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Media

  • 18 Feb 2025: Replaced table of MIME Types with link to new topic page.

Introduction

The <media> element is used to capture and display video and audio content. The <media> element should always be used as a direct child of a <fig> element, or within an <alternatives> element, which is a direct child of a <fig> element. <media> should not be used in a stand-alone manner outside of another element.

In the print and online PDF version of the article, a flat image is used in place of the video. When an alternative flat image is supplied, it should be tagged alongside a <media> element using an <alternatives> element.

MIME Types

The @mimetype and @mime-subtype attributes must be populated with the correct values based on the type of multimedia file being referenced. See MIME Type for details.

Supported file formats for embedded media are:

  • Video: mp4 (preferred), flv, webm, mov
  • Audio: mp3 (preferred), aac

Media File and Folder Naming Conventions

Media files follow the naming convention below.

Example file name: BATC_A_123456_M0001.zip

Pattern: {journal acronym}A{articleid}_MED{sup file id}.{ext}

For current content, media file names and file IDs will be stored in CATS and supplied in CATS data. For scanned (retro) and converted content, the files should be named according to the conventions above. Each media file should be given an ID that should begin with ”MED” followed by a unique 4-digit number.

For scanned or converted content, each media file should be placed in an article-level folder named ”media”. Each media file referenced within the XML must be present within the article-level ”media” folder. Each media file present within the article-level ‘media’ folder must be referenced within the article XML.

Media File Size Limits

Strictly speaking, there is no hard file size limit for a single media file, however, we advise authors to keep file sizes as small as possible given that they must be downloaded by readers in order to access the content. If a media file exceeds 250MB, the following validation warning will be triggered:

“Media file [FILENAME] exceeds the 250MB advisory limit and may result in excessive download times. Consider reducing the file size”.

Examples

Correct tagging (media object with no alternative flat image)

<fig id="F0001"> 
<caption> 
<title>Video 1</title> 
<p>Video of interview with Prof. Berkley </p> 
</caption> 
<media id="MED0001" xlink:href="CJAC_A_824818_MED0001.avi" mimetype="video" mime-subtype="x-msvideo"/> 
</fig> 

Incorrect tagging (<media> ID naming convention not followed)

<fig id="F0001"> 
<caption> 
<title>Video 1</title> 
<p>Video of interview with Prof. Berkley </p> 
</caption> 
<media id="F0001" xlink:href="CJAC_A_824818_F0001.avi" mimetype="video" mime-subtype="x-msvideo"/> 
</fig> 

Correct tagging (media object with alternative ”print-only” flat image)

<fig id="F0001"> 
<caption> 
<title>Video 1</title> 
<p>Video of interview with Prof. Berkley</p> 
</caption> 
<alternatives> 
<media id="MED0001" mimetype="video" mime-subtype="mp4" xlink:href="GMEA_A_1550756_MED0001.mp4"/> 
<graphic xlink:href="GMEA_A_1550756_F0001_PB.tif" content-type="black-white" specific-use="print-only"/> 
</alternatives> 
</fig> 

Incorrect tagging for media object with alternative ”print-only” flat image (mime type missing)

<fig id="F0001"> 
<caption> 
<title>Video 1</title> 
<p>Video of interview with Prof. Berkley</p> 
</caption> 
<alternatives> 
<media id="MED0001"xlink:href="GMEA_A_1550756_MED0001.mp4"/> 
<graphic xlink:href="GMEA_A_1550756_F0001_PB.tif" content-type="black-white" specific-use="print-only"/> 
</alternatives> 
</fig> 

3D model tagging (not currently required by typesetters)

<fig id="F0003a"> 
<label>Figure 3a.</label> 
<caption> 
<p>3D model of a looted stone-lined tomb at the site of Fifa</p> 
</caption> 
<alternatives> 
<graphic xlink:href="YJFA_A_1713282_F0003a_OC.jpg" content-type="sketchfab2D"/> 
<inline-supplementary-material  content-type="sketchfab" xlink:title="3D Model" xlink:role="iframe" xlink:show="embed" xlink:href="https://sketchfab.com/models/fd3e3ffa4027451abdd7819cc277ea59"/> 
</alternatives> 
</fig>