Multimedia

Introduction to Multimedia Systems

Introduction to Multimedia

I picked up this book from the library titled "Introduction to Multimedia Systems" and literally taught me exactly what its says on the title. I learnt the whole concept of what Multimedia is from the different types of elements it has to what exactly Multimedia is and its importance to the world today.
Below I've written some interesting points from the book which I found really helped me get the understanding of what multimedia is.

Communication is an important aspect of life, without it no one would be able to interact with each other. In the early days, communication between two people started off as having a face to face conversation using speech, facial expressions and even sign language. Now today, technology has advanced from a person sending a letter to another person to a person sending a video which includes sound and visual interaction so the other person gets more information on what the other person is actually doing e.g. a video of him or her on holiday.
This is when Multimedia comes in because now that computers have developed from simple text as output, now we can get sound, pictures, videos etc. So the course multimedia is about the combination of text, graphics, sound and motion delivered to you by a computer.

The word “multimedia”

The word multimedia is derived from multiple and media. The word media means a transmission channel e.g. sound is transmitted through the medium of air, or electricity is transmitted through the medium of wires. So mix that with the word multiple and multimedia means “multiple ways of transmitting mediums.

Elements of multimedia

Audio – Audio is one of the most appealing elements as the impact of sound sets the mood and establishes the ambience e.g. a really sad and depressing part of a movie, the sound will be set to suit that mood by playing a really slow, sad song.
Audio can:
Reinforce a message or theme
To set the mood
To catch the interest of the audience
To alert the audience

Graphics – In multimedia, graphics i.e. pictures and images conveys information in a easier form to understand, Graphics can be:
Still pictures e.g. photographs
Two dimensional
Three dimensional
Animated

We could mix these elements together to create a really good form of communication e.g. mixing graphics and audio to create a video which is a effective way of communicating.

Interactivity

In a multimedia system, if the user has the ability to control the elements of when and what is delievered to the audience, then this system is called an interactive system. For example most mass media such as television and radio, these are all controlled by the user of when and what will be delivered to the mass audience originating from one source, hence the name “mass media.”
Usually interacting with the system consists of using a keyboard, mouse, touch screen etc.
So the key difference between mass media and multimedia is the shift from audience to users, and one way communication to two-way communication which is accomplished by interaction.

The nature of Sound

Sound is a key element in multimedia. Imagine watching a film without sound, or the sound gets very distorted in one of the major scenes in the film. The presence of sound enhances the effect of a video or animation.

Use od audio in multimedia

You can use sound in multimedia projects in two ways:

Content sound
Ambient sound

Content Sound

Narration – provides information about an animation that is playing on the screen
Testimonials – sound tracks used in movies
Voice-overs – used for short instructions, e.g. to navigate the multimedia application
Music – may be used to communicate in a song

Ambient Sound

Message reinforcement – the background sounds you hear in real life such as the crowd at a ball game
Background music – set the mood for the audience to receive
Sound effects – to liven up the mood and add effects to the movie.