Hypermedia

Multimedia
Refers to Integration of multiple media such as Text,
Audio, Video, Animation and Visual imagery

Example
Games
CBT (Computer based Training)
WBT (Web based Training)

Interactive Multimedia
If the user has the ability to control any of the multimedia
components then the multimedia becomes interactive
multimedia
Example
Games (NFS)

Hypertext
Text which provides link to other chapter / Webpage /
other media

Structure of Hypertext
Structure of Hypertext is a graph consisting of nodes and
edges
Node: Node is the Actual Information unit
Example: webpage
Other media object
Edge/ pointer / Link : Provides link to other chapter
Node

Edge

Hypermedia
Interactive Multimedia becomes Hypermedia when link is
provided for user to navigate in a non linear way

Interactive
Multimedia

Hypermedia

Hypertext

Multimedia Authoring Systems

An Authoring System is a program which has preprogrammed elements for the development of interactive
multimedia Application
Advantages:
Provides an environment to organize and edit
the elements of Multimedia project.
Each authoring tool support separate scripting
language, so that the developer can create more
interactivity
requires less Technical Knowledge
requires 1/8th the time to develop an interactive
multimedia project, because of re-use of codes

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Authoring Vs
Programming
Authoring
assembly of Multimedia
possibly high level graphical interface design
some high level scripting.
Programming
involves low level assembly of Multimedia
construction and control of Multimedia
involves real languages like C and Java.
Example
Flash
Macro media Director
Tool book
Author ware

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Users of Multimedia Authoring system
Professional user

Average business user/

Adhoc user

1.Prepares full motion video

clip for wide distribution

Prepares motion video

clip for presentation

2.Authoring is performed in
media laboratory or studio
using professional quality
video camera and sound
equipment

Performed at users
desktop

3.Quality standard must be

acceptable

Quality standard must be

acceptable

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Design issues for Multimedia Authoring
User Expectations
1.Quality
2.Transferability
Design Issues
1.Display Resolution
2.File format
3.Compression
4.Network Interfaces

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Resolution
Measures the picture quality in pixels
Since wide variety of display systems and screen
resolution are available we cannot restrict the user
Instead we can standardize acceptable resolutions
Example:
TV- 640x480 is acceptable (since we watch TV
from 10 to 15 feet away)
workstation-800x600 is acceptable (Since we
watch from 12 to 18 inches away

Multimedia Authoring Systems

File format
Encode information for storage in a
computer file
Various data format for image, audio, full
motion video are available, but the ability to
control the is not good in most cases
Better select reliable conversion application
tool

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Compression
Process of encoding information using fewer bits
Since various compression algorithms are
available standardize on one/ two compression
formats for each type of data.

Network interfaces
Interconnects two users terminal with the help
of public / private network
Since various protocols are available,
standardize on reliable protocols so that
multimedia objects can be transferred without
any loss.

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Service Degradation policies
Addresses how the system deals with network
overload during peak demand
Refuse further request with the message Try Later
Provide playback service, but at low resolution
Provide playback service at full resolution, but with
dropped intermediate frames
Provide playback service at full resolution and frame
rate, but this results in a picture that frequently
freezes.

Multimedia Authoring Systems

Types of Multimedia Authoring System
1.Dedicated Authoring systems
Designed for single user, single stream ( it can
handle only one kind of an object.
Example
VCR Metaphor
Advantage
Very simple
Disadvantage
Combining even two object is complex

Multimedia Authoring Systems

2.Timeline based Authoring
Objects are placed along timeline.
Timeline can be drawn on screen (or) created
using script
Disadvantage
Editing a component cause all object in the
timeline to be reassigned
To overcome
Define timing relation directly between objects

Multimedia Authoring Systems

3.Structured Multimedia Authoring
This approach is based on structured object level
construction of complex presentation
It involves two stages
1.construction of the structure
2.Assignment of timing constraint
Advantage
Allows explicit manipulation of the structure of
multimedia presentation

Multimedia Authoring Systems

4.Programmable Authoring systems
Allow authors to use functions for handling certain
routine task

Advantage
In manual system, the author must check the temporal
relation between objects and gaps/ overlap. But
programmable system automatically checks for
gaps/overlap as well as temporal parameters of the
objects

User Interface Design

Provides window for the user for controlling, storing and
retrieving data
Kinds of user interface development Tool:
1. Media editor
create and edit a specific multimedia object
2.An authoring Application
use existing multimedia object or call upon media
editor to create new object. It allow user to combine
different media steams
3.Hypermedia object creation
creates link between different media object

User Interface Design

Navigation through the Application:
Refers to the sequence in which the application
progresses. To build both nodes and links are used.
1.Direct mode
Successive navigation ( Sequential)
2.Free form mode
User determine the sequence of action (nonsequential)
3.Browse mode
Browsing allow the user to explore the database,
when they need information about a particular topic

User Interface Design

It can be good/ bad. Since it depend on the perception of
the user
Guidelines for good user interface design
1. Plan the overall structure of the Application
Structure must be easy to learn and guide the user along
prompting action
Example
Ms Windows GUI.
Menu items are always placed in the same place
2.Plan the content of the Application
Content is designed to perform task. It includes
data entered in each task
data manipulated during each task
data output for each task and design the dialog boxes

User Interface Design

3.Plan the interactive behavior of the Application
Find how the user is going to interact with the
application
4.Plan the Look and feel of the Application
It depends on combination of the metaphor
(symbol/image) being used to simulate real life
interfaces

User Interface Design

Special metaphor for special applications
User Interface for multimedia applications requires the
metaphors to which the users are accustomed
1.The organizer metaphor
used for the preparation of appointment /
maintaining address
Example
Lotus organizer
where map/ voicemail directions can be associated with
the address in the address book image/ video may be
added as background for preparing appointment, so that
user can view the appointment before accepting the other
appointment

User Interface Design

Organizer metaphor

User Interface Design

2.Telephone metaphor
The telephone metaphor can digitize the analog voice,
and playback the digitized sound
The User interface includes all the metaphors of
telephone. This allow us to use the computer interface
just like telephone keypad
Use
Used as office appliance, before voicemail server came
into existence

User Interface Design

3.Aurl user interface (AUI)
Speech recognition based user interface
AUI allow the computer system to accept speech as
direct input and provide oral response to the user
action
It provides good user interface with icons, menus
and windows
Use
Provides Desktop support

User Interface Design

4.VCR Metaphor
The User interface shows all the functions that are
present in video camera, when it is in video capture mode
Example
VCR metaphor that allow editing must have graduated
bar, so that the user can mark the start and end of the clip
that is to be deleted/ edited

User Interface Design

Audio/ Video Indexing Function
Index marking allowed the user to mark the location on
tape
Use
Used in fast-forward and rewind searches

User Interface Design

Three paradigms for indexing audio and video tapes
1.Revolution counter
counted the number of revolution of the tape on
intake spool
2.Advanced counter
counted the inches of the tape that passed the
playback head
3.Time-based counter
shows the play time in hrs:min:sec from the time
the counter was reset

User Interface Design

Advantage
Used for audio and video synchronization
(Though audio and video streams are stored in a single
file they are compressed and managed separately, so,
while playback they need to be decompressed and
played synchronously )

Disadvantage
Used only with stored video and not with live video