Microsoft has announced a new format for storing and organizing digital media data on writable discs and has introduced a significant update to Windows Movie Maker, a tool for editing digital video. Following closely on the high-profile launch of Windows Media 9 Series, the moves are a continuation of Microsoft's efforts to make the PC a better tool for digital media.

Format Aids Navigation, Performance

Developed by Microsoft and Matsushita, High Performance Media Access Technology (HighMAT) is designed to make it more convenient for consumers to record digital media from a PC onto a writable disc such as a CD-RW and then play that disc on other devices. HighMAT is not a new digital media format; rather, it defines a new way of organizing digital media data, and works with many existing media formats, including Windows Media Format (Audio and Video), MP3, MPEG-4, and JPEG for pictures. It will be licensed to other companies under undisclosed terms.

Its creators claim that HighMAT will solve two problems:

Navigation consistency. Today, there's no standard way for consumer electronics devices to read information about the contents of a writable disc. For example, one device might be able to read only enough information to offer users a simple playlist with track numbers, while another might offer a searchable playlist with artist names and song titles.

HighMAT discs contain an additional metadata file with information about the contents of a writable disc, such as the title of each file, the file type, and the total number of files on the disc. HighMAT devices will be guaranteed to be able to read this metadata file, offering a more consistent navigation experience to users.

Performance. Because devices have a difficult time identifying the content on writable discs—particularly when the discs contain a large volume of content or files of different types—there is often a delay of seconds or even minutes before a device begins playing the disc. HighMAT will allow devices to figure out what's on a writable disc more quickly, solving this problem as well.

HighMAT Support So Far

The final version of Windows Media Player 9 (due out by the end of this year) and Windows Movie Maker 2 will support the creation of HighMAT-formatted CDs. HighMAT requires audio files to be encoded between 64Kbps and 160Kbps; thus, when writing to a HighMAT disc, the Media Player automatically converts files outside these parameters (e.g., WAV files, 216Kbps MP3s) to Windows Media Audio files at the closest appropriate bit rate.

In 2003, Matsushita will manufacture Panasonic CD and DVD players that recognize the HighMAT format. However, HighMAT CDs will be backward-compatible with the ISO 9660 standard, meaning that they will be playable in any device that can play data CDs today.

FujiFilm has announced it will support the format in unspecified future products—one example might be the CD-ROMs of digital images that consumers can order from photo developers. Microsoft and Matushita also hope to enlist support from ISVs that make DVD-burning software, which would enable HighMAT to be used on writable DVDs (Microsoft's digital media applications do not write to DVDs), and from other consumer electronics companies.

Windows Movie Maker 2 Beta

Microsoft has released the beta of Windows Movie Maker 2, a significant upgrade to its consumer-oriented tool for editing video on a PC.

The update, which only runs on Windows XP, brings what was a bare-bones tool for capturing and splicing digital video footage closer to competitors such as Apple's iMovie. The Movie Maker interface has been redesigned around specific tasks (e.g., "capture from video device," "make titles or credits") and a new AutoMovie feature can take up to 60 minutes of raw video and turn it into a three- to five-minute clip complete with transitions, credits, and audio. Other improvements include a library of more than 130 video effects, transitions, and titles; the ability to include two audio tracks (one from the video source and one from an additional input, such as an audio CD); and the ability to optimize the quality of a particular clip to fit within a certain file-size limit.

The improvements make Movie Maker more competitive with Apple's iMovie, which comes with new iMacs, and could help Microsoft reduce consumer perception that Macs are better for working with digital media.

Resources

More information about HighMAT, including a contact address for information about licensing the format, is available at www.highmat.com.

Windows XP users can download the Movie Maker 2.0 beta at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/moviemaker/.

For background on Windows Media 9 Series, see "Windows Media Platform Updated with Series 9" on page 3 of the Nov. 2002 Update.