The File Interchange Handbook

The authoritative work on file formats for global film and television! The FILE INTERCHANGE HANDBOOK is a must-have reference for every film and video professional moving to computer based production and distribution. It is the only book that gives a complete scrutiny and breakdown of all file formats for the transfer of images, sound and metadata. Geared to a global audience, this text will get you the information that you need to learn this brand-new technology. Upcoming industry trends are mapped out alongside technology standards in this complete guide. Learn the purpose, functionality, and structure of each standard format with this single major reference on file interchange. This handbook is the one-stop resource you want for this essential technology. Table of contents: Intro--Brad Gilmer, Gilmer & Associates, Inc. 1. History / background--Hans Hoffman, EBU 2. Metadata dictionary--Oliver Morgan, Metaglue Corporation 3. Digital Picture eXchange (DPX)--Dave Bancroft, Thomson 4. General eXchange Format (GXF)--Bob Edge and Ray Baldock, Thomson Grass Valley 5. Material eXchange Format (MXF)--Jim Wilkinson, Sony, and Bruce Devlin, Snell & Wilcox, Ltd 6. Advanced Authoring Format (AAF)--Phil Tudor, BBC 7. Windows Media 9-Advanced System Format (ASF)--Nick Vicars-Harris, Microsoft Corporation 8. Apple QuickTime--George Towner, Apple Computer, Inc. Praise for the File Interchange Handbook: "Brad Gilmer has assembled a timely and valuable reference work covering the technical and structural aspects of file formats and wrappers used for processing program content. The book provides a clear, concise description of the file wrappers together with valuable background and applications information. It has been tailored for the practicing engineer and technical manager. Chapters on the SMPTE Metadata Dictionary and the Advanced Authoring Format are particularly relevant. This book is a valuable reference work for every practicing broadcast and teleproduction engineer, every Information Technology professional, and those in the telecommunications field who are actively involved in the manufacturing, management, transport or delivery of media and entertainment content." - Gavin Schutz, Chief Technology Officer, Ascent Media Group "I found this book to be an excellent up to date reference manual and a "must read" for anyone currently involved in the design and implementation of multimedia facilities. It helped me to gain a better understanding of issues that must be addressed as we transition our stations from traditional base band audio video environments to a file based IT infrastructures." - Ira Goldstone, VP chief technology officer Tribune Broadcasting "In the mid '90s, CNN and other broadcasters recognized the need for standardized file exchange of broadcast material. Our technology plans mapped a path to an integrated production environment that was based on video files instead of video streams. With these new systems, we wanted to ensure that we could continue to leverage the best technology for the various parts of our production systems while taking advantage of more efficient content access. This created a strong need for open, standardized methods of exchanging video files that would support a variety of compressions and Metadata. These protocols needed to handle everything from simple file exchange to complex authoring formats for content in active production. Because of these needs, CNN pushed the industry to create several of the formats discussed in detail in this book and provided active user requirements during their creation. Within the next year, CNN will have systems in place that use MXF for file exchange between our production editing, playback and archive systems. And we have decided that all future systems will support MXF and AAF." - Gordon Castle, Senior Vice President, CNN Technology "Worldwide, the transition from traditional video systems to those based on IT is creating opportunities in all quarters. Enter the ubiquitous use of the file; files for archive, streamed files, just-in-time file transfers, proxy files, video server files, compositional metadata files, digital cinema files and the list goes on. Our industry was in desperate need for a file format guidebook until this reference came along. This is just what the doctor ordered. The formats in this book will become the cornerstones of all professional video systems for years to come. Don't get left behind. The file format train is leaving now and this book is your ticket to ride." - Al Kovalick, Strategist and Pinnacle Fellow, Pinnacle Systems