AGENDA

 

INTRODUCTION

COMPUTERS IN MULTIMEDIA

MEDIA FORMS

MULTIMEDIA HARDWARE RELATED ELEMENTS

CD/DVD

COMPONENTS OF MULTIMEDIA

MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multi-media is creative presentation of a combination of various media elements such as Text, graphics, animation, sound, video etc. delivered thru electronic medium in an interactive way. The digital technology is used to represent these media information and thus computers are usually present everywhere in the Multi-media area.

 

Applications of multimedia are diversified into all walks of life from Education to Business presentations, from Health Sector to Entertainment areas, from Knowledge Sharing and learning to Publishing, From Tours and Travels to Sports and from Science to Music industry .

 

Multi-media Technology:

 

Technology which deals with processing and presenting the various media forms usually containing sound, animation or video in some combination is called Multi-media technology.

 

Multi-media Title:

 

A software/hardware combination packaged together to present some information using multi-media technology in an interactive way is a MM title. e.g.   A science encyclopedia, A Game, A karoke music

programme

 

Multi-Media Based Application:

 

A computer program that is used to utilize the multimedia related capabilities such as audio/video/animation capabilitites of the computer systems in an interactive way.

 

 

 

 

 

As the digitization of media forms became possible, so the usage of these forms started taking entry into COMPUTERS.  The moment Living Sound and Video took entry into computers, the MM revolution started (1989).

 

 

Real / Live sound recording/Playback made possible by using Digital Signal Processing Technology. Processor which are designed to process real world events, which occur randomly and as bursts. 

 

Simultaneously video also took entry into computers with Video-Blaster technology providing video onto computer screen’s window with sizing and capture capability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        Media Forms are Temporal (That run progressively in time) or Non-Temporal (That are not related to time)

 

·        Following Information forms are identified.

 

·            TEXT ( Non – Temporal )

·            IMAGE ( Non – Temporal )

·            ANIMATION ( Temporal )

·            SOUND ( Temporal )

·            VIDEO ( Temporal )

·            VIRTUAL REALITY ( Can be any type )

 

·        TEXT: Symbolic representation of natural languages. It adds emphasis.

 

·       IMAGE: Symbolic Representation of Ideas or 2D representation/Photograph of  Real life Object. It enahances the visual impact. e.g. Line Drawings, Icons, Photographs, Model Drawings.

 

·       ANIMATION: Progressively built images run in a sequence to give effect of motion. It attracts attention and also helps to focus it.

 

·        SOUND: Information media which is perceived by human ear. It helps to persuade the audience.

·            Voice: Sound as produced by Human beings.

·            Music: Sounds played in a definite pattern with a Pleasing effect. Predefined frequency and perceptible notes are already identified.

·            Noise: Sounds in any pattern without a pleasing pattern.

 

·       VIDEO: Electronic presentation of real-life objects in motion. It helps to communicate powerfully with clarity.

 

·        VIRTUAL REALITY: Electronic presentation of real-life object which gives a feeling of space and presence of the viewer at the site being presented. It helps to involve the audience completely. e.g. simulation systems,  3D modelling, Walk-thrus etc.

 

The word “Graphics” is used to represent any thing related to imagery Image, Animation, Video etc.

 

·        Pentium Class CPU, with sufficient RAM >= 128 MB

 

·        SVGA or Better VGA Monitor (800x600, 1024x768 Pixels)

 

·        Video Memory

 

·        Video Card / Graphic Accelarator Cards

 

·        16 bit or better sound card

 

·        MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) feature

 

·        Hard-Disk Drive

 

·        CD-ROM/DVD/COMBO Drive

 

·        Image Compression/Decompression Drivers

 

·        Audio Codecs / Compression Decompression Drivers

 

·        Video Capture and Play Hardware

 

·        Video Codecs / Compression-Decompression Drivers

 

·        Image Scanner

 

·        Input devices (KBD, MOUSE, DIGITISER etc)

 

·        Web Cameras / Digital Cameras / Video Cameras

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        CD is the generic term used for All Kinds of CDs.  

 

·        Started as alternate technology for compact cassette and gramophone records and Laser Disc.

 

·        The common Audio-CD used in CD-Players is usually a CD-DA (CD-Digital Audio)

 

·        The Disc which contain Computer Data or a combination of data/music is CD-ROM  (CD-Read Only Memory).

 

·        The common Video CD generally contains MPEG-1 compressed Video/Audio data.

 

·        CD-R (CD-Recordable) were earlier called CD-WORM (Write Once, Read Many).

 

·        Multi-media information is data Intensive and CDs were first high storage compact media with Random Access Capability.  (Maxm. ~650 MB). Thus became popular for multi-media titles distribution.

 

·        8 CM or 12 CM size available. 12 CM currently popular, 8 Cms being costly.

 

·        Uses digital technology.   Laser cut pits and lands to represent 1 & 0.

 

·        16 Bit, 44Khz, Stereo is typical of todays CDs .

 

·        upto 56 X transfer rate ( X=150 Kbps) Drive speeds generally refer to transfer rate on outmost circles of the disc. Average transfer rate is thus lower.

 

·        Standard ISO 9660.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LASER DISC

·        Two Digital and Two Analog channels (For Video), as against CD that contains two Digital Channels only.

·        Both Side Storage.

·        Advantage over Video tape in terms of random access.

 

DVD Family

·        Digital Versatile Disc (earlier called Digital Video Disc)

·        High Capacity alternative for CDs. Upto 25 times more capacity.

·            4.7 GB , SS SL

·            8.5 GB , SS DL

·            9.4 GB , DS SL

·            17 GB , DS Double layer

·        DVD-DV and DVD-ROM variations like CD-DA and CD-ROM.

·        DVD drive can read CD-ROM also.

·            1.2 – 1.4 Mbps transfer rate ~ 8X CD-Drive transfer rate. 1.2Mbps is typically 1 X in the DVD world.

·            DVD drives upto 16 X are currently available.

·            Spin Rates are about 3 times faster than CD-Drive.

·            EIDE or SCSI interface

·        DVD RAM

·            2.6 GB can be written many times

·            contained in special cartridge

·            alternative to MOs (Magneto Optical Disks)

·        DVD-R & DVD-RW are recent additions in the DVD family for one time recording and re-writing purposes.

·        Reed Solomon product code for error handling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        TEXT

·            Fonts ( Font Codes, Glyphs: Element shapes etc.)

·            Sizing, Variations, Colours etc.

·            TrueType or Type manager dependent.

·            Anti-Aliasing effects, Clear-Type Readability Enhancements.

 

·        IMAGES

·            Raster or Bitmap Images

§         File Size related to colour depth ( 2 colour (1 Bit) 640x480 image = 38400 bytes, 16 colour (4 Bit) such image = 153600 butes)

§         Standard BMP/DIB format

§         Compressed variations like GIF, JPG, TIF, PNG etc.

·            Vector Images

§         Curves and lines stored as mathematical equations.

§         Generally Uses Lesser storage space.

§         Resizable

§         CAD Files, WMF, CDR, AI files.

 

·        ANIMATION

·            2D or 3D Animation

·            2D animation is often Pixel based (cel animation)

·            Animation may involve special effects like Morphing ( seemless Change of image from one to another) or Warping ( Step by Step changes using the keypoints between the change)

·            3D animation (uses XYZ axis) involves modeling, animation and rendering with texture wrapping and light effects etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        DIGITAL AUDIO

·            This component gives the real meaning to multimedia.

·            20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.  (Voice about 200 Hz to 4000 Hz)

·            A/D conversion during recording. D/A conversion during playback.  DSP (Digital Signal Processing) technology involved on sound card.

·            High storage requirement (About 1 MB for 1 Min moderate quality audio.  

·            Wav (Pulse Code Modulated) files. 44.1 KHz CD-Audio files.

·            MP3 compression format has revolutionized the audio industry.

 

·        DIGITAL VIDEO

·            Digital Technology makes copies deterioration free.

·            Video capture from regular Analog Cameras. Digital Video Cameras are recent innovation.

·            Digital Video Data Converted to Movie Formats such as AVI (Audio Video Interleaved), MOV, MPEG (Motion Pictures Expert Group) etc.

·            Movie Formats include Video and audio data. 

·            30 Frame/Second standard video display requirement without jerks.

·            A/D and D/A conversion involved in video also.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        AUTHORING OR CREATION SOFTWARES

·            FOR BITMAP IMAGES.

§         Paintbrush – Microsoft ( BMP, DIB, PCX format)

§         Photoshop – Adobe ( PSD, BMP, GIF, PNG formats)

·            For VECTOR IMAGES

§         CorelDraw – Corel (CDR, CGM, WMF formats)

§         Illustrator – Adobe ( AI, WMF formats)

§         FireWorks – Macromedia (Swf, Wmf, AI formats)

·            For ANIMATION

§         Director – Macromedia ( Dir, Dxr formats: Bitmap Animation)

§         Flash – Macromedia ( Fla, Swf formats : vector based animation)

§         Authorware (for program controlled quick authoring of presentations)

§         Powerpoint (For quick business presentation development)

·            For SOUND

§         Sound Recorder (Integrated with windows)

§         Wav Editor – Creative (For wav files)

§         Sound Forge – For advanced Sound Editing

§         Cakewalk – For Music Creators

·            For VIDEO

§         Premiere – Adobe (For frame based video editing and effects)

§         Animator Pro ( For Special video effects.)

§         Video for Windows ( Uses VideEdit, WavEdit, PalEdit, BitEdit)

 

·        PLAYBACK SOFTWARES

·            MEDIA PLAYER – Now extremely advanced to play all sorts of native video-audio formats and the latest formats like MP3, WMV also.

·            QUICK TIME – Apple’s native player now capable of playing interative virtual reality files also.

·            REAL PLAYER – Useful for playing small size streaming audio/video formats on internet.

·            FLASH Flayer – Useful for playing vector animation/video files built using macromedia technology.

·            IRFANVIEW – A popular free multi-image and audio, video format player.

 

 

 

·        DRIVERS/SUPPORT SOFTWARES

·            MULTIMEDIA EXTENSIONS – Developed to support multimedia capabilities in windows OS. It basically supports the RIFF (Resource Interchange File Formats) for audio, video and images.

·            MCI – Media Control Interface . A library built by Microsoft to support all multimedia related functionality for control over sound card, video card, CD-Drive etc.

·            DIRECT-X – Required to uniformly control efficient management of Video, Animation and Audio. Often Used by Modern day Games.

·            Plug-Ins : Often used by browsers to support multimedia elements.

 

·        MULTIMEDIA RELATED FILE FORMATS

·            TEXT: TTF, ATM, FON   (ASCII Code, UNICODE)

·            IMAGES: BMB, DIB, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, CDR, AI, PCD (Photo CD), WMF, CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile). DXF (Drawing exchange format), PSD, PSP (PaintShop Pro)

·            ANIMATION: SWF, DXR, FLI/FLC (Flick Autodesk Format)

·            SOUND: WAV, MP3, VOC (Creative Voice), MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), AIF (Audio Information file)

·            VIDEO: AVI, MPEG, MOV, WMV (Windows Media Video)

·            MCI – Media Control Interface . A library built by Microsoft to support all multimedia related functionality for control over sound card, video card, CD-Drive etc.

·            DIRECT-X – Required to uniformly control efficient management of Video, Animation and Audio. Often Used by Modern day Games.

·            Plug-Ins : Often used by browsers to support multimedia elements.