Audio and Video Basics

Abstract

If we are talking about interactivity, we are going to want to use audio and video. For years we had to use "hacks" such as Flash or Silverlight to add these crucial elements to the web, but we now have audio and video built directly into HTML. In this chapter we go through the ins and outs of both elements (that is, <audio> and <video>) so that you can use them without hesitation. I also introduce you to some new techniques such as manipulation, and we will touch on optimization techniques too. In later chapters we will be exploring the depths of audio creation and we will be creating a media player in the process. This chapter gives you the grounding you need to do that.