BITM 1113 SISTEM MULTIMEDIA CHAPTER 3: MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS

Multimedia elements is the objects of those links providing a taxonomy of multimedia. There are six kinds of objects which are text, graphics, audio, video and animation. 1. TEXT Text is the basic multimedia element which is widely used to convey information. Although it is possible to have multimedia without text, most multimedia systems use text because it is such an effective way to communicate ideas and provide instructions to users. There are four kinds of text: printed, scanned, electronic and hypertext. i)Printed Text Printed text is the text that appear on paper. In order for a multimedia computer to read printed text, you need to transform the text into machine-readable form. The most obvious way to do this is to type the text into a word processor or text editor, but that is tedious and time consuming. A faster way would be to scan the text.

ii) Scanned Text Scanner can read printed text and convert it into machine- readable form. There are three basic kinds of scanners: flatbed, handheld, and sheet-fed. iii) Electronic Text A tremendous number of texts are available in machine- readable form, because almost everyone who writes books or publishes manuscripts today does so with word processing and electronic publishing equipment. Because they can be read by a computer and transmitted electronically over networks, such texts are referred to as electronic texts. iv) Hypertext Hypertext refers to text that has been linked. When you are view a hypertext and click a word that has been linked, your computer launches the object of such a link. The links give the text an added dimension, which is called hyper.

2. GRAPHIC It is often been said that a graphic is worth a thousand words. Graphic often appear as backdrops behind text to create a pictorial framework for the text, Graphics can also serve as icons, intermixed with text, representing options that can be selected, or graphic can appear full-screen in place of text, with part of the picture serving as triggers which when selected, launch other multimedia objects or events. Graphic can be used to add emphasis, direct attention, illustrate concepts and provide a background for the content. Graphic is also can help to present information in fast and efficient way. Beside, it can be also give persistence and consistent understanding to a different person. Graphic creating a lasting impression or establishing mood.

Types of graphic 1) Bitmap Bitmap is a picture stored as a set of pixels that correspond to the grid of dots on a computer screen. To display the picture, the computer sets each dots on the screen to the color specified for it in the bitmap. You can create bitmaps with any graphics editor, such as Paint program that comes with Window or commercial drawing programs such as Adobe Photoshop or CoralDraw. Example of Bitmap Graphic

2) Vector Images Vector images are stored as a set of mathematical equations called algorithms the define the curves, lines and shapes in a picture. For images that do not contain a lot of continuous color changes, vector are more efficient way to store the image than the bitmaps. Example a diagonal line : A bitmap stores each point along the diagonal as an RGB color value. A vector image, on the other hand, simply stores the line’s starting point, direction, length and color. Example of vector images

Vector images have two advantages over bitmaps: 1.Vector images are scalable, meaning that you can use graphics programs to enlarge or reduce the size of the image without any loss of quality. 2.Because of vector images normally have smaller file sizes than bitmapped graphics, vector download more quickly over the internet. Software : Autocad Clip Art Creating graphics by hand is time-consuming. To save time there are extensive libraries of clip art that you can use in multimedia production in the Internet. Many have broad general categories including photographs, icons, animations, background tiles, buttons and bullets, while other libraries focus on a visual theme such as nature or scientific images. Digitized image Images that is captured by digital camera and digital video. Hyperpicture/ Hypermedia Images that is used to trigger multimedia events.

3.AUDIO (SOUND) Sound is different in kind from any of the other digital media types we have considered. All other media are primarily visual, being perceived through our eyes, while sound is perceived through the different sense of hearing. These element can greatly enhance the effectiveness of multimedia application. There are two categories of sound that are the most commonly used in multimedia application: music and speech. There are four types of sound objects that can be used in multimedia production: Waveform audio, MIDI sound track, Compact Disk (CD) audio and MP3 files.

i) Audio Waveform All sound have a waveform (sine graph). The waveform includes the frequency, the amplitude, and the harmonic content of the sound. Just as an image has to be digitized in order for the computer to recognize it, a sound must also converted to 1s and 0s. Waveform audio digitizers capture sound by sampling this waveform thousands of times per second; the samples are stored on a computer hard disk in a file that is usually has a.wav filename extension, which stand for waveform. The wave pattern has two attributes that affect how you work with sound on a computer: volume (amplitude) and frequency.

AMPLITUDE The amplitude is the distance between the valley and the peak of the waveform. The amplitude of a waveform determines its volume, which is measured in decibel. A decibel is the smallest variation in amplitude that can be detected by the human ear. FREQUENCY The frequency is the number of peaks that occur in one second. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) or kilohertz (kHz). A pattern that recurs every second is equal to 1Hz. If the pattern recurs 1,000 times in 1 second, it would be 1,000 Hz or 1kHz. The frequency of waveform determines its pitch. The greater the distance, the lower the pitch.

distance along wave Cycle Time for one cycle Amplitude pitch

ii) MIDI Stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It provides a very efficient way of recording music. MIDI records the performance information required for your computer’s sound chip to play the music. For example, there are MIDI codes for tuning notes on and off, making them loud or soft, changing their timbre or tone quality, and bending them or adding other special effects. MIDI files have a.mid filename extension. They can be randomly accessed down to an accuracy of 1/28 second. iii) AUDIO CD Can hold up to 75 minutes of high-fidelity recorded sound. Sampling rate: 44,100 samples per second, Samples: 16 bits, dynamic range: 98 dB. CD Plus also known as CD Extra or Enhanced CD is a music that can also function as a CD-ROM with computer data included on the music disk. iv) MP3 MP3 is stands for MPEG Audio Layer 3. It is an audio file format that uses an MPEG audio codec to encode (compress) and decode (decompress) recorded music. MP3 can compress a CD audio track into a substantially smaller sized file requiring less bandwidth.

4. VIDEO Video is a sequence of frames to represent moving picture. Video is incredibly stimulating because it combines the vibrant colors and interesting shapes of graphics with motion and sound. Video places considerable strains on the processing, storage and data transmission capabilities of computer system. There are 3 different video standards used throughout the broadcast world: a) NTSC ( National Television Systems Committee ) -North / South America, Japan, Taiwan b)PAL ( Phase Alternating Line ) -Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China c) SECAM ( Séquential Couleur Avec Mémoire ) -France, Eastern Europe, Former Soviet Union There are 4 types of video that you can use as the objects of links in multimedia application:

1. Live Video Feeds Provides a rich and lively resource for multimedia application. Any television channel or live camera feed can be the object of the link. 2.Video Tape The most widespread video medium. This medium is limited by two factors which are the information is stored on tape in a serial fashion and most videotape players are not computer controllable. 3.Video Disc a) CAV – can store up to 54,000 still frames or 30 minutes of motion video with a stereo sound track. The CAV format lets you display still frames as well as play motion sequences. b) CLV – Can store up to an hour of video on each disc side which is twice as much video as CAV disc hold. CLV disk cannot show still frames. 4.Digital Video Digital video is stored in files on a hard disk, CD-ROM, or DVD. Digital video can be randomly accessed by frame, letting you play specific clips. Because the video is digital, it can be served over computer network.

5. ANIMATION Animation is the use of a computer to create movement on the screen. The movement is made up of many still images, each in its own frame. Animation can be built in 2 or 3 dimension. There are 4 kinds of animations :- 1.Frame Animation Makes objects move by displaying a series predrawn pictures called frames in which the objects appear in different locations on the screen. 2.Vector Animation Makes objects move by varying the parameters (beginning, direction and length) for the line segments that define the objects.

3.Computational Animation Move objects across the screen simply by varying their x and y coordinates. The x coordinate specifies the horizontal position of the object, that is how far across the screen. The y coordinate specifies the vertical position, that is how far down the screen. 4.Morphing Morphing means to transition one shape into another by displaying a series of frames that creates a smooth movement as the first shape transform itself into other shape.

It is important to choose the right and appropriate media to be used in developing multimedia application. The media that is chosen should be relevant with the information that we want to convey.  TEXT  GRAPHIC  AUDIO  ANIMATION  VIDEO Usage Advantages and disadvantages CHOOSING THE RIGHT MEDIA FOR MULTIMEDIA APPLICATION

TEXT How text can be used effectively:  Communicating Data - Customer names and address - Pricing information of products  Explaining concepts and ideas - A company mission statement - A comparison of medical procedures  Clarifying other media - Labels on button, icons and screens - Captions and callouts for graphics

 Advantages  Is relatively inexpensive to produce  Present abstract ideas effectively  Clarifies other media  Provides confidentiality  Is easily changed or updated  Disadvantages  Is less memorable than other visual media  Requires more attention from the user than other media  Can be cumbersome

GUIDELINES Be concise Reading volumes of text on a computer is difficult and tiring. A picture is worth a thousand words From the design standpoint, text should fill less than half the screen. Use appropriate fonts Choose enliven text by selecting typefaces called fonts and type sizes appropriate to the audience. Font are useful in focusing attention on certain text on the screen, enhancing readability, setting a tone (serious, lighthearted) and projecting an image (progressive, conservative). Eg:Arial – typefaces Arial 12 point Italic- font Eg. Comic Sans MS that may be appealing to a younger audience because of their childlike or whimsical look. Eg. Monotype Corsiva is more appropriate for a formal look. When choosing a font, always consider the objectives and the audience.

Serif is a line or curve extending from the ends of a stroke of a character. eg: Times New Roman, Monotype Corsiva san serif is a typeface without a serif. Eg: Arial, News Hothic MT, Trebuchet MS Decorative is a typeface with decorative design Make it readable The overriding concern with text is readability. Using decorative font may be attractive but it may also hard to read. Filling the screen with text or reducing the size of the type to accommodate more text might also hinder readability. San serif text is clean, simple and projects rationality and objectivity – not always readability. Serif create the illusion of a line along the base of a line of text and guide the eye across the screen – facilitating readability. Use reasonable point sizes depend on the application Headings 14 to 48 point Subheading half of the heading size Text blocks10 to 12 point

Consider type style and colors 3 common type style: –bold –italic –underline These styles are often used for emphasis in print materials. In multimedia applications, there are more often used to indicate hypertext or hotwords. Clicking on hypertext will display additional text (such a definition), or cause some action (such as sound or animation) or jump to another part of the application.

Use restraint and be consistent –Although it may be tempting and certainly easy to use various typeface, sizes and style, it is important to exercise restraint. –Avoid ‘ransom note’ effect: A busy and difficult to read design resulting from too many font and type styles on one screen. –You should try to maintain consistency in the use of text. –Eg : If several screens have a similar heading, you should use the same typeface and style for all such heading. IMPORTANT: –An important consideration in selecting fonts is whether or not they are available on the playback system.

–If your title uses a font that is not on these platforms, the playback system will try to match your font with as close a substitute as possible. –This can have disastrous effects on the appearance of the text by causing changes in word spacing, wrapping the text inappropriately, and even altering the size of the type. –To avoid this problem, you can bundle the font with your title so that it is always available. –Another way: create graphics images or bitmaps of text. Graphic program allow you to type the text and then save the text block as a graphic image. –Drawback: the graphic image takes up more memory and difficult to edit.

GRAPHICS Graphics can be used for: -To add emphasis -Direct attention -Illustrate concepts -Provide a background for the content

Software for Creating & Editing Graphics Graphic program –Tools that allow an artist to create and edit design used in multimedia titles. –There are dozens of graphics programs. Some comes with operating systems such as Microsoft Paint and others are included in authoring program used to create mm titles. –Graphic programs can be categorized as : -Drawing programs -Paint programs -Image-editing programs Drawing programs –Creating draw-type graphics. Provide for freehand as well as geometric shapes and are useful in creating designs where precise dimensions and relationship are important. –Eg: Adobe Illustrator.

Paint programs –Creating bitmaps. Useful in creating original art, because they provide the tools (brushes, pens, spraypaint) used by artist. –Eg: paint shop pro Image-editing programs –Useful for making changes to existing images, such as manipulating the brightness or contrast, or applying textures or pattern. –Eg: Adobe Photoshop

SOURCES OF GRAPHIC IMAGES Clip art, stock photographs, & fine art Video images Still images Scanned images Screen capture programs

AUDIO Examples of uses of audio:  Cautions and warnings It is a good medium for alerting users to critical information. Some uses include:  Sounding an alarm when a limit is reached  Alerting users when data is entered incorrectly  Music and Sound Effects These make multimedia interaction more real. Some uses include:

 Musical background for a video segment  Birds Songs accompanying photographs in biological field training.  Sound-related data. Some uses include:  Helping mechanics diagnose engine trouble  Training medical students to recognize different breathing sounds

 Direct voice communication. Some uses include:  Leaving a voice message for other users of an application  Consulting with an expert during a troubleshooting procedure.

Sound adds life to any multimedia application and plays important role in effective marketing presentations.  Advantages  Ensure important information is noticed  Add interest  Can communicate more directly than other media

 Disadvantages  Easily overused  Requires special equipment for quality production  Not as memorable as visual media

ANIMATION Example of uses for animation: Animation plays a huge role in entertainment (providing action and realism) and education (providing visualization and demonstration). Extremely effective learning medium - Eg: animation provide a simulation and even dramatize to visualize concept or process. To attract user attention - Eg: 3D Rotating/Transforming objects To show design prototype - Eg: House/machine design To build data model - Model of Patient’s brain based on MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image) data.

Advantages  Present / visualize ideas / concept effectively  Disadvantages  Requires extensive memory and storage  Requires special equipment  Does not effectively illustrate the real situation such as video or photograph

VIDEO Example of uses for video  Showing physical procedures. Some uses are:  Installing a board in a PC  Adjusting engine timing  Attracting and holding attention. Some uses are:  Advertising products and services  Teaching new skills to busy employees

 Presenting scenarios. Some uses are:  Training technicians to respond to equipment malfunctions  Demonstrating possible uses for a product  Analyzing motion. Some uses are:  Body motion to improve athletic performance  Traffic patterns for transportation planning

Video adds visual impact to multimedia applications:  Advantages  Captures interest  Increase retention  Clarifies complex physical actions and relationships  Can incorporate other media

 Disadvantages  Is expensive to produce  Requires extensive memory and storage  Requires special equipment  Does not effectively illustrate abstract concepts and static situations