Multimedia Input Output Technologies

MBA-Tech
Trim- VIII
Faculty: Sonia Relan
 Introduction
Devices can be of following types
1. Storage devices
2. Input devices
3. Output devices

Files generated during multimedia development are as follows

1. Project Proposal
2. Contracts
3. Script
4. Storyboard
5. Logic flowcharts
6. MM element files as digitized videos, graphic files, sound files and
animation.
7. Authoring files
8. Application documentation files

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 Key technology issues
Every link in the chain must be primed to provide a balanced
performance. This chain includes the input device, the
peripheral board and software accepting the input and
compressing it, the network if the compressed data is stored
on a server and the server, where the input data object is
stored.
Failure of any component of this chain would cause the input
to be temporarily suspended until the slower link catches up
or, as is the case with video, loss of some frames that are not
captured in time.
This problem is not restricted to just input.
When the user plays back a video or displays a document
consisting of multiple images, the retrieval rate can affect the
user’s comprehension of the information.

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 Limitations of Traditional Input Devices
In addition to traditional alphanumeric data entry,
multimedia technology requires a variety of other
types data inputs including voice or audio, full
motion video, still photos and images. These inputs
require special devices such as digital pens, audio
equipment, video cameras, and image scanners.
Multimedia objects such as images, audio and video
depend on input device and storage for quality.
However, the capture device determine the outer
bound of the quality. The display device, at best, can
match the resolution of capturing device.

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 Digital verses Analog Inputs
Another important distinction with multimedia objects is the need to
convert data from analog to digital form.
For example a scanner scans an object into scan lines and pixels and then
converts analog amplitude of each pixel into a digital measure.
0 or 1 for black and white.
0 - 255 for gray scale pixel points.
HSI or RGB for color objects.
TV signal ( NTSC) is also analog. It needs to be converted into digital
form for use in computer system. The process for converting analog to
digital and digital to analog are called as coding and decoding.
Hardware devices and software programs for this implementation are
called as codecs.
Codecs usually include compressions and decompression algorithms.
Different codecs are required for each type of multimedia inputs.

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 Display and Encoding Technologies
Since multimedia systems include a variety of object types, a number of
different technologies are required for compression, decompression and
display of multimedia objects.
Almost all multimedia objects are based on a graphical user interface
(GUI). Most graphical user interface are based on VGA ( 640x480 pixels)
or SVGA (800 x 600 pixels)
or even XVGA(1280 x 1024 pixels). Some imaging applications may
require 150 - 200 pixels per inch or better resolution.
Voice mail system store analog sound and are usually based on adaptive
differential PCM technology. Codecs are required for converting analog
sound to digital formats such as WAVE or AVI.
Video cameras provide input in analog formats such as NTSC ( national
television system committee ) standard, PAL ( phase alteration line
standard) or SECAM ( France). Input from either source must be encoded
to digital format and decoded for transfer back for analog play back.
Encoded compressed digital signals are based on JPEG or MPEG
standards. Other formats include AVI and RIFF.

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 Resolution and Bandwidth Issues
Each object type has some resolution. Images are measured in pixels per
inch. Higher the resolution, better the object quality.
For document imaging systems, screen resolution of 100 pixels per inch (
dpi) are required.
• The quality of 200 dpi is very good.
• Laser printers and office copiers can provide a quality of 300 - 600 dpi.
• Published ( professional quality books) have resolution of 1200-1800 dpi.
Sound quality is measured in terms of sampling rate and number of bits
used for representing magnitude of the sample.
• A higher sampling rate allows capturing of higher frequency details.
• Higher number of bits allow capturing of amplitude changes more accurately.
• Both factors contribute to the tone quality.
• A sampling rate of 4 kHz at 8 bits is considered as minimal acceptable for
voice grade sound.
• A sampling rate of 8kHz at 16 bits is required for music quality.
• For CD-quality stereo sound, the sampling rate of 44.1kHz at 16 bits is
required.
• Multi-channel stereophonic sound requires even higher resolution.

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 The VCR quality is considered a minimum for video display which is defined as
• 300 lines visible on the screen. The minimum acceptable resolution is 320 x
240 pixels.
• HDTV quality is 1280 x 1024 pixel range
Another measure of video quality is number of bits being used for color
definition. A 16 bit palette is common. Higher color resolution is required for
HDTV quality.
This will be 24 bit colors ( full color).
A third measure is the number of frames per seconds. TV operates at 60 FPS
Multimedia Object Quality and Transmission Bandwidth

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 Multimedia Input and Output Devices
Pen Input
Video and Image Display Systems
Print Output Technology
Image Scanners
Digital Voice
MIDI
Sound card and Sound Processors
Digital Camera
Video Images. Animation Full motion video
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 Print Output Technology
Laser printers quickly became popular due to the high quality of their print and
their relatively low running costs.
Laser print technology has continued to evolve and print quality at 600 dpi is
starting to make this technology useful for high speed process.
In the 1980s, dot-matrix and laser printers were pre-dominant, with inkjet
technology not emerging in any significant way.
The laser printer was introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 1984, based on
technology developed by Canon. It worked in a similar way to a photocopier, the
difference being the light source.
With a photocopier a page is scanned with a bright light, while with a laser
printer, the light source is, not surprisingly, a laser.
After that the process is much the same with the light creating an electrostatic
image of the page onto a charged photoreceptor, which in turn attracts toner in the
shape of an electrostatic charge.
Laser printers have a number of advantages over the rival inkjet technology.
They produce much better quality black text documents than inkjets, they turn
out more pages per month at a lower cost per page than inkjets. So, if it’s an office
workhorse that is required, the laser printer may be the best option.

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 RIP
Generating the raster image data
Each horizontal strip of dots across the page is known as a
raster line or scan line.
Creating the image to be printed is done by a Raster Image
Processor (RIP), typically built into the laser printer. The
source material may be encoded in any number of special
page description languages such as Adobe PostScript (PS) ,
HP Printer Command Language (PCL), or Microsoft XML
Page Specification (XPS) , as well as unformatted text-only
data.
The RIP uses the page description language to generate a
bitmap of the final page in the raster memory.
Once the entire page has been rendered in raster memory, the
printer is ready to begin the process of sending the rasterized
stream of dots to the paper in a continuous stream.
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 Print Output Technology
Another factor of importance to both the home and
business user is the handling of envelopes, card and
other non-regular media, where lasers once again
have the edge over inkjets.
The RIP (raster image processor) might use an
advanced RISC processor; the engineering which
goes into the bearings for the mirrors is very
advanced; and the choice of chemicals for the drum
and toner is fascinating.
Getting the image from the PC ‘s screen to paper
requires an interesting mixture of coding,
electronics, optics, mechanics and chemistry.

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 Laser Print Technology
1. A laser beam projects an image of the page to be printed onto an electrically
charged rotating drum coated with selenium. Photoconductivity removes charge
from the areas exposed to light. Dry ink (toner) particles are then electrostatically
picked up by the drum's charged areas. The drum then prints the image onto paper
by direct contact and heat, which fuses the ink to the paper.

Laser
Photosensitive
drum
Spinning
mirror

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 Working of Laser printer
2.As the drum continues to rotate, the charged part
of the drum passes through a tank of black
powder called toner. Toner sticks to the drum
wherever the charge is present. Thus, the pattern
of toner on the drum matches the image.

Toner

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 Working of Laser printer
3. A sheet of paper is fed toward the drum. A
charge wire coats the paper with electrical
charges. When the paper contacts the drum, it
picks up the toner from the drum

Charge
wire

Paper

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 Working of Laser printer
4. As the paper rolls from the drum, it passes over a heat and pressure area
known as the fusing system. The fusing system melts the toner to the
paper. The printed page then exits the printer.

As the same time, the surface of the drum passes over another wire, called
a corona wire. This wire resets the charge on the drum, to ready it for the
next page

Fusing
Corona system
wire

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 Specifications

ppm
• Pages per minute
• Typically 4-10 ppm
dpi
• Dots per inch
• Typically 600-1200 dpi

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 Pen Input
Ancient Egyptians used leaves from papyrus plants to paint symbols.
All culture use text created pens or pen like devices to communicate.
For multimedia applications, a digital pen provides a medium for user
input and for manipulating applications
A digital pen is a powerful input device that allows the user to write,
draw, point and gesture (perform an action such as a stroke or a loop).
Pens have been used in CAD/CAM systems to point and select.
Use of a pen in place of a mouse to point, pick, drag, and click on an
object is more recent.
A gesture is another type of user interface that allows a user to select an
object and act upon the object by making a stroke or a loop with the pen.
Gestures are used for entering characters and for writing notes on the
screen of a pen-based system.

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 Is Pen Mightier Than a Mouse and a Keyboard?

In some respects, an electronic pen is mightier than the mouse and keyboard,
including the following:

1. A pen is a natural device used to write or draw on a document. It is highly suitable

for unskilled or partly skilled keyboard operators.
2. A pen allows adding annotations to forms and documents called up on a subnotebook
pen-based computer screen. For example, a purchase order sent by the originator via
e-mail or application workflow can be authorized by signing the purchase order.
3. An electronic pen does not intimidate people. In the example above, the purchasing
manager authorizing the order does not find the technology intimidating or
hindering. The manager can relate with the technology since it duplicates the
original process of signing the paper purchase order.
4. An electronic pen can be used as a direct pointing device. If installed, it can be used
in place of a mouse to pick, drag, and click on objects.

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 Is Pen Mightier Than a Mouse and a Keyboard?
5. Palmtop computers, also known as personal digital assistants (PDAs),
integrated with cellular telephones use an electronic pen to point and
select icons to dial telephone numbers and select messages.
6. A user can use a pen to make gestures. The computer system can be
trained to interpret the strokes and loops as commands providing a
convenient user interface.
7. While a mouse is cumbersome for subnotebook and notebook computers
used in locations other than the office desk, a pen is appropriately small in
size as an input device for notebooks, subnotebooks, and palmtop
computers (PDAs). A pen is small and works well as a complement to
the keyboard and a replacement for a pointing device such as a mouse.
8. A pen is a more natural drawing tool than a mouse due to its close
resemblance to the nonelectronic ink version.
9. A pen is also very useful for data entry. As the user fills in a form with a
pen, the device replaces the handwritten characters with clean encoded
characters using the selected font.

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 How Does an Electronic Pen Work?

An electric pen is also called the Pen Extension for Windows since it
provides a series of modular pen extensions to the Microsoft Windows
Operating environment.

The Pen Extensions include a set of dynamic link libraries (DLLs) and
drivers that make applications pen-enabled.

The DLLs allow pen-based input and handwriting recognition.

Figure 4.1 shows the components of the Microsoft Windows For Pen
Computing systems.

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 Fig 4.1 Windows For Pen Components in
Microsoft Windows 3.1

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 How Does an Electronic Pen Work
As shown in Figure 4-1, the Microsoft Windows For Pen Computing system consists of
the following components:

Electronic pen and digitizer :The digitizer generates the pen position (x and y
coordinates) and the pen status (distance from the screen surface and pen contact
with the screen).
Pen driver: A device driver that collects all pen information and builds pen packets
for the recognition context manager.
Recognition context manager (RC manager): The RC manager is the heart of the
pen system. It works with the device driver, recognizer, dictionary, and application
to perform the recognition and the requested tasks.
Recognizer: Recognizes handwritten characters and converts them to ASCII.
Dictionary: The recognizer feeds the characters to a dictionary system, which
selects the most likely character-string combinations in the form of words.
Display driver: It renders the objects whether characters, symbols, or graphical
objects, on the screen.

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 General Data Flow of Pen Computing in
Microsoft Windows
The components described above combine to provide the pen’s functionality.
When the pen is brought into contact with the screen, the digitizer hardware
generates interrupts as the pen is moved.
The interrupts appear to the pen driver as messages. The driver builds pen
packets containing x and y coordinates and the status of the pen. The pen
packets are sent as messages to the RC manager.
If the pen is supposed to ink (i.e., the movement of the pen is traced on the
screen), the packet messages are sent to the display driver to draw the pen
movements.
If the pen is behaving like a mouse and is not being traced on the screen, the
packet messages are sent to Windows to process messages as if the pen
messages were mouse messages.
The display driver can receive messages directly from the RC manager or
from Windows.
If the messages are received from the RC manager, the display driver starts the
inking process and displays the ink (pen trace) on the screen.
If the messages are received from Windows, the display driver starts cursor
display function and displays the cursor, treating the pen as a mouse.
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 The Electronic Pen

When an electronic pen is used to write or draw, the digitizer encodes the x and
y coordinates of the pen, and the pen status.
The pen status includes whether the pen is touching the digitizer surface
(usually the screen) or not, pen pressure, pen angle, pen rotation, and so on.
Most electronic pens contain a microswitch at the tip that behaves like the left
button of a mouse. In addition, some pens are capable of measuring pressure
levels at the surface that can be encoded as part of the pen status.
Some pen systems are also capable of proximity sensing; that is, even when the
pen is a few millimeters away from the surface, it can encode its location and
track the pen’s movement. This can he shown as the mouse cursor until the pen
makes contact with the digitizer surface.

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 Electronic pen
Windows For Pen Computing requires that all pen devices (and associated
digitizers) be capable of generating their x-y coordinates at least 120
times per second with a minimum of 200 dpi resolution.
The sampling rate determines the number of samples obtained every
second.
The minimum per-second sampling rate generates sufficient data to track
pen movement during writing or drawing.
If the number of samples are not sufficient, then the inking process
generates broken objects.
The minimum sampling rate ensures that sufficient x-y coordinate data is
generated even when the pen is moved quickly over the surface.
The minimum resolution defines that sufficient x-y location data is
generated to maintain the accuracy of the pen path over the digitizing
surface.
This in turn provides sufficient granularity for correctly inking objects.

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 Issues in Using the Pen System

Digitizer
• The Accuracy and Resolution of a Digitizer
Pen Driver
Recognition Context Manager
• Recognizer
• Dictionary

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 Digitizer
The most commonly used digitizers include the following two types;
• a transparent digitizer bonded to the thin flat LCD screen of a
notebook or palmtop computer (PDA), and a separate tablet
containing electronic digitizing circuitry.
• In combination with a pen or mouse- like input device (with buttons),
the digitizer behaves like an electronic pen or notebook.
Bonded digitizer technology is more recent and has been used for PDAs
or subnotebooks where there is no room for a keyboard in very small,
lightweight computer systems.
Tablet digitizers evolved with the computer-aided design (CAD) industry
Most digitizers are based on two types of technologies: electromagnetic
and electrostatic.
The Accuracy and Resolution of a Digitizer How do we define the
accuracy of a digitizer? As one moves the pen on the surface of the
digitizer, the corresponding electronic position should accurately reflect
the pen position.
So how do we define the resolution of a digitizer? The resolution is
defined as the number of points the digitizer is able to digitize in one inch.
Most digitizers have a resolution of 1000 lines/inch.
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 Pen Driver
A pen driver is a pen device driver that interacts with the
digitizer to receive all the digitized information about the pen
location.
The pen driver in the Windows For Pen system consists of
two drivers:
• an installable Windows pen driver and
• a virtual driver,
Having received sufficient data from digitizer, the driver
must send 100 pen packets/second, containing x-y
coordinates and pen status to the RC manager.
The100 packets/second sampling rates ensures that there is
sufficient data to generate complete objects, hence the
recognizer can recognize the shape of the object.

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 Recognition Context manager

It is the heart of windows for pen system.

It is responsible for coordinating windows
pen applications with the pen.
The pen driver sends pen packets to the RC
manager which then works in harmony with
the recognizer, dictionary and display driver
to recognize and display pen drawn objects.

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 Dictionary

A dictionary is a dynamic link library used to

validate there cognition results.
The recognized word is compared against
dictionary words to achieve the best possible
validation.

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 GENERAL DATA FLOW OF PEN
COMPUTING IN MICROSOFT WINDOWS

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