Multimedia file formats

Your task: find out about as many different image and video file formats as you can, and learn some vocabulary along the way.

Form groups of 2. Using http://google.com and other resources, create a table (Word, Excel, or Google Docs) comparing different (1) image and (2) video file formats in terms of size, platorm (IBM/PC), application(s) (how it would be likely to be used), quality, purposes, and (if applicable) educational use in K-12 schools. You should be able to find at least 20 image formats and at least 10 video formats. (Note that video formats consist of file formats and codecs...try to differentiate the two in your list.)

Find an image in "tiff" format on the web. (You can use this one.) Using Adobe Photoshop Elements, save the image in as many file formats as you can. You may need to use the "image" menu to convert to different types of images before you "save as." Make notations on your table about what you discover during this process.

Here are Craig's results from the TIFF exercise:

Also, write definitions of the following terms as you work:

• bitmap
• vector graphic
• pixel
• resolution
• compression
• lossless
• lossy
• palette
• grayscale
• web-safe
• RGB
• CMYK
• Indexed color
• codec
• composite video
• HD
• NTSC
• PAL
• progressive scanning
• sampling
• Y/C video
• Y/color difference component video