expansion into digital media2

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EXPANSION

INTODIGITAL

MEDIA

8/14/2007 Technical background report

The expansion into digital media requires a holistic

approach to the development of new forms of

client and brand interaction. To maximize your


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eXpansion into digital media

exposure to this growing market, a design

company must embrace new ways of releasing

content to a very complex and dynamic consumer.

eXpansion into digitalmediaTechnical background report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In a dynamic marketplace the addition of new products is essential to

driving success and innovation. To maintain an edge in this new

environment a design company must be able to personalize anddeliver ground-breaking digital media content that interrelates to the

consumer via sound, image and video targeting the senses and

emotions of the consumer. The development of these new interactive

and high impact products for our clients will leave Curious Design at

the forefront of the market and create a driver for new business and

clients. This will allow Curious Design Consultants the ability to offer

clients a complete range of options in the marketing of their brands

and products.

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Table of Contents

3.8 Benefits ....................................................................................... ........................10...................................................................................................................... ............15

6.0 Benefits ....................................................................................... ........................15

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................... ......................................... 17

eXpansion into digital

mediaT E C H N I C A L B A C K G R O U N D R E P O R T

DIGITAL AUDIO

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1.1 HistoryAn analog recording is one where the original sound signal is modulated onto another

physical signal carried on some media or substrate such as the groove of a

gramophone disc or the iron oxide surface of a magnetic tape. A physical quantity in

the medium (e.g., the intensity of the magnetic field) is directly related, or analogous,

to the physical properties of the sound (e.g., the amplitude, phase, etc.). (1)

A digital recording is produced by first converting the physical properties of the

original sound into digital information (stored as bits) which can then be decoded for

reproduction. Accurate, high quality sound is possible with both analog and digital

systems. The principal advantage that digital systems have over analog ones is one of

lower cost. High-quality open-reel analog tape and related hardware is expensive to

buy and maintain. With digital systems, high quality sound output is achievable with

very low manufacturing cost and in mass-produced devices (Rumsey & Watkinson

1995). This is because analog systems require high-quality mechanical and electronic

performance all the way through the audio-chain - recording, production, and finally

playback by the consumer. Digital systems are only dependent on the electronicperformance of the equipment, and because the signal information is conveyed as a

digital (binary) code, any noise or distortion generated by the equipment is easier to

reject. (2)

Unlike analog dubs, digital copies and regenerations are exact clones. They can be

made infinitely without degradation, there are also several advantages of digital

systems that are not related to sound quality but are of practical value. Most digital

media have non-sequential (random) access, due to their disk or memory-based

nature. In production, this makes editing it easier. It also allows the listener greater

flexibility when playing back recordings. Digital systems have the ability to encodenon-audio information into the audio stream such as information about the owner,

track titles, etc. Also, whereas digital formats retain a sample rate, analog does not.

(1)

The First Modern Digital Audio Player The MPman F10

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2.0 Tools

2.1 Players

- A digital audio player (DAP) is a device that stores, organizes and plays audio files. It

is more commonly referred to as an MP3 player because of the MP3 format's ubiquity,

but DAPs often play many additional file formats. (3)

The iRiver X20

2.2 Flash-based Players - These are solid state devices that hold digital audio files

on internal or external media, such as memory cards. Due to technological limitations,

these are relatively low-storage devices, commercially ranging from 128MB to 8GB,

such as the second generation iPod nano, the SanDisk Sansa series of players, and the

iriver clix, which can often be extended with additional memory. As they are solid state

and do not have moving parts, they are very resilient. Such players are commonly

integrated into USB key drives. (3)

Flash based Mp3 player Sony 4gb

2.3 Hard Drive-based Players or Digital Jukeboxes - Devices that read digital

audio files from a hard drive. These players have higher capacities, ranging from

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1.5GB to 160GB, depending on the hard drive technology. At typical encoding rates,

this means that thousands of songs perhaps an entire music collection can be

stored on one player.

This is the inside of an iPod mini and a Toshiba MP3 player:

2.4 MP3 CD Players - Devices that can play audio files from a CD-ROM in addition

to audio CDs.

2.5 Recording

Minidisk

Microphone

2.6 Editing

A digital audio editor is a computer application for audio editing, i.e. manipulating

digital audio. Editors designed for use with music allow the user to do the following: Record audio from one or more inputs and store recordings in the computer's

memory as digital audio

Edit the start time, stop time, and duration of any sound on the audio timeline

Mix multiple sound sources/tracks, combine them at various volume levels and

pan from channel to channel to one or more output tracks

Apply simple or advanced effects or filters, including compression, expansion,

flanging, reverb, noise reduction and equalization to change the audio

Playback sound (often after being mixed) that can be sent to one or more

outputs, such as speakers, additional processors, or a recording medium

Conversion between different audio file formats, or between different soundquality levels

Simple audio editing software interface

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3.0 Delivery

3.1 Optical disk

3.2 First-generation optical discs

Optical discs were initially used for storing music and software. The Laserdisc format

stored analog video, but it fought an uphill battle against VHS; other first-generation

disc formats are designed to store solely digital data. Most first-generation disc

devices use an infrared laser as a read head, limiting the total capacity to, for

example, 700 MB for a 12 cm compact disc. (4)

Compact disc (CD)

Laserdisc

Magneto-optical disc

MiniDisc

700mb Compact Disk

3.3 Second-generation optical discs

Second-generation optical discs were created to store large amounts of data, including

TV-quality digital video. In the case of the DVD format, this allows 4.7 GB of storage on

a standard 12 cm, single-sided, single layer disc; alternately, smaller media such asthe MiniDisc and DataPlay formats can have capacity approximately comparable to a

much larger standard compact disc.

Hi-MD

DVD and derivatives

DVD-Audio

DualDisc

Digital Video Express (DIVX)

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Super Audio CD

Enhanced Versatile Disc

GD-ROM

Digital Multilayer Disk

DataPlay

Fluorescent Multilayer Disc

Phase-change Dual Universal Media Disc

Comparison of Blue-ray and DVD composition

3.4 Third-generation optical discs

Major third-generation optical discs are currently in development. They are designed

for holding high-definition video and support larger capacities. Blu-ray Disc

HD DVD

Blue-ray Layers

3.5 Flash

Flash memory is non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and

reprogrammed. It is a technology that is primarily used in memory cards, USB flash

drives (thumb drives, handy drive, memory stick, flash stick, jump drive), which are

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used for general storage and transfer of data between computers and other digital

products. (5)

Flash Card Reader

3.6 HDD

A hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage device which stores digitally encoded

data. A HDD today is typically a sealed unit with fixed media with storage ranging from

4gb to 1Tb. HDDs were originally developed for use with computers. In the 21st

century, applications for HDDs have expanded beyond computers to include digital

video recorders, digital audio players, digital cameras, and video game consoles.

External storage Seagate HDD

3.7 Streaming

Streaming media is multimedia that is continuously received by, and normally

displayed to, the end-user while it is being delivered by the provider. The name refers

to the delivery method of the medium rather than to the medium itself. The distinction

is usually applied to media that are distributed over telecommunications networks, as

most other delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television) or

inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio CDs). The verb 'tostream' is also derived from this term, meaning to deliver media in this manner.

Broadcast

iTunes Podcast

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3.8 Benefits

New digital audio services like satellite radio, online radio, HD radio, and podcasting

with new subscription and data service business models are changing the way

consumers listen to radio. The keys to success will be subscriptions, ad targeting, and

monetizing the many ways that digital audio will be consumed. (6)

3.9 Future

With the information age in full swing, digital music has become strong driver of

international pop culture. The compact disc ushered in the beginning of digital musicmass appeal, and recently the infamous MP3 has been at the forefront of the

movement, as well as the controversy. There are also SACDs (Super Audio Compact

Discs) and DVD-Audio discs to deal with now, as they offer surround sound along with

a higher fidelity. (7)

For many, digital music has no "fixed" format. It is just various files ranging between 3-

5 MB in an MP3, AAC, or WMA format filling their hard drives and populating various

peer to peer networks on the internet. No matter what format is used, these fairly new

compression methods make it easy to carry along your entire music collection with

you wherever you go, surpassing anything we could have done a decade ago. (7)

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DIGITAL IMAGES

A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image as a finite set of digital

values, called picture elements or pixels. The digital image contains a fixed number of

rows and columns of pixels. Pixels are the smallest individual element in an image,

holding quantized values that represent the brightness of a given colour at anyspecific point. Typically, the pixels are stored in computer memory as a raster image or

raster map, a two-dimensional array of small integers. These values are often

transmitted or stored in a compressed form. (8)

Digital images can be created by a variety of input devices and techniques, such as

digital cameras and scanners. They can also be synthesized from arbitrary non-image

data, such as mathematical functions or three-dimensional geometric models; the

latter being a major sub-area of computer graphics.

4.1History

The first true digital camera that recorded images as a computerized file was likely the

Fuji DS-1P of 1988, which recorded to a 16 MB internal memory card that used a

battery to keep the data in memory. The first commercially available digital camera

was the 1991 Kodak DCS-100, It used a 1.3 megapixel sensor and was priced at

$13,000. The move to digital formats was helped by the formation of the first JPEG and

MPEG standards in 1988, which allowed image and video files to be compressed for

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4.4 Memory

Digital images can be stored via any form of digital memory. The most popular forms

include;

Flash Memory

Optical disk

Hard Disk Drive

4.5 Editing Software/Hardware

Image editing encompasses the processes of altering images, whether they are digital

photographs, traditional analog photographs, or illustrations. Before digital scanners

and cameras became mainstream, traditional analog image editing was known as

photo retouching, using tools such as an airbrush to modify photographs, or editingillustrations with any traditional art medium. However, since the advent of digital

images, analog image editing has become largely obsolete. Graphic software

programs, which can be broadly grouped into vector graphics editors, raster graphics

editors, and 3d modelers, are the primary tools with which a user may manipulate,

enhance, and transform images. Many image editing programs are also used to render

or create computer art from scratch. (10)

Editing Software package Adobe Photoshop

Due to the popularity of digital cameras, image editing programs are readily available.

Minimal programs that perform such operations as rotating and cropping are often

provided within the digital camera itself. The more powerful programs contain

functionality to perform a large variety of advanced image manipulations.

Image editor features include:

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Selection

Layers

Image size alteration

Cropping an image

Histogram

Noise removal Removal of unwanted elements

Selective color change

An example of selective color change, the original is on the left.

Image gradient

Image orientation

Perspective correction and distortion

Merging of images

Slicing of images

Special effects

Change color depth

Lens correction

Contrast change and brightening

Sharpening and softening images

Color adjustments

5.0 Delivery

5.1 Print

Controlling the print size and quality of digital images requires an understanding of thepixels-per-inch (ppi) variable that is stored in the image file and sometimes used to

control the size of the printed image. Within the Image Size dialog (as it is called in

Photoshop), the image editor allows the user to manipulate both pixel dimensions and

the size of the image on the printed document. These parameters work together to

produce a printed image of the desired size and quality.

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5.2 LCD

The advent of LCD screens for image viewing has allowed a richness of colour to be

seen from even the most poorly degraded or low resolution images.

Modern LCD Display

5.4 Online

Photo sharing is the publishing or transfer of a user's digital photos online, thus

enabling the user to share them with others (whether publicly or privately). This

functionality is provided through both websites and applications that facilitate the

upload and display of images. The term can also be loosely applied to the use of online

photo galleries that are setup and managed by individual users.

Photo and Video Hosting - Photobucket

6.0 Benefits

Taking pictures on film has limitations. Film cameras are able to produce relatively few

pictures: 24 or 36 in standard 35mm cameras. Once taken a picture allows for no recall

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if an error is made. It will be developed with the rest of the pictures. To get pictures is

a slow and expensive process. Displaying pictures is somewhat inconvenient and

requires albums or projectors.

Digital Cameras allow you to see what you want to take, take it, and immediately

review the finished product. If the image is unsatisfactory, it can be eliminated. If it is

acceptable, there is ample room for its storage in the camera which can hold 2000 or

more pictures. Once downloaded, the picture storage space on the camera isrenewed, and one begins again from zero.

With digital cameras even poor images can be saved. There are a number of

programs available on the computer to improve the appearance of a picture. Red-eye

can be removed by two clicks of a mouse. Images can be sharpened, lighting can be

enhanced or reduced, images can be cropped, straightened, narrowed or widened, and

turned 180 degrees in either direction. All of this can be done with programs that

come with your computer or perhaps your printer. Then there is emailing. Send

pictures to anyone who wants them who might otherwise have missed out on having

them had they been on film.

7.0 Future

Over the next decade, the imaging industry will inevitably transition to high dynamic

range (HDR) imaging, creating devices that provide a latitude range far greater than

traditional silver halide film. This change will affect all aspects of image making. Each

of the systems in the image workflow will be modified, including capture, storage,

editing and output. Today's digital cameras match or slightly exceed the performance

of silver halide film. Computer graphics has achieved the goal of photorealism. Now

the goal is to go beyond simply matching paper and silver halide - to create display

technologies which can present any visual stimuli our eyes are capable of seeing. Onearea of rapid development is in dynamic range. A new crop of technologies using High

Dynamic Range imaging (HDR or HDRI) aim to extend the dynamic range of digital

imaging technologies way beyond traditional media. (11)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Analog Sound vs Digital sound . Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: 3 August 2008.]

2. tutorial - Digital Audio. audacity.sourceforge.net. [Online] [Cited: July 28, 2008.]

3. Digital Audio players. Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: July 29, 2008.]

4. Optical Storage. Wikipedia. [Online]

5. Flash Memory. http://www.askdavetaylor.com/. [Online]

6. Shadler, ted. future of audio. Forrestor.com. [Online]

7. Edwards, Andru. The future of digital audio. gearlive. [Online] [Cited: August 2,

2008.]

8. Digital Image. Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: July 30, 2008.]

9. Reviews and info. dcresource.com. [Online] [Cited: August 2, 2008.]

10. Iimage ediing. Wikipedia. [Online] [Cited: July 28, 2008.]

11. The future of digital imaging - HDR. cybergrain.com. [Online] [Cited: August 10,

2008.]

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expansion into digital media2

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