Chapter 2-Multimedia Technology
Overview
 Macintosh versus Windows platform.
 What is computer?
 Information Processing Cycle
 Computer Hardware
 Connections
 Software
Macintosh Versus Windows
Platform
The Macintosh platform:
 Was launched by Apple in 1984.
 Has a good built-in audio and high-quality graphics capability.
 Includes hardware and software for digitizing and editing video
and producing DVD discs.
 Makes multimedia project development easier and smoother.
Macintosh Versus Windows
Platform
The Windows platform:
 Is a collection of different vendor-neutral components that are
tied together by the requirements of the Windows operating
system.
 Initially focused on business computing and was not suitable
for multimedia. However, it is now easier to find multimedia
hardware and software for Windows as compared to the
Macintosh.
What is a COMPUTER?
 Is an electronic machine.
 Operating under the control of instruction stored in its own memory that
can:
 accept data
 manipulate the data
 produce results
 store the result.
COMPUTER
 Operation
 accept data
 manipulate the data
 produce results
 store the result.
Information Processing Cycle
INPUT
Accepting data
from user.
PROCESS
OUTPUT
Processing data
into meaningful
information.
Displaying the
information to the
user.
 DATA – unprocessed items
 INFORMATION – processed data
STORAGE
Storing the
information for
safe keeping or
later use.
Computer Component
 Major Component of a Computer:
Hardware
 The electric, electronic and mechanical equipment that make up a
computer.
Software
 The series of instructions that tells the hardware how to perform
tasks.
Computer Hardware
 There are FIVE major factors for a computer to be
powerful:
 Speed
 Reliability
 Accuracy
 Storage
 Communication
DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB
cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
Computer Hardware

Hardware components:

Input Devices

Output Devices

System Unit

Storage Devices

Communication Devices
Input Devices
 Allow user enter DATA and COMMANDS into memory.
 Example: keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone and etc.
 Four forms of input:
 Data
 Program
 Commands
 User responses
Input Devices
 Keyboard - Is the most commonly used input device. The
most common keyboard for PCs is the 101 style, which
provides 101 keys.
 Mouse - Is the standard input device for a graphical user
interface (GUI).
Input Devices
 Trackball - It is suitable to small confined environments
such as a portable laptop.
 Touchscreen - They are monitors that usually have a
textured coating across the glass face.
Input Devices
 Magnetic card encoder and reader - Is useful when an
interface is needed for a database application or multimedia
project that tracks users.
 Graphic tablet - Provides great control for editing finely
detailed graphic elements.
 Scanner - Is the most useful device for producing
multimedia. They are categorized as flat-bed, handheld,
and drum.
Input Devices
 Optical Character Recognition (OCR) device - Is used to
convert printed matter into ASCII text files.
 Infrared remote - Is used to interact with the project when
the user needs to move about.
Input Devices
 Voice recognition system - Is used to facilitate hands-free
interaction with the project.
 Digital camera - Is used to capture still images of a specific
resolution, and store them in camera’s memory. These
images can then be uploaded to a computer.
Output Devices
 Convey information to one or more people.
 Four forms of output:
 Text
 Graphics
 Audio
 Video
Output Devices
Audio devices:
 They include sound chips and microphones.
 Amplifiers are required when the project has to be presented
to a large audience or in a noisy setting.
 Speakers can be internal or external.
Output Devices
Video devices:
 Video creates the maximum visual impact.
 Video devices include videodisc players and video cards.
 Videodisc players provide precise control over the image being
viewed.
 Video cards enable the user to place an image in a window on
the computer monitor.
Output Devices
Projectors:
 Projectors are used when you have a larger audience that can
be accommodated around a computer monitor.
 The different types of projectors include cathode-ray tube
(CRT), liquid-crystal display (LCD) panels, stand-alone LCD
projectors, and light-valve projectors.
Output Devices
Projectors (continued):
 CRT projectors are compatible with the output of most
computers as well as televisions.
 LCD panels are portable devices that are popular for on-theroad presentations.
 Light-valve projectors use liquid crystal technology. The
images generated are very bright and color saturated and can
be projected onto wide screens.
Output Devices
Printers:
 The two types of printers are laser and inkjet.
 Laser printers offer higher print quality, lower operating costs,
but a higher initial cost.
 Inkjet printers are comparatively cheaper, but require higher
maintenance.
 Color printers have become an important part of multimedia
development.
System Unit

Box like case that contains electronic components of the computer that is used to
process data. [1]

Usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board called MOTHERBOARD. [2]

Electronic components attached to motherboard – cards, processors, memory chip.
[3]
[1]
[2]
[3]
System Unit
 Components of a motherboard:
Processors or Central Processing Unit
(CPU)
Memory
Bus
System Unit: CPU
 The electronic component that interprets and carries out
the basic instructions that operate the computer.
 Contain:
A control unit
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
System Unit: CPU
 Machine Cycle - for every instructions, a processor repeats a set
of four basic operation:
 Fetching
 Decoding
 Executing
 Storing
System unit: Memory
 RAM enables the simultaneously running of many
applications.
 ROM is non-volatile. The BIOS program that boots up the
computer resides in the ROM.
OS & Syst
Software
Application
Programs
MEMORY
Data &
Information
System unit: Memory
 Consist of electronic components that store instructions waiting to
be executed and data needed by those instructions.

There are data that are kept TEMPORARILY, and there are those that is
PERMANENT.
System unit: Memory
 The system unit contains TWO types of memory:
 VOLATILE:
 When the computer’s power is turned OFF, it loses its contents.
 Temporary storage.
 Example RAM
 NON VOLATILE:
 Does not lose its contents when power is removed from computer.
 Permanent storage.
 Example ROM, flash memory and CMOS
System unit: Memory
 RAM
 Main memory / primary storage
 Consist of memory chips that can be read from and
write to by processor and other devices.
 Types of RAM:
 DRAM
 SRAM
System unit: Memory
 DRAM
 Dynamic Random Access Memory
 More common compared to SRAM
 DRAM needs to be refreshed thousands of times per second
 The common types of DRAM used today is DDR SDRAM.
DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
System unit: Memory
 SRAM
 Static Random Access Memory
 More faster compared to DRAM because it does not need to
be refreshed
 Not commonly used because it is so much more expensive
 SRAM is commonly used in memory cache and some are
built into the architecture of the cpu.
DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
System unit: Memory
 CACHE
 Function to speed up processing time
because its stores frequently used
instructions and data.
 Two types of cache:
 Memory Cache
– Help to speed the process of the computer
because stores frequently used instructions
and data.
– Have L1 cache and L2 cache (SRAM).
– Server have L3 cache
 Disk Cache
– Built into disk to speed up data access from
the disk to be used by the processor
System unit: Memory
 ROM
 Refers to memory chips storing permanent data and
instructions. The data cannot be modified.
 The ROM chips, called firmware, contain permanently
written data, instructions, or information.
 Most personal computers contain a small amount of
ROM that stores critical programs such as the
program that boots the computer.
System unit: Memory
 CMOS
 Some RAMs chip, flash memory chips and others type
of memory chips use CMOS technology.
 Its provided high speeds and consumes little power
(small battery).
 Usage of CMOS
 BIOS, in computing, stands for basic input/output system.
BIOS refers to the software code run by a computer when first
powered on.
– The primary function of BIOS is to prepare the
machine so other software programs stored on
various media (such as hard drives, floppies,
and CDs) can load, execute, and assume control
of the computer.
 Other example date, time, Calendar even when the computer is
turned off.
System unit: Memory
 Flash Memory
 A memory that can be erased electronically
and reprogrammed. More in mobile device
unit e.g PDA, handphone, printers and etc.
System Unit: Buses
 A computer processes and stores data as a series of
electronic bits.
 These bits transfer internally within the circuit of the
computer along electrical channel.
 Each channel called a BUS, allows the various devices
both inside and attached to system unit to communicate
with each other.
 Two types of bus:
 ADDRESS BUS
 DATA BUS
System Unit: Basic Type of Buses
 System Bus
Connects the processor to main board.
 Expansion Bus
Allow the processors to communicate
with other peripherals.
Types of expansion bus:
 ISA Bus
 PCI Bus
 AGP Bus
 ASB and FireWire Bus
Ports
 A port is:
 the point at which a peripheral attaches to a
system unit so it can send data or received
information from computer.
 Ports have different types of connectors.
 A connector joins a cable to a peripheral.
 Most connector are available in one of two
design:
Types of Ports
 Serial Ports
 transmitting data 1 bit at a time. Example;
mouse, keyboard ports. Using normally 25-pin
and 9-pin male connector.
 Although many of the newer systems have done
away with the serial port completely in favor of
USB connections,
 most modems still use the serial port, as do some
printers, PDAs and digital cameras.
Types of Ports
 Parallel Ports
transmitting more than 1 bit at time.
Example: Printer Port.
Types of Ports
 USB Ports
 Universal Serial Bus Port. Can connect to
127 different peripherals together with single
connector type.
 Supports Plug-and-Play.
Bays
 A bay is an opening inside the system unit
which you can install additional equipment.
 Two type of drive bays exist
 external
 internal
Storage Devices
 Storage holds
 DATA
 INSTRUCTIONS
 INFORMATION.
 The difference between STORAGE and MEMORY
 STORAGE holds these items PERMANENTLY and store
it before and after being used.
 MEMORY holds these items TEMPORARILY while they
are being processed by CPU.
Storage Devices
 Floppy disk - Is a inexpensive, removable, and portable
device for storing binary data. They are made of flexible
mylar plastic coated with a thin layer of special magnetic
material.
 Hard disk - Is a non-removable mass-storage device, and
has a higher data storage capacity and data transfer speed.
Storage Devices
 Syquest cartridge - Is a removable storage medium and
can hold 44 MB of data.
 Zip cartridge - Is inexpensive and can hold 100MB of data.
 Jaz cartridge - Is a removable storage medium that can
hold 1GB of data.
 Magneto-optical drive - Is rewriteable and uses a high
power laser. It is suitable for archiving data.
Storage Devices
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD):
 Is an optical disc technology for distributing multimedia and
feature length movies.
 Can store 1GB of data. They provide sharp and detailed video
resolution.
 The two types of DVDs are DVD-video and DVD-ROM.
Storage Devices
Flash or Thumb Drives:
 Small storage devices that can be integrated with USB or
FireWire devices.
 Can store between 8 megabytes to several GB of data.
 More reliable than disk drives.
 Small printed circuit board encased in sturdy metal or plastic.
 Usable, trendy, and convenient.
Storage Devices
CD-ROMs:
 CD-ROM player is an important delivery medium for large,
mass-produced multimedia projects.
 CD Recordable (CD-R) - Is very inexpensive, and suitable
for short-run distribution of finished multimedia projects.
These write-once CDs can be used as high-capacity file
archives.
Storage Devices
 CD-RW recorder can rewrite 700 MB of data into a CD-RW
disc about 1,000 times.
 CD-RWs are like CD-Rs except a CD-RW can be erased.
Relationship between CPU, Bus,
Memory, Storage
 Each time a process needs to be done,the CPU will take it from the
storage media and bring it into the RAM. [1]
 The process is done in the
RAM [2]
 When the SAVE button is
pressed, the processed
information will be sent into
the storage media [3] for
permanent storage.
3
2
1
 CPU assigns each data a unique address.
 Each time a data needed to be accessed,
its address is called so that the data can
be fetched.
 Every data is sent through the bus. [4]
4
Communication Devices
 A communications devices is a hardware component that
enables a computer to send (transmit) and retrieve data,
instructions and information to and from one or more
computers.
 Modems
 ISDN
 Cable modems
Modems
 Modems modulate and de-modulate analog signals.
 They provide connectivity through standard phone lines.
 Modems can be internal or external.
 Modem speed is measured in baud, and the standard
modem speed should be at least 56 Kbps.
ISDN
 ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network.
 It is used for higher transmission speeds by telephone.
 They transfer data at the rate of 128 Kbps.
 ISDN lines are used for networking, Internet access, and
audio-video conferencing.
 They are more expensive than the conventional analog
lines.
Cable Modems
 They provide Internet access at speeds faster than a
telephone modem, over the same cable network that
supplies the television signal.
 However, due to noise in the system, sending rates may be
much slower than receiving rates.
Connections
The various connection methodologies include:
 Small Computer System Interface (SCSI).
 Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE).
 Universal Serial Bus (USB).
 FireWire.
Small Computer System
Interface (SCSI)
 SCSI can connect internal and external peripheral
equipments and devices that conform to the SCSI standard.
 SCSI cards can be installed on Macintosh and PC platforms.
 SCSI is preferred for real-time video editing, network
servers, and situations that require mirroring.
 SCSI ID conflicts should be avoided by providing unique IDs
to devices.
Integrated Drive Electronics
(IDE)
 IDE connections are also known as Advanced Technology
Attachment (ATA).
 They connect only internal peripherals.
 They can connect four peripherals mounted inside the PC.
 The circuitry for IDE is less expensive than SCSI.
 IDE utilizes processor chip time.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
 It is a standard for connecting devices to the computer
using the plug-and-play system.
 USB uses a single cable to connect 127 USB peripherals to
a single PC.
 It can be attached to one computer at a time.
FireWire
 FireWire was introduced by Apple in the 1980s.
 It is the industry standard and provides support for highbandwidth serial data transfer, particularly for digital video
and mass storage.
 Can connect multiple computers and peripheral devices
(peer-to-peer).
 It is the most common method for connecting and
interconnecting professional digital video equipment.
Memory
 Sufficient memory must be allocated for storing and
archiving files.
 Memory requirements of a multimedia project depend on
the project's content and scope.
 The two types of memory are random access memory
(RAM) and read only memory (ROM).
Summary
 Macintosh and Windows are the two most common
hardware platforms used in multimedia.
 LANs, WANs, Ethernet, and client-server software facilitate
communication and connectivity among computers.
 Storage devices include floppy disks, hard disks, Zip drives,
Jaz drives, MO drives, DVDs, and CD-ROMs.
Summary
 Input devices include keyboards, mice, trackballs,
touchscreens, graphic tablets, scanners, OCR devices,
infrared remotes, voice recognition software, and digital
cameras.
 Output devices include audio devices, speakers, amplifiers,
monitors, video devices, projectors, and printers.
 Communication devices include modems, ISDN lines, and
cable modems.