Interactive Media normally refers to Products and Services on Computer-Based Systems which respond to the User's Actions by presenting content such as text, images, video, audio etc. This is one such software, using which user can add Comments, Scribble (free hand writing), Answer Questions etc. on a running video.

Indigo Architects has developed this Software that represents a significant step towards integrating interactivity with regular videos. Our software is currently used to drive interactivity in Microsoft Community Portal.

Thoughts Behind Trinity

In today's world, majority of video technology offers one dimesional interaction for example if user wants to add Comment, he/she adds it, but it's related to video NOT ON THE VIDEO. If this comment addressed to a specific time, user can not associate time with comment. It is displayed simply as text in a seperate location than video.

Also now-a-days videos are playing a major role in Learning; it can be a new technology or a simple Chole Recipe. But there is no way to evaluate the learning done or knowledge gain by the viewer. On similar terms; there are scenarios where the video is of an hour but actual relevant content is of say 10 mins, but for those 10 mins user is forced to watch whole video. Wouldn't it be great to have an Index (similar what we have in books) which helps to do this?

The Concept

Every Video consists of two streams Video Stream and Audio Stream, synchronized on time line. If we embed one more stream into this video which will give us the desired behavior; interactivity can be achieved. Also to understand this embedded behavior user will require a smart client, which at the end react according to the embedded behavior.

In Jodhaa Akbar example, we have embedded a Tag Stream using Microformats, which our Media Player (Smart Client) understands and displays a pop showing details of Jodhaa's Necklace; by clicking which user can buy the necklace.

This way we have successfully added many behaviors to a normal video. Text Comment on the Video at a Specific Time, Scribble Comment, Displaying Questions on the Video, Bookmark a Video at a Specific Time are some of the behaviors which are being used in Microsoft Community Portal.

Technology

Trinity mainly consists of two parts a Smart Client and Data Provider. This Smart Client can be build using any media framework like Flash, Silverlight etc.. For Data Provider we have use Web Services.

As toolset provided for Microsoft Technologies are easily available as well as We have used following Microsoft Technologies to build Trinity to integrate Interactivity:

• Smart Client:

  Using Silverlight we have built the heart of Trinity. Silverlight made it possible for us to play with Video Stream, it helped us in embedding our own stream into the Video. Trinity uses our Custom Controls and Behaviors to achieve Interactivity.

• Web Services:

  Trinity is architured keeping Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) in mind. WCF Services Services plays a vital role in Trinity, it takes cares of all the Information required by our Silverlight Media Player. Using this Information Player adds different behavior to Video. As Silverlight Player resides on Client Machine, WCF Services is the only way through which player can acquire the information.