Introduction to Multimedia

SMM 2005
Rabiah Abdul Kadir
Jabatan Multimedia, FSKTM, UPM

rabiah@fsktm.upm.edu.my
03-89466537
http://www.fsktm.upm.edu.my/
Introduction to Multimedia
 Chapter 2
 Multimedia Technology
 Hardware
 Software
Introduction to Multimedia

 Computer Hardware

A typical quotation of a computer

system
DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
2.1 Computer Hardware

 There are FIVE major factors for a

computer to be powerful:
 Speed
 Reliability

 Accuracy

 Storage

 Communication
What is a COMPUTER?
 Is an electronic machine.
 Operating under the control of instruction
stored in its own memory that can:
 accept data
 manipulate the data
 produce results
 store the result.

5
 COMPUTER
 Operation
 accept data

 manipulate the data

 produce results
 store the result.
6
Information Processing Cycle

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT STORAGE

Accepting data Processing data Displaying the Storing the

from user. into meaningful information to the information for
information. user. safe keeping or
later use.

 DATA – unprocessed items

 INFORMATION – processed data
Computer Component

 Major Component of a Computer:

 Hardware
 The electric, electronic and mechanical
equipment that make up a computer.
 Software
 The series of instructions that tells the hardware
how to perform tasks.
Part 1: Computer Hardware

Hardware components:
1. Input Devices
2. Output Devices
3. System Unit
4. Storage Devices
5. Communication Devices
1. Input Devices
 Allow user enter DATA and COMMANDS into memory.
 Example: keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone and etc.
 Four forms of input:
 Data

 Program

 Commands

 User responses
2. Output Devices
 Convey information to one or more people.
 Four forms of output:
 Text

 Graphics

 Audio

 Video
3. System Unit
 Box like case that contains electronic components of the
computer that is used to process data. [1]
 Usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board called
MOTHERBOARD. [2]
 Electronic components attached to motherboard – cards,
processors, memory chip. [3]

[1]
[2] [3]
3. System Unit

 Components of a motherboard:
 Processors or Central Processing Unit
(CPU)
 Memory
3. System Unit: CPU

 The electronic component that interprets

and carries out the basic instructions
that operate the computer.
 Contain:
 A control unit
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
3. System Unit: CPU

 Machine Cycle - for every instructions, a

processor repeats a set of four basic
operation:
 Fetching
 Decoding

 Executing

 Storing
3. System Unit: Memory
 Memory stores THREE basic categories
of items:
 the operating system and others system software that control
or maintain the computer and its devices;
 application programs that carry out a specific task such as
word processing;
 the data being processed by the application programs and
resulting information. OS & Syst
Software

MEMORY
Application Data &
Programs Information
3. System Unit: Memory
 Consist of electronic components that store instructions waiting to
be executed and data needed by those instructions.
 There are data that are kept TEMPORARILY, and there are those
that is PERMANENT.
3. System Unit: Memory
 The system unit contains TWO types of
memory:
 VOLATILE:
 When the computer’s power is turned OFF, it loses its contents.
 Temporary storage.
 Example RAM
 NON VOLATILE: 
 Does not lose its contents when power is removed from
computer.
 Permanent storage.
 Example ROM, flash memory and CMOS
3. System Unit: Memory

 RAM
 Main memory / primary storage
 Consist of memory chips that can be read
from and write to by processor and other
devices.
 Types of RAM:
 DRAM
 SRAM
3. System Unit: Memory

 DRAM
 Dynamic Random Access Memory
 More common compared to SRAM
 DRAM needs to be refreshed thousands of times per second
 The common types of DRAM used today is DDR SDRAM.

DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
3. System Unit: Memory

 SRAM
 Static Random Access Memory
 More faster compared to DRAM because it does not need to
be refreshed
 Not commonly used because it is so much more expensive
 SRAM is commonly used in memory cache and some are
built into the architecture of the cpu.
DimensionTM 1100
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz with 1MB cache
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
256MB DDR SDRAM 400 MHz
17" Colour Monitor (15.9"v.i.s.)
80GB (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
48X CD-ROM Drive
3. System Unit: Memory
 CACHE
 Function to speed up processing time because its
stores frequently used instructions and data.
 Two types of cache:
 Memory Cache
 Help to speed the process of the computer because stores
frequently used instructions and data.
 Have L1 cache and L2 cache (SRAM).
 Server have L3 cache
 Disk Cache
 Built into disk to speed up data access from the disk to be
used by the processor
3. System Unit: Memory

 ROM
 Refers to memory chips storing permanent data and
instructions. The data cannot be modified.
 The ROM chips, called firmware, contain permanently written
data, instructions, or information.
 Most personal computers contain a small amount of ROM that
stores critical programs such as the program that boots the
computer.
3. System Unit: Memory
 CMOS
 Some RAMs chip, flash memory chips and others type of
memory chips use CMOS technology.
 Its provided high speeds and consumes little power (small
battery).
 Usage of CMOS
 BIOS, in computing, stands for basic input/output system.
BIOS refers to the software code run by a computer when first
powered on.
 The primary function of BIOS is to prepare the machine so other
software programs stored on various media (such as hard drives,
floppies, and CDs) can load, execute, and assume control of the
computer.
 Other example date, time, Calendar even when the computer is
turned off.
3. System Unit: Memory

 Flash Memory
 A memory that can be erased electronically
and reprogrammed. More in mobile device
unit e.g PDA, handphone, printers and etc.
3. System Unit: Buses
 A computer processes and stores data as a series of electronic
bits.
 These bits transfer internally within the circuit of the computer
along electrical channel.
 Each channel called a BUS, allows the various devices both
inside and attached to system unit to communicate with each
other.
 Two types of bus:
 ADDRESS BUS
 DATA BUS
3. System Unit: Basic Type of Buses

 System Bus
 Connects the processor to main board.
 Expansion Bus
 Allow the processors to communicate with other
peripherals.
 Types of expansion bus:
 ISA Bus
 PCI Bus
 AGP Bus
 ASB and FireWire Bus
3. System Unit: Ports and Connectors

 A port is:
 the point at which a peripheral attaches to a system unit so it can
send data or received information from computer.
 Ports have different types of connectors.
 A connector joins a cable to a peripheral.
 Most connector are available in one of two gender :
MALE and FEMALE.
3. System Unit: Ports and Connectors

 Male

 Female
Types of Ports

 Serial Ports
 transmitting data 1 bit at a time. Example; mouse, keyboard
ports. Using normally 25-pin and 9-pin male connector.
 Although many of the newer systems have done away with
the serial port completely in favor of USB connections,
 most modems still use the serial port, as do some printers, PDAs
and digital cameras.
3. System Unit: Types of Ports

 Parallel Ports
 transmitting more than 1 bit at time.
 Example: Printer Port.
3. System Unit: Types of Ports

 USB Ports
 Universal Serial Bus Port. Can connect to
127 different peripherals together with
single connector type.
 Supports Plug-and-Play.
3. System Unit: Types of Ports
 Special Purpose Ports:
 Firewire

 MIDI Ports

 SCSI Ports

 IrDA Ports

 Bluetooth Ports
3. System Unit: Bays
 A bay is an opening inside the system unit which you can install
additional equipment.
 Two type of drive bays exist
 external

 internal
4. Storage Devices
 Storage holds
 DATA
 INSTRUCTIONS
 INFORMATION.
 The difference between STORAGE and MEMORY
 STORAGE holds these items PERMANENTLY and store it before
and after being used.
 MEMORY holds these items TEMPORARILY while they are being
processed by CPU.
4. Storage Devices: Storage Media
 Is the physical material on which data, instruction and information are
STORED.
 Example of STORAGE DEVICES with their STORAGE MEDIA

Device Media
Hard Drive Hard Disk
Floppy Drive Floppy Disks
CD Drive CD-ROMs, CDR, CDRW
DVD Drive DVD-ROMs, DVDR, DVDRW
Zip Drive Zip Disk
PDAs / Handheld Memory Card
Relationship between CPU, Bus, Memory, Storage

 Each time a process needs to be done,the CPU will take it from the
storage media and bring it into the RAM. [1]

 The process is done in the

RAM [2]

 When the SAVE button is

pressed, the processed 3
information will be sent into
the storage media [3] for
permanent storage. 2 1

 CPU assigns each data a unique address.

 Each time a data needed to be accessed,
its address is called so that the data can
be fetched.
 Every data is sent through the bus. [4]

4
5. Communication Devices
 A communications devices is a hardware component that
enables a computer to send (transmit) and retrieve data,
instructions and information to and from one or more computers.
 Main device is MODEM.
Introduction to Multimedia

 Computer Software
Computer Software
 Software, also called a program, is a series of instructions that tells the
computer what to do and how to do it.
 Users interact with the program through its GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
(GUI) which contains an object called ICON (can be as text, graphics or
visual images).

ICONs
Computer Software

 Two categories of software:

1. System Software
2. Application Software
Computer Software
1. System Software
 Consists of the programs that control or maintain the
operations of the computers and its devices.
 Two types of system software
 Operating System
 Windows XP

 Utility Programs
 Disk defragmenter, Anti virus, Scan Disk
Computer Software

2. Application Software
 Consists of programs that perform specific task
for user. Application software is used for a
variety of reasons:
 As business tool
 To assist with graphics and multimedia projects
 To support home, personal and educational 
activities
 To facilitate communications
Other Software
 Business Software
 Accounting
 Stock
 Graphic and Multimedia Software
 Photo Editing
 Authoring tools
 Movie Players
 Home, Personal and Education Software
 Courseware
 Communication Software
 Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger, ICQ, MIRC
 Web Application
 Maybank2u, Web based E-mail
Categories of Computers

 Industries experts typically classify

computers in FIVE categories:
1. Personal Computers
2. Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices
3. Midrange Servers
4. Mainframes
5. Supercomputers
1. Personal Computers
 A computer that can perform all its input, processing,
output and storage activities by itself.
 Although technically this refers to all such computers,
including Macs, the term PC is nearly synonymous with
only the IBM-compatible microcomputers.
 Two popular type are the PC (IBM) and Apple.
1. Personal Computers
 Two type of personal computer.
 Desktop Computer

 tall and narrow tower. If the spec is higher and for

professional used, normally known as workstation.

 Notebook / Laptop Computer

 Foldable and compact. Easy to carry around.

2. Mobile Computers & Mobile Devices

 Is a personal computer that you can carry from

place to place.
 A notebook ( laptop); tablet PC; Handheld
computer; PDA (personal digital assistant);
smart phone
3. Midrange Server
 Is more powerful and larger than a workstation computer.
 Typically support several hundred and a few thousand connected
computers at the same time.
 Its store data and programs.

A BLOCK B BLOCK

FSKTM LAN
4. Mainframes
 Is a large, expensive, very powerful computer that can handle more than
thousands of connected user simultaneously.
 Also can act as servers on a large network environment.
(Server for servers)

FSAS
FSKTM

UPM B
5. Supercomputers
 Is the fastest, most powerful computer.
 Capable of processing more than 100 trillion
instructions per second.
 Used for simulations.