What is Multimedia?

Multimedia is media and content that utilizes a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun (a medium with multiple content forms) or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which only utilize traditional forms of printed or hand-produced material. Multimedia includes a combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video, and interactivity content forms.

Multimedia is usually recorded and played, displayed or accessed by information content processing devices, such as computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live performance. Multimedia (as an adjective) also describes electronic media devices used to store and experience multimedia content. Multimedia is similar to traditional mixed media in fine art, but with a broader scope. The term "rich media" is synonymous for interactive multimedia. Hypermedia can be considered one particular multimedia application.

What is Audio?

Audio is sound within the acoustic range available to humans. An audio frequency (AF) is an electrical alternating current within the 20 to 20,000 hertz (cycles per second) range that can be used to produce acoustic sound. In computers, audio is the sound system that comes with or can be added to a computer. An audio card contains a special built-in processor and memory for processing audio files and sending them to speakers in the computer. An audio file is a record of captured sound that can be played back. Sound is a sequence of naturally analog signals that are converted to digital signals by the audio card, using a microchip called an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). When sound is played, the digital signals are sent to the speakers where they are converted back to analog signals that generate varied sound. 

Audio files are usually compressed for storage or faster transmission. Audio files can be sent in short stand-alone segments - for example, as files in the Wave file format. In order for users to receive sound in real-time for a multimedia effect, listening to music, or in order to take part in an audio or video conference, sound must be delivered as streaming sound. More advanced audio cards support wavetable, or precaptured tables of sound. The most popular audio file format today is MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3).

What is Video blogging?

ideo blogging arose as a video form of blogging.
Blogging saw a strong increase in popularity beginning in 2005. The Yahoo! Videoblogging Group saw its membership increase dramatically in 2005 [7]. The most popular video sharing site to date, YouTube, founded in February 2005, was publicly launched between August and November 2005[citation needed]. The BBC launched their first official video blog in October 2006, with a feature allowing children to name a new Blue Peter puppy.[8] Many open source content management systems enable posting of video content allowing bloggers to host and administer their own video blogging sites. Moreover, convergence of mobile phones with digital cameras allow publishing of video content to the Web almost as it is recorded.[9] One example of this phenomenon, Qik, gives its users the ability to use a wide variety of phones with data plans to stream video via its built in camera.

What is Video Compression?

Video Compression is a necessary function of Recording Video and TV signals onto a Computer Hard Drive. Because raw Video footage requires lots of space, without Video Compression, Video files would quickly eat up gigabytes of hard drive space, which would result in only short amounts of Video or TV recorded onto the Computers Hard Drive. With Video Compression, smaller Video files can be stored on your PCs Hard Drive, resulting in much more space for Video files. In other words, Video Compression lets you store much more TV and Video on your Computer than if the Video files were not compressed.

The different Video Compression formats

There are several Video Compression formats in use today, including the most popular, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2.

MPEG-1 is a low quality (think VHS on extended play mode) Video Compression format that is used for capturing video for various applications. MPEG-1 is used for capturing video to be played back in computer programs, such as Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and for recording video to a CD-R or CD-RW (a VideoCD) disc.

MPEG-2 is the Video Compression format used for Digital Video Recorders and DVD and the quality is much better than MPEG-1. When creating DVDs on your own PC, this is the format to use for DVD discs.

Other Video Compression formats include, AVI, MPEG-4, DivX, Quicktime, Windows Media Video (WMV) and RealVideo (RM).

Using Video Compression
Most TV and Video Capture Cards and Capture Software allow you to capture your Video or TV using different Video Compression formats. For example, the ADS Tech DVD Xpress Capture Device allows users to choose between capturing MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Video files. The Video Compression format you choose to use depends on what you want your end result to be. Are you burning a DVD? Then you would choose MPEG-2, or if you want to create a video file for Video Email, you would use MPEG-1. You don't have to be an expert on Video Compression to make use of it, you just need to be aware of what kinds of Video files you need for your application.

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. Such images may be for later display or for real-time viewing. Despite these differences, 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer vector graphics in the wire-frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display. In computer graphics software, the distinction between 2D and 3D is occasionally blurred; 2D applications may use 3D techniques to achieve effects such as lighting, and primarily 3D may use 2D rendering techniques. 3D computer graphics are often referred to as 3D models. Apart from the rendered graphic, the model is contained within the graphical data file. However, there are differences. A 3D model is the mathematical representation of any three-dimensional object (either inanimate or living). A model is not technically a graphic until it is visually displayed. Due to 3D printing, 3D models are not confined to virtual space. A model can be displayed visually as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, or used in non-graphical computer simulations and calculations.

What is Graphics?

Graphics (from Greek γραφικός; see -graphy) are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings, or other images. Graphics often combine text, illustration, and color. Graphic design may consist of the deliberate selection, creation, or arrangement of typography alone, as in a brochure, flier, poster, web site, or book without any other element. Clarity or effective communication may be the objective, association with other cultural elements may be sought, or merely, the creation of a distinctive style.

Graphics can be functional or artistic. The latter can be a recorded version, such as a photograph, or an interpretation by a scientist to highlight essential features, or an artist, in which case the distinction with imaginary graphics may become blurred.