GHANA TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE- KUMASI CAMPUS

Foundations Of
Multimedia
Lecture 04:
AUDIO/IMAGE/VIDEO
EMMANUEL ADINKRAH
EADINKRAH@GMAIL.COM
FUNDAMENTALS
October 21, 2016

Overview
Introduction
Computer Representation of Audio: Quantization &
Sampling
Digital Image Representation: Color System &
Chrominance Subsampling
Digital Video Representation
Hardware Requirements

Computer Representation of Audio

Sound is created by vibration of matter (i.e., air molecules).
Sound is a continuous wave that travels through air:
Amplitude of a sound is the measure of the displacement of
air
pressure wave from its mean or quiescent state (measured in
decibels, db)
Frequency represents the number of periods in a second
(measured in hertz, Hz, cycles/second).
Period is the reciprocal value of the frequency.

Computer Representation of Audio

A transducer (inside a microphone) converts pressure to
voltage levels.
Convert analog signal into a digital stream by discrete
sampling.

Discretization both in time and amplitude

(quantization).
In a computer, we sample these values at
intervals to get a vector of values.
A computer measures the amplitude of the waveform at
regular time intervals to produce a series of numbers
(samples).

Computer Representation of Audio

Nyquist Sampling Theorem
If a signal f(t) is sampled at regular intervals of time and at
a rate higher than twice the highest significant signal
frequency, then the samples contain all the information of
the original signal.
Example
Actual playback frequency for CD quality audio is 22,050 Hz
Because of Nyquist Theorem - we need to sample the
signal twice this frequency, therefore sampling frequency is
44,100 Hz.

Computer Representation of Audio

Quantization
Sample precision - the resolution of a sample value.
Quantization depends on the number of bits used measuring the height of
the waveform.
16-bit CD quality quantization results in 64K
values.
Audio formats are described by sample rate and

quantization:
Voice quality - 8 bit quantization, 8,000 Hz mono (64
Kbps)
CD quality - 16 bit quantization, 44,100 Hz linear
stereo (705.6 Kbps for mono, 1.411 Mbps for stereo)

Digital Video Representation

Can be thought of as a sequence of moving
images (or frames).
Important parameters in video:
Digital image resolution (e.g., nm pixels)
Quantization (e.g., k-bits per pixel)
Frame rate (p frames per second, i.e., fps)
Continuity of motion is achieved at
a minimal 15 fps
is good at 30 fps
HDTV recommends 60 fps!

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GHANA TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE, KUMASI CAMPUS