Chapter 7 Multimedia
Objectives
In this chapter we will:

Define the term multimedia

Study the History and Concept of Multimedia

Describe Multimedia Features

Examine the various types of media used

Illustrate some applications of Multimedia technology
Learning outcomes:
At the end of the chapter, students will be able to:
1.
explain what multimedia is
2.
understand the importance of individual media elements
3.
identify different hardware components required to run a multimedia
4.
identify the features of multimedia
5.
describe how visual images, graphics and audio can be added to a multimedia
presentation
6.
7.1
provide examples of multimedia applications
Definition of Multimedia
Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media integrated together [1]. Media can be text,
graphics, audio, animation, video, data, etc. An example of multimedia is a web page on the
topic of Mozart that has text regarding the composer along with an audio file of some of his
music and can even include a video of his music being played in a hall. Besides multiple types of
media being integrated with one another, multimedia can also stand for interactive types of
media such as video games CD ROMs that teach a foreign language, or an information Kiosk at a
subway terminal. A Multimedia Application is an application which uses a collection of multiple
media sources e.g. text, graphics, images, sound/audio, animation and/or video.
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7.2
History and Concept of Multimedia
Today, the word multimedia is used quite frequently, from DVD's to CD ROMs to even a
magazine that includes text and pictures. Newspapers were perhaps the first mass
communication medium to employ Multimedia -- they used mostly text, graphics, and images.
Television was the new media for the 20th century. It brings the video and has since changed
the world of mass communications.
Some of the important events in relation to Multimedia in Computing include [2]:

1969 - Nelson and Van Dam introduced the hypertext editor at Brown University

Birth of The Internet

1971 - Email initiated

1976 - Architecture Machine Group proposal to DARPA: Multiple Media

1980 - Lippman & Mohl: Aspen Movie Map

1983 – Backer establish the Electronic Book

1985 - Negroponte, Wiesner: opened MIT Media Lab

1989 - Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web to CERN (European Council for
Nuclear Research)

1990 - K. Hooper Woolsey, Apple Multimedia Lab, 100 people, educ.

1991 - Apple Multimedia Lab: Visual Almanac, Classroom MM Kiosk

1992 - the first M-bone audio multicast on the Net

1993 - U. Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications: NCSA Mosaic

1994 - Jim Clark and Marc Andersen presented Netscape

1995 - JAVA for platform-independent application development. Duke is the first applet.

1996 – Microsoft launched the Internet Explorer.
A Multimedia System is a system capable of processing multimedia data and applications [3]. It
is characterized by the processing, storage, generation, manipulation and rendition of
Multimedia information. A Multimedia system has four basic characteristics:

Multimedia systems must be computer controlled.

Multimedia systems are integrated.

The information they handle must be represented digitally.
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
The interface to the final presentation of media is usually interactive.
Components of a Multimedia System
The hardware and software required for a multimedia system are as follows [4], [5];
Capture devices
Video Camera, Video Recorder, Audio Microphone, Keyboards, mice, graphics tablets, 3D input
devices, tactile sensors, VR devices. Digitizing/Sampling Hardware
Storage Devices
Hard disks, CD-ROMs, Jazz/Zip drives, DVD, etc
Communication Networks
Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, ATM, Intranets, Internets.
Computer Systems
Multimedia Desktop machines, Workstations, MPEG/VIDEO/DSP Hardware
Display Devices
CD-quality speakers, HDTV,SVGA, Hi-Res monitors, Color printers etc.
Technology is evolving and multimedia is experiencing rapid progress. Today, there are plenty
of new media technologies being used to create the complete multimedia experience. For
instance, virtual reality integrates the sense of touch with video and audio media to immerse an
individual into a virtual world. Other media technologies being developed include the sense of
smell that can be transmitted via the Internet from one individual to another. Today's video
games include bio feedback. In this instance, a shock or vibration is given to the game player
when he or she crashes or gets killed in the game. In addition as computers increase their
power new ways of integrating media will make the multimedia experience extremely intricate
and exciting.
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How do we create a multimedia system?
To develop an interactive multimedia system [6], we need to use an authoring tool. An
authoring system is a program which has pre-programmed elements for the development of
interactive multimedia software titles. Authoring system varies widely in orientation,
capabilities, and learning curve. To use these authoring tools, a user does not need to know the
intricacies of a programming language, but needs to understand how the programs work.
7.3
Multimedia Features
An ideal Multimedia System will have the following features:
a. Very High Processing Power is needed to deal with large data processing and real time
delivery of media.
b. Multimedia Capable File System is needed to deliver real-time media -- e.g.
Video/Audio Streaming. Special Hardware/Software needed e.g RAID technology.
c. Data Representations/File Formats that support multimedia that should be easy to
handle yet allow for compression/decompression in real-time.
d. Efficient and High I/O to the file subsystem needs to be efficient and fast. Needs to
allow for real-time recording as well as playback of data. e.g. Direct to Disk recording
systems.
e. Special Operating System to allow access to file system and process data efficiently and
quickly. Needs to support direct transfers to disk, real-time scheduling, fast interrupt
processing, I/O streaming etc.
f. Storage and Memory that are large storage units (of the order of 50 -100 Gb or more)
and large memory (50 -100 Mb or more). Large Caches are also required.
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g. Network Support such as Client-server systems and distributed systems.
h. Software Tools which are user friendly tools needed to handle media, design and
develop applications, deliver media.
7.4
Types of Media
Multimedia uses several different forms of media including; text, graphics, animation, video
and audio [7], [8] . We will examine each one briefly.
Text
Text can be of any type, may be a word, a single line, or a paragraph. The textual data for
multimedia can be developed using any text editor. However to give special effects, one needs
graphics software which supports this kind of job. The text can have different type, size, color
and style to suit the professional requirement of the multimedia software.
Graphics
By using graphics we can explain a subject better and more effectively with some sort of
pictorial/graphical representation, rather than as a large chunk of text. This also helps to
develop a clean multimedia screen, whereas the use of large amount of text in a screen makes
it dull in presentation. The most commonly used format for graphics is .BMP or bitmap pictures.
Packages like Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, PaintShop Pro etc. are excellent graphics
packages. There are Graphics galleries available in CD’s (Compact Disk) with readymade images
to suit almost every requirement. These images can directly be incorporated into multimedia
development.
Animation
Moving images have an overpowering effect on the human peripheral vision. Animation is
popular because it can illustrate change over time. For example; deforestation of the rain forest
can be illustrated by showing a map with an animation of the covered area changing over time.
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Animation enriches graphical representations. Some types of information are easier to visualize
with movement than with still pictures. Consider, for example, how to visualize the tool used to
remove pixels in a graphics application. Animation can draw the user’s attention. For example;
text sliding in from the right, growing from the first character, or smoothly becoming larger. The
user will be drawn to the new text by the initial animation and then left in peace to read the
text without further distraction. Animation can help users to visualize 3-dimensional nature of
objects. The animation required is just a slow turning of the object back and forth. The
movement should be slow to allow the user to focus on the structure of the object.
Video
It is possible to include video impact on clips of any type into any multimedia creation, be it
corporate presentation, fashion design, entertainment games, etc. The video clips may contain
some dialogues or sound effects and moving pictures. These video clips can be combined with
the audio, text and graphics for multimedia presentation. Incorporation of video in a
multimedia package is more important and complicated than other media elements. One can
procure video clips from various sources such as existing video films or even can go for an
outdoor video shooting. However, the video clips must first be digitized. Video is good for
promoting television shows, films, or other non-computer media, giving users an impression of
a speaker’s personality, and showing things that move. For example a clip from a motion
picture. Product demos of physical products are also well suited for video.
Audio
Audio has a greater role to play in multimedia development. It gives life to the static state of
multimedia. Incorporation of audio is one of the most important features of multimedia, which
enhance the multimedia usability to its full potential. There are several types of sound, which
can be used in multimedia. They are human voices, instrumental notes, natural sound and
many more. All these can be used in any combination as long as they give some meaning to
their inclusion in multimedia. These sounds can be incorporated into the computer by using
microphone, human voice can directly be recorded in a computer. Pre-recorded cassettes can
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be used to record the sound into computer. Instrumental sound can also be played directly
from a musical instrument for recording into the computer. The sound transmitted from these
sources is of analog nature. To enable the computer to process this sound, they need to be
digitized. The main benefit of audio is that it provides an exclusive channel that is separate from
that of the display. Speech can be used to offer commentary or help without obscuring
information on the screen. Audio can also be used to provide a sense of place or mood. Moodsetting audio should employ very quiet background sounds in order not to compete with the
main information for the user’s attention. Music is probably the most obvious use of sound.
Whenever you need to inform the user about a certain work of music, it makes much more
sense to simply play it than to show the notes or to try to describe it in words.
7.5
Application of Multimedia technology
Multimedia has become a huge force in the present day culture, industry and education.
Practically any type of information we receive can be categorized as multimedia, from
television, to magazines, to web pages, to movies, multimedia is a tremendous force in both
informing the public and entertaining us [9], [10].
Advertising is perhaps one of the biggest industry's that use multimedia to send their message
to the masses. Where one type of media, let's say radio or text can be a great way to promote
an item, using multimedia techniques can significantly make an item being advertised better
received by the masses and in many cases with greater results.
Multimedia in Education has been extremely effective in teaching individuals a wide range of
subjects. The human brain learns using many senses such as sight and hearing. While a lecture
can be extremely informative, a lecture that integrates pictures or video images can help an
individual learn and retain information much more effectively. Using interactive CD ROM's can
be extremely effective in teaching students a wide variety of disciplines, most notably foreign
language and music.
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Examples of Multimedia Applications include:

World Wide Web

Hypermedia courseware

Video conferencing

Video-on-demand

Interactive TV

Groupware

Home shopping

Games

Virtual reality

Digital video editing and production systems

Multimedia Database systems
To discover more about multimedia, click on the following links:

WebMuseum, Paris

Audio Net

BBC Web Site

Index of Multimedia Information Sources
Summary:
Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media integrated together. Media can be text, graphics,
audio, animation, video, data, etc. The history of multimedia first started in 1969 when Nelson
and Van Dam introduced the hypertext editor at Brown University. A Multimedia System is a
system capable of processing multimedia data and applications. It is characterized by the
processing, storage, generation, manipulation and rendition of Multimedia information.
The Components of a Multimedia System include the capture devices, storage devices,
communication networks, computer systems, and display devices. To develop an interactive
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multimedia system, we need to use an authoring tool. An ideal Multimedia System will have
very high processing power, multimedia capable file system, data representations/file formats
that support multimedia, efficient and high i/o, special operating system, storage and memory,
network support and software tools
Multimedia uses several different forms of media including; text, graphics, animation, video
and audio. Multimedia has become a huge force in the present day culture, industry and
education. Multimedia is a tremendous force in both informing the public and entertaining us.
Quiz
State whether the following statements are True or False.
(a) A computer capable of handling text, graphics, audio, animation and video is called
multimedia computer.
(b) MIDI data is digitized sound.
(c) Animation can be used to emphasize the three-dimensional nature of objects.
(d) Most commonly used format for graphics is .BMP or bitmap pictures.
(e) If the sequence and timing of these multimedia elements can be controlled by the user, then
one can name it as Non-Interactive Multimedia.
(f) Touch screen is basically a monitor that allows user to interact with computer by touching
the display screen.
(g) GIF is a format commonly used on MS-DOS and MS-Windows computers.
(h) To access CD-ROM a very special drive is required and it is known as CD-ROM drive.
(i) Soundcard has CD-ROM interface.
(j) Generally monitor displays 80 rows and 25 columns of text.
(k) The efficiency of a computer is judged by the speed of the CPU in processing of data.
Answers:
(a) True (b) False (c) True (d) True (e) False (f) True (g) False (h) True (i) True (j) False (k) True
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Short Essay Question
1. Explain the use of the following hardware components in multimedia.
(i) Scanner
(ii) Central Processing Unit
(iii) Soundcard
2. Explain the concept of multimedia?
3. What is the mechanism of digitized sound? How does the computer reconstruct sound wave
from a sample data?
4. What is the advantage of MIDI over digitized sound?
5. Explain the concept of video on multimedia.
References:
Books:
1. Diane M. Coyle, Computers Are Your Future, Complete, 10/E, Prentice Hall, 2009. ISBN-10:
0135045118, ISBN-13: 9780135045114.
2. John Preston, Sally Preston and Robert L. Ferrett, Computer Literacy for IC3, Prentice Hall,
2009. ISBN-10: 0131498649, ISBN-13: 9780131498648.
3. Alan Evans, Mary Ann Poatsy and Kendall Martin, Technology in Action, Introductory, 5/E,
Prentice Hall, 2009. ISBN-10: 0135137667, ISBN-13: 9780135137666.
4. Brian K.Williams and Stacey Sawyer, Using Information Technology: A Practical Introduction
to Computers and Communications, 7th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2007. ISBN-13
9780072260717.
5. James A. O'Brien and George Marakas, Introduction to Information Systems, 13th Edition,
McGraw-Hill, 2007, ISBN-13 9780073043555.
Online References:
[1]
www.tech-faq.com/multimedia.shtml
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[2]
www.ucalgary.ca/~edtech/688/hist.htm
[3]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia
[4]
www.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave/Multimedia/node16.html
[5]
www.tcet.unt.edu/weblibrary/ppt/hwmedias.ppt
[6]
www.techimo.com/forum/applications-operating-systems/6847-how-do-i-make-
multimedia-presentation-cd.html
[7]
www.jqjacobs.net/web/multimedia.html
[8]
www.mediatician.com/multimedia-design.html
[9]
www.londonmet.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/mta.cfm
[10]
webstyleguide.com/multimedia/applications.html
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