Computer
Technology
Communication architecture
Local multimedia systems frequently include a network
interface (e.g Ethernet Card) through which they can
communicate with each other.
However the transmission of audio and video cannot be
carried out with only the conventional communication
infrastructure and network adapter.
By using existing technologies, integration and interaction
between analog and digital environments can be implemented
. This integration approach is called the hybrid approach
Hybrid Systems
The main advantage of this approach is the high quality of
audio and video and all the necessary devices for input,
output, storage and transfer that are available.
The hybrid approach is used for studying application user
interfaces, application programming interfaces or
application scenarios.
Integrated Device Control
One possible integration approach is to provide control of
analog input/ output audio-video components in the digital
environment .
Moreover the connection between the sources ( e.g CD
player, camera , microphones) and destinations (e.g video
recorder, write-able CD), or the switching of audio- video
signals can be controlled digitally.
Figure below shows possible computer control and
management of external analog components.
the computer only controls and manages the streams, but it
does not process the streams; hence the existing quality and
format of audio and/or video are not changed .
Integrated Transmission Control
A second possibility to integrate digital and analog
components is to provide a common transmission control.
This approach implies that analog audio-video sources and
destinations are connected to the computers for the control
purpose to transmit continuous data over digital networks
such as cable network.
For both approaches above , the computer always controls
the device for processing and transmitting audio-video data.
These data are not transferred through the computer but
outside it
Integrated Transmission
The next possibility to integrate digital and analog
components is to provide a common transmission network.
This implies that external analog audio-video devices are
connected to computers using A/D and D/A convertors
outside the computer, not only for control, but also for
processing purpose.
Digital Systems
Connection to workstation
In digital systems audio-video devices can be connected
directly to the computer and digitized audio-video data are
transmitted over shared data networks
Audio- video device in these systems can be either analog or
digital
Connection to Switches
Another possibility to connect a audio video devices to a
digital network is to connect them directly to the network
switches
Multimedia Workstation
A multimedia workstation is designed for the simultaneous
manipulation of discrete and continuous media information.
The main components of multimedia workstation are
1. Standard processor(s) for the processing of discrete media
information
2. Main memory and secondary storage with corresponding
autonomous controllers.
3. Universal processors(s) for processing of data in real-time
4. Special-Propose Processor designed for graphics, audio and
video
5. Graphics and video adapters
6. Communication Adapters
7. Further special-purpose adapters
BUS
Within current workstation, data are transmitted over
traditional asynchronous bus, meaning that if audio-video
devices are connected to a workstation, continuous data are
processed in a workstation and the data transfer is dine over
this bus, which provides low and unpredictable time
guarantees.
In multimedia workstation in addition to this bus, the data
will be transmitted over a second bus which can keep time
guarantees.
In later technical implementation , a bus may be developed
which transmits two kinds of data according to their
requirements, this is known as multi – bus system
Multimedia Devices
The main peripheral components are the necessary input and
output multimedia devices . Microphones, headphones as
well as passive and active speakers are examples
The video interface is a computer must accommodate the
most commonly used video techniques/ standards ie NTSC,
PAL, SECAM with RGB, YUV, YIQ modes.
A monitor serves as video output . Further to display video,
monitor characteristics, such as color , high resolution and
flat and large shapes are important.
Primary Storage
Audio and video data are copied among different
components in a digital system.
The kind of memory management needs sufficient main
memory(primary storage). Besides ROMs, PROMs,
EPROMs are partially static memory elements, low cost
dynamic memory modules are required.
The copying of data in a workstation can be performed
using either the bus master method or central processing
unit (CPU)
Secondary Storage
The main requirement put on secondary storage and the
corresponding controller are a high storage density and low
access time respectively.
Operating System
Given an adequate operating system, perhaps even one
processor could be shared according to the requirements
between processes for discrete and continuous data
Processor
In multimedia workstation, the necessary work is distributed
among different processor
the processors are designed for different task for example,
dedicated signal processor (DSP) allows compression and
decompression in real time
