[#18] – Multimedia – Questions

A medium is something that can be used for presentation of information. There are two basic ways to present some information:

  1. Unimedium Presentation – In this case, a single medium is used to present information. For example, a music system is a unimedium device because it presents information by using sound medium only, similarly, a book having only text is also a unimedium device because it presents information by using text medium only.
  2. Multimedia Presentation – In this case, more than one medium is used to present information. For example, a TV system is a multimedia device because it presents information by using sound and video media. Similarly, a book having both text and diagrams is also a multimedia device because it presents information by using text, graphics and images.

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Points To Remember:

  • Multimedia refers to use of more than one of following media for information presentation:
    Text (alphanumeric characters)
    Graphics (moving images)
    Audio (sound)
    Video (videographed real-life events)
  • A multimedia computer system is a computer having capability to integrate two or more types of media (text, graphics, animation, audio, and video) for generation, storage, representation, manipulation, and access of multimedia information.
  • In general, data size of multimedia information is much larger than textual information. Due to this, multimedia computer systems require
    Faster CPU (for quicker processing of large amount of data).
    Larger storage devices (for storing large data files),
    Larger main memory (for running programs with large data size),
    Good graphics terminals (for displaying graphics, animation, and video), and
    Audio I/O devices (for playing any audio associated with a multimedia application program).
  • Computer graphics deals with generation, representation, manipulation, and display of pictures (line drawings and images) with a computer.
  • Computer animation deals with generation, sequencing, and display (at a specified rate) of a set of images (called frames) to create an effect of visual change or motion, similar to a movie film (video). Animation is used commonly in those instances where videography is not possible, or animation can illustrate these concepts better than video.
  • Computer audio deals with synthesizing, recording, and playback of audio or sound with a computer.
  • Transducer is a device capable of changing signals from analog to digital form and vice-versa.
  • Computer video deals with recording and display of a sequence of images at a reasonable speed to create an impression of movement. Each individual image of such a sequence is called a frame.
  • Some common multimedia applications are – multimedia presentation, foreign language learning, video games, special effects in movies, multimedia kiosk, animated advertisements, and multimedia conferencing.
  • A media center computer is general-purpose electronic equipment for homes that can alone serve the purpose of all types of electronic entertainment equipment (such as television, music system, DVD/VCD player/recorder, video game gadgets like playstation/gameboy, etc.) in addition to performing the jobs of a PC.

List of Questions:

  1. What is multimedia? Explain with some examples.
  2. Write which ones of following are unimedium and which ones are multimedia devices (write justification for your answers):
    TV system
    Stereo system
    Telephone system
    A book having only text (no diagrams)
    A book having both text and diagrams
    A modern personal computer
  3. List media types generally used in modern computer systems and explain how they help in information presentation.
  4. What is a multimedia computer system? What are its typical characteristics? Do all the multimedia systems need to have all these characteristics?
  5. You have a printed document of 100 pages. Write two different ways in which this textual data can be input to a computer system.
  6. Name two output devices that can be used with a computer system to output text information. Write their relative advantages and disadvantages.
  7. What is a “hypertext”? Explain how it helps in presentation and use of information.
  8. What is “text importing” and “text exporting”? Explain how these features help in creation of a document.
  9. What is computer graphics? Write a few examples to explain its uses in multimedia applications.
  10. Explain difference between “generative graphics” and “cognitive graphics”. Write two uses of each.
  11. What is a “pixel”? Explain how an image is composed and displayed on a computer screen.
  12. Name two input devices for generative graphics applications. Describe a practical use of each.
  13. Name two input devices for cognitive graphics applications. Describe a practical use of each.
  14. Name three output devices that may be used with a computer system to output graphics data. Describe a practical use of each.
  15. What is painting/drawing software? Describe two uses of this software in creating multimedia applications.
  16. What is screens-capture software? Describe a typical use of this software.
  17. What is a clip art? How does it help in creation of multimedia applications?
  18. What is “graphics importing”? Explain how this feature helps in creation of multimedia applications.
  19. Name some common graphics file formats.
  20. What is computer animation? Write few examples to explain its uses in multimedia applications.
  21. Differentiate between “animation” and “video”. Explain the difference with few examples.
  22. What is animation-creation software? Describe with a typical example how this software can be used to create an animation sequence.
  23. What is an animation clips library? How does it help in creation of multimedia applications?
  24. Name some common animation file formats.
  25. Name some transition effect features that may be used to make animation more interesting.
  26. What is computer audio? Write few examples to explain its use in multimedia applications.
  27. What is a transducer? Name three devices that can be categorized as transducers.
  28. Explain role of analog-to-digital and digital-to-anaglog converters in acquisition and playback of analog signals by a computer system.
  29. What is a soundboard card in a multimedia computer system? What its basic functions?
  30. What is an audio clips library? How does it help in creation of multimedia applications?
  31. Name some common audio file formats?
  32. What is computer video? Write few examples to explain its uses in multimedia applications.
  33. Write examples of two transducers that deal with video data.
  34. Write examples of two transducers that deal with audio data.
  35. What is the role of a video-board card in a multimedia computer system?
  36. Write some examples of multimedia applications in education.
  37. Write some examples of multimedia applications in entertainment.
  38. What is a media center computer?
  39. List functionalities normally supported by a media center PC.
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