HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
To sync audio with text using media overlays, you make use of Media Overlay Docu-
ments, which are based on the
Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL)
standard
, an XML vocabulary for multimedia content. Media Overlay Documents are
structured as a series of
<par>
elements that map text in the HTML content documents
to the appropriate portion of corresponding audio files. For example:
<par id="hamlet_act_3_scene_1">
<text src="act3_scene_1.xhtml#to_be_or_not_to_be"/>
<audio src="to_be_or_not_to_be.mp3" clipBegin="0s clipEnd="45s"/>
</par>
Full details and sample Media Overlay Document structure can be
found here in the
document are also covered here.
HTML5 Audio/Video Compatibility in the Browser and Ereaders
HTML5 Audio/Video is currently supported across most major Web browsers (in-
cluding Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, and even [finally!] Internet Exporer), the spe-
cific audio/video formats supported vary from platform to platform, as the HTML5
spec itself is currently format-agnostic. Wikipedia has some nice tables tracking the
current status of
HTML5 audio
and
video support
across the different browsers, but
here's a quick summary of audio formats you should supply to ensure good compati-
bilty:
•
HTML5 Audio:
WAV, MP3, Ogg
•
HTML5 Video:
H.264
MPEG-4, Ogg
On EPUB ereaders, HTML5 audio/video support is more widespread than support for
either Canvas or Geolocation, but is still limited to a few platforms. Here's a rundown
of formats supported by HTML5 Audio/Video-compliant ereaders:
iBooks (v.1.1.1 and higher) for iPhone/iPod/iPad
Video: MP4 (H.264)
Audio: MP3, AAC, WAV
Video: “3gp, 3g2, mp4, m4v; MPEG-4 Simple Profile up to 854x480; H.263 up to
352x288; H.264 Baseline profile up to 854x480”
†
Audio: MP3, WAV, Ogg
Video: MP4 (H.264)
† From the Nook Color FAQs:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nookcolor-support-beyond-ebooks/
