Datasheet

Playing video

It’s becoming more apparent every day that video is going to be a major component of the new age

of user interfaces. Video is compelling, and computers now are sufficiently powerful to use this

medium extensively. Blend supports many video formats including: ASF, AVI, DVR-MS, IFO, M1V,

MPEG, MPG, VOB, WM, and WMV. Basically, all the file formats that Windows Media Player 10

supports are available. Blend also allows you to play video at various resolutions, including High

Definition (HD). You can play the video on any part of the interface that you specify for video, and

you can allow the user to resize the video image interactively. You can provide the user with video

playback controls as well as volume controls, or you can make your application control when the

video is played, paused, or restarted. You can also play video on a 3D object, have it conform to

the 3D surface, and even make it possible (and easy) for the user to animate the position, scaling,

and rotation of the video on the 3D surface.

Video and audio can be added to the same timeline that is used for animation. You can define trig-

gers, such as a mouse-over or mouse-click on a button, to start or stop the audio or video from any

point in the timeline that you specify without using any programming. Figure 1.6 shows an exam-

ple of a video player created in Blend.

For more information about using video in Blend, see Chapter 14.

For more information about controls and layouts in Blend, see Part V.

FIGURE 1.6

A video player created in Blend that automatically resizes for all window sizes.

Using audio

With Blend you can create presentations containing recorded audio, or you can attach audio to

buttons so that when the user moves the mouse over the button, the audio plays. Why have silent

user interfaces? Speech and music are integral parts of the world. They can now be integral parts

of user interface design. With Blend, you can also allow users to control their own volume and

CROSS-REF

Designing Next-Generation User Experiences

Part I

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