CSC 413: INTRODUCTION TO INTERACTIVE

MULTIMEDIA

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA
 Outline
1. Introduction to multimedia.

2. Applications of multimedia.

3. Virtual reality (VR).

 Introduction
• The world multimedia is composed of TWO parts:
multi and media

• Multi = plural, more than one, many

• Media = medium of communication

 Introduction : Definition
• Multimedia is the presentation of a computer application
incorporating media elements such as text, graphics,
animation, audio, video, and let the user navigate, interact
and communicate with the computer.

• It is delivered to the user by electronic or digitally

manipulated means.
Introduction
 Introduction
• A multimedia project development requires creative,
technical, organizational, and business skills.

• Interactive multimedia when a user is able to control

what and when these elements are delivered.

• Hypermedia – when interactive multimedia becomes a

structure of linked elements through which the learner can
navigation

• Multimedia developers develop multimedia projects.

 Introduction
Hypertext and Hypermedia
 Multimedia Terminologies
• Multimedia projects can be linear or nonlinear.

• Projects that are not interactive are called linear.

• Projects where users are given navigational control are called non-linear and user-interactive

• The software vehicle, the messages, and the content together constitute a multimedia
project.

• A multimedia project shipped to end-users with or without instructions is called a

multimedia title.

• A project can also be launched on the Web.

• Authoring tools are used to merge multimedia elements into a project.

• These software tools are designed to manage individual multimedia elements and provide
user interaction.
 Multimedia Terminologies
Discrete Media:
•Refers to media involving space dimension only.
•MM Elements: Still images, text and graphics.
•Also referred to as static media or non time based or non temporal
media, or space based media.

Continuous (time based):

•Refers to time based media
•MM Elements: Sound, moving images, animation.
•Also referred to as dynamic media, or time based media, or temporal
media.
Characteristics of Multimedia System
• They must be computer controlled:
• User is able to view, hear, and see using a multimedia system.

• They are integrated:

- At least one discrete and one continuous media is combined for
information presentation and sharing.

• The information they handle must be represented digitally:

• Consist of various form of media, text, graphics, audio, video and
animation
• Created, stored, processed, transmitted DIGITALLY.

• The interface to the final user may permits interactivity:

• User is able to navigate, interact, create, communicate.
 Multimedia Delivery Media
• The primary media for delivering multimedia projects are:
• Compact disc read-only (CD-ROM).
• Digital Versatile Disc (DVD).

Compact disc read-only (CD-ROM).

• CD-ROM is the most cost-effective distribution medium for
multimedia projects.
• It can contain up to 80 minutes of full-screen video or sound.
• CD burners are used for reading discs
and converting the discs to audio,
video, and data formats.
 Multimedia Delivery Media
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD).

•Multilayered DVD technology increases the capacity of current

optical technology to 18 GB.
•DVD authoring and integration software is used to create
interactive front-end menus for films and games.
•DVD burners are used for reading discs and converting the disc
to audio, video, and data formats.
 Multimedia Delivery Media
• Copper wire, glass fiber, and radio/cellular technologies also
serve a means for delivering multimedia files across a
network.
copperwire Glass fiber

Radio/cellular
 Where to Use Multimedia?
• Business - Business applications for multimedia include
presentations training, marketing, advertising, product
demos, databases, catalogues, instant messaging, and
networked communication, desktop videoconferencing,
travel system, corporate training
• Education - Educational software can be developed to enrich
the learning process through simulation for better
understanding.
 Where to Use Multimedia?
• Home - Most multimedia projects reach the homes via
television sets or monitors with built-in user inputs.

• Public places - Multimedia will become available at stand-

alone terminals or kiosks to provide information and help.

• Entertainment-3D or animated movies, video games,

Virtual reality.
 Virtual Reality
• Virtual reality is an extension of multimedia.
• It uses the basic multimedia elements of imagery, sound, and
animation.
• It requires terrific computing horsepower to be realistic.

Memories of the Alhambra

Delivering Multimedia

Virtual Reality
• In VR, cyberspace is made up of thousands of geometric
objects plotted in three-dimensional space.

• The standards for transmitting VR in Virtual Reality Modeling

Language (VRML) documents have been developed on the
World Wide Web.

• VRML documents have the file extension .wrl.

 Delivering Multimedia (continued)
Delivering Multimedia
• Copper wire, glass fiber, and radio/cellular
technologies also serve a means for
delivering multimedia files across a network
.
 Delivering Multimedia (continued)
Delivering Multimedia
• The primary media for delivering multimedia
projects are:
– Compact disc read-only (CD-ROM)
– Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)
 Delivering Multimedia (continued)
Delivering Multimedia
• Compact disc read-only (CD-ROM)
– CD-ROM is the most cost-effective distribution
medium for multimedia projects.
– It can contain up to 80 minutes of full-screen
video or sound.
– CD burners are used for reading discs and
converting the discs to audio, video, and data
formats.
 Delivering Multimedia (continued)
Delivering Multimedia
• Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)
– Multilayered DVD technology increases the capacity
of current optical technology to 18GB.
– DVD authoring and integration software is used
to create interactive front-end menus for films
and games.
– DVD burners are used for reading discs and
converting the discs to audio, video, and data
formats.
 Multimedia Hardware
• Networking Macintosh and Windows computers.
• Connections - LAN / WAN
• Computers, monitors, disk drives, video projectors video disc
players, VCR, mixers, sound speakers
• Memory and storage devices – RAM, ROM, hard disks, DVD,
CD ROM players, CD recorders.
• Input devices – keyboards, trackballs, touchscreens, graphics
tablets, flat bed scanners, infrared remotes, voice recognition
system, digital cameras.
• Output hardware – audio devices, amplifiers, speakers,
monitors, video devices, projectors, printers.
• Communication devices – modems, ISDN (Integrated Service
Digital Network), wireless WIFI.
 Multimedia Software
• Text editing and word processing tools.
• OCR software – optical character recognition, turns
bitmapped characters into electronically recognizable ASCII
text.
• Painting and drawing tools – Photoshop Fireworks, Painter,
CorelDraw, Freehand, Illustrator.
• 3D modeling and animation tools – 3D max
• Image editing tools
• Sound editing tools
• Animation, video, digital movies tools
 Summary
• Multimedia is a combination of text, graphic art, sound,
animation, and video.

• Multimedia projects can be linear or nonlinear.

• Multimedia projects are often stored on CD-ROM or DVDs.

They can also be hosted on the Web