Multimedia fundamentals unit I

UNIT I
INTRODUCTION TO
MULTIMEDIA
INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA WHAT IS MULTIMEDIA, COMPONENTS OF
MULTIMEDIA, WEB AND INTERNET MULTIMEDIAAPPLICATIONS, TRANSITION
FROM CONVENTIONAL MEDIA TO DIGITAL MEDIA.

MULTIMEDIA
• Multimedia is an interactive media and provides multiple ways to represent information to the
user in a powerful manner. It provides an interaction between users and digital information. It is
a medium of communication. Some of the sectors where multimedia is used extensively are
education, training, reference material, business presentations, advertising and documentaries.
• By definition “Multimedia is a representation of information in an attractive and interactive
manner with the use of a combination of text, audio, video, graphics and animation”.
• In other words we can say that Multimedia is a computerized method of presenting information
combining textual data, audio, visuals (video), graphics and animations. For examples: E-Mail,
Yahoo Messenger, Video Conferencing, and Multimedia Message Service (MMS).

COMPONENTS OF MULTIMEDIA
• Text- All multimedia productions contain some amount of text. The text can have various types
of fonts and sizes to suit the profession presentation of the multimedia software.
• Graphics- Graphics make the multimedia application attractive. In many cases people do not
like reading large amount of textual matter on the screen. Therefore, graphics are used more
often than text to explain a concept, present background information etc. There are two types of
Graphics:
• Bitmap images- Bitmap images are real images that can be captured from devices such as digital
cameras or scanners. Generally bitmap images are not editable. Bitmap images require a large
amount of memory.
• Vector Graphics- Vector graphics are drawn on the computer and only require a small amount of
memory. These graphics are editable.

COMPONENTS OF MULTIMEDIA
• Audio- A multimedia application may require the use of speech, music and sound effects. These are
called audio or sound element of multimedia.Speech is also a perfect way for teaching. Audio are of
analog and digital types. Analog audio or sound refers to the original sound signal. Computer stores
the sound in digital form. Therefore, the sound used in multimedia application is digital audio.
• Video- The term video refers to the moving picture, accompanied by sound such as a picture in
television. Video element of multimedia application gives a lot of information in small duration of time.
Digital video is useful in multimedia application for showing real life objects. Video have highest
performance demand on the computer memory and on the bandwidth if placed on the internet. Digital
video files can be stored like any other files in the computer and the quality of the video can still be
maintained. The digital video files can be transferred within a computer network. The digital video clips
can be edited easily.
• Animation- Animation is a process of making a static image look like it is moving. An animation is just
a continuous series of still images that are displayed in a sequence. The animation can be used
effectively for attracting attention. Animation also makes a presentation light and attractive. Animation
is very popular in multimedia application

APPLICATIONS OF MULTIMEDIA
• Multimedia in Business- Multimedia can be used in many applications in a business. The multimedia
technology along with communication technology has opened the door for information of global wok
groups. Today the team members may be working anywhere and can work for various companies.
Thus the work place will become global. The multimedia network should support the following
facilities:
• Voice Mail
• Electronic Mail
• Multimedia based FAX
• Office Needs
• Employee Training
• Sales and Other types of Group Presentation
• Records Management

• Multimedia in Marketing and Advertising- By using multimedia marketing of
new products can be greatly enhanced. Multimedia boost communication on an
affordable cost opened the way for the marketing and advertising personnel.
Presentation that have flying banners, video transitions, animations, and sound
effects are some of the elements used in composing a multimedia based
advertisement to appeal to the consumer in a way never used before and
promote the sale of the products.

• Multimedia in Entertainment- By using multimedia marketing of new products can
be greatly enhanced. Multimedia boost communication on an affordable cost opened
the way for the marketing and advertising personnel. Presentation that have flying
banners, video transitions, animations, and sound effects are some of the elements
used in composing a multimedia based advertisement to appeal to the consumer in a
way never used before and promote the sale of the products.
• Multimedia in Education- Many computer games with focus on education are now
available. Consider an example of an educational game which plays various rhymes
for kids. The child can paint the pictures, increase reduce size of various objects etc
apart from just playing the rhymes.Several other multimedia packages are available in
the market which provide a lot of detailed information and playing capabilities to kids.

• Multimedia in Bank- Bank is another public place where multimedia is finding more and more
application in recent times. People go to bank to open saving/current accounts, deposit funds,
withdraw money, know various financial schemes of the bank, obtain loans etc. Every bank has
a lot of information which it wants to impart to in customers. For this purpose, it can use
multimedia in many ways. Bank also displays information about its various schemes on a PC
monitor placed in the rest area for customers. Today on-line and internet banking have become
very popular. These use multimedia extensively. Multimedia is thus helping banks give service
to their customers and also in educating them about banks attractive finance schemes.
• Multimedia in Hospital- Multimedia best use in hospitals is for real time monitoring of
conditions of patients in critical illness or accident. The conditions are displayed continuously on
a computer screen and can alert the doctor/nurse on duty if any changes are observed on the
screen. Multimedia makes it possible to consult a surgeon or an expert who can watch an
ongoing surgery line on his PC monitor and give online advice at any crucial juncture.

• Multimedia Pedagogues- Pedagogues are useful teaching aids only if they stimulate and motivate the students. The audio-visual
support to a pedagogue can actually help in doing so. A multimedia tutor can provide multiple numbers of challenges to the student
to stimulate his interest in a topic. The instruction provided by pedagogue have moved beyond providing only button level control to
intelligent simulations, dynamic creation of links, composition and collaboration and system testing of the user interactions.
• Communication Technology and Multimedia Services- The advancement of high computing abilities, communication ways and
relevant standards has started the beginning of an era where you will be provided with multimedia facilities at home. These services
may include:
• Basic Television Services
• Interactive entertainment
• Digital Audio
• Video on demand
• Home shopping
• Financial Transactions
• Interactive multiplayer or single player games
• Digital multimedia libraries
• E-Newspapers, e-magazines

MULTIMEDIA APPLICATION
Text Editing Tools- These tools are used to create letters, resumes, invoices, purchase orders, user
manual for a project and other documents. MS-Word is a good example of text tool. It has following
features:
• Creating new file, opening existing file, saving file and printing it.
• Insert symbol, formula and equation in the file.
• Correct spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
• Align text within margins.
• Insert page numbers on the top or bottom of the page.
• Mail-merge the document and making letters and envolpes.
• Making tables with variable number of columns and rows.

Painting and Drawing Tools- These tools generally come with a graphical user interface with pull
down menus for quick selection. You can create almost all kinds of possible shapes and resize
them using these tools. Drawing file can be imported or exported in many image formats like .gif,
.tif, .jpg, .bmp, etc. Some examples of drawing software are Corel Draw, Freehand, Designer,
Photoshop, Fireworks, Point etc.These software have following features:
• Tools to draw a straight line, rectangular area, circle etc.
• Different colour selection option.
• Pencil tool to draw a shape freehand.
• Eraser tool to erase part of the image.
• Zooming for magnified pixel editing.

Image Editing Tools- Image editing tools are used to edit or reshape the existing
images and pictures. These tools can be used to create an image from scratch as
well as images from scanners, digital cameras, clipart files or original artwork files
created with painting and drawing tools. Examples of Image editing or processing
software are Adobe Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro.

• Sound Editing Tools- These tools are used to integrate sound into multimedia project very
easily. You can cut, copy, paste and edit segments of a sound file by using these tools. The
presence of sound greatly enhances the effect of a mostly graphic presentation, especially in a
video. Examples of sound editing software tools are: Cool Edit Pro, Sound Forge and Pro Tools.
These software have following features:
• Record your own music, voice or any other audio.
• Record sound from CD, DVD, Radio or any other sound player.
• You can edit, mix the sound with any other audio.
• Apply special effects such as fade, equalizer, echo, reverse and more.

• Video Editing Tools- These tools are used to edit, cut, copy, and paste your
video and audio files. Video editing used to require expensive, specialized
equipment and a great deal of knowledge. The artistic process of video editing
consists of deciding what elements to retain, delete or combine from various
sources so that they come together in an organized, logical and visually planning
manner. Today computers are powerful enough to handle this job, disk space is
cheap and storing and distributing your finished work on DVD is very easy.
Examples of video editing software are Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects.

• Animation and Modeling Tools- An animation is to show the still images at a
certain rate to give it visual effect with the help of Animation and modeling tools.
These tools have features like multiple windows that allow you to view your model
in each dimension, ability to drag and drop primitive shapes into a scene, color
and texture mapping, ability to add realistic effects such as transparency,
shadowing and fog etc. Examples of Animations and modeling tools are 3D studio
max and Maya.

MULTIMEDIA AND THE WEB
• Multimedia is gaining popularity on the Web because advances in Internet
technology now allow developers to mix different media objects in Web pages.
Multimedia such as animation, audio and video can supplement bland text or
two-dimensional graphics, as well as complement the visual design, tone and
message of a Web site.
• However, multimedia technologies also present great challenges to Web
developers. Predicting how they will react and display on various platforms and in
different browsers requires planning, patience, and lots of trial and error. Further,
the appeal of using complex technologies can sometimes overshadow the goals
of a site, and even discourage or exclude some audience members from using it.

ANIMATION AND THE WEB
• Animation is an important component that distinguishes the Web from other
media (except television). Levels of animation can range from simple animated
GIF images to 3- D renderings and virtual environments. It allows for the sense of
movement and engagement on the part of the user. Sometimes it is used to
attract attention, and other times to illustrate a concept. Whatever the use,
meaningful design and implementation will allow the benefits of animation to
enhance the presence of the site rather than distract from it.

• Animated GIFs: As previously discussed, an animated GIF is a compilation of still images that is set into
motion at a designated sequence, speed and repetition. Many banner ads are animated GIFs. An
animated GIF can be very effective for displaying additional information in the same area of the screen.
It can also attract the user's attention, and it adds motion to a normally static page.
• Rollovers Roll overs are actions that are triggered by passing the mouse pointer over designated areas
of the Web page. Rollovers are commonly used with navigation elements. They engage the user by
creating a reaction to user actions (called events), and they also indicate that the object is a hyperlink.
This practice deviates from the basic default hypertext link that is blue and underlined, but it has
become an acceptable alternative. Using this type of navigation means that users will not have the
benefit of a color indicator for a visited hyperlink. However, with effective use of other navigational aids
and indicators, the user should notice little difference.
• Flash files Adobe Flash is now considered to be the de facto standard for animation in Web design.
Flash introduced a new form of animation that was previously not possible: It offers media-rich content
while conserving bandwidth. You will learn more about and work with Flash files later in this course. The
latest versions of Flash and the Flash Player include features for making Flash content accessible to a
wider audience. These new features include support for screen readers as well as the ability to create
text equivalents of images

ROLLOVER EXAMPLE
GIF Example
FLASH EXAMPLE

AUDIO AND THE WEB
• Audio differs from other Web content in that it does not rely on the display for
the user to experience the media. The constraints of monitor size, operating
system and color bit depth do not apply. Audio can now be delivered in two
distinct ways. The user can download the entire audio file and then begin the
playback process, or the audio file can be delivered in streaming format. The
playback quality of any sound recording is dependent on the process and formats
used to create the digital file, and the quality of the output devices on the users'
systems.

AUDIO AND THE WEB
• Downloaded audio
• The first appearance of audio on the Web was downloaded files. A file could be
embedded into an HTML page and downloaded with other files, such as images. After the
audio file was downloaded, the playback began. As you can imagine, the larger the audio
file, the more time required to download it. In contrast to images, audio files require
much more memory to store and play. Thus, sound files take significantly longer to
download compared to their relatively short playback length. This tradeoff is usually not
acceptable to the user and becomes an annoyance.

AUDIO AND THE WEB
• Embedded audio
• Embedded audio differs from other audio formats in that it does not allow the user the
option to download (or more importantly, to not download). Unless it is an integral and
necessary component to the site, do not embed audio; instead, allow the user to choose
whether to download and listen. Currently, the only acceptable form of embedded audio
used on the Web is Flash files. Flash files have the ability to specifically control audio
playback and timing. In addition, Flash applies compression to audio that immensely
reduces file size and streams it to the user, which decreases download time.

AUDIO AND THE WEB
• Streaming audio
• Streaming audio differs from downloaded audio files in that the user does not wait to
hear the file. As soon as the connection is made to the streaming audio server, a small
buffer is created and the audio file begins to play

VIDEO AND THE WEB
• Video for the Web is another evolving technology that will eventually become as
common as static images. However, the video currently available to users via dial-
up connections is often considered low quality. A visit to any major news site
offers examples of current video files played using the RealNetworks RealPlayer,
Windows Media Player, Apple QuickTime and other less common applications.
This type of video typically provides low resolution, slow frame rates, small
dimensions and pixilated images (in which the square pixels of color are visible).
Nonetheless, it is generally viewable and understandable.

VIDEO AND THE WEB
• Internet TV
• Internet TV has not yet evolved into a solid, universally accepted means of
connecting people to the Internet, but most experts believe it will. In fact,
Microsoft acquired this technology, formerly called WebTV, as part of its strategy
to increase Internet usefulness to the consumer.

WHAT IS TRADITIONAL MEDIA?
• Television advertisements
• Radio advertising
• Print advertising
• Direct mail advertisements
• Billboards and off-site signs
• Cold calling
• Door-to-door sales
• Banner ads

WHAT IS NEW MEDIA?
• New media, also called digital media, consists of methods that are mostly online or
involve the Internet in some sense.
These methods include:
• Search engine optimization
• Pay-per-click advertising
• Content marketing
• Social media
• Email marketing

ADVANTAGES OF OLD MEDIA:
• People trust what is familiar to them.
TV has been delivering (mostly) factual news stories for decades now. People are more likely to trust a
reporter on the news than their Aunt Sue on Facebook who is giving her two cents regarding “The
Onion” article that she doesn’t realize is satirical.
• TV and radio are still alive and well.
According to a 2018 Nielsen report, 88% of media hours are spent watching TV and 92% of media hours
are spent listening to radio on a weekly basis. That is a substantial amount of time devoted to those two
traditional mediums, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
• Old Media can save you time and money.
TV and radio, mainly looking at you. There is a fast turnaround, broad reach, and little fuss about the
cost. Of course, traditional media like direct mail can get a little costly, but TV and radio will give you the
biggest bang for your buck in regards to reaching a wide audience.

DISADVANTAGES OF OLD MEDIA:
• Times are changing, the way people want to be advertised to is changing.
Now-a-days, advertisers are able to get a lot of information about their target
audience and this allows them to tailor advertisements specific to each person. The
audience is more likely to respond to an ad tailored to them rather than that radio ad
they just turned off.
• People are moving away from different mediums.
When smartphones were created, everything changed. A number of studies from
Nielsen, Pew Research Center, and other organizations showed that the average
person spends over FOUR hours on their phone every day. With so much time spent
on social media channels, advertisers would be crazy not to take advantage of these
mediums.

ADVANTAGES OF NEW MEDIA:
• The internet has changed everything.
Technology is an incredible thing, and the world wide web might arguably be one of the best
inventions. It connects us, and better yet, informs us (most of the time). It’s said that the average
American spends 184 minutes on the internet daily, making the internet one of the greatest new media
platforms today.
• Everyone is on social media.
It’s a great way for people to pass the time, stay connected, and get advertised to. Advertisers know
exactly what each consumer wants, making it easier to advertise to them. If the ad is relevant, the
consumer will listen.
• We can access anything almost anywhere.
Smartphones, tablets, laptops are all ways you can access the Internet. It makes it easy for us to be
advertised to at all times, which can sometimes be annoying for the consumer if not done in the right
way. Yet for the advertiser, having unlimited access to put ads in front of their ideal target audience is
great news.

DISADVANTAGES OF NEW MEDIA:
• It’s sometimes unbelievable.
With so much consumer commentary on so many different articles, it’s easy to get real news
and fake news confused. Rumors can easily be carried out on many social media channels.
• Once it’s there, it’s there.
The internet is a place where, oftentimes, things show up that others would prefer not be up
there, but they can’t get it taken down. Many times, news sources have falsely reported
something, but as soon as the error is caught and they attempt to take the article down, it’s
already too late. So when posting something to the World Wide Web, be sure you know that
your information is accurate.
• Competition is fierce.
Although internet ads are usually inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising, your
competitors can change that. Internet ads like Google ads are typically bought through bids and
if your competitor is willing to shill out the money to buy that certain keyword you’ve been
eyeing, either expect to pay more or bow out from that bid.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION TO ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING:
• 1. Multimedia is the integration of multiple forms of ......................................
(a) Devices (b) Media (c) Technologies (d) All of the above
• 2. What is the term for presentation that are sequential and typically do not have
interactivity?
(a) Linear (b) Non-linear (c) Hyperlinked (d) None of the above

CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION TO ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING:
• 3. Which of the following is not considered digital?
(a) Scanned pictures (b) Audio cassette tapes (c) Web interface buttons (d) Computer
animations
• 4. A live or recorded presentation is called a ....................................
(a) Powerpoint presentation (b) Announcement (c) Multimedia presentation (d)
Broadcast
• 5. What is the other name for interactive multimedia?
(a) Hypertext (b) Graphic media (c) Hypermedia (d) Print media

Multimedia fundamentals unit I

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Multimedia fundamentals unit I