Core Java Media Framework

Wise development in the Java universe comes from a combination of proficiency in the language and a practical understanding of the turbulent flows of the marketplace. In Core Java Media Framework, software engineer Linden deCarmo pulls no punches in laying out the state of Java multimedia support and equipping his readers with the tools they need to build media-rich applications.

The book focuses on the Java Media Framework (JMF)--Sun's second try at a usable streaming multimedia API. From the very beginning, the author sets the "good news/bad news" tone for the title. This isn't simply a technical tutorial; it reads as a chronology of the advances and pitfalls of Java multimedia evolution combined with the technical details of the JMF. Through this approach, deCarmo equips his readers with a well-rounded perspective in addition to technical prowess.

After explaining the background and structure of the JMF, the author takes you through the creation of a multimedia player applet. Subsequent chapters discuss various compatibility twists, show how to create a CD player, stream Internet media, and much more. Although this paperback centers around a particular Java API, it offers a much broader understanding of Java multimedia as well. Working Java coders should consider this book a useful Java survival guide. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: JMF history, JMF architecture, JMF-Swing application development, JMF and JavaBeans, player synchronization, real-time streaming, CD-player construction, and the future of JMF.