Java Media Framework (JMF)

Introduction

JMF allows Java developers to develop multimedia applications that can be purely Java-based or you can install performance packs for Windows, MacOS, etc. that will give native support and faster performance.

Getting Started

Here are a few quick steps for getting started:

1. Bookmark the JMF web site as mentioned above.
2. Spend some time reading the JMF Reference Documentation
3. Download the Javadoc.
4. Download the Java-only class libraries or install the performance packs for your operating system. For Windows users, you might want to read my post that details what you get with the Windows Performance Pack.

Articles

The following articles are worth reading before you jump into doing real JMF programming. The first articles by Chris Adamson are especially helpful for painting a good picture of JMF.

• Chris Adamson - Rebooting Java Media, Act I: Setup
• Chris Adamson - Rebooting Java Media, Act II: Development
• Chris Adamson - Rebooting Java Media, Act III: Conclusion
• JavaWorld - Programming multimedia with JMF, Part I
• JavaWorld - Programming multimeida with JMF, Part II
• JavaWorld - Java Media Framework Player API
• Andrew Davison - Playing Movies in a Java 3D World, Part I
• Andrew Davison - Playing Movies in a Java 3D World, Part II

Enhancements

The following libraries can enhance JMF or replace it completely:

• MP3 Plugin - Adds MP3 playback capabilities to JMF. The plugin needs to be registered by placing it in the lib\ext dir of the JRE.
• FOBS - C++ Wrapper for ffmpeg.
• FMJ
• JVLC
• FFMPEG
• JFFMPEG
• MPEG-4 Video for JMF
• IBM Toolkit for MPEG-4