Analog/digital

representation of
multimedia data
Contents
 What is multimedia?
 Analog representation of audio data
 Analog representation of video data
 Digital representation of audio-video data
 Color spaces for images
What is multimedia?
 media = text, graphics, still images, voice,
sound
 multimedia = a combination of several media
types; ex. audio stream, moving images
(movie/video), audio+video, animation,
interactive animation
 multimedia issues followed in this course:
 storage of multimedia content – containers, codecs
 transmission of multimedia content – multimedia
streaming
 presentation/delivery of multimedia content –
players, codecs, continuous delivery
Multimedia applications
 video on demand
 video broadcasting
 live broadcasting
 videoconferencing
 multimedia presentations on the web
 multimedia databases
 Peer-2-Peer video streaming
 Internet Television
 etc.
 Analog signal (audio, video)
representation
 Analog signal - continuous signal for which the time varying
feature (variable) of the signal is a representation of some
other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time
varying signal.
ex.: in sound recording, fluctuations in air pressure representing the actual
sound “is analogus” to the variations induced by a vibrating diaphragm in
the electrical current/voltage produced by the coil/condensor in an
electromagnetic microphone; in radio modulation of a sinusoidal carrier
wave (e.g. amplitude modulation – AM, frequency modulation – FM)
 advantages:
 has the potential of infinite resolution of the signal (high
density)
 processing is simple
 disadvantages:
 noise – as the signal is copied and re-copied or transmitted over
long distances random variations occur

Digital signal (audio, video)
representation
 Digital signal = a signal which is represented as
a sequence of numbers (usually in binary
numbers)
ex.: digital image – matrix of pixels, digital sound – vector of
sound amplitudes
 advantages:
 as opposed to analog signals, degradation of the signal
(i.e. noise) can not only be detected but corrected as
well
 scales well with the increased complexity of the
system
 disadvantages:
 it is error prone (due to quantization and sampling)
 it has lower resolution than analog signals
Analog-to-digital signal
conversion
 converting a continuous analog signal into a
discrete digital signal has 2 subprocesses:
1. sampling - conversion of a
continuous-space/time (audio, video) signal into
a discrete-space/time (audio, video) signal
2. quantization - converting a continuous-valued
(audio, video) signal that has a continuous range
(set of values that it can take) of intensities
and/or colors into a discrete-valued (audio,
video) signal that has a discrete range of
intensities and/or colors; this is usually done by
rounding, truncation or other irreversible non-
linear process of information destruction
 Quantization is merely the
assignment of specific numerical
values to each sample.

Quantization process on a waveform

 Bit depth

https://youtu.be/UG51K2t3Fec?si=YjIx8wI1oEU5qIkN
Encoding into 4 bit word

NB: Each sample or quantization level corresponds to a

specific 4 bit digital value which can later be converted back
(reconstructed) to the analog signal for human ear or
speaker
Sound basics
 Audio (sound) wave
 one-dimensional acoustic pressure wave
 causes vibration in the eardrum or in a microphone
 Frequency range of human ear
 20 – 20.000 Hz (20 KHz)
 perception nearly logarithmic, relation of amplitudes A
and B is expressed as dB = 20 log10 (A/B)
very low pressure (20 µPascal) 0 dB
conversation 50-60 dB
heavy traffic 80 dB
rock band 120 dB
pain threshold 130 dB
 Analog representation of sound
 examples of analog sound
 In analog representation, the representation:
sound (variations of air  FM and AM radio
transmissions
pressure) is made analogus to
the variations in the conveying
medium properties (e.g.
electrical current/voltage,
electromagnetic properties) -
the variable property of the Cassette Player Capture -to-
MP3 Converter
medium is modulated by the
signal
 Examples of medium properties
that are modified:
 the intensity/voltage of the current
generated by a coil in a microphone,
 the magnetization of magnetic tape or the
deviation (or displacement) of the groove Vinyl records
of a gramophone disc from a smooth, flat
spiral track.
Analog-to-digital conversion of
sound

Nyquist/Shannon
Theorems
 The Nyquist Theorem  The Shannon capacity
states that to theorem defines the
accurately represent maximum amount
an audio signal, your of information, or
sampling rate must data capacity,
be at least twice the which can be sent
highest frequency over any channel or
you wish to record. medium (wireless,

This means if you want to fiber etc.).
capture frequencies up to  The higher the signal-
20kHz (the rough upper
to-noise ratio, the
limit of human hearing),
you need at least a 40kHz higher the possible
sampling rate. data rate
Analog-to-digital conversion of
sound
 Quantization
 Quantization comes after sampling as a crucial
step in converting continuous analog signals to
digital signals. A continuous set of values (like
voltage levels) is quantized into a discrete set
of values.
 During the analog-to-digital conversion process,
each sampled value is matched with the closest
value among a limited number of discrete
levels.
 Precision of the digital sample depends on the
number of bits used
 Quantization noise - Error due to finite number
of bits/sample
 Audio encoding - example

• a sine wave
• sampling the sine wave
• quantizing the samples to 4 bits
Reconstructiong frequency

It is impossible to reconstruct the original waveform if the

sampling frequency is too low.
More examples on Analog to
Digital Conversion Process
Audio encoding standards
 Telephone
 8.000 samples /sec (up to 4 KHz)
 Needs 64 Kb/s (Pulse code modulation, PCM, 8-bit
samples in Europe), or 56 Kb/s (USA, Japan – 7 bits)
 Enhancements: Differential PCM, Adaptive DPCM
 Audio CDs
 44.100 samples /sec (up to 20 KHz)
 16-bit samples: quantization error is small but
audible (the dynamic range of the ear is ca. 1 million)
 Needs 705.6 Kb/s for mono, 1.411 Mb/s for stereo
 MP-3 (MPEG-1 audio layer 3) compression 12
 Based on psycho acoustic models (128 Kb/s)
Analog video signal
 is continuous in both the space and time
dimensions, since the radiation flux that is
incident on a video sensor is continuous at
normal scales of observation
 when viewed on display monitors is not truly
analog, since it is sampled along one space
dimension and along the time dimension
 practically, TV sets represent video as one-
dimensional electrical signal V(t)
Analog video signal
 Analog video has a resolution measured in the number
of hori-zontal scan lines (due to the nature of early
cathode-tube cameras), but each of those lines
represents continuous measurements of the color and
brightness along the horizontal axis, in a linear signal
that is analogous to an audio signal.
 Digital video signals consist of a discrete color and
brightness (RGB) value for each pixel. Digitizing analog
video involves reading the analog signal and breaking it
into separate data packets.
 This process is similar to digitizing audio, except that
with video the vertical resolution is limited to the
number of horizontal scan lines.
 For some multimedia projects you may need to digitize
legacy analog video.
Analog video signal
 a composite video signal:
Analog video signal
 formation of images in a CRT (Cathodic-Ray
Tube):
Analog video - basics
 Diagram of tape path across the video head for analog
recording
Analog video - basics
 Sequence of images flashing faster than 50/sec
 Makes the impression of continuous movie
 TV (black-and-white)
 An electron beam scans rapidly the image from left to
right and from top to bottom
 At the end of the scan (a frame) the scan retraces
 National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) -
NTSC 525 scan lines (483 effective), 30 frames/sec
 Phase Alternate Line (PAL) and Sequential Color and
Memory (SECAM): 625 lines (576), 25 frames/sec
 25 frames/s produce smooth motion, but flicker solves
this 50 half frames (fields) / sec
Progressive vs. Interlaced video
scanning

Video scanning.
(a) Progressive video scanning. At the end of a scan (1), the electron gun spot
snaps back to (2). A blank signal is sent in the interim. After reaching the end of
a frame (3), the spot snaps back to (4). A synchronization pulse then signals the
start of another frame.
(b) Interlaced video scanning. Red and blue fields (shown in this illustration as
gray and black) are alternately scanned left-to-right and top-to-bottom. At the
end of scan (1), the spot snaps to (2). At the end of the blue field (3), the spot
snaps to (4) (new field).
 Digital video signal
a digital video is
an array with 3-
dimensional
(space-time)
components

Dimension 1 and 2 represent the resolution

Dimension 3 is the sequence of frames over time,
representing the duration of the video (e.g., 30 frames
per second).
Common Digital Television
Resolutions
1.Standard-Definition Television (SDTV):
1. 480i (NTSC-compatible digital standard employing two
interlaced fields of 240 lines each)
2.Enhanced-Definition Television (EDTV):
1. 480p (720 × 480 progressive scan)
3.High-Definition Television (HDTV):
1. 720p (1280 × 720 progressive scan)
2. 1080i (1920 × 1080 interlaced)
3. 1080p (1920 × 1080 progressive scan)
4.Ultra-High-Definition Television (UHDTV):
1. 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 progressive scan)
2. 8K UHD (7680 × 4320 progressive scan)
Are Analog Data Representation and
Associated Equipment/Devices Still
Relevant Today?
YES! Some modern equipment and tools work with analog
video and audio.
e.g.
 High-quality models, such as S-VHS players, are favored for
digitization due to better signal processing.
 Analog editing decks and switchers, such as the Panasonic MX
series, are still in use for analog video projects
 Legacy analog camcorders (e.g., Hi8, Video8, or MiniDV with
analog output) are still used and repaired by enthusiasts.
 Some professional video producers and studios, may prefer
CRTs to flat screen displays, claiming colors are brighter and
more accurately reproduced. However, this preference is
becoming less common as flat screen technology continues to
improve and offer better color reproduction and brightness
 Are Analog Data Representation and Associated
Equipment/Devices Still Relevant Today?
 Legacy Content: Many older multimedia systems and
archives contain analog content that needs to be accessed,
preserved, or digitized.
 Special Effects: Some filmmakers and multimedia artists
use analog equipment to create unique visual and audio
effects that are difficult to replicate digitally.
 Educational Purposes: Analog devices are used in
educational settings to teach students about the history and
principles of multimedia technology.
 Niche Applications: Certain niche applications and
enthusiasts prefer the aesthetic and tactile qualities of
analog equipment.

While digital technology dominates the multimedia

landscape, analog equipment continues to have its place
in specific contexts and for particular purposes.