Skill Area 214: Use a Multimedia application (SWA)
214.1 Fundamentals of Multimedia (3hrs) 214.1.1 Define Multimedia
What is Multimedia? Derived from the word Multi and Media Multi Many, Multiple, Media Tools that is used to represent or do a certain things, delivery medium, a form of mass communication newspaper, magazine / tv. Distribution tool & information presentation text, graphic, voice, images, music and etc.
Definition of Multimedia Multimedia is a combination of text, graphic, sound, animation, and video that is delivered interactively to the user by electronic or digitally manipulated means. GRAPHIC TEXT AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION
214.1 Fundamentals of Multimedia 214.1.2 Categorise Multimedia Elements
Elements of Multimedia TEXT TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION A broad term for something that contains words to express something. Text is the most basic element of multimedia. A good choice of words could help convey the intended message to the users (keywords). Used in contents, menus, navigational buttons
Elements of Multimedia TEXT TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Example
Elements of Multimedia GRAPHIC TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Two-dimensional figure or illustration Could be produced manually (by drawing, painting, carving, etc.) or by computer graphics technology. Used in multimedia to show more clearly what a particular information is all about (diagrams, picture).
Elements of Multimedia GRAPHIC TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Example
Elements of Multimedia AUDIO TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Produced by vibration, as perceived by the sense of hearing. In multimedia, audio could come in the form of speech, sound effects and also music score.
Elements of Multimedia AUDIO TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Example
Elements of Multimedia ANIMATION TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION The illusion of motion created by the consecutive display of images of static elements. In multimedia, animation is used to further enhance / enriched the experience of the user to further understand the information conveyed to them.
Elements of Multimedia ANIMATION TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Example
Elements of Multimedia VIDEO TEXT GRAPHIC AUDIO VIDEO ANIMATION Is the technology of capturing, recording, processing, transmitting, and reconstructing moving pictures. Video is more towards photo realistic image sequence / live recording as in comparison to animation. Video also takes a lot of storage space. So plan carefully before you are going to use it.
Interactive Multimedia When the user is given the option of controlling the elements. Hyper Media A combination of hypertext, graphics, audio, video, (linked elements) and interactivity culminating in a complete, non-linear computer-based experience.
Example Hyper Media Main Page 1. Video link 2. Image link 3. Audio Link
214.1 Fundamentals of Multimedia 214.1.3 Author Multimedia
Authoring Tools Use to merge multimedia elements (text, audio, graphic, animation, video) into a project. Designed to manage individual multimedia elements and provide user interaction (if required).
Example: Macromedia Authorware Macromedia Director Macromedia Flash Microsoft Power Point Authoring Tools
Importance of Multimedia There are a number of fields where multimedia could be of use. Examples are:- Business Education Entertainment Home Public Places
Importance of Multimedia Business Use and Applications Sales / Marketing Presentation Trade show production Staff Training Application Company Kiosk
Importance of Multimedia Education Use and Applications Courseware / Simulations E-Learning / Distance Learning Information Searching
Importance of Multimedia Entertainment Use and Applications Games (Leisure / Educational) Movies Video on Demand Online
Importance of Multimedia Home Use and Applications Television Satellite TV SMS services (chats, voting, reality TV)
Importance of Multimedia Public Places Use and Applications Information Kiosk Smart Cards, Security
214.1 Fundamentals of Multimedia 214.1.4 Delivery of Multimedia Products
Delivery Media Types of media delivery: CD-ROM DVD Internet Pendrive Hard drive
File Archives Shareware and commercial utility programs for compressing and decompressing file have been in wide use in both the Mackintosh and DOS environments for some time. Compressed file take less time to transmit by modem than do uncompressed files.
File Archives (cont) Most software that involved uploading and downloading online files automatically handles compression or decompression. One ore more of the files in your project can be compressed into a single file called an archive. Self-extracting archives are useful for delivering projects on disks in compressed form.
File Archives (cont) Some compression applications allow you to compress, split and store large files on several floppy disks or Zip disks; the segments of these files are then automatically rejoined during installation. Most compression utilities also provide an encryption or security feature, so that people who have access to disks containing private archive files cannot read them without authorization. This helps hide classified data.
Delivering on CD-ROM The majority of multimedia products sold into retail and business channel are delivered on CD-ROM. A compact disc or CD is a thin wafer of clear polycarbonate plastic and metal measuring 4.75 inches (120 mm) in diameter, with a small hole or hub in its center. The metal layer is usually pure aluminum, sputtered onto the polycarbonate surface in a thickness measurable in molecules.
Delivering on CD-ROM (cont) As the disc spins in the CD player, the metal reflects light from a tiny integrated laser into a light sensitive receive diode. These reflections are transformed into an electrical signal and then further converted to meaningful bits and bytes for use in digital equipment. Pits on the CD where the information is stored are 1 to 3 microns long, about ½ micron wide, and 1/10 micron deep.
Delivering on CD-ROM (cont) A CD can contain nearly 3 millions of these tiny pits wound in a spiral pattern from the hub to the edge. A layer of lacquer is applied to protect the surface and artwork from the disc s author or publisher is usually silk-screened on the backside.
CD-R CD-R (Compact disc-recordable) is an excellent method fore distributing multimedia projects. CD-R writes and banks CD-r discs are inexpensive and for short runs of a product it is more cost effective to burn your work onto CD-R and custom label then with your own printer pressed.
CD-R CD-R blank that can hold as much as 84 minutes of read book sound or more than 700 MB of data are made of a polycarbonate core coated with layers of reflective metals and special photosensitive organic dyes. During the burning process, laser light hits the layer of dye, bakes it and form a pit.
Delivering on the World Wide Web Delivering multimedia projects built for the World Wide Web can be as simple as renaming a directory or transferring a group of files to a Web server. Delivery of your intended audience on the Web, whether to the general public or to an intranet audience on the Web, whether to the general public or to an intranet of select users behind a firewall, should be approached with caution.
Delivering on the World Wide Web If you own or host the delivery Web server yourself, you will have better security control, better integration of your project into your internal LAN or intranet and you can fine-tune the server s configuration parameters and specify and install any special software you need. When you have control of the server you can provide secure commerce services for credit cards transactions, encryption and password, special databases and custom CGI programming.
Delivering on the World Wide Web For multimedia projects requiring streaming technologies such as RealAudio or video conferencing you can purchase and install the necessary software on the server. Internet directories like Yahoo, and search engines like Lycos, Google, and AltaVista are important components of the Web s how-to-find-it functionality and power: using meta tags, be sure your project will register with the search engines and can be easily found.
214.1 Fundamentals of Multimedia 214.1.5 Use of Multimedia in various application
Uses of multimedia in various applications There are four different categories of multimedia applications: 1. Education 2. Entertainment 3. Reference 4. Business
Education It help users recognize words, terms and their meaning. Visual perception presents information in different ways using shapes, graphics, colour, and movement. Interactive learning can be achieved via role playing and situation games, or communication with other users over the Internet.
Education (Edutainment) Edutainment is the informal term evolved from the words Education and Entertainment in the last 15, years it means: An activity or product (esp. in the electronic media) intended to be educational as well as enjoyable; informative entertainment [Oxford English Dictionary] Edutainment have become popular to the present teaching methods where people can explore and learn more interactively.
Entertainment Heavily used in the entertainment industry, to develop special effects in movies and animation for cartoon characters. Multimedia games are also a popular pastime. The software programs available is either in CD-ROMs or online. Some video games also use multimedia features. In the arts there are multimedia artists, whose minds are able to blend techniques using different media that in some way incorporates interaction with the viewer.
What do you think is the difference between bookbased encyclopedia and CD- ROM-based encyclopedia?
Reference Reference CD-ROMs, such as Microsoft's Encarta Encyclopedia and Compton's Interactive World Atlas, utilize interactive multimedia, including sound, video, and 3-D animation to provide information and illustrate concepts.
Reference - Book-based (cont) The figures below show the difference between using a book-based and a CD-ROM-based encyclopedia to explain the water cycle. Notice the book-based description has text and illustrations. Book-Based Example
Reference - CD-ROM based (cont) The CD-ROM application uses animation, sound, and interactivity. The explosion in the growth of the Internet with its vast amounts of information makes it an excellent resource. The development of the World Wide Web with its graphical interface and ability to deliver multimedia applications allows users to not only search for and retrieve information, but also have the information delivered using multimedia.
Business A few years ago businesses were delivering both marketing applications (e.g., catalogs with product specifications and pricing information). Employee training applications on CD-ROMs. Now Internet is used to provide company information to both customers and employees. Companies' intranets are used to provide updated information to employees (e.g., job openings within the company) and training for employees to keep their skills current.
Business (cont) Training, informational and promotional materials, sales presentations, and point-of-sale displays that allow for customer interaction and communication both within and outside the organization are all common applications of multimedia in the business world. Multimedia presentations for many such applications can be highly portable, particularly in the cases of the CD- ROM, DVD-ROM, and videotape. The equipment required to produce these presentations is relatively commonplace or otherwise easy to access.
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