Speed Up Your Site[c] Web Site Optimization

Here's a quick recap of what you have learned in this chapter. You learned about the multiple audio data types out there and found out why MPEG-4 is the new audio format to watch.

You then read about the many different video data types such as QuickTime, WMP, and Real, and learned about the strengths and weaknesses of each. Additionally, you learned about the different methods of delivering your audio or video through streaming, progressive downloading, or straight downloading, and discovered how to compress or encode your files for specific needs.

You covered all aspects of videofrom discussions about which hardware to get, how to plan capturing video for use on the Internet, which players are better or worse , and how to optimize your videoand got suggestions for delivering it.

Here is a list of highlights from the chapter:

• QuickTime, RealMedia, and Windows Media Player are the leading video formats.

• Flash, Shockwave, Shockwave 3D, and Cult3D are the leaders in web animation.

• The limitations to multimedia are CPU speed and your customer's bandwidth.

• Remember to keep in mind your goals, your target audience, any limiting factors, and any potential copyright issues.

• When shooting video for the Internet, reduce outside and background noise and use professional equipment, a tripod or stabilizer, and a lot of light.

• When optimizing video, crop the edges, reduce the noise, adjust the gamma, and deinterlace.

• When compressing video, remember that the higher the data rate, the better the quality, but the bigger the file. Use the data-rate formula ( W*H*FPS/35000 ) as a starting point, and always use 2-pass VBR and a multiple of 10 times your FPS for your keyframes.

• When optimizing Flash content, remember these variables : audio, bit rates, reuse symbols, keep animation to a minimum, and generate a file- size report to test.

• When optimizing Flash code, remember to code in Flash 4 whenever possible (version 4's coding style is faster), keep your scripts less than 64K, and use local variables.

• When optimizing Shockwave, remember that the majority of the file-size savings is in the bitmapped graphics and any imported audio.

• When creating PDFs, minimize the number of bitmapped images, objects, and fonts. Use default fonts where possible. Substitute vector images wherever you can.

• To optimize PDFs, eliminate unnecessary objects, subset your fonts, minimize bit depth, use 72 dpi for bitmapped images, and use compression where possible. Use the latest PDF version that most users have, and use Distiller or an optimization tool for minimum file size.