Digital Video and Audio Compression [Hardcover]

Stephen J. Solari (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1997

This text describes the application and performance requirements for the compression of digital video and audio. All existing and emerging standards are examined and compression techniques are explained in a concise manner.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A concise, readable account of the compression technologies crucial to the New Media age This is a chronicle of the basic technologies, infrastructures, costs, and applications of digital video and audio compression. Delivering a concise account of compression's terms, techniques, standards, and tricks in an easy-to-read style, it fills a huge gap for everyone from engineers to executives. . .and those currently working with digital media as well as those who would like to. No other single source provides such a clear overview of the technologies that are revolutionzing modes and means of communication around the glove. You'll find straight talk about: The basic principles underlying digital signal processing and compression.; How human beings see and hear, in relation to how audio and video are reproduced.; All major existing and emerging compression standards; video compression techniques such as differential pulse code modulation, transform coding, and vector quantization.; Adaptive pulse code modulation and other audio compression techniques.; Compression and reproduction requirements of a wide variety of different applications, including videoconferencing. If the fast, creative, and cost-effective transmission of sights and sounds is a subject about which you need to know, Digital Video and Audio Compression is a must read.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 281 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070595380
• ISBN-13: 978-0070595385
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,451,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware, January 10, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Digital Video and Audio Compression (Hardcover)

This book claims to be Video and Audio...the audio part is ca. 20 pages out of 300, is horribly outdated, and is not technical enough to explain psychoacoustic principles involved..it is generally substandard. The video parts also neglect the 'reasons' for various techiniques. The book serves as a compendium of techniques without providing underpinnings.

A beautiful quote 'Mpeg 3 was dropped ... etc' Only if you have the limited point of view of this book....it should called 'Video with Audio' not 'Video and Audio'. There is a BIG difference.

In many respects, DVD Demystified provides more useful figures and information.

Not recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable, yet not over-simplifying, November 22, 2010

By 

Michael Stahl - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Digital Video and Audio Compression (Hardcover)

A very readable, yet not over-simplifying book. On the minus side: it is a bit outdated, so the latest techniques (e.g. H.264) are not covered.

It covers main topics of Video compression with some level of mathematical rigor, but not too much as to make it impossible to read by anyone new to the topic. Most of the math can be skipped without losing the ability for "getting" the main principles.
Audio compression is covered in one chapter (here too the material is at introduction level plus some more details information).

Also covered (somewhat indirectly) are various terms related to video quality (such as blocking, noise, other "artifacts") - with pictures that help understand the concepts.

Some of the chapters have sections which are too detailed if you don't need to develop compression techniques - but this is easy to spot and you can just skip a few pages of math.

The book covers well a large number of basic concepts like color foundations, coding and quantization, compression techniques, MPEG standard (not in huge detail - but a more than just an overview).

I found this book as a very good reading for anyone who takes the first steps into the field of Video compression. As for Audio - one chapter is probably not enough, but is a good introductory material.

8 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Way way in depth, June 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Digital Video and Audio Compression (Hardcover)

This book tells more than you'll ever want to know about digital video compression. It's a great book for engineers who really want to get the theory.