Book details of 'Web Video Complete (McGraw-Hill Complete Series)'

Title	Web Video Complete (McGraw-Hill Complete Series)
Author(s)	Martin Nemzow
ISBN	0070464049
Language	English
Published	October 1997
Publisher	Computing McGraw-Hill

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Web Video Complete (McGraw-Hill Complete Series)':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Although the Web is hot, a more accurate title might be "Net Video Complete," or even "Computer Video Complete." Not limited to production of video for Web pages, this book really emphasizes video conferencing and other computer uses of video technology. After a brief introduction in chapter one, chapter two looks at hardware. I am part of the "Grandparent market" that Nemzow frequently cites, and was very interested in the recommendations for different types of cameras, video capture cards, sound cards, and so forth. This book is not quite as helpful as, say, Cheryl Kirk's overview of "The Internet Phone Connection" (see reviews), but it does cover a very large field, and does require that a greater variety of technologies and peripherals be dealt with. There was not as much critical evaluation of specific hardware as I would have wanted to see, and I'm sure that business users would be just as interested in this level of detail. Chapter three looks at software. However, it seems to deal less with actual video software than with network protocols, network configuration, operating system drivers, and network resources. There is a rather mixed bag of topics as we stroll from dynamic IP address allocation to Four11 to firewalls to CU-SeeMe. Again, chapter four, looking at compatibility, deals only briefly with actual video conferencing systems, and at much greater length with modem standards, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), video standards, and audio and video storage formats. Video construction techniques, in chapter five, is even more of a mixed bag. The text touches on planning, story technique, Web page design, scripting, lighting, analogue to digital conversion, video production software, special effects, graphics, soundtracks, compression, file transfers, and even a little HTML (HyperText Markup Language). This seems at odds with some of the earlier emphasis on personal and business video conferencing, and more closely related to the preparation of video clips for the Web, but, at the same time, some of the production is far beyond what Web pages would require. Chapter six, on Web video plumbing, looks at bandwidth and other networking issues, but does so primarily from the perspective of the server, ignoring the consumer, and the fact that regardless of how much backbone bandwidth you may have, a browse is only as fast as its slowest routing link. Back to video conferencing, in chapter seven, with thorny issues such as pornography, legal jeopardy, and how much noise your laser printer makes. Chapter eight goes back to Web video online, discussing etiquette, pornography, HTML, Web cams, streaming multimedia, backups, video conferencing security, Internet telephony security, Web site security, legal problems, troubleshooting, and health care. Chapter nine describes the contents of the CD-ROM. There is a great deal of information is this book, and much of it is valuable. There are, however, two major problems. The first is that the book can't seem to decide who the target audience is: the professional videographer, the TCP/IP enthusiast, the business video conference organizer, or the home hobbyist. The second is that the organization is rudimentary at best, and finding specific information is difficult. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1997
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Book description:

The next mass wave in WWW communications? Without a doubt it's Web video phones and Web videoconferencing, which will make communicating by the Internet as commonplace as using a telephone. Best of all, anyone with the right equipment can start riding the Web video wave for under $100 right now-if they consult this hands-on guide. Designed for a broad audience, this book shows readers how to choose the right hardware, software, ISDN and Internet connections; use Java applets; download video in real time ("videostreaming"); go online with video presentations; and other innovations. Nemzow gives the lowdown of all the key technologies and vendor's products, while the enhanced web site contains helpful utilities and installation procedures for CU-SEE-MEE software and other popular Web video packages. Technology, strategy, dollars-and-sense issues-this package covers all the bases for leading-edge users ready to make the plunge into Web video.