[Playlist] Catalyzing Clipping with Fundable / Future XSPF Spec Changes & Extensions

[Kent Bye]

Lucas suggested that I post this message here.

It has to do with the following three issues:
   1.) Fundable project to catalyze clipping implementation
   2.) Possible multi-track support
   3.) Extent of multimedia support planned for XSPF


BACKGROUND CONTEXT
I'm working on a collaborative audio/video editing documentary project, 
and I've run into limitations with how Quicktime implements SMIL video 
and audio. There is a long wait to load the entire video clips before 
being able to preview it since there is no support for any type of 
progressive downloading.

But with audio, small MP3 files provide a load time that is reasonable 
and I've been able to successfully implement SMIL's clipping functionality.

Here is a demo of a SMIL playlist sequence of three clipped sound bites:
http://www.echochamberproject.com/sequence/2/play

More details on this here on how this will be integrated with sequence 
editing here: http://www.echochamberproject.com/node/750


DESIRES
I'd like to be able to also do video sequencing with better user 
interface and better support for progressive downloading than SMIL.

I haven't yet come across any Flash players that support SMIL with 
clipping functionality -- and Lucas doubts that such a player exists -- 
and so I'm looking at other options.

bLiTz's XSPF flash player plays flv and swf files also caught my 
attention for the potential to take XSPF beyond just audio files:
http://blitz-xplore.blogspot.com/2006/05/latest-version-of-my-xspf-player-some.html

The first need that I have to make XSPF practical for my use would be 
implement clipping functionality that has been requested by a number of 
other people.

A second feature that I would need is to be able to have some sort of 
multi-track capability.  For editing audio sequences, then being able to 
have a first audio track of interview material with a second track of 
CC-licensed background music that is played at a lower dB level.

I would also need to have multi-track capability with independent 
control of video and audio.

At this point, the required changes to the core XSPF playlist spec would 
move it more towards a lightweight SMIL edit decision list.

So this is the point where I asked Lucas the following questions about 
the direction of XSPF


QUESTIONS:
[1] Why doesn't the XSPF community start a fundable project, specify how 
much money it would take to pay for implementing the clip start/ clip 
end XSPF extension into one of the Flash MusicPlayers, and then pay for 
developing it.

Would a $1000 bounty be enough of a catalyst to have someone start to 
implement this and get the ball rolling?
If not, then how much?
What projects would be interested in helping test it and provide input?


[2] Does XSPF has any plans for supporting a parallel tracks analagous 
to SMIL's <par> & <seq> functionality:

<seq>
  <par>
   Track #1
  </par>
  <par>
   Track #2
  </par>
</seq>

There seems like there is some overlap with this type of functionality 
with what Djs would want to be able to do with XSPF.

[3] Is there other interest and desire within the XSPF community to 
consider video/multimedia functionality?

If and when clipping is implemented, then where is the line drawn 
between playlists and edit decision lists?
Is to possible to have a combination of core spec changes and extensions 
to implement this and still remain simple and lightweight?


Thanks,
-Kent Bye.
Director, The Echo Chamber Project
http://www.echochamberproject.com


More details on this project:
Video: Media, Politics & Social Change: An Overview of The Echo Chamber 
Project
http://www.echochamberproject.com/media_politics_socialchange

Iterative Media: Treating Collaborative Media Like Open Source Code
http://www.echochamberproject.com/iterative_collaborative_media_open_source_code