Types of Multimedia and

concepts
Dr. Fareed Ahmed Jokhio
 Types of Multimedia
• Multimedia may be broadly divided
into linear and non-linear categories: 
• Linear active content progresses often without
any navigational control for the viewer such as
a cinema presentation; Non-linear uses
interactivity to control progress as with a
video game or self-paced computer-based
training.
 Linear Multimedia 
• Linear Multimedia is a type of a multimedia
that is designed to be presented in a
sequential manner. It has a distinct beginning
and end. It goes on a logical flow from a
starting point to a conclusion.
 Linear Multimedia 
• It is usually intended for display purposes with
not much interaction or distraction from the
audience. Because of its nature where
audience participation is not expected, Linear
Multimedia may also be referred to as
“Passive Multimedia.”
 Linear Multimedia 
• In this kind of presentation, the creator of the
multimedia is in control.
• This kind of media is preferential if interaction
is not necessary in the presentation
 Linear Multimedia 
• Main goals include: to entertain, to transmit
knowledge, and to make people familiar on a
certain topic WITHOUT any form of diversion.
 Linear Multimedia 
• Examples may be:
o A powerpoint presentation
o A slideshow of pictures that goes on with a
specific direction
o A storyline/ A movie
o An anime episode
o A Youtube video
 Linear Multimedia 
• Advantages:
• Audience gets to focus and concentrate on a
specific topic.
• There is logical order in the presentation.
Organized
• Presenter controls the flow of the presentation
• Effective when we need our audience to absorb
the information well
 Linear Multimedia 
• Disadvantages:
• Minimal interactivity, or none at all
• Audience has no say on the topic they want to
dwell into.
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• Non-linear multimedia is a nonsequential type
of multimedia where the person’s
participation is crucial.
• In this type of media, the person needs to
interact with a computer program, thus
making him in control of the experience.
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• With the presence of an interface, the person
and the computer interacts with each other.
• From a starting point, the person using a
nonlinear multimedia is given a range of
options that, according to his own
preferences, will lead him to a new
information.
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• Examples may include:
• o A Website
o A search engine’s home page
o A DvD menu screen
o A Youtube Channel
o An anime or Korean drama streaming site
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• Advantages:
• The person is in control and may use the
multimedia according to his preferences and
needs.
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• Disadvantages:
• Requires a level of computer literacy from the
user
• May be unorganized if not used well.
 Non-Linear Multimedia
• Imagine a movie. Normally a movie goes on a
linear format, starting from point A and
ending on point B. The viewer watches and
needs not to do anything in order to enjoy the
movie. However, if viewed on a DvD, the
viewer is now given the option to choose
which scenes to watch, which subtitles to use,
and can now even pause and rewound the
movie.
 - Multimedia Projects
• The multimedia materials, which are part of a
particular topic or subject, presented on a
computer or television screen.
• Stages of a multimedia project:
• – Planning and costing
• – Designing and producing
• – Testing
• – Delivering
 Multimedia Title
• A multimedia project shipped or sold to
consumers.
 Delivering Multimedia
• Multimedia can be delivered using
• – Optical disk (CD-based)
• – Over a distributed network (Web-based)
• – Kiosk
 Delivering Multimedia
• Optical Disks
• The most cost-effective method of delivery for
multimedia materials.
• These devices are used to store large amounts
of some combination of text, graphics, sound,
and moving video.
Media Storage
Compact Disc (CD) 650MB
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) 4.7GB
Bluray Disc (BD) 27GB
 Delivering Multimedia
• Distributed Network
• Suitable for web-based content eg. website
• Files need to be compress before transfer
 Delivering Multimedia
Web-based CD-based
Limited in picture size and low video Can store high end Multimedia elements
resolution
Can be changed, damaged or deleted by Can be permanently stored and not
irresponsible individuals changeable
Information can be updated easily and Information can be quickly outdated
cheaper
 Delivering Multimedia
• Kiosk
• Computer system to access info, perform
transaction or play games.
• Convenience, reduce personnel cost, but
expensive maintenance.
 Multimedia Developers
• The people who create multimedia projects.
• Multimedia developers may perform the
following tasks:
– talk with clients to understand their requirements
– investigate, analyse and recommend appropriate
equipment and software to achieve clients'
objectives
– prepare flowcharts and storyboards to outline
product concepts
 Multimedia Developers
• prepare code to produce the multimedia product
• prepare digital graphics, animations, sound,
video, photographs and images for editing
• prepare design concepts
• liaise with related graphics, production and
engineering experts
• manage the development and implementation of
multimedia products.
 Interactive Multimedia
• Interactive multimedia is multimedia which
gives the user some navigational controls.
• When the multimedia user is allowed to
control what elements are to be delivered and
when they are to be delivered.
 Advantages of Multimedia
• 1. Is easy to use.
• 2. Enhancement of Text Only Messages
• 3. Improves over Traditional Audio-Video
Presentations
• 4. Gains and Holds Attention
• 5. Good for “computer-phobics”
• 6. Multimedia is Entertaining as Well as Educational
• 7. Cost-effective
• 8. Trendy
 Disadvantages of Multimedia
• 1. Expensive
• 2. Not always easy to configure
• 3. Requires special hardware
• 4. Not always compatible
 Multimedia Systems
• A Multimedia System is a system capable of
processing multimedia data and applications.
Characteristics of a Multimedia System

• A Multimedia system has four basic

characteristics:
– Multimedia systems must be computer controlled.
– Multimedia systems are integrated.
– The information they handle must be represented
digitally.
– The interface to the final presentation of media is
usually interactive.
Characteristics of a Multimedia System
• 1. Computer Controlled
• Producing the content of the information – e.g. by using
the authoring tools, image editor, sound and video
editor
• Storing the information – providing large and shared
capacity for multimedia information.
• Transmitting the information – through the network.
• Presenting the information to the end user – make
direct use of computer peripheral such as display
device (monitor) or sound generator (speaker).
Characteristics of a Multimedia System
• 2. Integrated
• All multimedia components (audio, video, text,
graphics) used in the system must be somehow
integrated.
• Every device, such as microphone and camera is
connected to and controlled by a single computer.
• A single type of digital storage is used for all media
type.
• Video sequences are shown on computer screen
instead of TV monitor.
Characteristics of a Multimedia System
• 3. Interactivity
• Level 1: Interactivity strictly on information delivery.
Users select the time at which the presentation starts,
the order, the speed and the form of the presentation
itself.
• Level 2: Users can modify or enrich the content of the
information, and this modification is recorded.
• Level 3: Actual processing of users input and the
computer generate genuine result based on the users
input.
Characteristics of a Multimedia System

• 4. Digitally Represented
• Digitization: process involved in transforming
an analog signal to digital signal.
 Components of a Multimedia System
• Capture devices / Input Devices
– Keyboard, scanner, video camera
• Storage Devices
– Hard disk, optical disc
• Communication Network
– Modem, network card, cables
• Computer System
– CPU, RAM, Display card
• Display Devices
– Monitor, Projector, Printer
 What is Multimedia Application?
• A Multimedia Application is an application
which uses a collection of multiple media
sources e.g. text, graphics, images,
sound/audio, animation and/or video.
• A multimedia application is more like a movie
or a book.
• Content must be created and produced.
• Usually interactive.
 Examples of Multimedia Application
• World Wide Web
• Hypermedia courseware
• Computer-based Training (CBT)
• Interactive TV
• Computer Games
• Virtual reality
• Multimedia Database systems
• Video Conferencing
• Video-on-demand
• Groupware
• Home Shopping
• Digital video editing and production systems