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DTSMediaSoft specialises in media handling tools whose performance meets professional standards. This means:

• Storing "work in progress" in an open-standard file format provided by the Advanced Authoring Format AAF, guaranteeing that work can be transferred to and from AAF conformant applications from other vendors simply by reading a file. This is important for professional use since no single vendor produces a perfect application for every production process. Professionals like to pick and mix. Source media should ideally be stored separately, again in an open format, so that it can be shared around the team rather than locked up inside proprietary file formats.
• Media should be rapidly searchable without causing excessive network traffic. This requires an indexed file format. If market maturity is to be exploited then mpeg2 is a good compression format although it needs additional indexing data. Indexed mpeg4 and other more modern formats can also be used to good effect and offer a small reduction in bit-rate compared to mpeg2.
• Media replay in Windows means DirectShow. Although the learning curve is steep, once you have climbed it and realised that sample code is just that, a sample, you can do anything you like.

I use Delphi as a preferred coding language. It is easy to read, type safe, compiles to efficient code and allows sections of code to be written in assembler for added efficiency. It can also be compiled using a free compiler which offers cross platform code.

The Delphi IDE provides source code for its visual component library (vcl) making it simple to see how the code works and even simpler to incorporate your own components into the IDE or build on the vcl.

My components focus on AAF file formats, audio replay and data collection, mpeg2 video replay across networks, video editing, DVB/T reception and data collection and specialised GUI components. This is an enormous field and life is short so some of my components and their documentation are not yet as fully functional as I would like them to be, but they are getting there. I update the components regularly so if there is functionality you would like to see, or you find a bug, drop me a line. If you want your requirements to move closer to the top of the list then making a donation is a good way to go. The media replay and editing components use my DirectShow filters which are also included in the downloads.

I'm available for software contracts from time to time. My past contracts include development of media encoders, decoders, multiplexers, demultiplexers written in C++ and Delphi as well as specialised User Interface components.

Some Plus points for Delphi

Many high quality Delphi components are free and include source code whereas C++ components appear to cost big money. The IDE is extendable by adding new components. If you are happy with WideStrings rather than Unicode, you can build multi lingual applications using no more than Delphi6.

Delphi code is compact and efficient - there is no need to ship 150MBytes of runtime library to run a 50kByte application. The only thing you need a dll for is to hide proprietary code, which sadly I have been obliged to do with my media components.