Development process for multimedia applications

Bit-mapped graphic data

• Description of the hardware used to capture still graphic data, including:
  • digital camera
    • array CCD
    • memory card storage medium
  • scanner
    • linear CCD
    • role of ADC
• Description of the storage of graphic data in compressed and uncompressed file formats,
• Simple description of the techniques used within each file for compression and data storage, including:
  • bitmap (indexed colour or CLUT)
  • 24-bit bitmap and compressed bitmap (RLE)
  • GIF (animation, (non)-interlaced, LZW)
  • JPEG (description of factors involved)
  • PNG (CLUT or RGB, transparency, compressed)
• Description of RGB colour codes and their effect on the overall colour produced
• Calculations using the relationship:
  • File Size = pixels x colour depth (bits)
• Calculation of number of pixels from height, width and resolution
• Explanation of the following image related terms:
  • dithering
  • anti-aliasing
  • increase resolution (re-sampling)
• Description of features of graphics cards involved in displaying 2D graphics, including:
  • role of DAC
  • role of GPU/DSP (to allow effects to be applied by hardware)

Digitised sound data

• Description of sound card in its use to capture sound data including role of ADC
• Description of the storage of sound data in compressed and uncompressed file formats,
• Simple description of the techniques used within each file for compression and data storage, including:
  • RAW (PCM)
  • RIFF (ADPCM) (including WAV)
  • MP3 (description of factors involved)
• Description of the following terms in relation to audio files:
  • bit-rate to describe data throughput for a sound file
  • normalising sound files
• Calculations using the relationship:
  • File Size (bytes) = Sampling Frequency (Hz) x Sound Time (s) x Sampling Depth (bytes) x Channels
• Explanation of the following sound related terms:
  • clipping
  • stereo,
  • surround sound
  • fade
• Description of features of sound cards, including:
  • role of DAC
  • role of DSP (to allow hardware decoding of sound files)

Video Data

• Technical description of hardware required to capture digital and analogue video:
  • digital video camera (array CCD)
  • web cam (array CCD)
  • video capture card (role of ADC and role of DSP to allow hardware encoding of data stream including into MPEG format)
• Description of the storage of video data in compressed and uncompressed file formats
• Simple description of the techniques used within each file for compression and data storage and the inclusion of sound within the file, including:
  • uncompressed AVI
  • MPEG (description of factors involved)
• Description of term bit-rate to describe data throughput for a video file
• Calculations using the relationship:
  • File Size (bytes) = pixels per frame x Colour Depth (bytes) x Video Time (s) x Frame Rate (fps)
• Description of the main features and applications of video editing software with multiple clips, including:
  • timeline
  • transition
  • sequencing
• Description of features of graphics cards for output of video, including:
  • role of DAC
  • role of DSP (to allow hardware decoding of data stream including MPEG files)

Vector Graphics Data

• Description of features of vector formats:
  • object oriented data storage
  • more storage efficient than bitmap storage
  • output quality matches hardware capability
  • conversion to bitmap formats
• Description of common attributes of vector graphic objects:
  • drawing (shape, position, size, rotation, line, fill)
  • 3D image (shape, position, size, rotation, texture)
• Description of basic features and structures of vector graphic file types, including methods used to implement common attributes listed above for these file types:
  • SVG
  • VRML/WRL

Synthesised sound data

• Description of common attributes of notes stored as MIDI data
  • instrument
  • pitch
  • volume
  • duration
  • tempo
• Description of advantages and disadvantages of storing sound as MIDI data

Implications of the use of multimedia technology

• Description of trends and changes in contemporary technologies that facilitate the convergence of technologies in relation of multimedia capabilities, including:
  • communications
    • buses
    • wireless standards
    • increasing bandwidth
    • including USB
    • Firewire
    • WiFi
    • Bluetooth
  • storage technologies
    • decreasing size and price
    • increasing capacity
    • including optical
    • magnetic
    • holographic
  • processor
    • increasing power
  • display technologies
    • including real and virtual 3D displays
    • flat displays