CHAPTER ONE

Introduction to Multimedia Systems

 WHAT IS MULTIMEDIA?
It refers to the storage, transmission, interchange, presentation and perception
of different information types (data types) such as text, graphics, voice, audio
and video.
Based on the word "Multimedia" It is composed of two words:
Multi- multiple/many
Media- source/channel of communication
• Source refers to different kind of information that we use in multimedia. This
includes: -text , graphics , audio, video , images.
Multimedia refers to multiple sources of information.
 is the field concerned with the computer controlled integration of text,
graphics, drawings, moving images (video), animation, and any other media
where every type of information can be represented, stored, transmitted, and
processed digitally.
 What is Multimedia system?
A Multimedia System is a system capable of processing multimedia data.
A Multimedia System is characterized by the processing, storage,
generation, manipulation and rendition/interpration 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/combined
✓ The information they handle must be represented digitally
✓ The interface to the final presentation of media is usually interactive 
Multimedia Applications (where it is applied)
✓Digital video editing and production systems
✓online shopping
✓Interactive movies, and TV
 Video conferencing
✓Virtual reality(the creation of artificial environment that you can explore, e.g. 3-D
images, etc.)
✓ Digital libraries
✓ World Wide Web
✓ On-line reference works e.g. encyclopedias, games, etc.
✓ Electronic Newspapers/Magazines
Features of Multimedia

Multimedia has three aspects/sides:

Content: movie, production, etc.
Creative Design: creativity is important in designing the
presentation
Enabling Technologies: Network and software tools that allow
creative designs to be presented.
What is Hypertext and Hypermedia?

• Hypertext/beyond text is a text, which contains links to other texts. The

term was invented by Ted Nelson around 1965.
• Hypertext is usually non-linear .
• Hypermedia is not constrained/restricted to be text-based. It can include
other media, e.g., graphics, images, and especially the continuous media --
sound and video.
Hypermedia is the application of hypertext principles to
a wider variety of media, including audio, animations,
video, and images.
Examples of Hypermedia Applications:
✓ The World Wide Web (WWW) is the best example of
hypermedia applications.
✓ PowerPoint
 Desirable Features for a Multimedia System

The following features are desirable for a Multimedia System:

• Very high processing speed and processing power. Why? Because there are
large data to be processed.
• It should support different file formats. Why? Because we deal with
different data types (media types).
• Efficient and High Input-output: input and output to the file subsystem
needs to be efficient and fast. It has to allow for real-time recording as well as
playback of data.
• Special Operating System: to allow access to file system and process
data efficiently and quickly. It has to support direct transfers to disk,
fast interrupt processing, I/O streaming, etc.
• Storage and Memory: large storage units and large memory are
required.
• Network Support
• Software Tools: User-friendly tools needed to handle media, design
and develop applications, deliver media.
 Challenges of Multimedia Systems
1) Synchronization(bringing together) issue: in MM application, variety of
media are used at the same instance/case. In addition, there should be some
relationship between the media. E.g. between Movie (video) and sound.
There arises the issue of synchronization.
2) Data conversion: in MM application, data is represented digitally.
Because of this, we have to convert analog data into digital data.
3) Compression and decompression: Why? Because multimedia deals with
large amount of data (e.g. Movie, sound, etc.) which takes a lot of storage
space.
4) Render(provide) different data at same time — continuous data.
 Multimedia System Requirement
1) Software tools
2) Hardware Requirement

Software Requirement

• 3D modeling and animation tools

• Text editing and word processing
• Authoring tools
• Image editing
• Multimedia project tools
• animation, audio, video & digital tools
• Painting & drawing tools
3-D and Animation Tools:
• These software’s provide 3D clip art object such as people,
furniture, building, car, airplane, tree, etc. You can use these
objects in your project easily.

✓ Ability to drag and drop primitive shape into screen

• A good 3D modeling tool should include the following features:

✓ Ability to create objects from scratch

✓ Ability to add realistic effects such as transparency, shadowing,

✓ Multiple window that allow user to view model in each

fog, etc.

dimension

Examples: -3Ds Max

Text editing and word processing tools:
• Word processors are used for writing letters, invoices/statements, project

✓ spell check
content, etc. They include features like:

✓ table formatting

Examples: -Microsoft Word

-Note pad
Sound Editing Tools
• They are used to edit sound ( music, speech, etc)
• The user can see the representation of sound in fine increment, score or
wave form. User can cut, copy, and paste any portion of the sound to edit
it. You can also add other effects such as distort, echo, pitch, etc.
Examples: -sound forge
Multimedia authoring tools:
• Multimedia authoring tools provide important
framework that is needed for organizing and editing
objects included in the multimedia project (e.g.
graphics, animation, sound, video, etc). They provide
editing capability to limited extent. (More on this in
chapter 2).
Examples:
-Macromedia Flash
-Macromedia Director
Painting and Drawing Tools
• To create graphics for web and other purposes, painting and editing tools are crucial.
• Painting Tools: are also called image-editing tools. They are used to edit images of
different format. They help us to retouch and enhance bitmap images. Some
painting tools allow to edit vector based graphics too.

✓ blurring the picture

• Some of the activities of editing include:

✓ removing part of the picture

✓ add texts to picture
✓ merge two or more pictures together, etc.

Examples:
-Macromedia Fireworks -Adobe Photoshop
Drawing Tool: used to create vector based graphics.
Examples:
-Macromedia Freehand
-CorelDraw
-Illustrator
• Drawing and painting tools should have the following features:
-Scalable dimension for restore, stretch, and distorting images/graphics
-customizable pen and brush shapes and sizes
-Multiple undo capabilities
-Capacity to import and export files in different formats
-ability to create geometric shapes from circle, rectangle, line, etc. -
zooming for magnified image editing
Hardware Requirement
1) Memory and storage devices
2) Input and output devices
3) Network devices
1) Memory and Storage Devices

• Multimedia products require high storage capacity than text-based

data.
Storage Devices: large capacity storage devices are necessary to store
multimedia data.
• Hard Disk:
• CD
2) Input-Output Devices

Interacting with the system: to interact with multimedia system,

we use either keyboard, mouse, track ball, or touch screen, etc.

Information Entry Devices: the purpose of these devices is to enter

information to be included in our multimedia project into our
computer.

• Microphones
• Digital Camera and Video Camera
 Output Devices

• Depending on the content of the project, & how the information is

presented, you need different output devices. Some of the output
hardware’s are:
Speaker: if your project includes speeches that are meant to convey
message to audience, or background music, using speaker is obligatory.
Projector: if you are presenting on meeting or group discussion, -if you
are presenting to large number of audience
3) Network Devices

• The following network devices are required for multimedia

presentation:
i) Modem: which stands for modulator demodulator, is used to
convert digital signal into analog signal for communication of the
data over telephone line which can carry only analog signal. At the
receiving end, it does the reverse action
i.e. converts analog to digital data
ii) ISDN: stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. It is circuit switched
telephone network system, designed to allow digital transmission of voice
and data over ordinary telephone copper wires. This has the advantage of
better quality and higher speeds.

iii) Cable modem: uses existing cables stretched for television broadcast
reception. The data transfer rate of such devices is very fast i.e. they provide
high bandwidth. They are primarily used to deliver broadband internet access,
taking advantage of unused bandwidth on a cable television network.