23MCI1E1 – Unit 1

MULTIMEDIA AND ITS APPLICATIONS

Introduction to multimedia:
What is Multimedia?
The word multi and media are combined to form the word multimedia. The word
“multi” signifies “many.”

Multimedia is a type of medium that allows information to be easily transferred

from one location to another.

Multimedia is the presentation of text, pictures, audio, and video with links and
tools that allow the user to navigate, engage, create, and communicate using a computer.

Multimedia refers to the computer-assisted integration of text, drawings, still and

moving images (videos) graphics, audio, animation, and any other media in which any type
of information can be expressed, stored, communicated, and processed digitally.

Multimedia is used in many different areas, including:

 Education: Multimedia is used in education in many ways, including e-learning

platforms, online tutorials, interactive software, and virtual reality.
 Entertainment: Multimedia is used in the entertainment industry for movies,
television shows, video games, and special effects.
 Advertising: Multimedia is used to create engaging advertisements, such as
online videos and virtual reality experiences.
 Social media: Multimedia is a crucial aspect of social media.
 Website design: Multimedia design is common in the website design and
graphics industry.
 Animation: Animation is a powerful multimedia tool that allows you to convey
ideas clearly and quickly.
 Graphics: Multimedia relies heavily on graphics, such as pictures or other non-
text elements.
Components of Multimedia
Multimedia consists of the following 5 components:
1. Text
Characters are used to form words, phrases, and paragraphs in the text. Text appears in all
multimedia creations of some kind. The text can be in a variety of fonts and sizes to match
the multimedia software’s professional presentation. Text in multimedia systems can
communicate specific information or serve as a supplement to the information provided by
the other media.
2. Graphics
Non-text information, such as a sketch, chart, or photograph, is represented digitally.
Graphics add to the appeal of the multimedia application. In many circumstances, people
dislike reading big amounts of material on computers. As a result, pictures are more
frequently used than words to clarify concepts, offer background information, and so on.
Graphics are at the heart of any multimedia presentation. The use of visuals in multimedia
enhances the effectiveness and presentation of the concept. Windows Picture, Internet
Explorer, and other similar programs are often used to see visuals. Adobe Photoshop is a
popular graphics editing program that allows you to effortlessly change graphics and make
them more effective and appealing.
3. Animations
A sequence of still photographs is being flipped through. It’s a set of visuals that give the
impression of movement. Animation is the process of making a still image appear to move.
A presentation can also be made lighter and more appealing by using animation. In
multimedia applications, the animation is quite popular. The following are some of the most
regularly used animation viewing programs: Fax Viewer, Internet Explorer, etc.
4. Video
Photographic images that appear to be in full motion and are played back at speeds of 15 to
30 frames per second. The term video refers to a moving image that is accompanied by
sound, such as a television picture. Of course, text can be included in videos, either as
captioning for spoken words or as text embedded in an image, as in a slide presentation.
The following programs are widely used to view videos: Real Player, Window Media
Player, etc.
5. Audio
Any sound, whether it’s music, conversation, or something else. Sound is the most serious
aspect of multimedia, delivering the joy of music, special effects, and other forms of
entertainment. Decibels are a unit of measurement for volume and sound pressure level.
Audio files are used as part of the application context as well as to enhance interaction.
Audio files must occasionally be distributed using plug-in media players when they appear
within online applications and webpages. MP3, WMA, Wave, MIDI, and RealAudio are
examples of audio formats. The following programs are widely used to view videos: Real
Player, Window Media Player, etc.
TEXT IN MULTIMEDIA

PURPOSE

1. To guide the user in navigating through the application.

2. To explain how application work

3. Deliver the information for which the application was designed.

# Text consists of two structures:

 linear

 Non-linear

# Linear:

 A single way to progress through the text, starting at the beginning and reading to
the end.

# Non-linear:

 Information is represented in a semantic network in which multiple related sections

of the next are connected to each other.

 A user may then browser trough the section of the next, jumping from one text
section to another

Why text is important?

# Factors affecting legibility of text

1. Size: the size of the text

2. Background and foreground color: The color in which the text is written in / on

3. Style: Also known as typeface and font.

4. Leading:

 Refers to the amount of added spaces between lines of type.

  Originally, when type was set by hand for printing presses, printers placed slugs,
strips of lead of various thicknesses, between lines of type to add space.

Text technology

1. Based on creating letters, numbers and special characters.

2. May also include special icon or drawing symbols, mathematical symbol, Greek
letter etc[©™≈ƒ]

3. Text elements can be categories into:

 Alphabet characters: A-Z

 Numbers: 0-9

 special characters: Punctuation [. , ; ‘ …..] , Sign or symbols [*&^%$#@!…..]

 Also known Character Sets.

FONT VS TYPEFACE
Font

1. A ‘font’ is a collection of characters of a particular size and style belonging to a

particular typeface family.

2. Usually vary by type sizes and styles.

3. The sizes are measure in points

4. This includes the letter set, the number set, and all of the special character and
diacritical marks you get by pressing the shift, option, or command /control keys.

Typeface

1. A ‘typeface’ is a family of graphic characters that usually includes many type sizes
and styles.

2. A typeface contains a series of fonts. For instance, Arial, Arial Black, Arial Narrow
and Arial Unicode MS are actually 4 fonts under the same family.

 Arial

 Arial Black
  Arial Narrow

 Arial Unicode MS

FONT EFFECTS

The technology of font effects in bringing viewer’s attention to content

 Case : UPPER and lower cased letter

 Bold, Italic, Underline, Superscript and Subscript

 Embossed or Shadow

 colours

 Strikethrough
LEADING OF TEXT

 Spacing above and below a font or line spacing

TYPES OF FONTS

:Two classes of fonts

SERIF TEXT

 Decorative strokes added to the end of a letter’s

 Serifs improve readability by leading the eye along the line of type

 Serifs are the best suited for body text

 Serif faces are more difficult to read in small scale (smaller than 8pt) and in very
large sizes.
SANS SERIF TEXT

 Sans serif faces doesn’t have decorative strokes

 A sans serif text has to be read letter by letter.

 Use sans serif faces for small (smaller than 8pt) and very large sizes

 Used for footnotes and headlines

USING TEXT IN MULTIMEDIA

The text elements used in multimedia are:

 Menus for navigation

 interactive buttons

 Fields for reading

 HTML documents

 Symbols and icon

TEXT APPLYING GUIDELINES:

 Be concise

 Use appropriate fonts

 Make it readable

 Consider type style and colors

 Use restraint and be consistent

FONT EDITING AND DESIGN TOOLS

Text creating software:

 ResEdit - Introduced by Apple Text to design text as a bitmap image.

 Fontographer

o Developed by Macromedia for Macintosh and Apple

o Use to edit the existing font

o Freehand drawing tools is used to design a font.

 What is Hypertext?

Hypertext is a cross-referencing technology that uses hyperlinks to connect links to

other text. Hypertext differs from the traditional text in that it is nonlinear and multi-
sequential. One organized approach to presenting information is achieved with the use of
hypertext. It causes the user to navigate from one section of information to another, whether
on the same page or on another. It simplifies documentation by making it easily available to
the end user.

Example

Let's look at what a node is now. Each data component in a network is known as a
node, and these nodes connect to other nodes via a link or pointer. This idea is utilized on
websites where the hypertext written over a webpage includes a hyperlink to either the
other text alone or to the other webpage.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hypertext

There are various advantages and disadvantages of hypertext. Some main

advantages and disadvantages of hypertext are as follows:
 Advantages

1. Hypertext allows for fast and easy access to information with minimal browsing.

2. New information outside of the person's competence, such as statistics or

professional images of an event, can be attached.

3. It promotes free expression by allowing everyone to view and express their thoughts
on an already discussed topic on the internet.

Disadvantages

1. Hypertext may present false information. For instance, if an image is connected to a

paragraph giving an opinion on a politically contentious topic, the selective
connection may be irrelevant or biased. When given out of context or interpreted as
factual, uneducated or personal ideas might cause problems.

2. Frequently, there is no extra credibility for the original author. Only a portion from
prior works is immediately linked, with no background information. Users may only
see the credibility if they go beyond the hypertext.

3. Information may be untrustworthy.

What is Hypermedia?

Hypermedia is an extension of hypertext that contains many forms of media, such as

text, images, audio, or video, as opposed to hypertext, which is only text-based. It allows
you to connect web pages to form a network containing multimedia elements with a single
click for a more comprehensive multimedia experience. Hypermedia enables links to be
embedded in multimedia elements such as images and videos, and clicking on them leads
us to that page.

Example

YouTube is an example of hypermedia. It includes hypertext and video entries, and

hyperlink buttons in the videos. The user will be directed to the video owner's blog by
clicking on these buttons. Overall, hypermedia improves access to information and provides
a better multimedia experience.
Difference Between Hypertext and Hypermedia

Hypertext

 It refers to the system of managing the information related to the plain text.
 It involves only text.
 It becomes a part of the link.
 It is the part of hypermedia.
 It allows the user to traverse through text in a non-linear fashion.
 It allows users to move from one document to another in a single click.
 The user can click on the hypertext or the ‘goto’ links.
 It helps the user move to the next document.
 It also helps the user move from one page of a document to the other page.
 It doesn’t provide a great user experience to the user.
 Example includes reading a blog on a website, and click on goto links to move to
the next part.
Hypermedia

 It refers to connecting the hypertext with media such as graphics, sounds, and
animations.
 It involves graphics, image, video, and audio.
 It can be understood as the improved version of hypertext.
 Text with multimedia is a part of the link.
 It allows the user to click on the text or any other multimedia to move from one
page to another page.
 It gives flexibility of movement.
 It attracts more number of users.
 It provides a better user experience.
 Example includes reading an article on a website, and click on an image takes the
user to its associated page.