| Haven't movies changed in 100 years? First silent films | | | | So when a movie is downloaded what do you actually |
| with a man playing music live, then the 'talkies' and then | | | | download? It is quite simply a computer file - but of |
| color movies. Movies have been delivered to us | | | | course they come in many types! Here are the main |
| differently over time too, movie theaters, drive in | | | | bits of movie file jargon that you may come across. |
| movies, then Multiplexes and then home cinema | | | | MPEG-4: this is a standard for a file for video and |
| arrived. Then it got complicated. From Betamax | | | | audio, compiled by the "Moving Picture Experts Group" |
| through VHS. From VHS onto DVD. And now digital | | | | (hence MPEG) and it is their 4th version of the |
| and HDTV! We all know the story so far - but may | | | | standard. So you can now download movies in |
| find it confusing! | | | | MPEG-4 format - but this can take time as the files |
| But are you up to date with the latest? Are you new | | | | are so large! |
| to the Internet and totally bemused by all the jargon? | | | | DivX: created by DivXNetworks, this is a file that |
| Have you got an ipod or PSP and don't know what to | | | | enables fast movie downloads without losing any |
| do with it? | | | | picture quality - and DivX is also based on the MPEG4 |
| Do you know your P2P from your DVD? Do you | | | | file standard that we mentioned above. |
| confuse your MP3 and MPEG-4? Have you got your | | | | Codec: although it sounds mysterious, this is a piece of |
| codecs and plug-ins set up correctly and not | | | | software that enables file COmpression and |
| exceeded your download quota or bandwidth? What | | | | DECompression to transfer it across the internet. |
| does it all mean and does it matter if all you want to | | | | MP3: short for "MPEG Audio Layer 3" - from MPEG |
| do is watch some movies? | | | | again. This is for digital audio only, it uses a |
| The terms get longer, the speed of change is faster, | | | | compression method that means smaller file sizes. |
| confusion increases. Whilst I watch a downloaded film | | | | You lose some information but most people can't hear |
| on my laptop my uncle needs to help to program his | | | | the reduction in quality. So it's great for music |
| old VHS recorder! This speed of change is opening up | | | | downloading and playing audio on an MP3 player. But |
| a huge gulf between different users and this gap | | | | this is only for music, not for movies. |
| seems to continue to grow. | | | | P2P: short for peer to peer. This is a method of |
| You can now easily download movies and films to | | | | sharing and downloading billions of movie and music |
| watch when you want, with perfect digital quality. You | | | | files. Peer-to-peer is simply a form of computer |
| can even watch them where you want - perhaps | | | | network that does not rely on a server and client, but |
| download some movies to you ipod or burn films to | | | | each computer is connected to several others - great |
| DVD and watch on any laptop or on the TV as | | | | for downloading and sharing home video and audio |
| normal. | | | | content between them. Even when files are |
| But to do so it helps to learn the new language and if | | | | compressed it can take time and sharing the load |
| you are interested in joining in the movie downloading | | | | amongst several computers is a great way to harness |
| revolution then some basic knowledge of the essential | | | | the power of the internet. |
| terminology will help. | | | | So when you've downloaded movie files - how do you |
| So where to start? Let's start with something we think | | | | watch them? |
| we know: | | | | On Windows PCs these files will usually play without a |
| DVD: "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc" - | | | | problem on the standard Windows Media Player, |
| these discs look like CDs (compact discs) but hold | | | | particularly if you have the latest version. |
| more data and are now used for storing digital movies. | | | | For Macs, QuickTime is both a file format and a player. |
| A DVD can be used for storing your music and | | | | QuickTime has been around a while. You can |
| computer files if it is rewriteable. There is no space | | | | download the player from the Apple website and you |
| here to explain the difference between all these | | | | can run it on a windows PC. |
| permutations - DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and the | | | | The next step is to get all these movies on your PSP, |
| rest - that would be a separate article in itself! | | | | iPod or Zune - but that's for another article! |