What is Multimedia Hardware and Software

What is Multimedia Hardware and Software
NEED3:Software
Text editing and word processing tools
Word processors such as Microsoft Word and
WordPerfect are powerful applications that
include spell checkers, table formatters, and
prebuilt templates for letters, resumes, purchase
orders, and other common documents.
OpenOffice is a free, downloadable word
processing program.
OCR software
Makes use of probability and expert system
algorithms
Converts bitmapped characters into
electronically recognizable text
Is very accurate and saves time and effort
Painting tools allow you to create and modify
bitmap images.
Photoshop, Fireworks, and Painter are examples.
Drawing tools allow you to create and modify
vector graphics.
CorelDraw, Illustrator, and Canvas are examples.
Vector graphics are used by Adobe Flash to
reduce download time and scaling problems
with web graphics.
Painting and drawing software features include:
An intuitive graphical user interface
Scalable dimensions
Multiple undo capability
Scalable text font support
Support for thirdparty special effect plugins
Layering capability
Painting features such as smoothing
coarseedged objects into the background with
antialiasing.
3D modeling tools allow rendering of objects
in a threedimensional perspective.
VectorWorks, AutoDesk Maya, and Strata 3D are
examples.
3D graphics usually take a long time to render,
so plan accordingly.
Image editing tools
Powerful tools for enhancing retouching,
blurring, sharpening, lightening existing
bitmapped images.
Many painting and drawing programs also serve as image editors.
Support third party plugin.
Sound editing tools
Cut, copy, paste, and edit certain segments of
the music
Enable the user to see music as a waveform as
well as hear sound.
Animation, video, and digital movie tools
Planning & Costing
Scope / boundary of the project
consider how much time to develop the project.
consider the knowledge and skills needed.
Target users
some background research may conducted.
Set the contents
Content or information will determine the size
of the project.
Consideration before determining the content
are:
Obtaining rights to use exiting resources.
Digitizing pictures, audio, and video.
Prepare time estimate and a budget.
Prepare a short prototype or proof of concept.
Perform each of the planned tasks to create a
finished product.
NEED4: Authoring Systems
An authoring tool is a software package which
allow developers to :
Organize and edit the multimedia elements of
multimedia project.
Design screen layouts(interface) using templates
Create interactivity
assembling diverse multimedia elements into a
single, cohesive product.
Types of authoring tools
Card and pagebased authoring tools
Elements are arranged like pages of a book or
cards in a stack.
These tools contain media objects such as
buttons, text fields, and graphic objects.
It is easy to move from page to page because
most programs use buttons and hot spots
which allow the user to choose their own path.
LiveCode is an example of a cardbased system
Icon and objectbased authoring tools
Iconbased and objectbased tools provide a
visual programming approach to organizing
and presenting multimedia application.
Multimedia elements and interaction cues are
organized as objects in a flow chart.
Flow charts can be built by dragging
appropriate icons from a library and then
adding the content.
Timebased authoring tools
The elements of the program are organized
along a time line.
Best suited for messages with a beginning and
an end.
Developer can coordinate the time, speed and
display length of each elements.
Adobe Flash and Adobe Director are
timebased development environments.
Objects
Authoring tools generally treat multimedia
elements as objects.
Each object is assigned properties or modifiers.
Objects may contain scripts that specify a
related action.
Choosing an authoring tool
Editing and organizing features
Authoring systems include editing tools to
create, edit, and convert multimedia elements
such as animation and video clips.
The organization, design, and production
process for multimedia involves storyboarding
and flow charting.
Visual flow charting or an overview facility
illustrates project structure at a macro level.
Programming features
Visual programming with icons or objects is the
simplest and easiest authoring process.
Authoring tools offer “very high level language”
(VHLL) or interpreted scripting environment.
for navigation control and for enabling user
inputs.
Example: Flash, Livecode, & Toolbook
Interactivity features
Interactivity gives the end user control over the
content and flow of information in a project.
Performance tuning and playback features
Achieving synchronization is difficult, authoring
system should facilitate precise timing of
events.
Delivery, crossplatform, and Internet playability
features
These features should enable developers to
build part of a project and then test it
immediately.
Delivery features
A runtime or standalone version allows a
project to be executed without authoring
software
Run time version not allow user to access and
change the contents.
Crossplatform and
It is important to use tools that facilitate easy
transfer across platforms(example from
Macintosh to Windows).
Internetplayability features
Authoring systems provide a means for
converting their output to be delivered within
the context of HTML or DHTML.
Testing
Test your programs to make sure that they
meet the objectives of your project.
Every feature and function must be exercised,
every button or link must be clicked
Two Phases of testing:
Alpha Testing
Often performed only by users within the
organization developing the software as a form
of internal acceptance testing.
The application may be missing part of the
content or functionality.
The main interest is to review the concept,
format, user interface and the layout.
Beta Testing
The product is evaluated just before the final
release.
It is a fully functioning product and should be
relative bug free.
Main interest is to find bugs or content errors.
The testing group should be represented by the
real users and should not include the people
who have been involved in the project.
NEED1: The Intangibles
The intangible assets in multimedia :
Creativity
In a multimedia project, being creative implies
knowledge of hardware and software.
Most precious asset
Organization
It is essential to develop an organized outline
detailing the skills, time, budget, tools, and
resources needed for the project.
Communication
Communication among the workgroup and
client is essential to the efficient and accurate
completion of your project.
NEED2: Multimedia Skills
Most of the time, multimedia project involves a
lot of people to be produced. Each person has
their own specialized skills required to do
specific task.
Main roles in the team:
Project Manager
The leader of a project
oversee the entire project. Responsible for
overall development, implementation of the
project and day to day operations.
Multimedia Designer
Looks at the overall content of a project, creates
a structure for the content.
Determines the design elements required to
support that structure.
Interface Designer
in charge of designing each screen or page
interface that lets the user access or modify the
content – simplicity
Writer
Create characters and actors’ narrations.
Write text screens to deliver message
Audio/Video Specialist
Focus on the audio and video production
shooting, capturing and editing video, digitizing
and audio recording.
Multimedia Programmer
Multimedia programmers integrate all the
elements of the project using an authoring
system or programming language.
NEED3: Hardware
Production platforms
The most significant platforms for producing
and delivering multimedia projects are the
Macintosh operating system and Microsoft
Windows.
The Macintosh and the Windows PC offer a
combination of affordability and software and
hardware availability
Windows vs. Macintosh
The Microsoft Windows operating system can run on assemblages of hardware from countless manufacturers.
Unlike Microsoft, primarily a software company,
Apple is a hardware manufacturing company
that developed its own proprietary software
to run the hardware.
Apple Computer produces both the computer
and the operating system.
Many developers believe that multimedia
project development is smoother and easier
on the Macintosh than in Windows
Connections
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
is a standard interface for connecting a
motherboard to storage devices such as hard
drives and CDROM/DVD drives.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
most popular connection used to connect a
computer to devices such as digital cameras,
printers, scanners, and external hard drives.
is a plugandplay interface (without
reconfiguration or adjustment by the user)
FireWire (IEEE 1394)
Introduced by Apple in the 1980s
For connecting devices to personal computer.
provides a single plugandsocket connection
on which up to 63 devices
Memory and storage devices
Sufficient memory must be allocated for storing
and archiving files.
Memory requirements of a multimedia project
depend on the project’s content and scope.
The two types of memory are random access
memory (RAM) and readonly memory (ROM).
RAM
Volatile storage
enables the simultaneous running of many
applications.
Storage that allows to read and write data as
many time as needed
ROM
is nonvolatile storage. The BIOS program that
boots up the computer resides in the ROM.
Hard disks
nonvolatile storage
Is rewriteable permanent memory.
have a high data storage capacity and data
transfer speed.
Flash or thumb drives
CDROM
DVD
Bluray discs
Input devices
An optical character recognition (OCR) device is
used to convert printed matter into ASCII text
files.
Barcode reader recognize the numeric
characters of the Universal Product Code (UPC)
Voice recognition systems recognize spoken
words and commands.
Microphones
Digital cameras
Output devices
Stereo
Monitor
Projector
Printer
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