Chapter 2

1. Hardware

1.1. Production platforms -The most significant platforms for producing and delivering multimedia projects are the Macintosh operating system and Microsoft Windows.

1.2. Windows vs. Macintosh -The Microsoft Windows operating system can run on assemblages of hardware from countless manufacturers.

1.3. Connections -Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) -Universal Serial Bus (USB) -FireWire (IEEE 1394)

1.4. IDE -Is a standard interface for connecting a motherboard to storage devices such as hard drives and CD-ROM/DVD drives.

1.5. USB (Universal Serial Bus) -Most popular connection used to connect a computer to devices such as digital cameras, printers, scanners, and external hard drives.

1.6. FireWire -Introduced by Apple in the 1980s -For connecting devices to personal computer. -Provides a single plug-and-socket connection on which up to 63 devices

1.7. Memory and storage devices -Sufficient memory must be allocated for storing and archiving files.

1.7.1. -Flash or thumb drives -CD-ROM -DVD -Blu-ray discs -Hard disks -RAM -ROM

1.8. 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

1.9. Output devices Stereo Monitor Projector Printer

1.10. OCR software -Makes use of probability and expert system algorithms.

1.11. Painting tools allow you to create and modify bitmap images. -Photoshop, Fireworks, and Painter are examples.

1.11.1. -Photoshop, Fireworks, and Painter.

1.12. Drawing tools allow you to create and modify vector graphics. CorelDraw, Illustrator, and Canvas are examples.

1.12.1. CorelDraw, Illustrator, and Canvas.

1.13. Painting and drawing software features include: -An intuitive graphical user interface

1.14. 3-D modeling tools allow rendering of objects in a three-dimensional perspective.

1.14.1. VectorWorks, AutoDesk Maya, and Strata 3D

1.15. Image editing tools -Powerful tools for enhancing retouching, blurring, sharpening, lightening existing bitmapped images.

1.16. Sound editing tools -Cut, copy, paste, and edit certain segments of the music

1.17. Animation, video, and digital movie tools

2. Authoring Systems

2.1. An authoring tool is a software package which allow developers to : -Organize and edit the multimedia elements of multimedia project.

2.2. Types of authoring tools

2.2.1. Card- and page-based authoring tools

2.2.2. Icon- and object-based authoring tools

2.2.3. Time-based authoring tools

2.3. Card- and page-based authoring tools -Elements are arranged like pages of a book or cards in a stack.

2.4. Icon- and object-based authoring tools -provide a visual programming approach to organizing and presenting multimedia application.

2.5. Time-based authoring tools -The elements of the program are organized along a time line.

2.6. Objects -Authoring tools generally treat multimedia elements as objects.

2.7. Editing and organizing features -Authoring systems include editing tools to create, edit, and convert multimedia elements such as animation and video clips.

2.8. Programming features -Visual programming with icons or objects is the simplest and easiest authoring process.

2.9. Interactivity features Interactivity gives the end user control over the content and flow of information in a project.

2.10. Performance-tuning -Achieving synchronization is difficult, authoring system should facilitate precise timing of events.

2.11. Playback features -These features should enable developers to build part of a project and then test it immediately.

2.12. Delivery features -A run-time or stand-alone version allows a project to be executed without authoring software

2.13. Cross-platform and -It is important to use tools that facilitate easy transfer across platforms(example from Macintosh to Windows).

2.14. Internet-playability features -Authoring systems provide a means for converting their output to be delivered within the context of HTML or DHTML.

3. Four basic stages in a multimedia project

3.1. Planning and costing

3.2. Designing and Producing

3.3. Testing

3.4. Delivering

4. The Intangibles

4.1. Creativity-In a multimedia project, being creative implies knowledge of hardware and software.

4.2. Organization-It is essential to develop an organized outline detailing the skills, time, budget, tools, and resources needed for the project.

4.3. Communication-Communication among the workgroup and client is essential to the efficient and accurate completion of your project.

5. Multimedia Skills

5.1. Project Manager-The leader of a project

5.2. Multimedia Designer-Looks at the overall content of a project, creates a structure for the content.

5.3. Interface Designer-In charge of designing each screen or page interface that lets the user access or modify the content

5.4. Writer-Create characters and actors’ narrations.

5.5. Audio/Video Specialist-Focus on the audio and video production - shooting, capturing and editing video, digitizing and audio recording.

5.6. Multimedia Programmer-Multimedia programmers integrate all the elements of the project using an authoring system or programming language.