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MODULE-2

Multimedia Information Representation

Topics:
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Digitization Principles
2.3 Text
2.4 Image
2.5 Audio
2.6 Video
2.7 Recommended Questions

2.1 Introduction
All types of multimedia information are stored and processed within a computer in a digital form.
They can be integrated together and transmitted over single all-digital communications network.

2.2 Digitization Principles

 A signal whose amplitude varies continuously with time is known as an analog signal.
 Techniques involved in analog-to-digital conversion include sampling and quantization.
 The range of frequencies of the sinusoidal components that make up a signal is called the signal
bandwidth.
 Any signal transmitted over a channel must have a signal bandwidth less than the channel bandwidth.

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Figure 2.1 Signal Properties: a) Time varying analog signal; b) Sinusoidal frequency components; c)
Signal bandwidth examples; d) Effect of a limited bandwidth transmission channel

Nyquist sampling theorem: The amplitude of a signal must be sampled at a minimum rate that is equal to or
greater than twice the bandwidth of the signal.

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Figure 2.2 Signal encoder design: a) Circuit components b) Associated waveform set

 Quantization is the process that confines the amplitude of a signal into a finite number of values.
 The difference between the actual signal amplitude and the corresponding nominal amplitude is called
the quantization error.
 The ratio of the peak amplitude of a signal to its minimum amplitude is known as the dynamic range.

Quantization interval:
Where n is the number of bits used and Vmax is the maximum positive and negative signal amplitude.

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Figure 2.3 Quantization procedure: a) Source of errors; b) Noise polarity

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Example 2.1:

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Example 2.12:

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2.3 Text
There are 3 types of text that are used to produce pages of documents:
1. Unformatted text:(=plaintext)
Comprise strings of fixed-size characters from a limited character set such as ASCII code set.
e.g. .txt file

Figure 2.6: The basic ASCII character set.

2. Formatted text: (=richtext)

Comprise of strings of characters of different styles, size, and shape with tables, graphics, and images.
e.g. word .doc file

Figure 2.7: Formatted text: a) an example of formatted text string b) printed version of the string

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3. Hypertext:
Integrated set of documents (each comprising formatted text) to be created which have defined linkages
(hyperlinks) between them.
e.g. .htm file

2.4 Images
 Images include computer-generated images (referred to as computer graphics) and digitized images of
documents and pictures.
 All images are displayed in the form of a two dimensional matrix of individual picture elements called
pixels.

2.4.1 Graphics
 Graphics are composed of all kinds of visual objects such as lines, arcs, squares, circles and so on, as
well as any form of hand-drawn objects.
 Each object has a number of associated attributes such as color, shape, size, shadow and so on.
 There are 2 forms of representation of a computer graphic:
 The representation of a graphic is analogous to the structure of a program written in a high-level
programming language, which consists of a set of commands that are necessary to draw the different
objects that make up the graphic.
 Another form of representation is the actual pixel image of the graphic (bit-map format).

Figure 2.8: Graphic principles: a) example screen format; b) some simple object example; c) effect of
changing position attribute; d) Solid objects

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2.4.2 Digitized pictures

 A whole spectrum of colors can be produced by using different proportions of the 3 primary colors red,
green and blue.
 There are 2 mixing techniques: additive color mixing and subtractive color mixing.

Figure 2.9: Color derivation principles: a) Additive color mixing;

b) Subtractive color mixing.

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Raster-scan principles:

Figure 2.10: TV/Computer monitor principles: a) Schematic b) raster scan principle

 The frame refresh rate must be high enough to ensure the eye is not aware the display is
continuously being refreshed.
 A low refresh rate leads to what is called flicker.
 The number of bits per pixel is known as the pixel depth and determines the range of different
colors that can be produced.
 The aspect ratio is the ratio of the number of pixels per scanned line and the number of lines per
frame.
 (common ratios: 4:3, 16:9)

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 Example display resolutions and memory requirements:

Figure 2.11: Color image capture: a) schematic; b) RGB signal generation alternatives

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2.5 Audio
 There are 2 types of audio signal: speech and music quality audio.
 Audio can be produced either naturally by means of a microphone or electronically using some form of
synthesizer.
 Output of all digitized audio signals the stream of digitized values must be converted back into its
analog form as loudspeakers operate using an analog signal.
 Summary of characteristics

Example 2.3:

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2.5.1 PCM
 The bandwidth of a speech circuit in a PSTN was limited to 200Hz through to 3.4 kHz. Sampling rate
8 kHz.
 The digitization procedure is known as pulse code modulation (PCM) and the international standard
relating to this is defined in ITU-T Recommendation G.711.
 North America & Japan: 7 bits per sample use m-law compression-expansion characteristics.
 Europe: 8 bits per sample use A-law compression expansion characteristics.

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Figure 2.12: PCM principles: a) signal encoding and decoding schematic; b) compressor
schematic c) expander characteristic.

2.5.2 CD-quality audio

 Sampling rates 44.1 kHz
 16 bits per sample
 2 channels

Example 2.4:

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2.5.3 Synthesized Audio

 Synthesized audio is often used in multimedia applications since

i. The amount of memory required can be 2 to 3 orders of magnitude less than that required to store
the equivalent digitized waveform version,
ii. It is much easier to edit synthesized audio and to mix several passages together.
 The computer takes input commands from the keyboard and outputs these to the sound generators,
which, in turn, produce the corresponding sound wave forms to drive the speakers.
 A standardized set of messages have been defined for both input and for output to the
corresponding set of sound generators.
 These are defined in a standard called Music Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).

Figure 2.13: Audio/sound synthesizer schematic

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2.6 Video
The quality of the video required varies considerably from one type of application to another.

2.6.1 Broadcast television:

 Interlaced scanning: Each frame is divided into 2 fields. One comprises the odd scan lines and one
comprises the even scan lines. They are transmitted one by one and integrated together to form a
complete frame in the television receiver.
 The refresh rate can be halved with interlaced scanning.
 Progressive scanning: Frames are not split into fields and each of them is transmitted as a whole.
 Two types of system (based on line resolution):
1. NTSC: 525 lines per frame
2. PAL/CCIR/SECAM: 625 lines per frame
 For historical reason, a different set of color signals from R, G and B were selected for color television
broadcasts.
 Luminance and chrominance components are used to describe the color of each pixel.
 Luminance components describe the brightness of pixels.
 Chrominance components carry the color information of pixels.

PAL system:
Y = 0.299R + 0.587 G + 0.114 B
U = 0.493 (B-Y)
V = 0.877 (R-Y)

NTSC system:
Y = 0.299R + 0.587 G + 0.114 B
I = 0.74 (R-Y) – 0.27 (B-Y)
Q = 0.48 (R-Y) + 0.41 (B-Y)

2.6.2 Digital video

 These are intended for use with standard television receivers.
 The 3 component signals are usually digitized separately prior to their transmission.
 The resolution of the eyes is less sensitive for color than it is for luminance.
 The International Telecommunications Union - Radiocommunications Branch (ITU-R) - formerly
known as Consultative Committee for International Radiocommunications (CCIR) - defined a standard
for the digitization of video pictures known as Recommunication CCIR-601.
 Variants of this standard have been defined for use in other application domains such as digital
television broadcasting, digital telephony and videoconferencing.
 Collectively these are known as digitization formats.

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4:2:2 Format
 Original digitization format used in Recommendation CCIR-601 for use in television studios.
 Line sampling rate: 13.5MHz for luminance and 6.75MHz for chrominance signal.
 The number of bits per sample is 8 for all 3 signals.

Figure 2.14: Sample position with 4:2:2 format.

4:2:0 Format

 Used in digital video broadcast applications.

 Interlaced scanning is used.
 Absence of chrominance samples in alternative lines is the origin of the term 4:2:0.

Figure 2.15: Sample position with 4:2:0 format.

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SIF (Source intermediate format)

Give a picture quality comparable with that obtained with VCRs

Figure 2.16: Simple positions for SIF and CIF

CIF: common intermediate format

 Used in videoconferencing applications
 4:1:1 digitization format
 Spatial resolution: Y=360x288, Cb=Cr=180x144
 Temporal resolution 30Hz using progressive scanning
 Derivatives of CIF: 4CIF & 16CIF

QCIF: Quarter CIF

 For video telephony applications.

Figure 2.16: Simple positions QCIF

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2.6.3 PC Video

PC video digitization formats:

All PC monitors use progressive (non-interlaced) scanning rather than interlaced scanning

2.7 Recommended Questions

1. Explain code word, analog signal, signal encoder, signal decoder?[06]
2. Define ―bandwidth‖? explain ―bandlimiting channel‖?[05]
3. Explain Nyquist sampling theorem & Nyquist rate?[04]
4. Define the meaning of term quantization interval & how this influences the accuracy of the
sampling process of an analog signal? [06]
5. Explain a) unformatted/plain text.
6. Formatted/rich text.
7. Hypertext. [06]
8. Differentiate formatted text & unformatted text? Explain origin the acronym WYSIWYG? [05]
9. Explain briefly: visual object, freeform object, clip art, 3-D objects.[04]
10. Explain scanning, pixels, digitization principles with reference to facsimile machines?[08]
11. Define the aspect ratio of a display screen. Give two examples for current widely used screen sizes?
[05]
12. Derive the time to transmit an image with each type of display assuming a bitrate of 56 kbps,
1.5Mbps?[06]
13. Define text & image.[03]
14. Define audio & video.[03]
15. Compare formatted & unformatted text.[08]
16. What is rendering & clip art?[02]
17. What is flicker & frame refresh rate?[04]
18. What is NTSC & PAL?[10]
19. What is sample & hold, Quantizer?[06]

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20. Define aspect ratio & pixel depth.[06]

21. What is composite video signal?[04]
22. Define Run – length encoding & statistical encoding.[06]
23. What is synchronization?[02]
24. Identify the main features of the MIDI standard & its associated message?[08]
25. State & explain three main properties of a color source that the eye makes of?[08]
26. Why is the chrominance signal transmitted in the form of two color different signals?[08]
27. Derive the bit rate that results from the digitization of a 525-line and a 625-line system using the
4:2:0 digitization format and interlaced scanning. Hence derive the amount of memory required to
store a 2-hour movie/video?[10]

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