Multimedia Authoring in Computer Graphic
Multimedia authoring is a process of assembling different types of media contents like text, audio, image, animations and video as a single stream of information with the help of various software tools available in the market. Multimedia authoring tools give an integrated environment for joining together the different elements of a multimedia production. It gives the framework for organizing and editing the components of a multimedia project. It enables the developer to create interactive presentation by combining text, audio, video, graphics and animation.
Features of Authoring
Tools Editing Features:
Most authoring environment and packages exhibit capabilities to create edit and transform different kinds of media that they support. For example, Macromedia Flash comes bundled with its own sound editor. This eliminates the need for buying dedicated software to edit sound data. So authoring systems include editing tools to create, edit and convert multimedia components such as animation and video clips.
Organizing Features:
The process of organization, design and production of multimedia involve navigation diagrams or storyboarding and flowcharting. Some of the authoring tools provide a system of visual flowcharting or overview facility to showcase your project's structure at a macro level. Navigation diagrams help to organize a project. Many web-authoring programs like Dreamweaver include tools that create helpful diagrams and links among the pages of a website.
Visual programming with icons or objects:
It is simplest and easiest authoring process. For example, if you want to play a sound then just clicks on its icon.
Programming with a scripting language:
Authoring software offers the ability to write scripts for software to build features that are not supported by the software itself. With script you can perform computational tasks - sense user input and respond, character creation, animation, launching other application and to control external multimedia devices.
Document Development tools:
Some authoring tools offers direct importing of pre-formatted text, to index facilities, to use complex text search mechanism and to use hypertext link-ing tools.
Interactivity Features:
Interactivity empowers the end users to control the content and flow of information of the project. Authoring tools may provide one or more levels of interactivity.
Simple branching:
Offers the ability to go to another section of the multimedia production
Conditional branching:
Supports a go to base on the result of IF-THEN decision or events
Playback Features:
When you are developing multimedia project, you will continous ally assembling elements and testing to see how the assembly looks and performs. Therefore authoring system should have playback facility.
Supporting CD ROM or Laser Disc Sources:
This software allows over all control of CD-drives and Laser disc to integrate audio, video and computer files. CD-ROM drives, video and laser disc sources are directly controlled by authoring programs.
Supporting Video for Windows:
Videos are the right media for your project which are stored on the hard disk. Authoring software has the ability to support more multimedia elements like video for windows.
Hypertext:
Hypertext capabilities can be used to link graphics, some animation and other text. The help system of window is an example of hypertext. Such systems are very useful when a large amount of textual information is to be represented or referenced.
Cross-Platform Capability:
Some authoring programs are available on several platforms and provide tools for transforming and converting files and programs from one to the other.
Run-time Player for Distribution:
Run time software is often included in authoring software to explain the distribution of your final product by packaging playback software with content. Some advanced authoring programs provide special packaging and run-time distribution for use with devices such as CD- ROM.
Internet Playability:
Due to Web has become a significant delivery medium for multimedia, authoring systems typically provide a means to convert their output so that it can be delivered within the context of HTML or DHTML
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a technical protocol that governs the interaction of digital instruments with computers and with each other. Instead of a direct musical sound representation, MIDI provides the information on how a musical sound is made with the help of MIDI commands. The protocol not only provides compactness but also provides ease in manipulation and modification of notes, along with a flexible choice of instruments. MIDI contains information about the pitch, velocity, notation and control signals for different musical parameters such as vibration, volume, etc. It also contains information for an instrument to start and stop a specific note. This information is used by the wavetable of the receiving musical device to produce the sound waves. As a result, MIDI is more concise than similar technologies and is asynchronous. The byte is the basic unit of communication for the protocol, which uses 8-bit serial transmission, with one start and one stop bit. Each MIDI command has its own unique sequence of bytes.
One of the most common applications of MIDI is in sequencers, which allow a computer to store, modify, record and play MIDI data. Sequencers use the MIDI format for files becauseof their smaller size compared to those produced by other popular data formats. MIDI files, however, can only be used with MIDI-compatible software or hardware.