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Why is a multimedia system interactive?
A multimedia system enables the participants to create a realistic display and the ability to interact with the system. Tools such as buttons and hot spots created in applications enable the user to interact with the multimedia system. There is a need to ensure that the interactivity does not take away the meaning of the multimedia system.
What demands can be made on hardware in multimedia systems?
In developing a multimedia system, the participants need to consider the type of hardware as well as software used. The hardware must be capable of supplying the needs of the multimedia system. These needs are:
- Primary and secondary storage capabilities –
which will enable bit depth and colour to be represented and also enabling the
audio data to be sampled.
- Processing speed – which will enable video data
and frames rates to be maintained, the processing of images such as morphing
and distorting as well as animation.
- Display devices – which are capable of displaying good pixel and resolution quality.
In order for hardware to cope with this demand, several components need to be installed. Such items as additional memory, both VRAM and RAM, as well as additional hard disk space. The hardware itself must have a high processing speed to enable the number crunching involved in processing the data, which can range from video and audio back to word processing. The monitor or VDU should be capable of displaying a large resolution capacity to enable it to display the digital data accurately.
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