Types of Media

There are five main types of media: text (including hypertext and numbers), audio, images (graphics), animations and video.

 

The 5 Type of Media

text Audio Images Animations Video

 

 

Text, Hypertext and Numbers

Text refers to any typed material. Text includes numbers and characters whose meaning must be read to gain meaning. It may be typed in through a word processor but is also often typed into the multimedia software.

Hypertext is a term created by Ted Nelson to describe non-linear writing in which you follow linked paths through a world of textual documents. The most common use of hypertext is found in the links on World Wide Web pages. (See HTML, URL)

Numbers: Numerals which allow calculations. Includes currency

 

Audio

Audio is sound which has been digitised.

 

Images (Graphics)

Images are pictures, graphic elemts which are displayed on the screen. They maybe of two type:

Bit-mapped graphics (also known as raster images) A bit-mapped image is one composed of pixels. This means that there is a relationship betwen the graphic on the screen and the bits in memory. Bit-mapped images can also be called raster images and would normally be composed in a paint program. Vector graphics: which are made of objects such as straight lines, curves or shapes. It is created through a mathematical formula.

 

Animation

Animation is the movement of a graphic. It is the result of making a sequence of drawing called frames and showing them rapidly one after another. Animation maybe cel (also called cell) based or path based. (See cel-based animation, path-based animation)

 

Video

Combines pictures and sound displayed over time. It is important to know that here are differences between an animation and a video. An animation begins with a still images which is then given the illusion of movement but a video records a continuous event such as a rock concert where movement and sound are of course a natural part of life; and very much so at a rock concert where a person's eardrums may be moving as much as anyone on stage.