Looking for ressources about video

[p4t0z3u]

Hi everyone (especially girls ;)),

I'm getting interessed in getting knowledge about the structure of video files (using different codecs for example), how it works, how it is played / decoded, what it is concretly.

I'm looking for websites explaining all of this. I'm been googling a lot, but I never found relevant information that could explain a complete newbie like me in video developpment (but not in general programming) how video is designed / what it is really (i say anything: for example a following of still pictures, i'm sure i'm wrong).

My primary goal is to be able (if i have the courage, given that it is a totally spare time "project") for example to play a MPEG2 file !
In fact, what i'd like to do would be to start everything from scratch (if possible, by avoiding using existing library).$

Of course, I will not re-invent "video" wheel ;) but this has always been for me the best way to understand how things are made (and i think you will understand me).

So my "request" if so, is for any websites / books buyable over the web, newsgroups, that could help me apprehend all of this stuff about video (in general and especially when handled over a PC).

I'm open to any suggestion.

thanks for reading me,
p4t0z3u

[Guest]

Start with a book called "Video Demystified".

[p4t0z3u]

I can see this reference on amazon:

"Video Demystified: A Handbook for the Digital Engineer
de Keith Jack"

it may be the one, right ? (third edition out in march 2001)

and hey :cool: what an honor, Donald Graft himself answering my post...

the magic of the web :D (and i like your cat, too)

[Neo Neko]

You might also considder narrowing your topic down. Video is a huge topic. Even just the analog side ala PAL, SECAM, NTSC, and PAL NTSC hybrid broadcast standards and formats will keep you occupied for quite a while. I saw you mention decoding MPEG2. Which either MPEG2 or MPEG1 even would be good starting points. More specifically MPEG video streams in MPEG containers. Because they can be in other containers which might just make your first forray less enjoyable. I think that if you say specifically what format you want to start with you might get some more suggestions as to refference material. I know there are tons of MPEG refference material in pockets across the net. I might have some links and I will dig them out if aplicable. But dealing with MPEG stuff I am sure there are quite a few members here that can contribute good links. Syskin [works on Xvid], Nic [IIRC his job has involved some coding for MPEG2], Tbarry [I have always been impressed by his knowledge], and Neuron2 [practically every Virtualdub user knows his name ;)].