Multimedia Notes: Unit 1

Unit 1: Introduction

Introduction: Multimedia skills - Multimedia hardware components: Mac and Windows

- Memory storage devices, Input and Output devices - Communication devices

Introduction: Multimedia skills

Multimedia is ​content that uses a combination of different ​content forms such as text, audio,
images, animations, video and ​interactive​content. Multimedia contrasts with ​media that use
only rudimentary computer displays such as text-only or traditional forms of printed or
hand-produced material.
Multimedia can be recorded and played, displayed, interacted with or accessed by
information content processing devices​​, such as computerized and electronic devices,
but can also be part of a live performance. Multimedia devices are ​electronic media devices
used to store and experience multimedia content. Multimedia is distinguished from ​mixed
media in ​fine art​; for example, by including audio it has a broader scope. In the early years of
multimedia the term "​rich media​​" was synonymous with ​interactive multimedia​, and
"​hypermedia​​" was an application of multimedia.

Multimedia hardware components: Mac and Windows

Macintosh and Windows are two different ​computer systems, and they run on different
operating systems. A Mac computer runs on a Unix-based operating ​system that is designed
and sold by Apple. The operating system being used currently for Macs is Mac OS X, and it
is designed around graphic interface. The Windows-based computers operate on different
operating systems which are made by Microsoft, and some of these are: Windows XP,
Windows Vista and Windows 7. These Windows-based operating systems can be used on a
variety of PCs which are widely used.

Memory and storage devices

Storage devices are any type of hardware that is capable of storing and retrieving data. Most
often these devices come in the form of hard drives or optical discs. There are two main
categories of storage devices. Primary storage, such as RAM, is used by computer systems
to temporarily store and retrieve data. Secondary storage devices, such as hard drives
stores data permanently.

● Register can set flip- flops. These are very close to the CPU. The register is the
fastest memory.

● Cache memory can store important data, i.e., highly executed data. It is the fast and
smallest memory.

● It stores the data for immediate manipulations.

 There are two types of storage memories:
1. Primary memory
2. Secondary memory

Primary memory
It is also called as the main memory of the computer. It stores the instructions, operating
system and data which required to run the computer. There are two types of primary
memories.
A. RAM (Random Access Memory)
B. ROM (Read Only Memory)

A. RAM
It performs both read and writes operations on memory. It stores data for temporally.If power
failures happened in systems during memory access then you will lose your data
permanently. So, RAM is a volatile memory. RAM categorized into following types.
1. DRAM
2. SRAM
3. DRDRAM

1. Dynamic RAM: Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of random-access

memory used in computing devices. It is made up of capacitors and transistors. DRAM
stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor or transistors and it has two states of value in
one bit called 0 and 1.

● DRAM is less expensive to produce than other RAMs

● DRAM writes data at the byte-level and reads at the multiple-byte page level

● DRAM requires less power than other RAMs

 ● Static RAM

2. Static RAM: Static random access memory(SRAM) is a type of RAM that holds data in a
static form, that is, as long as the memory has power.as dynamic RAM, it does not need to
be refreshed.

● Static RAM provides faster access to data and is more expensive than DRAM

● It is an expensive memory in which each cell must contain multiple transistors.

● Static RAM does not use capacitors. The cache memory is implemented in the cache
memory. It is an expensive memory in which each cell must contain multiple
transistors.

● SRAM is also highly recommended for use in PCs, peripheral equipment, printers,
LCD screens, hard disk buffers, router buffers and buffers in CDROM / CDRW drives.

3. Rambus Dynamic RAM: Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM) is a

memory subsystem designed to transfer data at faster rates. RDAM is made up of a random
access memory (RAM), a RAM controller and a bus path that connect RAM to
microprocessors and other PC devices. RDRAM is also known as Direct RDRAM or
Rambus.

● It is used in Video game consoles because its transfer rate of data is high compared
all types of RAMs.

● RDRAM densities are 128 Mbit and 256 Mbit.

B. ROM
ROM stands for read-only memory, stores information that can only be read. Modifying the
data is difficult. ROM is also a type of non-volatile storage, which means that the information
is stored even if the component loses power.

There are few basic ROM types:

1. PROM
2. EPROM
3. EEPROM – Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
4. Flash EEPROM memory

1. PROM: Creating ROM chips from scratch is time-consuming and very expensive in small
quantities. For this reason, developers created a type of ROM known as programmable
read-only memory (PROM). Blank PROM chips can be bought in low cost and coded by the
user with a programmer while buffering.

● It is used in digital electronic devices to store permanent data.

● It is available in low cost as compared to other RAMs.

2. EPROM: ​EPOM (erasable programmable read-only memory) is programmable read-only

memory (programmable ROM) that can be erased and re-used and it is a non-volatile
memory.We can erase the data in this EPROM by using high voltage Ultraviolet light.

● In EPROM we need to erase each and every cell.

● We can’t erase data in RAM, PROM only we can erase data in EPROM.

3. EEPROM: EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) this

can be erased and reprogrammed using an electrical charge. EEPROM was a replacement
for PROM and EPROM chips and later it is used for computer’s BIOS.

● EEPROM requires data to be written or erased one byte at a time

● EEPROM are used to store configurations parameters and in modern computers,

they replaced BIOS CMOS memory.

4. Flash EEPROM memory

Flash memory is a type of nonvolatile memory that erases data in units called blocks. A
block stored on a flash memory chip must be erased before data can be written or
programmed to the microchip.

● It is more expensive than other hard drives and RAMSs.

● It can be erased only limited number of times

Secondary storage
Secondary Storage Devices are essential as the size of ​Primary storage or main memory in
every computer is limited. With this, the computer can only accommodate a limited sized
program and data. To carry out big jobs like commercial data processing, it becomes
essential that data be held in some expensive form of storage. This is achieved through
secondary storage Devices. It is also called as external storage, and can hold data either
sequentially or at random. You should always keep in in mind that data in secondary storage
devices is not directly accessible and has to be routed through the main storage for
processing.
Types of Secondary storage Devices in Computers are:
● Magnetic tape

● Magnetic disk

● Magnetic drum

Input and Output devices

The devices which are used to input the data and the programs in the ​computer are known
as "​Input Devices​​". or Input device can read data and convert them to a form that a
computer can use. ​Output Device can produce the final product of machine processing into
a form usable by humans. It provides man to machine communication. Some of the I/O
devices are explained below:

(1) ​Keyboard : Keyboard is used in the input phase of a computer-based ​information

system. Keyboard is most common input device is used today. The data and instructions are
input by typing on the keyboard. The message typed on the keyboard reaches the memory
unit of a computer. It’s connected to a computer via a cable. Apart from alphabet and
numeral keys, it has other function keys for performing different functions.

(2) ​Mouse : It’s a pointing device. The mouse is rolled over the mouse pad, which in turn
controls the movement of the cursor in the screen. We can click, double click or drag the
mouse. Most of the mouse’s have a ball beneath them, which rotates when the mouse in
moved. The ball has 2 wheels of the sides, which in turn mousse with the movement of the
ball. The sensor notifies the speed of its movements to the computer, which in turn moves
the cursor/pointer on the screen.

(3) ​Scanner : Scanners are used to enter information directly into the computer's memory.
This device works like a Xerox machine. The scanner converts any type of printed or written
information including photographs into digital pulses, which can be manipulated by the
computer.

(4) ​Trackball : Trackball is similar to the upside- down design of the mouse. The user moves
the ball directly, while the device itself remains stationary. The user spins the ball in various
directions to effect the screen movements.
(5) ​Light Pen : This is an input device which is used to draw lines or figures on a computer
screen. It’s touched to the CRT screen where it can detect raster on the screen as it passes.

(6) ​Optical Character Reader : It’s a device which detects alphanumeric characters printed
or written on a paper. The text which is to be scanned is illuminated by a low frequency light
source. The light is absorbed by the dark areas but reflected from the bright areas. The
reflected light is received by the photocells.

(7) ​Bar Code Reader : This device reads barcodes and converts them into electric pulses to
be processed by a computer. A bar code is nothing but data coded in form of light and dark
bars.

(8) ​Voice Input Systems : This devices converts spoken words to M/C language form. A
microphone is used to convert human speech into electric signals. The signal pattern is then
transmitted to a computer when it’s compared to a dictionary of patterns that have been
previously placed in a storage unit of computer. When a close match is found, the word is
recognized.

(9) ​Plotter : Plotter is an O/P device that is used to produce graphical O/P on papers. It uses
single color or multi color pens to draw pictures as blue print etc.

(10) ​Digital Camera : It converts graphics directly into digital form. It looks like an ordinary
camera, but no film is used therein, instead a CCD (changed coupled Divide) Electronic chip
in used. When light falls, on the chip through the lens, it converts light waves into electrical
waves.

Communication devices

The objective of this comprehensive article is to highlight the communication devices and its
importance:-

1. Repeater
A repeater connects two segments of your network cable. It re-times and regenerates the
signals to proper amplitudes and sends them to the other segments. When talking about,
Ethernet topology you are probably talking about using a hub as a repeater.
Repeater require a small amount of time to regenerate the signal. This can be cause a
propagation delay which can affect network communication when there are several
repeaters in a row. Repeaters work only at the physical layer of the Open System
Interconnection (OSI) network model.
2. Bridge
A bridge is a device that connects one local area network (LAN) to another local area
network that uses the same protocol (for example, Ethernet or Token ring). If a data unit on
one LAN is intended for a destination on an interconnected LAN, the bridge forwards the
data unit to the LAN; otherwise, it passes it long on the same LAN. A router connects a
network to one or more other networks that are usually parts of a wide area network (WAN)
and may offer a number of paths out to destinations on those networks.
A router therefore needs to have more information than a bridge about the interconnected
networks. It consists a routing table for this information. Since a given outgoing data unit or
packet from a computer may be intended from an address on the local network, on an
interconnected LAN or the wide area network. It makes sense to have a single unit that the
examines all data units and forwards them appropriately.

3. Router
In packet-switched network such as the internet, a router is a device or in some cases,
software in a computer, that determines the next network point to which a packet should be
forwarded towards its destination. The router is connected to at least two networks and
decides which way to send each information packet based on its current understanding of
the state of the networks it is connected to. A router is located at any gateway where one
network meets another, including each point of presence on the internet. A router is often
included as part of a network switch.
A router may create or maintain a table of the available routes on their conditions and use
this information along with distance and cost algorithms to determine the best route for a
given packet. Typically, a packet may travel through a number of network points with routes
before arriving at its destination. Routing is a function associated with the Network layer
(layer 3) in the standard model of network programming, the Open System Interconnection
(OSI) model. A layer-3 switch is a switch that can perform routing functions.
An edge router is a route than interface with an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
A router is a network bridge combined with a router. For home and business computer users
who have high speed internet connections such as cable satellite or DSL, a router can act as
a hardware firewall. This is true even if the home or business has only one computer. Many
engineers believe that the use of a router provides better protection against hacking than a
software firewall, because no computer internet protocol address are directly exposed to the
internet. This makes port scans (a technique fro exploring weaknesses) essentially
impossible. In addition, a router does not consume computer resources as a software
firewall does. Commercially manufactured routers are easy to install, reasonably priced and
available for hard wired or wireless networks.

4. Gateway
A gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network. On the internet, a
node or stopping point can be either a gateway node or a host (end point) node. Both the
computers of internet users and the computers that serve page to users are host nodes. The
computers that control traffic within your company’s network or at your local internet service
provider (ISP) are gateway nodes.
In the network for an enterprise, a computer serve acting as a gateway node is often also
acting as a proxy server and a firewall server. A gateway is often associated with both a
router, which knows where to direct a given packet of data that arrives at the gateway and a
switch, which furnishes the actual path in and out of the gateway for a given packet.

5. Hub
A network hub is a device which is used to connect multiple twisted pair or fire optic Ethernet
devices together and makes them act as a single network segment. Hub work at the physical
layer i.e., layer 1 of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. Therefore, this device is
a form of multi-port repeater. Repeater hubs also participate in collision detection, by
sending a jam signal to all ports at the time detection of a collision. Hubs also often come
with a BNC or AUI connector to allow connection to legacy 10BASE2 or 10BASE5 network
segments. In the present scenario, network switches are replacing hubs but hubs are still
seen in older installations and more specialized applications.

6. Server
A server itself a computer that provides services or resources to other computer connected
with it by some networking mechanism. It is designated for running specific server
application. A computer that is designated for only one server application is often named for
that application. Server applications can be divided among server computers over an
extreme range, depending upon the workload. Every server application can run concurrently
under light loading, but multiple server computers may be required for each application
under a heavy load. Under medium loading, it is common to use one server computer per
server application, in order to limit the amount of damage caused by failure of any single
server computer or security breach of any single server application. Any server computer
can also be used as a workstation, but it is avoided in practice, again to contain risk.
When a server starts, it opens the door for incoming requests from its clients, but it never
initiates a service until it is requested to do so. ( A client is a program running on the local
machine requesting service from a server. A client is a finite program which means it is
started by the users or some another application program and terminates when the service
is complete.) When server starts, it runs infinitely unless a problem arises. It waits for
incoming requests from clients and when a request arises, it responds to the request.

7. Switch
When we have multiple devices we face a problem to connect them to make one-on-one
communication possible. The number and length of the links required for connecting them
needs too much infrastructure. Majority of the links remain idle for most of the time. A
network switch is a computer networking device that connect network segments.
A switched network consists of a series of interlinked nodes called switches. A switch may
be hardware or a software device capable of creating temporary connection between two or
more devices linked to the switch but not to each other.

8. LAN Card
A Local Area Network (LAN) card is used to provide access to computers and servers on
network. It work by exchanging signals with a router, which transmits the signals over a
physically wired line. A LAN card communicates with the router. The computer converts data
into binary form and sends it to the LAN card, which in turn broadcasts the signal to be
picked up by the router. The router sends the information on in the form of packets of
information and bundles information for return to the computer via the LAN card in the same
way.
Multiple users can maintain a connection to the router on different bands, to avoid
interference and are assigned unique identities by the router in the form of an IP address.
Each user attempting to access the network will need a LAN card, which is either available
built into the computer or as an external attachment which can be connected through a
Universal Serial Bus port or PC card slot in laptop.

9. Modem
The word MODEM consists of MO+DEM MO stands of Modulator and DEM stands of
Demodulator. The conversion of digital signals to analog signals is called modulation and the
reverse process is called demodulation. Modems are connected both at sending and
receiving ends. The modulator of sender changes the bit pattern to analog signals. The
modem is connected between a terminal and telephone line. The signal is sent through
telephone line and the modem at receiving end demodulates the wave pattern into digital
signals and these signals are converted into output or stored in computer.