Table Of ContentThe official guide to CD-I Production
from Philips Interactive Media Systems
The
CD-I
PRODUCTION
The
CD-I PRODUCTION
Handbook
The CD-I Series
Introducing CD-I
This book provides a comprehensive non-technical
overview of CD-I and is aimed at anyone interested in
the implications of this revolutionary technology.
The CD-I Production Handbook
Aimed at the video and audio production teams involved
in making CD-I titles, this book contains detailed
examples exploring the concepts and central issues
involved.
The CD-I Design Handbook
Aimed at designers with a technical background but no
knowledge of CD-I, this book provides detailed,
practical coverage of CD-I design. The different stages
of CD-I design are richly illustrated with a wealth of
examples.
The CD-I Programmer's
Handbook
Aimed at CD-I programmers, this book is the standard
programming manual on CD-I.
The official guide to CD-I Production
from Philips Interactive Media Systems
The
CD-I
PRODUCTION
Handbook
PHILIPS IMS
ADDISON-WESLEY
PUBLISHING
COMPANY
Wokingham, England ■ Reading, Massachusetts • Menlo Park, California • New York
Don Mills, Ontario • Amsterdam • Bonn • Sydney ■ Singapore
Tokyo • Madrid ■ San Juan ■ Milan ■ Paris • Mexico City ■ Seoul ■ Taipei
© 1992 Philips Electronics UK Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
permission of the publisher.
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish
their products are claimed as trademarks. Addison-Wesley has made every
attempt to supply trademark information about manufacturers and their
products mentioned in this book. A list of the trademark designations and
their owners appears on p. viii.
Cover designed by Chris Eley
and printed by The Riverside Printing Co. (Reading) Ltd.
Text designed by Valerie O'Donnell
Illustrations by Howie Twiner
Typeset by Electronic Type & Design, Oxford in 10/13 Candida and Futura
Printed in Great Britain by William Clowes, Beccles, Suffolk
First printed 1992.
ISBN 0-201-62750-7
Philips and Addison-Wesley would like to acknowledge TMS,
Computer Authors for the initial draft, and Carol Atack for carrying
out the final editing of this book. We would also like to thank the
many reviewers who have contributed valuable comments as the
project progressed and especially Clive Shepherd of EPIC Interactive
and David Matthewson.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Preface
CD-I (Compact Disc Interactive, or interactive television) is a
new medium and, as such, ways of working with it are still being
developed. This book is aimed at anyone wishing to turn an idea
for a CD-I disc into a programme that is ready to be played. It
covers all the steps required to implement a CD-I design, with
particular emphasis on practical opportunities and problems
unique to CD-I.
Developing and producing a CD-I programme is a major
project, which requires many skills. Some CD-I producers may
be working on their own or as part of a small team whose
members share most of the tasks and most of the skills required
to complete them. Others will be part of a large enterprise in
which each member of the team has a clearly defined and
demarcated role; in this case the person who created the
programme concept may have only a small role in the produc
tion process, and a team of designers and animators may create
and finish parts of the programme from a design originated by
a smaller team.
Modelling the design and
production process
Most practitioners agree that CD-I is best served by beginning
with a detailed design for a programme, testing the design as it
is developed by prototyping and developing sample modules,
Preface
and then proceeding to implement the design to produce the
finished programme.
However, the design and production phases can never be
fully separated. Apart from the fact that in many cases different
stages will be worked on by the same people, each stage has to
be informed by the requirements of others. It is, for example, no
use creating a programme design that will prove to be impos
sible to produce. And those working on the production side
need to be aware of the creative integrity of the design, and to
involve designers if changes have to be made.
Although flexibility should be paramount throughout the
design and production process, a structured way of working is
vital because of the size of a CD-I project. Several hundred
megabytes of data go on to the disc itself, while source materials
can run to many times this, and are spread across many media.
Good organization and a methodical way of working are vital
during the production phase.
Who needs to know about CD-I
production?
A wide range of staff can be involved in the production phase
of CD-I. The designers and creative staff who came up with the
original programme concept will probably still be involved in
the project and will need to be aware of the constraints of the
production process, both in creating the original design and
amending it when required
Designers with specific skills, such as animators, will find
that this book provides an overview of the entire process of
which their work is a part. The same applies to picture editors,
sound editors, programmers and other specialists.
Some CD-I programmes will feature newly recorded original
material, whether sound or video, and the staff involved in pro
ducing this will need to know how their work is going to be used.
vi
Preface
Finally, the producer or project manager, or whatever title is
given to the managers who oversee the entire production
process, should find that this book gives them an insight into
their role and its demands.
Who should read this book?
This book is intended for all those working in the production of
CD-I programmes, whatever their role, and also for those
interested in commissioning CD-I material but unsure of what
to expect. It should ideally be read in conjunction with the other
books in the series, which provide further insights into particu
lar aspects of CD-I. Introducing CD-I provides the type of in
formation that potential producers, designers and those com
missioning programmes are likely to want when first looking
into CD-I. The CD-I Design Handbook is a source-book for de
signers, providing an introduction to designing interactive
media, CD-I technology and its possibilities, and tips on work
ing methods for CD-I designers. Finally, The CD-I Program
mer's Handbook is a practical guide for CD-I programmers.
Trademark notice
Apple™, HyperCard™, Macintosh®, and MPW™ are trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc.
Betacam SP™ is a trademark of Sony Corporation
DECK™ is a trademark of Digidesign
IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation
MediaMogul™ is a trademark of Optlmage Interactive Services Co., l.p.
The Balboa Runtime Environment™ is a trademark of Philips Interac
tive Media Systems, Inc.
Microsounds™ is a trademark of Microtechnology
OS-9® is a trademark of Microware Systems Corporation
Paintbox™ is a trademark of Quantel, Ltd
Photoshop™ is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.
Sun 4™ and SunSparc Station 1™ are trademarks of Sun Microsystems,
Inc.
SuperCard™ is a trademark of Aldus Corporation
UNIX™ is a trademark of Bell Laboratories
CD-RTOS is the copyright-protected property of N.V.Philips and Sony
Corporation
