Chapter 1: Introduction to Multimedia - Addis Ababa University

Chapter 1:Introduction to Multimedia

•Overview of multimedia and multimedia system

•Why multimedia

•Types of multimedia

•Application areas

1chapter1: Introduction to Multimedia

What is Multimedia?

• Derived from the word “Multi” and“Media”– Multi

• Many, Multiple,

– Media• Tools that is used to represent or do a certain

things, delivery medium, a form of masscommunication – newspaper, magazine / tv.

• Distribution tool & information presentation –text, graphic, voice, images, music and etc.


Definition: Multimedia Systems

• The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

– 1. The combined use of media, such as movies, music, lighting, CD-ROMs, and the Internet, as for education or entertainment

– Multimedia is the presentation of a (usually interactive) computer application, incorporating media elements such as text graphics, video, animation, and sound, on a computer. • It is the melding of the sensory power of television with the data

manipulation and interactive capabilities of computer

Definition: Multimedia Systems

• The presentation of a computer application, usuallyinteractive, that incorporates media elements such as text,graphics, video, animation, and sound on a computer.Multimedia melds the sensory power of television with thedata manipulation and interactive powers of computer.

• A multimedia system is characterized by computer-controlled, integrated production, manipulation,presentation, storage and communication of independentinformation, which is encoded at least through continuous(time-dependent) and a discrete (time-independent)medium.

Key Properties of a Multimedia Systems

• Discrete and Continuous Media

– At least one discrete and continuous media

• Independent Media

– Separate each media independently

• Computer-Controlled Systems

• Integration

Definition of Multimedia

• Multimedia is a combination of text, graphic,sound, animation, and video that is deliveredinteractively to the user by electronic ordigitally manipulated means.

TEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION


Elements of Multimedia

TEXTTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

A broad term for something that contains words to expresssomething.

Text is the most basic element of multimedia.

A good choice of words could help convey the intended messageto the users (keywords).

Used in contents, menus, navigational buttons



TEXTTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Example



GRAPHICTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Two-dimensional figure or illustration

Could be produced manually (by drawing, painting,carving, etc.) or by computer graphics technology.

Used in multimedia to show more clearly what aparticular information is all about (diagrams, picture).



GRAPHICTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Example



AUDIOTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Produced by vibration, as perceived by the sense ofhearing.

In multimedia, audio could come in the form of speech,sound effects and also music score.



AUDIOTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Example



ANIMATIONTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

The illusion of motion created by the consecutivedisplay of images of static elements.

In multimedia, animation is used to further enhance /enriched the experience of the user to furtherunderstand the information conveyed to them.



ANIMATIONTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Example



VIDEOTEXT

AUDIO

GRAPHIC

VIDEO

ANIMATION

Is the technology of capturing, recording, processing,transmitting, and reconstructing moving pictures.

Video is more towards photo realistic image sequence /live recording as in comparison to animation.

Video also takes a lot of storage space. So plan carefullybefore you are going to use it.


Interactive Multimedia

• When the user is given the option of controlling the elements.

Hyper Media

A combination of hypertext, graphics, audio, video,(linked elements) and interactivity culminating in acomplete, non-linear computer-based experience.


Interactive Multimedia Systems• Interaction

– Thought - Something that you do to yourself ~ internal process (mental state)

– Action - Something you do to an object in the world. The effect is that something in the world has changed. E.g.: pressing key, clicking mouse button

– Interaction - Involves the participant in going outside the individual. Two way process. E.g.: give a query to search engine which can return an outcome of my search.

• Properties

– Various media integration – High level degree of interactivity between user and computer– Digital environment

Example

• Interactive Multimedia


Application Areas of IMS

• Education

– Computer Aided Learning (CAL)

– E-Learning (World Wide Web)

• Training

• Point of Sales Information (Kiosk)

– Direct visitors around the large complexes

• News Delivery, Broadcasting and Advertising

• Commerce and Business Applications

• Virtual Reality (Games)

The History of Multimedia

• 1972 – A Game of Pong (first commercial multimedia product)

• 1973 – ATARI (laser disc, used in game cartridges)

• 1973 – IBM Discovision (first multimedia interactive kiosk products)

• 1978 – Apple II (with floppy drive)

• 1981 – Microsoft and IBM (IBM PC)

• Christmas 1981 – Nintendo hit the market (30 million machines)

• 1982 – Apple II had voice synthesis capability

The History of Multimedia• 1980s – mouse was invented by Xerox Corp.

• 1984 – Macintosh using mouse

• 1984 – Virtual Reality was invented by NASA, input devices using HMD (Head-Mounted Display) and Dataglove

• 1985 – Macromind (Macromedia) produced VideoWorks, later changed to Director (the most widely used cross-platform multimedia authoring tool)

• 1986 – first electronic encyclopedia, first international conference on multimedia, first CD-ROM

• 1987 – Mac II (first color GUI)

• 1988 – CD-R (CD-Record)

• 1989 – Creative Labs (Sound Blaster sound card)

The History of Multimedia

• 1990s – Adobe released Photoshop.

• 1990s – Windows 3.0 multimedia enabled by Microsoft

• 1992 – first children ‘s interactive book title “Just Grandma and Me”

• 1993 – double speed CD-ROM drives as a multimedia standard

• 1993 – Web Browser Mosaic

• 1994 – Web Browser Netscape

• 1995 – Multimedia PC, 32 bit, Windows 95. Later followed by Windows 98, Windows 2000

Input Devices1. Keyboard, mouse (track balls, joysticks, etc)

2. graphics tablets - drawing

3. Scanner – capture image from printed material

4. Digital camera - capture and transform image into digitalform

5. Touch screen for kiosk application

6. Analogue audio input from microphone and audio player

7. Networking support for fail distribution

8. modem

Output Devices

• High resolution screen, 256 colors (at least) – outputvideo

• Speakers, amplifier or tape devices - Output audio

• Network with capacity at 10 millions bit/second

• Analog modem at 28 800 bit/second speed. ISDNdigital modem at speed 128 000 bit/second.

• Printer

Storage Requirements

• At least 32MB RAM to produce good quality ofgraphics, audio, video, etc

• VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) to supporthigh color definition

• Hard disk at high volume capacity with good drivesystem speed to support graphics, video, audio, andanimation processing.

• Secondary storage CD-ROM, Magnetic Tape, etc

Hypermedia– Hypermedia is a way of organizing multimedia information

by linking media elements.

– Hypermedia has grown out of a fusion between hypertext and multimedia.

– Hypertext was developed to provide a different structure for basic text in computer systems :• text is essentially sequential in nature, even though its structure is

hierarchical (chapters, sections, subsections, paragraphs)

• hypertext was developed to permit more random access between components of text documents, or between documents, to allow a greater degree of flexibility and cross-referencing than a purely linear or sequential model would allow.

Hypermedia

Chap.1 Chap.2 Chap.3 Chap.4 Chap.5 Chap.6

A sequential text

Chap.6

Chap.5

Chap.4

Chap.3

Chap.2

Chap.1

A linked, self-referencing text

Hypermedia– The structure of a hypermedia organizations is called ahypermedia web, which consists of a number of multimediaelements or nodes with links between them.

– Links represent semantic relationships, thus when a linkexists between two nodes they must be related in somefashion :• a digital image linked to a textual description of it

• a slide-show linked to an audio commentary

– Most widely used hypermedia tools are hypermediabrowsers, which let users view nodes and traverse linksbetween them, and markup languages, such as HTML, whichallow users to create hypermedia webs as structureddocuments.

Hypermedia

A Simple Hypermedia Web

Text Node

Image Node

Audio Node

Example

• Hyper MediaMain Page

1. Video link

2. Image link

3. Audio Link


Linear VS Non-Linear

• A Multimedia Project is identified as Linear when:

– It is not interactive

– User have no control over the content that is beingshowed to them.

• Example:

– A movie

– A non-interactive lecture / demo show

LINEAR


Linear VS Non-Linear

• A Multimedia Project is identified as Non-Linear when:

– It is interactive

– Users have control over the content that is being showed to them.

– Users are given navigational control

• Example:

– Games

– Courseware

– Interactive CD

NON-LINEAR


Authoring Tools

• Use to merge multimedia elements (text, audio,graphic, animation, video) into a project.

• Designed to manage individual multimedia elementsand provide user interaction (if required).


Authoring Tools• Example:

– Macromedia Authorware

– Macromedia Director

– Macromedia Flash

– Microsoft Power Point


Importance of Multimedia

• There are a number of fields where multimedia could be of use. Examples are:-

– Business

– Education

– Entertainment

– Home

– Public Places



• Business

– Use and Applications

• Sales / Marketing Presentation

• Trade show production

• Staff Training Application

• Company Kiosk



• Education


• Courseware / Simulations

• E-Learning / Distance Learning

• Information Searching



• Entertainment


• Games (Leisure / Educational)

• Movies

• Video on Demand

–Online



• Home


• Television

• Satellite TV

• SMS services (chats, voting, reality TV)



• Public Places


• Information Kiosk

• Smart Cards, Security


Multimedia Products

1. Briefing Products

2. Reference Products

3. Database Products

4. Education and Training Products

5. Kiosk

6. Entertainment and Games


Multimedia ProductsBriefing Products

• Small, straightforward, linear products used to present information quickly and concisely.

• Characteristic of briefing product:

Short Development Cycle

Limited Number of Presentations

Usage of text to present information with limited use of graphic, audio and video.

Have few navigational controls. (mouse click and button press to move from one page to another)

Content and the format are suitable for the audience and fulfill the purpose of the presentation.

1/242chapter1: Introduction to Multimedia

Multimedia ProductsBriefing Products

• Good briefing presentation depends on:

The understanding of the presented subject.

Seamless integration of content.

Consistent layout

• Example:

Corporate Presentation

Sales Presentation

Educational Lectures


Multimedia ProductsReference Products

1/2

• Often used for answering specific questions or for general browsing of information. (stored on CD/ DVD ROM)

• Characteristic of reference product:

Used by wide range of user (small – adult)

Have navigational menu, book marking, searching, printing utility

• 2 Basic classes of reference product:

Generalized Content (dictionary/encyclopedia)

Broad treatment of content at a limited depth

Detailed Content

Focus on specific area and provide extensive information.



• Good usability and success depends on:

The developers understanding the body of information and how the end user will want to access it.

Help function should always available to explain how to access and use the information

• Examples are electronic forms of:

Encyclopedia

Dictionaries

Cookbooks, Historical, Informative

Scientific surveys.



• Example:


Multimedia ProductsDatabase Products

1/2

• Similar to reference product in a sense that large amount of information are made available to the end user.

• Focus on storing and accessing the actual data (multimedia data such as text, graphic, audio, animation and video)

• Characteristics of Database Products are:

Manages multimedia data (large data)

Descriptive finding methods

Content based search

Simultaneous access

Online database

Relational consistency in data management.


Multimedia ProductsDatabase Products

• Examples are:

Google Search

Google Earth


Multimedia ProductsEducation and Training Products

• Similar to textbook or training manuals but have added media such as audio, animation and video.

• Make up a significant share of the multimedia market ranging from pre-kindergarten to postgraduate offerings from technical to corporate training products.

• 2 categories of reference product:

Instructor Support Products

Standalone or Self-Paced Products

Combination Products

• Shares the same characteristics as Reference Product


Multimedia ProductsEducation and Training Products

• Example


Multimedia ProductsKiosk Products

1/2

• A product which is usually stationed at public places and allow the user to find information interactively and also other types of transaction.

• Characteristics of Kiosk Products:-

Limited target users and usage.

User friendly and easily used by user.

Fast response.


Multimedia ProductsKiosk Products

2/2

• Categories of Kiosk

Point Of Information

Provide certain information (example map, timetable etc)

Point Of Sales System

Allow users to purchase or make orders

• Example of Kiosk Products:-

Instant Photo Booth

Banking Kiosk (money deposit, cheque)

University Information Kiosk


Multimedia ProductsEntertainment & Games

• Most popular

• Shipped in the form of Interactive CD / DVD ROM.

• Characteristics of E & G Products:-

Immersive.

Requires constant feedback and interaction with the user.

Challenging and sometimes intriguing for user

Enabled online play for more than one user experience.


Documents

Chapter 1: Introduction to Multimedia - Addis Ababa University