That was fast... [Research Woes]

It hasn't taken me too long to get completely lost in this subject. Everywhere you look, there are 20 websites describing the simple features of a file format (MP4 files store audio and video streams, etc). But there isn't one website that explains, for instance, what the first byte of a MP4 file signifies, where in the file the data is stored, the limitations on the data that is stored, or anything else of any use to anyone who wishes to play with the file.

The following library search, "su:MPEG (Video coding standard)" looks to be a good start, but I can't access any of the materials that I want there until my status on UW is upgraded. Until then, I should try and do this search at the EWU library website because I might be able to access online materials through there.

My biggest problem right now is keeping all of the different file formats organized in my head. My experience with movie files has been nothing more than downloading them and playing them. What's the difference between a .avi file and a .mpg file to a user? Nothing, they both play movies on any media player I want. What's the difference between them behind the scenes? Everything. They don't even represent similar concepts for what they are suppossed to do. One is a compression standard while the other just seems to wrap around files already compressed.

And that's not even getting into the mind-boggling number of parts that exist for the standards. MP4 stands for MPEG-4 Part 14 which means that its the 4th version of the MPEG file standard and that the 14th section of the standard describes the file format. So what does this description say? Oh it's not so complicated; part 14 is just based on part 12. So what's part 12? That's simple; part 12 is just the basis for part 14. It's like the people writing this stuff don't get it themselves.

I might have to give up for the day and go talk with Larry's contact tomorrow. This is clearly one of those things that can only be resolved by pinning someone down and asking the right questions until they tell you what these resources are assuming that you already know.