Web Design and Multimedia

MULTIMEDIA FORMATS
Multimedia elements in web design (like sounds or videos) are stored in media files. The most common way to discover the media type is to look at the file extension. Picture formats are recognized by extension like .gif, .jpg as well as others.

Sound Formats: - Sound can be stored in many different formats

The MIDI Format: -- The MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a format for sending music information between electronic music devices like synthesizers and PC sound cards.

Sounds stored in the MIDI format have the extension .mid, .midi

The AIFF Format: - The AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) was developed by Apple. Sounds stored in the AIFF format have the extension .aif or .aiff extension

The MP3 Format (MPEG):- MP3 files are actually MPEG file. But the MPEG Format was originally developed for video by the Moving Pictures Expert Group. We can say that MP3 files are the sound part of the MPEG video format. MP3 is one of the most popular sound formats for music recording. The MP3 Encoding system combines good compression (small files) with high quality. Sound stored in the MP3 format has the extension. MP3

VIDEO FORMAT:-

The AVI (Audio video Interleave) format was developed by Microsoft. The AVI format is supported by all computers running windows, and by all the most popular web browsers. It is a very common format on Internet, but not always possible to play on non-windows computers.

Sound stored in the AVI format has the extension. .avi

THE MPEG Format: - (Moving Picture Expert Group) format is most popular format on the internet its cross-platform, and supported by the entire most popular web browser. Video stores in the MPEG format have the extension .mpg or .mpeg

The Quick Time Format: - The Quick time format was developed by Apple. Quick time is as common format on the Internet, but Quick Time movies cannot be played on a Windows computer without an extra (free) component installed.
Video stored in the Quick Time format have the extension .mov

Using multimedia elements on your website can enhance how your site/business is perceived online. It is however very important not to overdo the number of multimedia elements on your website. If you are unsure how to integrate music, sound or video to your website, why not use a professional web designer who can guide you through the process?

Keith McGregor is a partner of Strawberrysoup, a web design agency with offices in Chichester and Bournemouth. Strawberrysoup specialise in creative web design, content managed websites, search engine optimisation, search engine marketing and graphic design