Multimedia Tools
Multimedia Tools
Multimedia Technologies
INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA
Definition of Multimedia: Multi (Latin multi - numerous) Media, medium (Latin media, medium: middle, center, intermediary) Multimedia is now the most widely used technology nowadays.The development of this technology has changed our life entirely.Multimedia comprises of two words MULTI means many and MEDIA means the source through which one can convey information.Thus multimedia can be defined as an integration of Text,sound,,video clip images,graphics,animations and quick time movies.Multimedia authoring is about creating highly interactive applications.It incorporates all different elements-sound effects,text passage,video clips into one program and defines how thw user can interact with them.
Types of Multimedia
It can be classified into two main types:-
1) Linear Multimedia:-The user has no control over presentation contents but can only view or listen the presentation.Eg Videotape 2) process. Interactive Multimedia:-It allows end users to receive data,information and can easily participate with the
Components of Multimedia
There are different components of multimedia,integartion of which gives useful applications .Let us now have a look at important components of multimedia
1)
Text
Initially text was considered as a primary source of communication.Words and symbols in any form,written are most common system of communication.It is considered to be the most important component of multimedia.The commonly used text editing tools are:-
2)
Word Processing Programs:-Text files can be made using text editors and can be imported into a multimedia authoring program such as Macromedia Director.MS Word and Word are word processing programs. Authoring Software:-Macromedia Director is used as an authoring software for designing text in a multimedia presentations.
Graphics The combination of graphics along with the text makes a presentation more readable.New Technologies have produced loads of graphics and images frommany sources.It is one of the ways of expressing ideas.Graphics can be of form called images,2D/3D graphics,charts,flowcharts etc.The main disadvantage of graphics is that it requires a lot of space in a file and in order to reduce the amount of storage space required for a document or an image,compression os data is very much required
3)
Video It is also called motion pictures and is an excellent mode of conveying message to the user.It gives an impact to the user.Integarting it with other components conveys more information in short time.MPEG(Moving pictures expert group) is a standard format developed for motion images and MPEG compression allows fats compression of video. Digital Video can be edited easily. Different operations can be performed in it like copying, deletion & movement of frames cam also be easily done. Example: Adobe premier allows the user to edit both audio & video data.
4)
Audio
This component of multimedia uses sound as its main utility. Sound is a physical phenomenon that simulates sense of hearing. Music has changed its shape to great extend. Digital technique has played a major role in this. Now music & sound effects are used not only to accompany animation but also to increase inter activity with the use. Audio can now be converted into digital form in order to use it in multimedia. There are different difital files in which the digital audio can be saved WAV files and midi files. MIDI sound stores the instruction about how to play musical instruments.
5)
Animation
It means bringing movement to a static image or picture. It makes a sequence of movements of an image. A static image is considered and is changed slightly & rapidly one after the other. Frames are created that makes the movement possible. Animations can be in 2D or 3D dimension most special effects in movies & cartoons are based on 3D animations. As the technology is increasing the animation is advancing 3D animation is mostly conformed to engineering fields like CAD. Some popular softwares used for creating & editing animatiuons are Macromedia flash, 3D shadow max, Animator Pro.
Audio
Natural Language Processing Images
Networking
Storage Systems Data Compression CPU Power
Psychology
Video
HCI
Multimedia--the combination of text, animated graphics, video, and sound--presents information in a way that is more interesting and easier to grasp than text alone. Multimedia is, woven combination of digitally manipulated text, photographs, graphics art , sound ,animation, video elements. Interactive Multimedia: When we aloe an end user the viewer of a multimedia project to control what and when the elements are delivered. HyperMedia : When we provide an end user a structure of linked elements through which user can navigate , interactive multimedia becomes hypermedia. Multimedia Developers : The People who weave multimedia into meaningful tapestries. Multimedia project : The combination of software vehicle, messages, Content presented on a computer or television screen together constitute a multimedia project.
Hypermedia : HyperMedia is not constrained to be text-based. It can include other media, e.g., graphics, images, & especially the continuous media sound and video
Multimedia Application Definition: 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. Example Hypermedia Applications: The World Wide Web (WWW) is the best example of a hypermedia application. Powerpoint Adobe Acrobat Macromedia Director Many Others?
Framework Of Multimedia
Framework of multimedia consists of
Multimedia Information Model Multimedia Conferencing Model Multimedia Distributed Processing Model Multimedia Network Model
The Framework presented here provides an overall picture of the development of distributed multimedia systems from which a system architecture can be developed.
It highlights the following features The integration of multimedia computing and communication, including telecommunication and telephony functions. Multimedia Systems A Multimedia System is a system capable of processing multimedia data and applications. A Multimedia System is characterized by the processing, storage, Generation , manipulation and rendition of Multimedia information. Characteristics of a Multimedia System: 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. The interface to the final presentation of media is usually interactive.
Distributed Networks Render different data at same time continuously. Sequencing within the media playing frames in correct order/time frame in video
The key issues multimedia systems need to deal with here are:
back / retrieval
Features for a Multimedia System: a) Very High Processing Power needed to deal with large data processing and real time delivery of media. Special hardware common place . b)Multimedia Capable File System needed to deliver real-time media e.g. Video/Audio Streaming. c)Special Hardware/Software needed eg. RAID technology. Data Representations File Formats that support multimedia should be easy to handle yet allow for compression/decompression in real-time d) Efficient and High I/O input and output 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 large storage units (of the order of 50-100 Gb or more) and large memory (50 -100 Mb or more). Large Caches also required and frequently of Level 2 and 3 hierarchy for efficient management. g)Network Support Client-server systems common as distributed systems common. h)Software Tools user friendly tools needed to handle media, design and develop applications, deliver media.
A multimedia document may be seen as a complex information object, with components of different kinds, such as text, images, video and sound, all in digital form. An ever growing amount of people need to retrieve the multimedia documents that would prove useful to their information needs. Multimedia Information Reterival : The primary goal of this study is to promote an integration of methods and techniques for MIR by contributing a conceptual model which places in a unified and coherent perspective the many efforts and results that are being produced under the label of MIR. Besides this foundational goal, the model provides the guidelines for the design of systems that are able to provide a generalized multimedia retrieval service, where the existing forms of retrieval not only coexist in harmony, but can be combined in any desired manner
Following these guidelines, and using an appropriate tool that implements the model, a designer can quickly build a prototype of the system to be developed, and use such a prototype to test its adequacy to the user's functional requirements. The paper presents a prototype of a significant portion of such a tool. Finally, by its viewing MIR as a special form of uncertain implication, this model may be used as a basis for formal investigations on specific aspects of MIR. It is the second component of framework relates to the abstraction and data models for organizing multimedia documents, presentations , and other information. While there is no universal hypermedia document model , the ability to include multimedia content and describe association between document components is considered basic. Also it provides support for temporal relationship between components, interactivity, and components with several active behaviour is considered important.
It involves basic points: Scripting Languages Media Device Control Interchange Conferencing Services Hypermedia Engine Real Time Scheduler
Scripting Languages: Special purpose programming languages for controlling interactive multimedia documents , presentations and applications. Media device Control: A combination of toolkit functions , programming abstractions and services which provide application programs access to multimedia peripheral equipment. Interchange: Interchange formats are involved in this .It involves interchange of multimedia data formats and services for multimedia content. Conferencing Services; It involves the communication of multiparty. Hypermedia Engine: It is an object server that stores multimedia documents for editing and retrieval Real Time Scheduler: It involves operating system process or thread scheduling so a sto real time deadlines.