August 1999
TM220 : INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA

QUESTION 5

Total Marks: 20 Marks

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(a) Explain the complimentary roles of Afterburner and Shockwave. What is the benefit of using Afterburner, from a user point of view? [4]
Afterburner takes Dir files, compresses them, and broadcasts them through the Web as DCR files. The main purpose of Afterburner is to reduce the download times by 40 - 70%.

Shockwave decompress and plays back the DCR files.

 
(b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of network distribution of a multimedia application. [9]
Advantages:
  • The network provides a convenient, effective, and efficient way to distribute multimedia files to multiple users.
  • Users save hard disk space on local computers , because many external files such as libraries remain on the server .
  • A user can develop a database to track actions and responses of a specific group of users as the application runs.
  • Updating and upgrading the application can be easily accomplished ; you need change only one copy, the server copy, instead of multiple copies.

Disadvantages:

  • The possibility of reduced performance/slower speed on the network.
  • Reading and writing data over a network is usually slower.
  • Unless correct and protected network files server access rights are set up, other users can make unwarranted changes to the database.

 
(c) What issues should you consider when preparing a multimedia application so that it will run on the 'average' computer? [7]
Number and size of digitized videos should be kept to a minimum .

Window size of the digitized video should not exceed a quarter of the screen.

Sound files should not be integrated into the application, use AIF sound instead.

Text (especially banners, etc.) converted to bitmaps as not all users have the font type you are using.