Audio

On this week, we learn about audio. What is audio? Audio is something that we can hear and listen for!. If u cannot heard or listen, it cannot be called as audio.

In audio, there is analog and digital audio. 

ANALOG AUDIO
Analog is something that we could called as old school timer entertainment, such as cassette. It is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback. Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave. However, it is something that cannot edited, and effected by noise. However, with the technology, it could be converted to digital through digitizing.

DIGITAL AUDIO
Digital audio is the audio that had been converted through sampling. There are three factors that affect the quality of the digitized audio are: sampling rate, sample size and the number of channel.  The sample rate are 44.100 kHz for CD quality, 22.050 kHz for multimedia applications and 11.025 kHz sample would be marginal quality (radio quality). The common sampling sizes are: 8 bit and 16 bit. The channel will be mono or stereo.


AUDIO SIZE
Well, this is the hardest part in my life!! Calculate the size.. However, this year, i had learnt it well.
The easiest way for me to calculate the size is:

(sampling rates in Hz X sample size in byte X time in seconds X mono@stereo)

So, we have to alert for sample rates that given in kHz that should be multiply with 1000, if the common sampling given in bit, so it should divide by 8 to make the answer in byte, and either it is used to play in mono or stereo.

COMPRESSION
In audio, it would be possible to compress the audio since the size should be fit to CD or website and so on. It could compress using lossy or losSless. Lossless means loss less, keep more, while lossy means lost alot.

AUDIO FORMAT

AUDIO EDITING SOFTWARE

There is a lot of audio editing software. The purpose of those software were editing the audio either sound recording, sound editing (copy, cut, paste), resampling or downsampling, trimming, audio effects (fade ins, fade outs), splicing and assembly, volume adjustments, time stretching, digital signal processing, format conversion or compression, reversing sounds and so on. One of the popular software is Sony Sound Forge.

Wow, I hope that I really get what I had type about

Reflection of Assignment 1

After few weeks, we had finished our assignment which we have to made up a media critique. In this assignment we have to choose one website, analyze and bring out any point that we had recognize as weaknesses of applying principles of design. This is the original surface of the website that we had choose.

Phew... What a very, very green page. Yes, it apply such a very striking greeny colour, add up with e those decoration of bamboo and grasses. I'm sure the page had applied those elements because they wants to present the value of agriculture, since it is one of the main courses in that school.

However, from our discussion, we decided, it seems too green, messy with grasses. As first view, it does not seems as an educational organization website, but a page only about farming or gardening, or maybe a website about forestry. As we had discussed, we found some of the problems in applying principles of design, which are:

1. The design of one page is not consistent, either applying theme, or typeface, that makes that website was a combination of few pieces of articles that had been developed by different people. There is no unity value there. Even we can see, different page, as not seen as the home page, unless those pages still use the same background. the arrangement of the contents, it is not neat and have no value of unity.

2. It is not applying the contrast well. Even they put the green vs white, it is not emphasis the whole content. our eyes are more attracted to the background colour and some of the unimportant moving animations.

3. The way it manage the navigation bar, the menu is not proper. It does not seems in a good arrangement, it did not applied well when link of that tab was not very useful to the audience.

So, we made some magic!! As we had re-fix the page, through applying those principles of design that had been taught in class, here it is:

We still apply the green colour... But it such a refreshing green. It did not too obvious yet seems modern even the page design is not too modern. We did not want to change the theme, or the layout, but we fix and we arrange it neatly. We applied the principles of unity, and using white space to relaxing the audience while they surf the website. Besides, we also applying emphasis of the content where it seems obviously in the middle of the screen with some colour contrast that attracting those audience eyes. No more moving animations that have no benefit to apply on.

It may late when I post this reflection but I hope it is still not late. And the best thing when we did the assignment, we understand more about the principles of design.

Thank you Prof. Jamal for your guide, and for your class!!

Week 10: No class with Dr. Shafie

There is no class.

The class had been replaced by PhD student named as En. Hisham.
We learn virtual world learning through avatar.

WEEK 9: ANIMATION

Today is the first week of Dr. Shafie class. As usual, Dr Shafie asked us to makes some research and presents that information that we gain within 30 minutes. Each group will present based on the sub topic given.

On this week, we learn about animation.  As I understand, animation is something that we display on the screen that moving. If it is static, it would be called as graphic.

I learn that there are 4 types of animation techniques. One of them, which I believe popular when I was a kid, is 2 dimension animations (2D). I still remember how I love Mickey Mouse on that time. Some of us called that as cartoon.  2D cartoon is flat, we cannot see the depth. It seems less popular compare to 3D animations. Earlier 2D animation was drawn of every movement. Nowadays we could us Adobe flash, framing every gesture, and we could see the movement.

3 dimension animations (3D) is something could be seen, seems too real as you wish you could touch the picture. High definition of 3D performance will seem very similar to real things.

Virtual Reality is something that combining with our real live. Usually, it would not be static. It will be in animation presentation because those moving things attract the attention of the user.As the example; we could see it in football, where they show the line of the ball movement and offside line.  

Special Effects is something that we  add on in real life to makes it more attractive and eye’s catching such as putting on the effect that makes the situation seems supernatural.

Besides we learn about 4 types of animation techniques which are drawing animation, Cut-out animation, Model animation or stop motion animation and Digital animation or computer animation.

Drawing animation is probably the first animation that had been produce. It will draw a movement by a movement, step by step and combining it page by page.  I think this is one type of animation that popular when we was a kid, we choose a book, we draw on the edge, and we turn the book fast, and whe see it is moving drawing.

The cut out animation is still use on this day, but I do not think it is interesting unless we provide those things, and produce an animation with our students. The cut animation is not attractive, looks jagged, and the motion is not smooth, because it is the way it should be.

The model animation seems as 3d animation, but it is actually, some modelling that usually made by clay or boxes, move pieces by pieces. It will framing, capturing every movement.

Nowadays, it is easier to make an animation through computer, such as adobe flash and so on. So no wonder there are lots of animation production even in our country that become popular nowadays such as Upin Ipin and Boboiboy.

WEEK 5: DISCUSSION OF ELEMENT OF DESIGN

EMPHASIS

• Creates a focal point in a design - how we bring attention to what is most important. What catches the eye and makes the viewer stop and look at the image. 

•  Created by:
• contrast - contrast makes something is more easily seen and understood; something different attracts the eye. 
• Elements can be contrasted: 
• line (a curve in the midst of straight lines), 
• shape (a circle in a field of squares), 
• color (one red dot on a background of grays and blacks), 
• value (a light or dark area in the middle of its opposite) 
• texture (rough vs. smooth). 
• contrasting orientation:

• space (horizontal, vertical, diagonal)
• style (a geometric shape in an otherwise naturalistic image) 
• size.

• anomaly, or something that departs from the norm
• example: a person wearing a snowsuit on a tropical beach.

• placement. 
• implied lines all directed toward the same place can create a focal point there. 
• isolating an element from the others by its position in space

• Without emphasis = no focus point for viewer to look at the image = communication cannot occur.
• If everything is emphasized (all text is large and bold, all images are animated or flashing, everything is in bright colors) = nothing will stand out, nothing will be emphasized, nothing will grab the viewer’s attention.
  
  
  http://shykoo.blogspot.com/2010/01/homework-2-unity.html

WEEK 5: PRODUCTS OF MULTIMEDIA/WEB DESIGN

In this week, we had learnt about

- Content design

- Interaction design

- User interface design

In a design, it begins with Information Design, followed by Interaction Design and Interface Design.

Information Design is all about content and strategy, interaction design is about navigation while interface Design is something that we seen as presentation.

Interface Design is actually Presentation Design. It is the final outcome that would be seen by the audience.  It is presenting and communicating with the audience. As I learnt, User Interface design is not just about the arrangement on a screen, but as lecturer had mentioned, it is more than that. It is more to “look and feel”. Because in the applications of sending the message, the 'watching" is not enough to build up the interactions. That is why those user interface design involves arrangement and presentation of media, building a mental model of how users think, identifying navigational issues  and understanding user’s response and reaction.

WEEK 4: NO TOPIC

I attend the class where there is no one there...

I never thought I was earlier, because it was 10 minutes late...

My phone died...

I thought the class had been replace somewhere...

Keep waiting...

With hope, someone is coming...

I open the website, find for Prof Jamal's number.

Another phone is still alive..
Texting Prof. Jamal...

I got the answer, just because i did not check my phone before i came to class...

I drive home safely!!