CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Multimedia
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History of Multimedia
The newspaper was perhaps the first mass communication medium to employ Multimedia —
they used mostly text, graphics, and images.
In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi sent his first wireless radio transmission to Pontecchio, Italy. A
few years later (in 1901 he detected radio waves beaming across the Atlantic. Initially invented
for the telegraph, the radio is now an effective medium for audio broadcasting.
Television was the new media of the 20th century. It brings the video and has since changed
the world of mass communications.
YEAR MAJOR EVENT
17th Perhaps the first mass communication medium, newspapers, used text,
Century graphics, and images.
1830 Motion pictures were initially conceived of in the 1830s to observe motion
too rapid for perception by the human eye
1887 Thomas Alva Edison 'commissioned the invention of a motion picture
camera in 1887
1895 In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi sent his first wireless radio transmission to
Italy. A few years later (1901), he detected radio waves beaming across the
Atlantic. Initially invented for the telegraph, the radio is now an effective
medium for audio broadcasting. In 1909, Marconi shared the Nobel Prize for
physics.
1910 Silent feature films appeared from 1910 to 1927; the silent era
effectively ended with the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927.
1926 Television was the new medium of the twentieth century. It established
video as a commonly available medium and has since changed the world of
mass communication.
1945 Vannevar Bush (1890-1974) wrote a landmark article describing a
hypermedia system called "Memex." Memex was a universally valuable and
personalized memory device included in associative links - it is the
forerunner of the World Wide Web.
1960 Ted Nelson started the Xanadu project and coined the term "hypertext."
Xanadu was the first attempt at a hypertext system - Nelson called it a
"magic place of literary memory.
1967 Nicholas Negroponte formed the Architecture Machine Group at
MIT
1968 Douglas Engelbart, greatly influenced by Vannevar Bush's "As
We May Think, "demonstrated the "On-Line System" (NLS),
another early hypertext program.
1969 1969 Nelson and van Dam at Brown University created an early hypertext
editor called FRESS- [4]. The present-day Intermedia project by the Institute
for Research in Information and Scholarship (IRIS) at Brown is the descendant
of that early system.
1976 The MIT Architecture Machine Group proposed a project entitled
"Multiple Media." It resulted in the Aspen Movie Map, the first
hypermedia videodisc, in 1978.
1985 Negroponte and Wiesner cofounded the MIT Media Lab, a
leading research institution investigating digital video and
multimedia.
1989 Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web to the
European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN).
1990 Kristina Hooper Woolsey headed the Apple Multimedia Lab, with
a staff of 100. Education was a chief goal.
1991 MPEG-1 was an international standard for digital video. It's
further development led to newer standards, MPEG-2, MPEG-4,
and further MPEGs, in the 1990s
1991 The introduction of PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) in 1991 began a new
period in the use of computers in general and multimedia in particular. This
development continued in 1996 with the marketing of the first PDA with no
keyboard.
1992 JPEG was one of the approved international standards for digital image
compression. Its further development has now led to the new JPEG2000
standard.
1992 1992 The first MBone audio multicast on the Net was made.
 1993 The University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing  uses dialogue, recorded narration, music, and sound effects;
Applications produced NCSA Mosaic, the first full-fledged  adding multimedia such as sound to your presentation can be a great way to
browser, launched a new era in Internet information access catch and focus the visitor's attention, deliver information, .and help reinforce
1994 Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen created the Netscape program. the visitor's comprehension of the data presented

1995 The JAVA language was created for platform-independent application 4. Video
development.  Video is a visual multimedia application that combines a sequence of images to
form moving pictures and sound
1996 DVD video was introduced; high-quality, full-length movies were distributed
on a single disk. The DVD format promised to transform the music, gaming, 5. Animation
and computer industries.  Animation is a series of images put together to give the effect of movement. In
multimedia, 2D and 3D digital animation are used
1998 1998 XML 1.0 was announced as a W3C Recommendation.

1998 Handheld MP3 devices first made inroads into consumer tastes Benefits of Multimedia
in the fall, with the introduction of devices holding 32 MB of flash memory.
1. Deeper understanding
- According to research, a benefit of multimedia learning is that it takes advantage of
2000 World Wide Web (WWW) was estimated at over 1 billion pages.
the brain's ability to make connections between verbal and visual representations of
content, leading to a deeper understanding, which in turn supports the transfer of
Multimedia learning to other situations

- is the media that uses multiple forms of information content and information 2. Improved Problem Solving
processing (e.g., text, audio, graphics, video, and animation) to inform or entertain - Many human brains dedicate themselves to visual processing. Thus, using images,
the user. Multimedia also refers to using electronic media to store and experience videos, and animations alongside text stimulates the brain
multimedia content. Multimedia is similar to traditional mixed media in fine art but
with a broader scope. The term "rich media" is synonymous with interactive 3. Increased Positive Emotions
multimedia. - According to psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, experiencing positive emotions makes
people see more possibilities in their lives

Elements of Multimedia 4. Access to a wide variety of information

- With computers, tablets, smart phones, and the internet, students are today better
1. Text
equipped than ever to search and find the information they need
 the most fundamental element and most effective way to communicate in
multimedia
5. World Exploration
- With the help of multimedia, children can explore and learn about places they would
2. Graphics
never be. In a geography class, students can explore different cities of the world, the
 essential to multimedia because humans are visually oriented tallest mountains, and the most dangerous jungles. In a science class, space and
 Images, including photographs, illustrations, drawings, clip art, icons, or other planet exploration is now possible. In a biology class, the investigation of rare animals
non-text elements on a website or social media, are examples of graphics and different habitats is like a walk in a park for students benefiting from a
multimedia learning environment.
3. Audio
Advantages of Multimedia - information is not presented sequentially or chronologically. Non-linear multimedia
programs are usually interactive and require audience interaction
1. Creativity - It brings more life to discussions
2. Cost-effective - requires only a one-time purchase of devices and software
3. Realistic Approach - It provides approaches that make learning more practical.
4. Variety - It caters to all types of leaners
5. Trendy - The current cultural trend leans toward technology, and many resources are Features of Multimedia
available for different media formats
6. Evaluation - It offers ideal learning assessment tools which are also entertaining for  Multimedia presentations may be viewed in person on stage, projected,
the students transmitted, or played locally with a media player
7. Wide Variety of Support - Multiple media formats are available for use, with  Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment with
different models able to create multimedia special effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with an offline
computer, game system, or simulator
 Multimedia is progressively becoming data-driven and object-oriented, allowing
Disadvantages of Multimedia applications with collaborative end-user innovation and personalization on many
forms of content over time. For instance, the content available on various
1. Accessibility: Multimedia requires electricity to be operated, which may not be websites, such as photo galleries with both content and images user-updated, to
available in some rural areas simulations whose events, animations, illustrations, or videos are changeable,
2. Distracting: Multimedia may take away the focus from the lesson due to its attention enabling the multimedia experience to be changed without reprogramming.
grabbing formats
3. Costly: The production of multimedia is more expensive than others because it is
made up of more than one medium. Production of multimedia requires an Applications of Multimedia
electronic device, which may be relatively expensive. Multimedia requires 1. Business: Multimedia is used for advertising and selling products on the Internet.
electricity to run, which adds to the cost of its use Some enterprises use multimedia tools such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, or online tutorials
4. Requires Mastery: Multimedia requires consistent and long practice to master, which for training or educating staff members about things the employer wants them to
may take a lot of time and energy from the user learn or know. Staff members can learn quickly and at a specific time suitable to them
5. Time-Consuming Approach: Creating multimedia requires more time and the company. It also saves employers money as they don't have to pay extra
6. Limited Support/Compatibility: A wide variety of gadget models arouses expenses for training or education of their human resources. Multimedia is one of the
incompatibilities of media formats. Fragile: The device used for multimedia best ways to provide short-term training to the workers in a company
must be used with care; exposure to moisture or other elements could
cause expensive, irreparable damage, which would require another 2. Research and Medicine: Multimedia is increasingly used in science, medicine, and
purchase of a device mathematics research. It is mainly used for modeling and simulation. For instance, a
scientist can look at a molecular model of a particular substance and work on it to
Categories of Multimedia arrive at a new significance. In Medicine, doctors acquire training by watching a
virtual surgery, or they can simulate how the human body is affected by diseases
1. Linear multimedia spread by germs and then develop techniques to prevent it
- information is read or viewed in a continuous sequence. Usually, these presentations
begin at a predetermined starting point and end at a predetermined end point. They
can be automated so that each screen comes after a fixed time interval 3. Public Access: Public Access is an area of application where several multimedia
applications will be available very soon. One of the applications is the tourist
2. Non-linear multimedia information system, where a travel enthusiast will be shown a glimpse of the place he
 would like to visit. With the help of multimedia, various source-providing applications
could be created
4. Entertainment: Multimedia creates special effects in films, TV serials, radio shows,
games, and animations. Multimedia games are popular software programs that are
available online as well as on DVDs and CD-ROMs. Using unique technologies such as
virtual reality turns these games into real-life experiences. These games allow uses to
fly aero planes, drive cars, do wrestling, etc
5. Industry: In the Industrial sector, multimedia is used to present information to all
people related to the industry, such as stakeholders, shareholders, senior-level
managers, and coworkers. Multimedia is also helpful in advertising and selling
products all over the world over the internet.
6. Commercial: Creative presentations are used to grab the attention of the masses in.
adverting. Industrial, business, and interoffice communications are developed mainly
by firms providing creative services. They work on advanced multimedia
presentations rather than simple slide shows to sell ideas or make training programs
more attractive
7. Education: Multimedia is used as a source of information in education. Using
multimedia presentations, pupils can research topics such as solar systems or
information technology. To make teaching more exciting and fun for pupils, teachers
can create multimedia presentations of chapters. Visual images, animation, diagrams,
etc., have more effect on pupils. Various computer-based training (CBT) courses are
also available online for study
8. Multimedia in Public Places: In railway stations, hotels, museums, grocery stores,
and shopping malls, multimedia will become available stand-alone terminals to
provide information and help. Such installation reduces demand on traditional
information booths and personnel, adds value, and they can work around the clock,
even in the middle of the night, when live help is off-duty
9. Engineering: Software engineers may use multimedia in computer simulations for
anything from entertainment to training, such as military or industrial training.
Multimedia for software interfaces is often done as a collaboration between creative
professionals and software engineers
Convergence of Multimedia
 Virtual reality, or VR, is at the convergence of technology and creative
invention in multimedia. Goggles, helmets, special gloves, and bizarre human
interfaces attempt to place you "inside" a lifelike experience. Take a step
forward, and the view gets closer; turn your head, and the view rotates. Reach
out and grab an object; your hand moves before you. Maybe the thing explodes
in a 90-decibel crescendo as you wrap your fingers around it. Or it slips out from
your grip, falls to the floor, and hurriedly escapes through a mouse hole at the
bottom of the wall.
Stages of Multimedia Project
1. Pre-production - The process before producing the multimedia project
2. Production - The process by which a multimedia project is created
3. Post-production - The process after the production of the multimedia project.
These stages are sequential. Before beginning any work, everybody involved in the project
should agree on what is to be done and why. A lack of agreement can create
misunderstandings, which can grimly affect the production process. Therefore, initial contracts
give a reference point for subsequent decisions and assessments. After clarifying why and
what multimedia product has to do to fulfill their purpose is decided. The "why" and "what"
determine all the how decisions, including storyboards, flow charts, media content, etc.
Stages of Multimedia Project
Pre-production
1. Project conceptualization: Every project begins with a concept. A multimedia project
concept is the definition of the project. The development team and the clients must
do various meetings and discussions to identify the actual problem. It may be the
upgradation of the existing one or the entirely new one. It must satisfy the current
requirements of the customer.
2. Planning and Costing: In this stage, the analysis of the idea is done and translated
into a multimedia project. This idea can be further refined by outlining its messages
and objectives. Before developing the multimedia project, it is necessary to plan
what writing skills, graphic art, music, video, and other multimedia skills will be
required. Estimating the time needed to prepare all multimedia elements and
budget accordingly is also essential. After preparing a budget, a prototype of the
concept can be developed.
Production
1. Design and Production: The laborious project development cycle starts once the
project is developed. Under this stage, the various sub-stages are to be carried out.
  Data Gathering fields might be an added advantage. Every team member plays a significant role in a
 Navigation map structure design multimedia project's design, development, and production.
 Media content design
 Interface designing
 Storyboarding
 Integration (multimedia authoring)
Post-Production Multimedia Team Members
1. Testing: In every project, the Testing stage ensures that the product is free from A multimedia team member consists of the following:
bugs. Apart from bug elimination, another aspect of testing is ensuring that the
multimedia application meets the project's objectives. It is also necessary to test  Project manager
whether the multimedia project works appropriately on the planned delivery  Multimedia designer
platforms and meets the client's needs.  Interface designer
2. Delivery: The final stage of the multimedia application development is to pack the  Multimedia programmer
project and deliver the complete project to the end-user.  Computer programmers
This stage has several steps, such as:  Writer • Subject matter expert
 Implementation  Audio specialist
 Maintenance  Video specialist
 Shipping and marketing  Producer for the web
 Permission specialist

Multimedia Skills Required in a Team

 Creativity
A creative mindset is a primo skill you must have

 Communication Skills
Express your ideas and deliver your views and opinion well

 Management Skills
Manage your time and prioritize your errands

 Problem Solving Skills

Multimedia Team Members

Through creating and developing a multimedia project, the team members must constantly
communicate with each other. They must also share the same goals and consistency in the
end product's design. Depending upon the size of a project, one specialist might be required to
play more than one role, or the roles might be extended to different departments. Every
specialist team member is not only needed to have a n extensive background in their fields but
also be a fast learner capable of picking up new skills. Knowledge and experience in other