Memory and data

storage
Chapter 6
 File Formats

 A number of different file formats are used in computer systems. We will

look at the following ones:
1. Musical Instrument Digital interface (MIDI)
2. MP3
3. MP4
4. jpeg
5. text and number format
 Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)

 always associated with the storage of music files. However, MIDI files are not music
and don't contain any sounds; they are very different to, for example, MP3 files. Each
MIDI command has a specific sequence of bytes. The first byte is the status byte - this
informs the MIDI device what function to perform. Encoded in the status byte is the
MIDI channel. MIDI operates on 16 different channels, which are numbered O to 15.
Examples of MIDI commands include
 1-note on/off: this indicates that a key (on an electronic keyboard ) has been
pressed/released to produce/stop producing a musical note
 2-key pressure: this indicates how hard the key has been pressed
 ( this could indicate loudness of the music note or whether any vibrato has been used,
and so on)
 Musical Instrument Digit al Interface
(MIDI)
 Two additional bytes are required, a PITCH BYTE, which tells the MIDI
device which note to play, and a VELOCITY BYTE, which tells the device
how loud to play the note. when music or sound is recorded on a
computer system, these MIDI
 messages arc saved in a file which is recognised by the file extension
mid.
 MPEG-3 (MP3) and MPEG-4 (MP4)

 uses technology known as AUDIO COMPRESSION to convert music

 and other sounds into an MP3 file format. Essentially, this compression
technology will reduce the size of a normal music file by about 90 per
cent. For example, an 80 megabyte music CD can be reduced to 8
megabytes using MP3 technology
 Image
s Bi
r tm
to
ec s ap
V
Vector graphics

 It is normal for an image that is created by a drawing package or a

computer-a ided design (CAD) package to consist of a number of
geometric objects. The outcome is then usually for the image to be
stored as a vector graphic file.
 Vector graphic: a graphic consisting of components defined by
geometric formulae and associated properties, such as line colour and
style
Bitmaps
 Most images do not consist of geometrically defined shapes so a
vector graphic
 representation is inappropriate. The general purpose approach is to
store an image as a
 bitmap. Typical uses are when capturing an existing image by
scanning or perhaps by taking
 a screen-shot. Alternatively, an image can be created by using a
simple drawing package.
 The fundamental concept underlying the creation of a bitmap file is
that the picture
 element (pixel) is the smallest identifiable component of a bitmap
image. The image is
 stored as a two-dimensional matrix of pixels. The pixel itself is a very
simple construct; it has
 a position in the matrix and it has a colour
 Joint Photographic Experts Group
(jpeg) files
 The resolution of the photographs is reduced from A to E. Photographs A
and B
 are very sharp whilst photograph D is very fuzzy and E is almost
unrecognizable. This is the result of changing the number of PIXELS per
centimeter used to store the image (that is, reducing the Pictures
Resolution ).
 Text and number file formats

 It is important that the correct format is chosen if some form of

processing is to be done. If number files undergo any form of file
compression, then it tends to be lossless. Since it very important that
none of the information/data is lost
 The phrase 'THIS SECTION SHOWS YOU HOW THIS WOULD WORK'
consists of35 memory units (ignoring spaces). Repeated words, such as
'THIS' could be put into a data dictionary and be replaced by ‘1 '.
Repeated word sections, such as 'HO\V' and 'OU' could be replaced by
the numbers '2' and '3'.
 Lossless and lossy file compression

Lossless file Lossy file compression

compression
With LOSSLESS FILE Lossy FILE COMPRESSION is
COMPRESSION, all the data very different to lossless
bits from the original file file compression. With this
are reconstructed when the technique, the file
file is again uncompressed. compression algorithm
This is particularly eliminates unnecessary bits
important for files where of data as seen in MP3
loss of any data would be formats.
disastrous - for example, a
spreadsheet file.
Memory and storage
 Primary Memory
 Random Access Memory (RAM)
 The features of Random Access Memory (RAM) are:
1-it is volatile/temporary memory (the contents of the memory are lost when the power
to the RAM is turned off)
2-it is used to store:
1. data
2. files
3. part of the operating system
 3-it can be written to or read from and the contents of the memory can be
 changed.
There are currently two types of RAM technology
DRAM SRAM
chip consists of a number of transistors and A big difference between SRAM and
capacitors DRAM is that this type of memory
doesn't need to be constantly refreshed
Each of these parts is tiny since a single RAM It makes use of 'flip flops' which hold
chip will contain millions of transistors and each bit of memory. SRAM is much faster
capacitors than DRAM when it comes to data access
(typically, access time for SRAM is 25
nanoseconds and for DRAM is 60
nanoseconds
The function of each part is: DRAM is the most common type of RAM
1-capacitor - this holds the bits of information used in computers, but where absolute
(0 or 1) speed is essential, then SRAM is the
2-transistor - this acts like a Switch; it allows preferred technology. For example,
the chip control circuitry to read the capacitor the processor's MEMORY CACHE is the
or change the capacitor's value. high speed portion of the memory
DRAMs have a number of advantages over
SRAMs:
• they are much less expensive to
manufacture than SRAM
• they consume less power than SRAM
 Read Only Memory (ROM)

1-they are non-volatile/permanent memories (tl1e contents of the memory

remain even when tl1e power to the ROM is rnood oft)
2- they are often used to store the start-up instructions when the computer
is first switched on (for example, ROM might store the basic input/output
system(BIOS))
3- the data or contents of a ROM chip can only be read; they cannot be
changed.
 Application

 we will now consider an application, other than a computer, where both

RAM and ROM chips are used

RAM ROM

1-the user may wish to program in their own 1-stores the factory settings such as remote
routines; these new instructions would be stored control frequencies
in the RAM. Chip 2-stores the 'start-up' routines when the car is
2-the RAM. chip will store the data/instructions first switched on
received from the remote control unit. 3-stores the set routines; for example, how the
buttons on the hand-held device control turning
left
 Secondary storage
Hard Disk Drives (HDD) Solid-state Drives (SSD)
are probably still the most common method Latency is an issue in HDDs as
used to described earlier. SOLID-STATE
store data on a computer. Data is stored in a DRIVES (SSD) remove this issue
digital format on the magnetic surfaces of the considerably. They have no moving
disks ( or parts and all data is retrieved at the
platters, as they are frequently called). The same rate. They don't rely on
hard disk drive will have a number of platters magnetic properties; the most
which can spin at about 7000 times a second common type of solid-state storage
devices store data by controlling the
movement of electrons within NAND
chips
use ELE,CI"RONICALLY ERASABLE PROGRAMMABLE READ-ONLY MEMORY
(EEPROM) technology. The main difference is the use of NOR chips rather
than NAND. This makes them faster in operation but devices using EE
PROM are considerably more expensive than those that use NAND
technology
 Off-line storage

 1-CD/DVD disks

 2-DVD-RAM

 3-Blu -ray disks

CD/DVD disks DVD-RAM Blu -ray disks
CDs and DVDS are described as uses a very different are another example of optical
OPTICAL STORAGE DEVICES. technology to CDs and DVDs. storage media. However, they
Laser light is used to read data They have the following arc
and to write data in the surface features: fundan1cntally different to
of the disk. 1- Instead of a single, spiral DVDs in their construction and
Both CDs and DVDs use a thin track, they use a number of in the way they carry out read-
layer of metal alloy or light- concentric tracks write operations.
sensitive organic (I) dye to 2-Use of concentric tracks The main differences are:
store the data. As can be seen allows simultaneous read and 1-a blue laser, rather than a
in Figure 6.9, both systems use write operations to take place. red laser, is used to carry out
a single, spiral track which runs 3-They allow numerous read read and write operations
from the center of the disk to and write operations (up to 2-using blue laser light means
the edge. 100000 times2) that the 'pits' and 'bumps' can
be much smaller
3-Blu-rayuscs a single 1.1 mm
thick polycarbonate disk
4-Blu-ray disks automatically
come with a secure encryption
system which helps to prevent
piracy and copyright
infringement.