[whatwg] Some <video> questions

Charles lists07 at wiltgen.net
Thu Jan 31 15:01:47 PST 2008


> Inserting a [SWF] file into a video element is similar to inserting
> an HTML file that happens to have a link to video: sure, it links
> to a video, but it does a billion other things too - it isn't
> in itself the video.

I hear you.  FWIW, here's a QuickTime Movie that's also not in itself the
video:  http://wiltgen.net/tempy/badder.mov

Please pardon the content.  It's what I had handy from some previous
testing.   :^)

Sementically that Movie *is* video (even though technially it contains no
media), and so it seems desirable to want to embed it using <video>.  And
we'll be able to in Safari, but not IE.  Or at least, I'm pretty confident
that Apple won't be packaging QuickTime as DirectShow filters.

Imagine the QuickTime plug-in being able to register itself with IE's brower
as a handler for <video> types that IE otherwise wouldn't handle.  That
seems like a very desirable thing, but the more we talk the more it seems
outside the scope of what HTML5 can solve.

> ...it is not possible to get a FLV from a SWF, making it impossible
> to directly control the video.

It is possible to get the FLV from a SWF, but I think you're saying that you
think that SWF is inappropriate for <video> because there's no way to (for
example) random access through the video from an external control?

-- Charles





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