Multimedia: A little about the technology

The earliest computers were used mostly as high power calculators.

Then people used computers for record keeping and accounting (which was mostly a bunch more calculations, but included a few words as well).

Then people started processing words for letters and reports.

All of those types of computing didn't require much special computer hardware and can easily be done with any personal computer today.

As computers got more powerful, special purpose computers were built into other devices (digital clocks, tv's , vcr's, game machines, washing machines, cars etc.).

Now people are seeing that they can connect their personal computers to all kinds of other devices that also work with computers. This is what is called multi-media. Examples include:

• scanning pictures for use in the computer
• playing a music cd on the computer
• using the computer as a telephone answering machine
• using the computer as a fax machine
• watching movies on the computer

This is possible if you have special multi-media devices connected to your computer. These devices can be input devices, output devices, or both. Some of the devices we have already looked at can help make your computer a multi-media system. Three additional devices many of you may have are:

• microphone - allows sound input into the computer. This sound (talking, music, and any other noise that the microphone can pick up) can be stored for later use or analyzed by a program to see if the program can recognize certain words.
• It takes a lot of disk space to store even a few seconds of sound input.
• Voice recognition programs only work well for a small number of different words that are spoken clearly.
  
  
• speaker - allows output of good quality sound. This sound can come from something you've stored, from software that tries to speak words that have been typed in, or from professionally recorded sound like that on a music cd.
• Often you have the option of plugging in a set of headphones so you don't disturb other people around you.
  
  
• scanner - allows you to input a picture or photograph into the computer. This works like a fax machine or TV camera and divides your picture into a number of small spaces and then looks to see what color is in the space. Each scanned space will produce a dot of light on your display or a point of ink from your printer.

• digital still camera-can store dozends, even hundereds of images and then "dump" the images directly to the computer. Images can be used "as-is" or manipulated.
• digital video camera can do as desribed above but with near broadcast quality continuous vision and sound. (It can also be used like a still camera and is capable of storing thousands of high quality still images on it's tape).

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