C1: Introduction to Multimedia Applications

Definition of Multimedia: Multimedia means “many media” or “multiple media” and

involves the use of a computer to present and combine text, graphics, audio, and
video with interactive tools

Elements of Multimedia:

○ Text: Printed, scanned, electronic, and hypertext.

○ Graphics: Bitmap, vector graphics, clip art, digitized pictures.
○ Audio: Waveform audio, CD audio, MIDI.
○ Animation: Cartoons, 3D moving objects.
○ Video: Live video feeds, videodisc, digital video.

Categories of Multimedia Objects:4

○ Time-dependent/continuous: Audio, video, animation.

○ Time-independent/discrete: Text, still images.

Characteristics of Multimedia:

○ Integration of multimedia objects.

○ Digital presentation and storage.
○ Interactivity.
○ Combination of continuous and discrete media.
 C2: Graphics

Definition of Graphics:

● Still image with no movement or animation3.

● Underlies text and animation4.

Sources of Graphics:

● Scanned pictures.
● Digital camera captures.
● It was created using graphics software7.
● Collections from CD-ROMs or the Internet8.
● They are generated by computer programs (e.g., charts).

Types of Graphics:

➔ Bitmap Graphics:
● Made of pixels arranged in a matrix.
● Affected by resolution (e.g., 600 dpi).
● Higher resolution means a larger file size.
➔ Vector Graphics:
● Stored as mathematical formulas.
● Compact, scalable, and resolution-independent.

Graphic File Formats:

➔ GIF (Graphics Interchange Format):

◆ Developed by CompuServe in 1987.
◆ Displays up to 256 colors.
◆ Compressed to 20-25% of the original size without loss of quality.
◆ Suitable for clip art, line art, logos, cartoons, and icons.
◆ Supports transparency and interlacing.

➔ JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group):

◆ Developed in 1992, became an ISO standard.
◆ 24-bit color, can display 16.7 million colors.
◆ Smaller file size compared to GIF.
◆ Compresses graphics from 1/10 to 1/50 of their uncompressed size.
◆ Does not support transparency or interlacing.
➔ PNG (Portable Network Graphics):
◆ Published in 1996, W3C Recommendation.
◆ Supports up to 48-bit color.
◆ Offers sophisticated transparency.
◆ Devised to supersede GIF due to licensing fees.
◆ Supported by all major web browsers and graphics programs.

➔ SWF (Small Web Format):

◆ Developed for vector animations using Macromedia’s Flash.
◆ Now an open standard, widely used for vector graphics.
◆ Highly compact and quickly rendered.
◆ Mostly used for animations, increasing use for still graphics.
 C3: Animation in Multimedia

Introduction to Animation:

● Definition: Animation is a series of images or frames that create the illusion of

movement.
● Types: It can be made from digitized video, computer graphics, or both.
● Illusion of Motion: The images are played in sequence to make them look like they
are moving.

Animation Characteristics:

○ Movies: 24 frames per second.

○ TV: 30 frames per second.
○ Computer animations: 12-15 frames per second.

Types of Animation:

● 2D Animation:1
○ Cel Animation: Uses clear sheets (cels) for drawing moving objects
separately from the background.
○ Path Animation: Objects move along a predetermined path.
○ Screen/Object Transitions: Visual effects for transitioning between scenes.
○ Title Animation: Combines visuals and sound to present titles and credits.
○ Frame Animation: Entire image updates each frame; traditional approach56.
● 3D Animation: Involves creating animations with three-dimensional objects.

Animation Authoring Tools:

● Maya
● LightWave
● 3D Studio Max
● Flash
● After Effects

File Size Calculation:

Sure! Here’s a simplified explanation of how to calculate the size of an animation file:

● Frame Size (F): This is the resolution of each frame, measured in pixels (e.g., 320 x
240 pixels).
● Frame Rate (R): The number of frames displayed per second (e.g., 15 frames per
second).
● Color Depth (C): The number of bytes used to represent the color of each pixel (e.g.,
24-bit color uses 3 bytes per pixel).
● Time (T): The duration of the animation in seconds (e.g., 30 seconds).
Formula:

File Size = F(frame) x R(rate) x C(color) x T(time)

Animation File Formats:

● .dir
● .fli
● .max
● avi
● .mov
● .mpeg
● .gif.
 C4: Text & Typography

Text :

● A graphic representation
● To articulate a concept or idea

Text Types:

○ Printed Text: Appears on paper1.

○ Scanned Text: Scanned from printed text using OCR2.
○ Electronic Text: Read by computers and transmitted electronically.
○ Hypertext: Linked text that can launch objects or display additional text3.
○ Animating Text: Text with animation effects.
○ 3D Text: Text with three-dimensional effects.

Typeface vs. Font:

○ Typeface: Set of characters with the same design (e.g., Helvetica, Times).
○ Font: Specific collection of glyphs of a typeface (e.g., Times Roman Bold 12
point)4.

Font Classifications:

○ Monospaced: Fixed-width characters (e.g., Courier).

○ Proportional: Variable-width characters (e.g., Times, Helvetica).
○ Serif: Fonts with strokes at the ends of characters (e.g., Times)5.
○ Sans-serif: Fonts without strokes (e.g., Arial).
○ Decorative: Stylish fonts for emphasis.

Working with Text:

● Readability: Ensure text is readable by considering the precise shape of characters,

their spacing, the layout of lines, paragraphs, kerning, anti-aliasing, and leading2.
● Kerning: Adjust the spacing between specific pairs of letters to achieve a more
uniform appearance.
● Anti-aliasing: Smooth the edges of bitmap text by blending colors on the edges with
adjacent colors to reduce jaggedness3.
● Leading: Adjust the spacing between lines of text, typically measured in points, to
enhance readability and appearance4.

Text Manipulation Software

● Font Creation: Fontographer, FontMonger, FontChameleon5

● Special Effects: ResEdit, Type-Designer, Typestyler, Microsoft WordArt, Adobe
Photoshop6
● 3D Text: Specular’s LogoMotion, Xaos Tools’ TypeCaster, Illustrator, Freehand EPS
 C5: Audio

Introduction:

● Sound: Vibrations in the air that our ears can perceive.

● Produced by a source that creates vibration in the air
● The pattern of oscillation is called a waveform

Sound Characteristics:

○ Frequency: Number of cycles a sound wave creates in one second

(measured in Hertz, Hz).
○ Amplitude: Volume or loudness of a sound (measured in decibels, dB).

Types of Sound:

○ Sound Effects: E.g., door squeak, party crowd.

○ Music: Various musical elements.
○ Narration: Voice describing facts related to the topic.
○ Voice-overs: Short instructions for navigation.

Digitization Process:

○ Sampling: Grabbing sound into small increments (higher sampling rate =

better quality).
○ Quantization: Rounding off continuous values to be represented by binary
bits.

Audio File Formats:

○ WAV: Digitized sound, large file size, high quality.

○ MIDI: Synthesized sounds, small file size, not actual recordings.
○ MP3: Uses perceptual coding, removes unperceived sounds, highly
compressed.
 C6: VIDEO

Definition and Characteristics of Video:

● Video consists of individual frames with both audio and visual images, played
at fast rates to create lifelike motion. Common forms include movies and
television.

Sources of Video:

● Includes VCD movies, commercial CD-ROM clips, television, cameras, and

other analog sources like videotape.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Video:

● Digital video can be compressed, edited, and transmitted easily but requires
significant storage space, high transfer rates, and special equipment.

Video Capture:

● Involves transforming video input signals into graphic images stored on a computer
using a video capture card1.

Calculating Video File Size:

● Video Size = Frame size * Frame Rate * Color Resolution (Bit) * Time (seconds)
● (Note that this does not include audio)

Video Software:

● Examples include Windows Live Movie Maker, Adobe Premiere, and Apple’s
QuickTime.

Video File Formats:

● Includes AVI, MOV, RealVideo, MPEG, and DV.

Quality of Video:

● Influenced by CD/DVD drive speed, video capture card performance, and

computer components.

C7: Applications of Multimedia

Benefits of Multimedia:

● Business: Information can be converted to dynamic charts, illustrations, and colorful

graphics
● Education and training: Computer-based training in CD enables people to learn in
their own time and pace.
● Marketing and sales: Electronic catalogs allow companies to send electronic
versions of their catalogs to households, increasing exposure of their products and
increasing sales by making the shopping process easier.

Applications in Business and Industry:

❖ Interactive multimedia merchandising and virtual shopping.

❖ Multimedia travel systems and real estate virtual tours.
❖ Corporate and just-in-time training, pilot training.
❖ Advertising, electronic brochures, and mass market applications.

Applications in Education:

❖ Art, biology, chemistry, foreign languages, geography, history, music.

Applications in Entertainment:

❖ Video games, interactive movies, virtual reality.

Applications in Government:

❖ Public service kiosks, electronic town meetings, warfare.

Applications in Medicine and Nursing:

❖ Medical training, anatomy, and physiology, virtual surgery.

C8: Hardware and Software in Multimedia

Hardware:

Hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitute a computer system. These
elements include the system unit and input/output devices.

System Unit and Its Components:

● The system unit contains electronic components used to process data.

● Components include the motherboard, CPU (processor), memory, ports, power
supply, and expansion cards.
➔ Memory:
◆ Primary memory (RAM) is volatile and holds data while processing.
◆ Secondary memory (e.g., hard disk, optical disk, USB flash memory)
stores processed information.
➔ Ports:
◆ Ports are points where peripherals attach to the system unit.
➔ Power Supply:
◆ Converts AC to DC power for the computer.
◆ Regulates voltages to prevent overheating.
➔ Expansion Cards:
◆ Enhance specific functions (e.g., video cards for better video quality).

Software:

● System software manages hardware and provides a platform for running

applications.
● Types: Operating system, utility, and device drivers.
● Application software includes general-purpose and specialized programs.

General-Purpose Applications:

● Widely used tools like word processors, spreadsheets, and web browsers.

Specialized Applications:

● Focused programs for specific disciplines or occupations (e.g., help desk

systems, hospital management).

Mobile Applications:

● Designed for smartphones and tablets (e.g., social media, video streaming,
e-commerce apps)

C9: Multimedia Development Methodology

Analysis Stage:

○ Setting Objectives: Define clear application goals.

○ Defining Application Scope: Establish boundaries to meet client
requirements.
○ Hardware and Software Requirements: Specify platform and equipment
needs.
○ Application Initiation: Create a project initiation document.

Design Stage:

○ Outline Design: Identify target audience, conduct needs analysis, feasibility

study, and develop structure.
○ Detailed Design: Screen design, flowcharting, storyboarding, scripting, and
designing multimedia assets.

Development Stage:

○ Produce Graphics: Create and document graphic images.

○ Produce Typography: Edit and place text.
○ Produce Sound: Record and edit audio materials.
○ Produce Video Assets: Handle pre-production, production, and
post-production of videos.
○ Integration: Combine all elements into the final product.

Implementation Stage:

○ Delivery: Ensure all files are present for CD-ROM/Web1.

○ Testing: Conduct integration and installation testing.
○ Training: Educate users on application usage.
○ Maintenance: Plan for future enhancements and upkeep.

Evaluation Stage:

○ Acceptance Evaluation: Assess if the application meets objectives.

○ Application of Evaluation Framework: Implement a structured evaluation
process.

C10: Evaluation of Multimedia Applications

Evaluation Types:

○ Formative Evaluation: Real-time, qualitative, suitable for new programs.

○ Summative Evaluation: Final outcome, quantitative and qualitative, suitable
for overall performance.

Usability Dimensions:

○ Effectiveness: Achieving goals2.

○ Efficiency: Resource usage.
○ Satisfaction: User experience.

Evaluation Framework:

○ Issues Measured: User satisfaction, knowledge, usability, performance.

○ Instruments: Interviews, questionnaires, incident diaries, feature checklists,
focus groups, think-aloud protocols, experiments4.

Testing Episode:

○ Design the Test: Use instruments to capture results.

Results Analysis: Quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (explanatory).

C11: Authoring Tools

Multimedia Authoring and Tools:

 ➔ Integration: Combine elements like graphics, animation, text, audio, and video1.
➔ Organization: Help in organizing and editing these elements.
➔ Interactivity: Design user interfaces and interactivity.
➔ Framework: Provide a structured environment for multimedia projects.

Classification of Authoring Tools:

➢ Time-based: Example - Macromedia Flash.

➢ Card-based: Example - PowerPoint.
➢ Icon-based: Example - Macromedia Authorware.

Basic Features of Authoring Tools:

➢ Editing and Organizing: Create and edit elements, and visual flowcharting.
➢ Programming: Visual programming, scripting language.
➢ Interactivity: Controls for end users, branching.
➢ Playback: Instant testing.
➢ Cross-Platform: Easy transfer across platforms.
➢ Internet Playability: Convert output for HTML.

Multimedia Editing Tools:

➔ Graphics Editing Tools:

◆ Adobe Photoshop: Used to create and edit bitmap/raster graphics2.
◆ Adobe Illustrator: Used to create and edit vector graphics.
➔ Animation Editing Tools:
◆ Adobe Flash: Allows for the creation of motion on a frame-by-frame basis3.
➔ Text Editing Tools:4
◆ Notepad: Used to work with plain text, without formatting.
◆ MS Word: Used to compose, edit, format, and print text and other media56.
➔ Audio Editing Tools:
◆ Adobe Audition: Allows recording, mixing, applying effects, and converting
audio formats.
◆ Audacity: Similar to Adobe Audition, used for recording and editing audio.
➔ Video Editing Tools:
◆ Adobe Premiere: Used to edit and assemble recorded raw materials into a
finished product8.
◆ Windows Movie Maker: Also used for video editing and assembling footage.