plus (+) sign beside
them.  The plus sign indicates that additional topics are available.

To expand the Contents if you are using a mouse, select the plus sign (+).  If
you are using a keyboard, use the Up or Down Arrow key to highlight the topic,
and press the plus key (+).

To view a topic, double-click on the topic (or press the Up or Down Arrow key
to highlight the topic, and then press Enter).

How To Obtain Additional Information

After you select a topic, the information for that topic appears in a window.
Highlighted words or phrases indicate that additional information is available.
You will notice that certain words in the following paragraph are highlighted
in green letters, or in white letters on a black background. These are called
hypertext terms.  If you are using a mouse, double-click on the highlighted
word.  If you are using a keyboard, press the Tab key to move to the
highlighted word, and then press the Enter key.  Additional information will
appear in a window.

How To Use Action Bar Choices

Several choices are available for managing information presented in the The
OS/2 Multimedia Advantage.  There are three pull-down menus on the action bar:
the Services menu, the Options menu, and the Help menu.

The actions that are selectable from the Services menu operate on the active
window currently displayed on the screen.  These actions include the following:

Bookmark
          Sets a place holder so you can retrieve information of interest to
          you.

Search
          Finds occurrences of a word or phrase in the current topic, selected
          topics, or all topics.

Print
          Prints one or more topics.  You can also print a set of topics by
          first marking the topics in the Contents list.

Copy
          Copies a topic you are viewing to a file you can edit.

Options
          Changes the way the Contents is displayed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Characteristics and Requirements of Multimedia ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

With the release of OS/2 2.1, Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 (MMPM/2) is
packaged with OS/2.  The following sections describe why OS/2 and MMPM/2
combine to create an ideal multimedia platform.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Multimedia Operating System ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The effective use of sound, image, animation, text, and video typically impose
requirements that are well beyond anything ever imagined in the design of
personal computer operating systems.  Unlike text editors or other typical
applications that can gracefully wait until another application has yielded use
of the processor, multimedia applications often cannot tolerate processing
delays without significant loss in the quality of the presentation. An example
of this is when an application cannot send digitized video to the screen at the
required rate.

One approach to solving the problems caused by processing delays would be to
let a multimedia application retain exclusive use of the processor. But this
approach would conflict with another multimedia requirement, namely
responsiveness. A multimedia operating system must provide superior and
seemingly dedicated throughput while at the same time remain responsive to
interactive applications.  This can only be accomplished by an operating system
that maximizes allocation of its resources using such key technologies as
preemptive multitasking, priority scheduling, overlapped I/O, and demand-paged
virtual memory.  Operating System/2* ( OS/2*) 2.1 uses these technologies and
delivers an ideal multimedia environment.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Advanced User Interface ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

An advanced object-oriented human interface complements the technological
powerhouse provided by the operating system kernel. OS/2 2.1 implements the
workplace model of the Common User Access* (CUA*) 1991 specification, referred
to as the Workplace Shell*. Productivity gains resulting from increased
usability are significant not only for the end user, but also for the software
developer. OS/2 2.1 provides several advanced user interface controls including
notebooks, sliders, and containers.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.1. Notebooks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Notebooks resemble their physical counterparts in that they are organized into
sections divided by tabs.  The user can leaf through the notebook a page at a
time, or use the tabs to move quickly from section to section.  The tabs can
contain text or graphics to communicate their meaning.

The Multimedia Setup application uses the OS/2 2.1 notebook control to provide
users with a convenient method for maintaining the settings for multimedia
devices.

Notebook Features

o Notebook metaphor.
o Central and familiar place for device control.
o Quick access to device settings.

Using the metaphor of a notebook, all multimedia device settings are controlled
from a central and familiar place, greatly enhancing the usability of the
system.

While multimedia technology and hardware devices can be complicated, the use
and configuration of these devices need be no different than any other device
in OS/2 2.1.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.2. Sliders ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Sliders are similar to scroll bars in that they provide a simple mechanism that
enables the user to quickly move across a wide range of values.

The Media Player for Digital Video uses sliders to control the volume and media
position of movie files.

Slider Features

o Easy to use.
o Move quickly across a range of values.
o Wide variety of uses.

The subtle difference between a scroll bar and a slider is illustrated by the
use of a scroll bar to move the viewport of a text editor to a specific
location within a document, whereas a slider is used to set the value of a
particular item.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.3. Containers ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Containers  arecontrolsthatcancontainothersystemobjects
.AgoodexampleofacontainerarethefoldersusedintheWorkplaceShell
.TheMultimediafoldershownbelowcontainsavarietyofmultimediaapplications .

The use of containers as a graphical equivalent of a conventional file system
directory is just one use for containers. Containers can be used for any
abstract collection of objects.

Container Features

o Workplace Shell folders.
o Any collection of system objects.
o Easy way to manage program and data objects.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.4. Additional Multimedia Controls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MMPM/2 defines several Presentation Manager window classes that lend a
sophisticated multimedia quality to a user interface: graphical button,
circular slider, and secondary window. These controls are implemented in the
MMPM/2 Volume Control application shown below.

The Volume Control application provides system-wide control of the master
volume level of all active multimedia devices, allowing the user a single point
of interaction for volume control.

The dial that adjusts the volume is a circular slider.  The mute button, shown
with a speaker graphic that is grayed when the button is pressed, is a
two-state graphical button.  And the dialog window of the application is a
secondary window.

Graphical button controls allow replacement of conventional text-faced buttons
with either two-state or animated graphics.  Standard text-faced buttons can be
replaced by graphical buttons without any change in source code.  Only the
dialog template needs to be modified. Implementing two-state and animated
buttons requires a minimal investment in development time that is equivalent to
implementation using the standard push button control.

Circular slider controls present an interesting alternative to the Workplace
Shell slider control in that the physical appearance of the control is very
similar to the controls on actual multimedia hardware.  This resemblance allows
end users to transfer knowledge acquired from using real devices to multimedia
applications.  The circular slider can also provide a savings in screen real
estate compared to a conventional slider.  The complexity of developing
software using a circular slider is equivalent to using a standard slider or
scroll bar.

Secondary window controls represent a significant savings in development
expense, because all application windows can be developed using a dialog
template, thus eliminating the need to create, position, and size windows and
controls.  All of the MMPM/2 system applications utilize secondary windows.  If
the window is sized smaller than the actual dialog template, scroll bars can be
automatically enabled to allow access to the entire dialog.

For more information on the advanced multimedia controls provided by MMPM/2,
see the MMPM/2 Application Programming Guide or the MMPM/2 Programming
Reference. For information on design concepts to be considered when designing a
CUA multimedia interface that is consistent within a particular application,
and across other products, see CUA Guide to Multimedia User Interface Design.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.5. System Sounds ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A new feature of MMPM/2 allows the association of system events with digital
audio sound files or OS/2 tune files. Support for system sounds is provided by
an extension to the OS/2 Sound object.

System sounds transform the OS/2 desktop into a multimedia-enabled workplace,
where audio cues alert and inform the user of activities on the system.  A set
of system sounds is included and already associated with system events. The
Sound object allows users to make different associations using the sounds
supplied by MMPM/2.  They also can create their own sounds or use sounds
supplied by other vendors.

OS/2 System Sounds Events

o Information message
o Warning message
o Error message
o Opening a window
o Closing a window
o Picking up an object
o Dropping an object
o System startup
o System shutdown
o Shredding an object
o Alarm clock ringing
o Printer error message
o Desktop lockup

The Sound page has a play button for testing a sound file before it is
associated with a system event.  It also has a volume control for setting the
volume level of the sound.

MMPM/2 also provides support for playing and recording sound files from an OS/2
command file. Playing a sound file from a command file is useful for alerting
the user when a location in a command file is reached that requires the user to
do something. This support is implemented in the PLAY.CMD and RECORD.CMD files,
located in the \MMOS2 directory. The REXX multimedia function used in these
files is described in the online publication Controlling Multimedia Devices
with REXX.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following sections describe the MMPM/2 applications and programming
interfaces that are included as part of OS/2.1. Note that MMPM/2 is installed
separately. This information is intended for individuals such as technical
advisors, as well as designers and developers of application and subsystem
software.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Multimedia Applications ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MMPM/2 provides an exciting array of multimedia applications that includes a
movie player, a powerful waveform editor, and a super CD player for compact
disc audio.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.1. Digital Video ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A spectacular new feature of MMPM/2 is the addition of software motion video.
High-resolution digital movies can now be viewed on your desktop without any
additional hardware requirement.  With the addition of an audio adapter, you
can enjoy a fully synchronized audio track in addition to the video.

Unlike other systems, MMPM/2 brings you a standard resolution of  320x240 at 15
frames per second when using the Ultimotion* compression algorithm. This is
fully four times the resolution of typical software-only video solutions.

Ultimotion creates a digital video data stream that is software scalable at
playback time to whatever platform is being used. The amount of scalability
depends on the amount of data put into the video at the time of its creation,
and the processing capabilities of the playback system. Depending on the
performance of your computer, Ultimotion can yield up to 30 frames per second
or resolutions up to 640x480.  Ultimotion excels at both 256 and 65,000 color
depths, providing clear images and data transfer rates within standard CD-ROM
capabilities (150 kilobytes per second).

Digital Video Features

o No unique hardware required.
o Software scalable to playback system.
o Standard resolution of 320x240, 15 fps.
o Up to 640x480 resolution or 30 fps.
o Clear images with 256 and 65,000 color depths.

The Indeo** compression algorithm is also supported, giving you true
cross-platform support for movies and demonstrating the ability of MMPM/2 to
incorporate new compression algorithms as they become available.

The digital video media player can be used to play movies in a standard movable
and sizable window. The digital video media driver described in "Digital Video
Device" can be used by other applications to present video in an
application-specific window.

Regardless of how you use video, the powerful underlying features of OS/2 2.1
make software-decompressed video a reality on your desktop today.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.2. Digital Audio ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Digital Audio application combines the function of a simple player/recorder
with that of a powerful waveform editor.

Editing operations are done using a graphical representation of a sound file in
the Edit window.

As you listen to the sound file play, you can watch the cursor move through the
sound graph. This process enables you to associate the sounds you hear with the
variations you see in the graph. You can then determine the area you want to
edit.

Editing of the sound graph is done by marking an area, similar to the way you
mark text in a text editor. After you mark an area of sound, you can play the
marked area to ensure it is the sound you want to edit. A variety of editing
commands enable you to:

o Cut or copy the marked sound to the system clipboard.
o Paste the sound from the clipboard into a file.
o Delete the sound from the file.

Digital Audio Features

o Cut and paste functions.
o Broad range of special effects.
o Zoom in on sound graph image.
o Spin buttons for fine-tuning editing area.
o Quality settings for voice, music, high-fidelity.

Audio special effects can be used to alter the sound in a marked area.  Special
effects include: mixing sounds from another file or the clipboard, adjusting
and maximizing the volume, doubling and halving the speed, fade-in and
fade-out, reverb, reverse, and echo.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.3. Compact Disc ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Compact Disc player provides the means for OS/2 users to play music CDs.

When a music CD is inserted in the CD-ROM drive, numbered buttons are displayed
by the application, indicating track selections. The track button area can be
scrolled to accommodate discs containing up to 99 tracks. Users can press any
of these buttons to directly access a track, or they can use familiar CD player
buttons to move backward and forward in the CD.

Compact Disc Player Features

o Familiar CD player buttons.
o Direct access to music selections.
o Disabling and shuffling of tracks.
o Customized titles for CDs.
o Small profile.

Options are provided for disabling and reenabling selections, shuffling the
order tracks are played, and customizing the window title so it displays a name
for the currently loaded CD.

All this function is packed into a small window, allowing you to fully exercise
the features of compact disc audio, while reserving the maximum space on the
desktop for other applications.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.4. Multimedia Install ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Multimedia Install is an easy-to-use, graphical installation program. Building
on key features of the OS/2 2.1 installation program, Multimedia Install makes
installation simple, often requiring only one mouse click.

MMPM/2 Install Features

o Easy to use, familiar interface.
o Serves as an installation engine.
o Natural way to deliver multimedia products.

What is unique about MMPM/2 Install is that it can be used as an installation
engine.  Text-based control files are created to describe the components of a
product, which appear as iconic objects within a container control. The objects
can be selected as a whole, or individually if the user wants to pick and
choose. Attached to each object is a list of required files and CONFIG.SYS
updates. Because end users will already be familiar with multimedia
installation, this program serves as a natural way to deliver new multimedia
products. For more information, see the MMPM/2 Subsystem Programming Guide.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1.5. Multimedia Setup ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Multimedia Setup application uses the OS/2 2.1 notebook control to provide
users with a convenient method for maintaining the settings for multimedia
devices.

Setup Features

o Easy-to-use notebook page.
o Familiar place for multimedia device control.
o Set customized name and associated data for each device.
o Custom pages for unique hardware can be added.

Settings for multimedia devices are presented as pages in a notebook.  MMPM/2
provides settings pages for each media device to allow the name of the device
to be customized and to allow data files to be associated with the device. In
addition to the standard settings, custom pages can be inserted into the
notebook to exploit unique hardware requirements.

The following applications are also provided by MMPM/2.  For more information,
see OS/2 2.1 Using the Operating System.

o MIDI media player
o Multimedia Data Converter
o Volume Control


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Audio-Enabling Macros ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Someapplicationsallowuserstoaddafeaturetotheapplicationbyrunningamacro
.Forexample ,Excel * *andLotus1 - 2 - 3 * *applicationshavethiscapability . OS
/
2multimediaprovidesusersoftheseapplicationswithmacrosthatenablethemtoannotatetheirworksheetswithaudio .

Audio annotation is an effective way to communicate information related to a
financial work sheet.  For example, suppose you are working with a group of
people on an accounting project.  You are using complex formulas in your work
sheets that need to be explained to members of the group.  Audio annotation
enables you to add the information where and when it is needed.

Using the audio-enabling macro, you can associate a sound file with any cell in
the work sheet. You record the sound files with a simple recorder provided by
the audio-enabling macro. And when you select a cell that has audio, its sound
file plays.

Audio Macro Features

o Easy-to-use audio recorder.
o Each work sheet cell can be annotated.
o Annotated cells can be shown, hidden and deleted.
o Developers can use high-level macro service API to write other macros.

A programming interface is provided, containing the five high-level macro
functions that are used to record, play, and manipulate the compound file
elements. Macro functions are also included as 16-bit functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3. Media Control Interface ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Media Control Interface provides a full 32-bit device-independent
programming interface that is modeled after an audio and video home
entertainment system.

When a user activates a device control to use a multimedia device function, the
MMPM/2 application window procedure responds by sending a command to the Media
Control Interface. Depending on the needs of the application, the window
procedure can use a command message interface or a command string interface to
implement these device commands.

The command message interface requires the usual C programming constructs,
which include messages and pointers to data structures, whereas the command
string interface requires only strings, which are sent to the Media Device
Manager (MDM) for parsing. For example, an application could send a series of
string commands to open the Digital Video player and play a portion of a movie
file.

open movie.avi type digitalvideo alias myvideo wait
set myvideo time format frames wait
seek myvideo to 20 wait
play myvideo to 100 notify
.
.
.
** Play the Movie **
.
.
.
close myvideo wait

Authoring languages that include support for the Media Control Interface can
integrate device command strings like these with authoring language syntax to
create multimedia presentations.

In addition to the native 32-bit interface, the string interface can also
provide a 16-bit interface to enable developers to integrate multimedia
function with the macro languages of existing 16-bit applications.

The string interface gives applications greater flexibility, because
application code does not have to be rewritten to support new devices as they
are added to those supported by the Media Control Interface.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.4. Extendable Device Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Media Control Interface is a set of defined and extendable media control
commands. Media driver authors can define new and modified command messages and
strings to accommodate the hardware their drivers support. How a driver
communicates with the appropriate hardware device drivers to perform a
requested command is completely up to the media driver author. This level of
modularity allows independent development of support for new hardware devices,
logical media devices, and file formats.

Guidelines are provided for media driver authors who wish to implement
device-specific support in their drivers. For more information, see the MMPM/2
Subsystem Programming Guide.

The following logical devices are supported in this version:

o Digital Video
o Amplifier-mixer
o Waveform audio
o MIDI Sequencer
o CD audio
o CD-XA


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5. Multimedia Logical Devices ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MMPM/2 represents audio adapters, CD-ROM drives, and other hardware devices as
logical media devices that are managed by the Media Device Manager (MDM).

Media devices are a logical representation of the function available from
either a hardware device, software emulation in combination with hardware, or
pure software emulation. The actual implementation is not relevant to an
application, because MMPM/2 provides device independence with the command
message and command string interfaces.

Frequently there is a one-to-one correspondence between a hardware device, such
as a CD-ROM drive and its associated media device.  Other hardware may be
represented as multiple logical devices. An example in this category is a
multi-function audio adapter, which can be represented as waveform audio, MIDI
sequencer, and amplifier-mixer media devices.

Following are brief descriptions of the logical devices currently supported by
MMPM/2.  For more detailed information, refer to the MMPM/2 Application
Programming Guide.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.1. Digital Video Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The digital video device provides support to applications for playing and
controlling motion video in a default or application window. The system that
displays the motion video requires no special hardware, because all video
presentation is performed using software-only algorithms.

Advances in the efficiency of software motion video algorithms, central
processor power, data storage, and the display subsystem provide key
technologies for creating and playing digital video data on personal computers.
Powerful processors are now available that can handle digital video data in
real time. And high-capacity hard disks and CD-ROM drives can satisfy the
storage requirements. These advances combined with today's image compression
techniques result in the successful integration of video with the personal
computer.

 Digital video files, or movies, are contained in the Microsoft** AVI standard
file format. Each video frame has been compressed using an algorithm that
reduces the overall disk storage requirements of the movie, typically by
removing redundant data both within and across movie frames. The file can also
contain an associated audio track.

The digital video device is supported by the IBM Ultimotion* algorithm. The
extendable architecture allows additional compression algorithms to be
installed as they become available.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.2. Amplifier-Mixer Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  MMPM / 2amplifier -
mixerdeviceisverysimilarinfunctiontoahomestereoamplifier - mixer .

Components are plugged into the amplifier-mixer so that audio signals can be
transferred to a pair of attached speakers, headphones, or perhaps another
device.  An example in the last category would be playing an old phonograph
record and recording the sound on a new DAT (Digital Audio Tape) deck.  The
amplifier-mixer serves as the central focus for all audio signals and provides
input or output switching as well as sound-shaping services such as volume,
treble, or bass control.

The logical amplifier-mixer device in MMPM/2 supports the connection of both
analog and digital devices.  Other MMPM/2 logical devices may be connected to
the amplifier-mixer device.  Similar to the previous example, the CD audio
logical device could provide an analog input to the amplifier-mixer device,
which could then be recorded by the waveform audio device.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.3. Waveform Audio Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  MMPM / 2waveformaudiodeviceallowsanapplicationtoplay ,record
,andeditdigitalaudiousingfilesorapplicationmemorybuffers .

While audio refers to the sound waves that have a perceived effect on the human
ear, waveform refers to a digital representation of the original audio sound
wave.  Using one technique called pulse code modulation (PCM), discrete samples
of the sound wave are encoded by an audio adapter at precise intervals. The
numerical value of the sample increases when the sound wave's force (loudness)
increases. The variation of the sample increases as the frequency of the sound
wave increases.

The number of samples per second taken of the original sound wave as well as
the precision (or resolution) of the sample dictate the quality of the sound
reproduction.  Typical sampling rates include 44.1kHz, 22.05kHz, and 11.025kHz,
where kHz is an abbreviation for kilohertz, or thousands of cycles per second.
The sampling precision is usually measured in bits where 8 or 16-bit samples
are representative of most audio adapters.  Generally, the higher the sampling
rate and resolution, the higher the perceived quality; however this comes at
the expense of potentially enormous data rates and file sizes.

One of the typical uses of the waveform audio device is to digitize an input
signal or sound into discrete samples for storage in a file.  An example of
this would be recording an electronic audio mail message to actually tell
someone about an idea, as opposed to typing a memo on the same subject.  An
electronic audio mail application would be completely shielded from the
complexity of digitizing a signal and would only need to specify a file, while
providing the user with a simple control panel to allow the message to be
recorded.  The user might press a stop button on the control panel when
finished describing the idea.  The application could then issue a stop command
to the waveform audio device to discontinue the recording.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.4. Sequencer Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  MMPM / 2sequencerdeviceprovidessupporttoapplicationsforplayingMIDIsongs .

General MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard specification
for playing back music from a series of commands, rather than actual audio
data. The commands represent musical events, such as turning a note on and off,
as well as timing mechanisms for specifying the duration of the note sound.

The MMPM/2 sequencer device plays a MIDI song by sending commands from a MIDI
file to a synthesizer, where the commands are converted to the sounds of a
specific instrument. The sequencer uses the timing commands to sequence the
playing of the music. Typically, a digital signal processor (DSP) is used to
generate the sounds of the instrument, which results in an authentic
reproduction of the original performance.

MIDI augments waveform audio as a means of producing sounds in the multimedia
environment.  MIDI data offers the advantage of requiring far less storage than
waveform data. For example, suppose a three-note chord-middle-C, E and G- is
held for one second. The storage required to store this information as 16-bit,
PCM, 44.1kHz, stereo waveform audio data requires 172KB, while the storage
required for the MIDI commands is only 18 bytes.

Another advantage of storing musical performances as a series of instructions
is that the information can be edited, the same way words in a document can be
edited by a word processor. The musical editing process can be used, for
example, to correct mistakes in an artist's original interpretation, or to
change certain points of style before playback or final recording. Playback of
MIDI data using the sequencer media device can be used to reproduce the
original performance.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.5. CD Audio Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  CD( CompactDisc
)audiomediadeviceprovidesaccesstodevicesthatreadcompactdiscsforthepurposeofplayingCDAudio .

A typical use for CD audio is to provide high quality audio for use in a
presentation.  Another use of CD audio would be to provide detailed audio help
for an application user.  Instead of the usual hyperlinked text and graphics,
an entire step by step audio tutorial might be stored on a compact disc in
several different languages.

A mixed-format compact disc holds CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) file
system data as well as CD-DA (Compact Disc-Digital Audio) track format data. An
example of the use of a mixed format disc is an application that contains
several symphonies by a famous composer. The actual audio is stored as a series
of CD-DA tracks. Also stored on the disc (but in CD-ROM file format) is a
program, the actual music score, and perhaps a data base on the composer's
life. When the application is started, the audio from a symphony can be played
using the CD audio media driver, while the user is allowed to study the music
score. Additionally, the user might retrieve facts on the composer, such as how
old the composer was when the symphony was written.

Depending on the type of CD-ROM drive installed, the audio data on a CD-DA disc
is either processed by a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that is built into
the drive, or it is moved through the system to a Digital Signal Processor
(DSP) on an audio adapter. Some CD-ROM drives can only play CD-DA audio data
through the built-in DAC. Others, like the IBM PS/2* CD-ROM-II Drive, can play
through the DAC, or they can stream data through the audio adapter DSP.

The advantage offered by playing CD-DA through the DAC is that it is a simple
operation that greatly reduces system and resource overhead. The advantage
gained by streaming data through an audio adapter DSP is that you can
potentially enhance the signal beyond the capabilities of a built-in DAC by
adding special effects with a full-feature DSP-capabilities the built-in DAC
may not provide.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.5.6. CD-XA Device ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  CD - XAmediadeviceprovidesaccesstodevicesthatsupportCD - ROM / XAdiscs .

CD-XA (Compact Disc-Extended Architecture) refers to a storage format that
accommodates interleaved storage of audio, video and standard file system data.
CD-XA data is stored in a file system format on the discs, and playback control
is managed by the CD-XA media device in cooperation with the amplifier mixer
device. The digital audio data is reproduced by an audio adapter, while the
video and data segements are delivered to the application for appropriate
processing or display.

CD-XA takes advantage of a special ADPCM audio compression mechanism that not
only yields a low data rate but also enables more audio data to be stored on a
disc than that allowed by a CD-DA disc. ADPCM (Adaptive Delta Pulse Code
Modulation) is an audio compression technique that allows up to a 16 to 1
compression of audio data.

By compressing the audio data (in some cases to 1/16 the size of CD-DA data) it
now becomes possible to record multiple audio tracks on a single disc. With
CD-XA level C, recorded in stereo, it is possible to interleave 8 different
audio tracks on a single disc. With CD-XA level C, recorded in mono, this
number climbs to 16 different tracks on a single disc.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.6. Multimedia I/O Services ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  MultimediaI / O( MMIO )functionsenablesubsystemcomponentssuchasMMPM /
2mediadriversandapplicationstoaccessandmanipulateavarietyofdataobjects
,includingimages ,graphics ,digitalaudio ,anddigitalvideo
.Theseobjectscanbestoredinavarietyoffileformatsonavarietyofstoragesystems .

The MMIO manager uses installable I/O procedures (IOProcs) to direct the
processing of files. There are three basic types of IOProcs: file format,
compression/decompression (CODEC), and storage subsystem.

A file format IOProc processes the data within the object. Each IOProc handles
a specific file format and does all the processing required for that file
format. For example, a MIDI IOProc reads and writes the data that comprises the
command sequences for the MIDI sequencer. This method of isolating all
processing that is format-dependent in an IOProc enables applications, media
drivers, and stream handlers to work with any format supported by an IOProc.

A CODEC IOProc is used to compress and decompress multimedia data. CODEC
IOProcs are currently used by the digital video media driver to decompress
video contained in an AVI file.  Again, use of the IOProc isolates all system
components from the particular compression format.  New CODEC IOProcs can be
installed as they become available.

A storage system IOProc unwraps the data object so it can be read and written
to by a file format IOProc. These IOProcs are independent of the format of the
data object contained within the wrapper.

A file format IOProc can call upon the services of a storage system IOProc. For
example, the MIDI IOProc might need to call a storage system IOProc to access a
MIDI data element stored within a file containing multiple file elements. The
MIDI IOProc uses MMIO functions to access data from storage system IOProcs
supported by MMIO.

MMPM/2 has three internal file storage system IOProcs:

ΓöîΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÉ
Γöé FILE STORAGE TYPE        Γöé DESCRIPTION OF I/O PROCEDURE         Γöé
Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
Γöé DOS                      Γöé Manages standard OS/2 disk files.    Γöé
Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
Γöé MEM                      Γöé Manages a file in memory without     Γöé
Γöé                          Γöé accessing the file system.           Γöé
Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
Γöé CF                       Γöé Provides functions that operate on a Γöé
Γöé                          Γöé Resource Interchange File Format     Γöé
Γöé                          Γöé (RIFF) compound file to ensure       Γöé
Γöé                          Γöé storage system transparency at the   Γöé
Γöé                          Γöé application level.                   Γöé
ΓööΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÿ

MMPM/2 also provides custom file format IOProcs for accessing non-RIFF data in
standard image, audio, and MIDI file formats. Currently supported file formats
include OS/2 bit map, Device-Independent bit map (DIB), AVC image, AVC audio,
SoundBlaster audio, and MIDI. For guidelines on writing a custom IOProc, refer
to the MMPM/2 Subsystem Programming Guide.

MMIO has a set of options in its API to support two modes of file access:
translated and untranslated.  These modes enable an application to access data
in its native format, or in a standard format, when performing I/O operations.
An IOProc can be written to support both access methods.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.7. Stream Programming Interface ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The  StreamProgrammingInterface( SPI
)providesservicesfortheimplementationofdatastreamingandsynchronizationbymediacontroldrivers
,eliminatingtheneedforeachdrivertoprovideitsownsolutionforthesecommonmultimediarequirements .

Pairs of stream handlers implement the transport of data from a source to a
target device while the Synchronization and Streaming Manager (SSM) provides
coordination and central management of data buffers and synchronization data.

Making SSM a centralized and architected feature of MMPM/2 guarantees a quality
system solution to the synchronization of different data streams, which is
especially significant in advanced multimedia applications requiring
synchronized audio and video.

The following stream handlers are provided with MMPM/2. Additional stream
handlers can be installed as required. For more information see the MMPM/2
Subsystem Programming Guide.

File system  System memory
MIDI mapper  Multitrack
CD-DA audio  Audio
CD-XA        Video


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Multimedia Presentation Manager Toolkit/2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Product  developerscanincreasetheirproductivitywiththeMMPM / 21 . 1toolkit
,whichisincludedonCD - ROMwiththedeveloper ' stoolkitforOS / 22 . 1
.IncreasedproductivitybeginswithasimpleinstallationfromCD -
ROMusingthemultimediainstallationprogram .

MMPM/2 Toolkit Features

o Fully documented sample programs.
o Sample code for all major functions.
o Captioning system
o Useful tools in Neat Stuff folder
o Audio Recorder sample

Once installed, the toolkit sample programs illustrate the use of the
comprehensive multimedia device and data handling capabilities of MMPM/2.
There are working sample programs for every major function in the MMPM/2
system.  As the sample code can be freely incorporated into real products,
developers can be immediately productive without incurring a steep learning
curve.  Product developers will be able to focus on product-specific function
instead of investing large amounts of time providing the multimedia
enhancements.  The MMPM/2 technical library provides detailed information and
discussion on each sample program.

Complete online documentation provides a quick effective reference to all
system APIs, messages, and features, including code examples and helpful notes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.1. Complementary Products from IBM ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

OS/2 Device Driver Source Kit

The Device Driver Source Kit for OS/2 contains documented source code and
detailed information on how to build device drivers for OS/2 and MMPM/2.

The kit covers the complete range of OS/2 physical and virtual device drivers,
from printers, displays, SCSIs and CD-ROM drives, to the device drivers for
PenPM and MMPM/2. Comprehensive descriptions of all the device driver
interfaces and system services are included.

Coming Soon to an OS/2 System Near You

A digital motion video product will be available soon from IBM that provides
creation and editing facilities for digital video.  Movies created with this
product can be played back by the software support already shipped with every
copy of OS/2 2.1.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Summary ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Operating System/2 2.1 will have a significant impact on how people use
computers in the '90s.  Even more significant will be its initial impact on
software developers. With OS/2 2.1, a developer can enjoy the productivity
benefits of developing with a 32-bit, preemptive multitasking operating system.

For multimedia applications, OS/2 2.1 has the technology to provide viable
business solutions.  Preemptive multitasking means that no application will
unnecessarily consume the precious resources of the processor.  Because this
policy is enforced by the operating system, there is no need to rely on the
good will of other application developers as in a cooperative multitasking
system. This is especially important for multimedia applications where
consistent throughput is essential in order to maintain the quality of a
presentation.

Also essential to multimedia applications is the demand-paged virtual memory
support in OS/2 2.1.  Memory usage is optimized and the flat memory model can
make programming a breeze.  Memory is seen as a completely linear space up to
512MB. As with all previous versions of OS/2, version 2.1 provides protected
memory to guarantee a stable development and end user environment.

The addition of Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 (MMPM/2) creates a premier
multimedia programming environment.  All hardware devices are controlled
through a full-feature, 32-bit, device-independent programming layer called the
Media Control Interface.  Developed as a joint standard between IBM and
Microsoft Corporation, the Media Control Interface greatly reduces the expense
of adding multimedia capabilities to applications.  In addition to insulating
applications from the underlying hardware, MMPM/2 also shields applications
from different data formats and provides a completely extensible architecture
to allow the incorporation of new multimedia devices and multimedia data
formats.  A centralized synchronization and streaming manager provides
dependable data transport and synchronization services.

Based on the solid technological foundation of OS/2 2.1, the Multimedia
Presentation Manager/2 brings a literal explosion of sights and sounds to
modern personal computing.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Related Technical Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Multimedia Presentation Manager Toolkit/2 includes an online programming
reference and a Getting Started publication. The following related publications
can be ordered separately by calling 1-800-IBM-PCTB.

MMPM/2 Application Programming Guide - (71G2221)
          Provides guidelines for developing MMPM/2 applications. Code examples
          from fully documented sample programs accompany the descriptions of
          the application programming interfaces.

MMPM/2 Subsystem Development Guide - (71G2223)
          Provides guidelines for developing multimedia subsystems. Each
          subsystem component is described in detail in individual chapters.
          Models are used to complement the information provided by component
          sample program templates.

MMPM/2 Programming Reference - (71G2222)
          Provides detailed information on multimedia functions, messages, and
          data structures to enable you to write code for your multimedia
          application programs and subsystems.

Guide to Multimedia User Interface Design - (41G2922)
          Describes design concepts to be considered when designing a CUA
          multimedia interface that is consistent within a particular
          multimedia product and across other products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Trademarks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following terms, denoted by an asterisk (*) in this publication, are
trademarks or service marks of the IBM Corporation in the United States or
other countries:

CUA         Common User Access
OS/2         Operating System/2
PS/2         Personal System/2
IBM
Ultimotion
Multimedia Presentation Manager/2
Multimedia Presentation Manager Toolkit/2
Presentation Manager
Workplace Shell

The following terms, denoted by a double asterisk (**) in this publication, are
trademarks of other companies as follows:

Microsoft      Microsoft Corporation
Windows       Microsoft Corporation

Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1993.  All rights
reserved
Note to U.S. Government Users - Documentation related to restricted rights -
Use, duplication, or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ASP
Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you place a bookmark on a topic, it is added to a list of bookmarks you
have previously set.  You can view the list, and you can remove one or all
bookmarks from the list.  If you have not set any bookmarks, the list is empty.

To set a bookmark, do the following:

 1. Select a topic from the Contents.

 2. When that topic appears, choose the Bookmark option from the Services menu.

 3. If you want to change the name used for the bookmark, type the new name in
    the field.

 4. Select the Place radio button  (or press the Up or Down Arrow key to select
    it).

 5. Select OK.  The bookmark is then added to the bookmark list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can specify a word or phrase to be searched.  You can also limit the search
to a set of topics by first marking the topics in the Contents list.

To search for a word or phrase in all topics, do the following:

 1. Choose the Search option from the Services pull-down.

 2. Type the word or words to be searched.

 3. Select All sections.

 4. Select Search to begin the search.

 5. The list of topics where the word or phrase appears is displayed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can print one or more topics.  You can also print a set of topics by first
marking the topics on the Contents list.

To print the document Contents list, do the following:

 1. Select Print from the Services menu.

 2. Select Contents.

 3. Select Print.

 4. The Contents list is printed on your printer.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can copy a topic you are viewing into a temporary file named TEXT.TMP.  You
can later edit that file by using an editor such as the System Editor.

To copy a topic, do the following:

 1. Expand the Contents list and select a topic.

 2. When the topic appears, select Copy to file from the Services menu.

The system copies the text pertaining to that topic into the temporary TEXT.TMP
file.

For information on any of the other choices in the Services menu, highlight the
choice and press the F1 key.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can control the appearance of the Contents list.

To expand the Contents and show all levels for all topics, select Expand all
from the Options menu.

For information on any of the other choices in the Options menu, highlight the
choice and press the F1 key.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the IBM Corporation


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the IBM Corporation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Based on system configuration with a 25Mhz 386 processor and SVGA or XGA video
support.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the Intel Corporation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the Microsoft Corporation


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the Lotus Development Corporation


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the IBM Corporation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden>  ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Trademark of the Microsoft Corporation