Multimedia DeMYSTiFieD

Author: Jennifer Coleman Dowling
ISBN: 9780071770644 / 007177064X
©2012 | 1st Edition | 352 pages | Paperback
Pub Date: DEC-11
Price: US$ 25.00
Learn More | DeMYSTiFieD Series

Learn the latest multimedia skills with ease!

Featuring a color insert, Multimedia DeMYSTiFieDis a self-paced study guide and desk reference for learning about the fundamentals of multimedia. It covers the concepts, tools, and skills needed to create, combine, display, and provide interactivity for graphics, photography, text, typography, audio, video, and animation in digital formats.

The book covers the essential topics and terminology relating to current software and hardware technologies for creating media. It breaks down all the necessary technical information in a way that’s easy to understand, providing visual examples and hands-on exercises. Web design and HTML are also addressed, with particular emphasis on multimedia tags and scripts. You will develop an understanding of the fundamental concepts and applications of digital media and gain practical knowledge and real-world skills through step-by-step exercises.

Multimedia DeMYSTiFieD

1. Features a color insert illustrating color design principles
2. Contains technical information on hardware and software
3. Covers audio and video recording and manipulation methods
4. Reviews types of file formats and delivery options
5. Explains how to create multimedia for the Web, covering HTML tags, JavaScript, and CSS
6. Contains questions at the end of every chapter that reinforce learning and pinpoint weaknesses
7. Includes a final exam for overall self-assessment

About the Author

Jennifer Coleman Dowling (Wayland, MA) has an M.F.A. is Visual Design and is an experienced new media specialist, educator, and artist. She is currently a tenured professor in the Communication Arts Department at Framingham State University where she teaches courses in digital media and design using Adobe software. Ms. Dowling has worked on web design, interactive multimedia, animation, print design, illustration, logo and corporate packaging, educational software, advertising, product promotion, and presentation graphics.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: Multimedia Overview: What It’s All About

I. Introduction to Multimedia

A. What is Multimedia?
B. A Concise History of Multimedia
1. Early Multimedia Computing
2. Hypermedia and Hypertext
C. Combining Content from Various Media
D. Linear vs. Interactive Multimedia
1. Linear Multimedia
2. Nonlinear Interactive Multimedia
3. Kinds of Multimedia
E. Let’s Get Technical
F. Analog-to-Digital Evolution

II. The Purpose and Application of Multimedia
A. Benefits of Interactive Presentations
1. Avoiding Potential Pitfalls
B. Uses of Multimedia
C. Planning Stages and Development Process
1. Roles and Responsibilities of the Multimedia Team 2. Information Architecture
3. Copyright Issues: Securing Permission for Media Usage D. Tools Required for Creating and Preparing Media E. Making it Functional and Interactive F. Finalizing, Testing, and Delivering Multimedia

PART TWO: Kinds Of Media: The Essential Components

III. Graphics and Images

A. Designing Vector Graphics
B. Creating Raster Images
1. Pixel-Based Displays
2. Working with Raster Graphics
C. Scanning and Resolution
D. Digital Photography
E. Clip Art and Stock Images
F. File Formats for Screen Display
G. Color Theory: Pigment vs. Pixels
1. CMYK and the Subtractive Color Model
2. RGB and the Additive Color Model
3. Color for Digital Displays

IV. Text and Typography

A. Text Defined
1. Typing, Texting, and Emailing
B. Words and Copywriting: How to Write Effective Content
C. Typography
1. Fonts and Styles
a. Serif vs. Sans Serif
2. Typographic Treatment: Designing with Type
3. Placement and Arrangement of Type
D. Preparing Text for the Screen: Amount and Legibility/Readability
1. Type Sizes and Styles for the Screen
2. Screen vs. Print
3. Type on the Web

V. Animation

A. Animation in Multimedia
1. Functions of Moving Images
2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Animation
3. Interactive Animation
4. Kinds of Animation: Categorizing and Evaluating
B. Traditional Animation Overview
1. Principles of Animation
C. Concept Development and Storyboarding
D. Differences Between 2D and 3D Animation
1. 2D Computer Animation: Frame-By-Frame and Tweening
2. 3D Animation: Modeling, Ray Tracing, and Rendering
E. Animation Files and Formats

VI. Audio: Music and Sound Effects

A. Audio Fundamentals
1. Mechanics of Sound
2. Analog and Digital Audio
B. Recording vs. Importing Audio
1. Amplitude, Frequency, and Sampling Rates
C. MIDI and Digital Music
D. Editing and Manipulating Audio Tracks
E. Audio File Formats and Compression Schemes
1. Audio File Types
2. Storage Options
F. Using Sound in Multimedia Projects
1. Web Site Audio
2. Mobile Device Audio

VII. Video: Recording and Manipulating Moving Images

A. Video Mechanics
B. Video in Multimedia
C. Analog and Digital Video
1. Composite vs. Component Signals
2. Analog-to-Digital Conversion
3. Video Resolution
D. Shooting or Obtaining Video
1. Recording Raw Footage
2. Capturing Directly from TV
3. Importing Video to Computer
4. Acquiring Video Clips
E. Display Standards and Playback Options
F. Editing and Manipulating Video
G. Video File Formats and Compression Schemes
1. Video File Types
2. Storage and Memory
H. Using Video in Multimedia Projects

VIII.Authoring for Multimedia Functionality

A. Programming and Scripting to Create Interactive Environments
B. Tools for Authoring
1. Tool Selection Considerations
2. Bandwidth for Web Projects
C. Web Authoring with HTML
1. HTML Tags
2. JavaScript Programming
3. Web Page Formatting with CSS
4. Web Standards and Guidelines
D. Interactive Design
1. Graphical User Interfaces
2. Screen Layout and Arrangement of Elements

PART THREE: Tools For Creating Multimedia Projects: Hardware and Software Needed To Make It Happen

IX. Hardware and Equipment Options

A. Multimedia Project Equipment Setup
B. Input Devices
1. Mice, Digitizing Tablets, and Trackpads
2. Keyboards
3. Scanners
4. Image and Motion Capture
5. Microphones
6. Touchscreens and Fingerprinting Technology
7. Digital Audio Recorders
C. Output: Displays and Screens
1. Dual Monitors
2. Speakers and Headphones
D. Data Storage
1. Internal Drives
2. External USB Drives and Large Capacity Hard Disks
3. Online and Networked Storage
E. Computing Platforms
1. Desktop Computers
2. Mobile Devices and Operating Systems

X. Software for Multimedia

A. Multimedia Software Options
B. Vector Graphics: Illustration and Line Art
C. Digital Imaging: Photography and Bitmapped Images
1. Screen Captures and Recordings
D. Page Layout and Typography
E. Animation and Motion Graphics
F. Audio and Video Recording and Editing
G. Authoring and Web Design
H. Presentations
I. Media Players

PART FOUR: Multimedia End Products: Putting It All Together

XI. Multimedia Projects

A. Categorizing Multimedia Uses
B. Presentations
C. Video and Animation
D. Educational and Training Programs
E. Web Sites
F. Apps and Mini Software Programs
G. Video Games
H. Noteworthy Gadgets and Devices

XII. Delivery Systems

A. Multimedia Product Maintenance
B. Troubleshooting and User-testing
C. Disk vs. Web Preparation
D. Presentation Options
1. Portable or Permanent Displays
2. Kiosks
3. Projection
4. Multiple Screens
5. Interactive Whiteboards
6. Touch Screen TVs and Handheld Devices
7. E-Readers
8. Video Game Consoles
E. Delivering Multimedia

Final Exam
Web Resources
Index

Plug-In CSS 100 Power Solutions

Author: Robin Nixon
ISBN: 9780071748766 / 0071748768
©2011 | 1st Edition | 320 pages | Paperback
Pub Date: FEB-11
Price: US$ 40.00
Learn More

100 CSS and HTML power solutions in one handy guide

Plug-in CSS is filled with with ready-to-use CSS and HTML solutions for creating dynamic websites. Save hundreds of hours of programming time! Make your website look great with custom fonts, animated menu systems, individually styled forms, and other effects. This practical guide shows you how to do all of these things and much more using simple style sheet plug-ins.

This practical guide takes you through each example step by step so there’s no need to look up anything elsewhere. Every solution is complete and applicable immediately. The book can be dipped into as required with each chapter being self contained. Plus, you can download all the style sheets and HTML from the book’s companion website.

Plug-in CSS

• Gives you 100 ready-to-use CSS and HTML solutions
• Solves a single problem or set of problems in each chapter with the entire solution available
• Features a companion website with all the book’s ready-to-run examples available for download
• Covers all the main dynamic features a webmaster needs to accomplish

About the Author

Robin Nixon (Kent, UK) is a developer and freelance technical writer who has published more than 500 articles in magazines such as , and PC Answers. He is the author of five computing books, including Plug-In PHP: 100 Power Solutions and Plug-in JavaScript: 100 Power Solutions.

Related Titles

1. 9780072258950      HTML QuickSteps
2. 9780071611435       HTML A Beginner’s Guide
3. 9780071633178      HTML, XHTML & CSS QuickSteps

Table of Contents

Part I: About CSS and These Plug-ins
Chapter 1 How to Use the Plug-ins
Chapter 2 CSS Crash Course

Part II: The Classes
Chapter 3 Manipulating Objects
Chapter 4 Text and Typography
Chapter 5 Menus and Navigation
Chapter 6 Page Layout
Chapter 7 Visual Effects

Part III: The Dynamic Classes
Chapter 8 Dynamic Objects
Chapter 9 Dynamic Text and Typography
Chapter 10 Dynamic Interaction
Chapter 11 Incorporating JavaScript
Chapter 12 Superclasses

Index

JavaFX A Beginners Guide

Author: J.F. DiMarzio
ISBN: 9780071742412 / 0071742417
©2011 | 1st Edition | 320 pages | Paperback
Pub Date: FEB-11
Price: US$ 40.00
Learn More

This practical introductory guide teaches you how to build rich interactive content with JavaFX.

JavaFX: A Beginner’s Guide shows you how to get started creating rich, interactive content using this cross-platform content delivery system. The book walks you through the basics to more challenging concepts, so you’ll quickly understand and begin using JavaFX. This practical guide also covers the JavaFX Production Suite–a powerful plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator that allows users to create content specifically for JavaFX.

Discover how to take advantage of cross-platform capabilities–JavaFX is fully integrated with the Java Runtime and thus JavaFX content can run on any platform capable of running Java. You’ll learn, step by step, how to build desktop, browser, and mobile applications.

Designed for Easy Learning:

• Key Skills & Concepts–Chapter-opening lists of specific skills covered in the chapter
• Ask the Expert–Q&A sections filled with bonus information and helpful tips
• Try This–Hands-on exercises that show you how to apply your skills
• Notes–Extra information related to the topic being covered
• Tips–Helpful reminders or alternate ways of doing things
• Annotated Syntax–Example code with commentary that describes the programming techniques being illustrated

About the Author

J. F. DiMarzio (Tampa, FL) has been a professional Java developer for more than nine years and a professional web developer for more than 15. He now actively works with Java and JavaFx to create stunning user experiences for his clients. DiMarzio has written seven books, including Android: A Programmer’s Guide and runs Technical Difficulties, a Java, JavaFx, JQuery, and Android blog at jfdimarzio.com.

Related Titles

1. 9780072263848    Java: A Beginner’s Guide
2. 9780071590433    Microsoft Silverlight 3: A Beginner’s Guide

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Introduction to JavaFX
Chapter 2. Setting the Scene
Chapter 3. Hello World
Chapter 4. Creating Shapes
Chapter 5. Using Colors and Gradients
Chapter 6. Using Images
Chapter 7. Applying Effects and Transformations
Chapter 8. Basic Animation
Chapter 9. Using Events
Chapter 10. Give it Some Swing
Chapter 11. Custom Nodes and Overriding
Chapter 12. Imbedded Video and Music
Chapter 13. Using JavaFX Layouts
Chapter 14. Style Your JavaFX with CSS

Appendix A. Deploying JavaFX
Appendix B. Node Property Reference
Appendix C. JavaFX Command-Line Arguments
Appendix D. Answers to Self Tests

Index

Web Design DeMYSTiFieD

Author: Wendy Willard
ISBN: 9780071748018 / 0071748016
©2011 | 1st Edition | 304 pages | Paperback
Pub Date: DEC-10
Price: US$ 22.00
Learn More

Hard stuff made easy! Your practical, self-paced guide to Web design

Web Design Demystified covers all of the key concepts and technologies needed to master Web design fundamentals and become proficient in site design and implementation. Learn about the most common tools and best practices, as well as essential design features users expect. The book provides a basic understanding of HTML, XHTML, and CSS, which is the foundation for all Web design.

This hands-on tutorial explains the basics of JavaScript, PHP, RSS and other necessary features for today’s websites. Testing and verification, search engine optimization, FTP and other essentials of going live are also covered. Each chapter features hands-on exercise and a self-test to verify understanding. A comprehensive final exam covers all the core concepts presented in the book.

Web Design Demystified

• Shows how to use the essential technologies for current Web design, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more
• Provides a complete standalone tutorial in Web design for which no prior experience is required
• Outlines the key topics covered in Web design classes
• Includes end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam to reinforce learning and pinpoint weaknesses

About the Author

Wendy Willard (Bel Air, MD) is an accomplished professional with more than 13 years of experience in all aspects of design, including publication, print, and Web. She is the author of the bestseller, HTML: A Beginner’s Guide, now in its fourth edition, and has written additional books and articles on the topics of Photoshop, Web design, and Mac O/S.

Related Title

1. 9780071701341      Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide

Table of Contents

Part I: Planning
Chapter 1. Asking the Right Questions
Chapter 2. Formulating the Answers

Part II: Designing
Chapter 3. Anticipating Web-Specific Design Issues
Chapter 4. Laying the Groundwork for Good Design
Chapter 5. Preparing for Production
Chapter 6. Producing the Design

Part III: Coding
Chapter 7. Getting Started with the Code
Chapter 8. Structuring Content
Chapter 9. Styling Dynamic Content
Chapter 10. Positioning Content
Chapter 11. Integrating Dynamic Content

Part IV: Going Live
Chapter 12. Publishing Content
Chapter 13. Advertising Your Site

Appendix A. HTML/CSS Reference Table

Index

Robin Nixon has worked with and written about computers since the early 1980s (his first computer was a Tandy TRS 80 Model 1 with a massive 4KB of RAM!). During this time he has written in excess of 500 articles for many of the U.K.’s top computer magazines.

Robin started his computing career in the Cheshire homes for disabled people, where he was responsible for setting up computer rooms in a number of residential homes, and for evaluating and tailoring hardware and software so that disabled people could use the new technology – sometimes by means of only a single switch operated by mouth or finger.

After writing articles for computer magazines about his work with disabled people, he eventually worked full time for one of the country’s main IT magazine publishers, where he held several roles including editorial, promotions, and cover disc editing.

With the dawn of the Internet in the 1990s, Robin branched out into developing websites. One of these presented the world’s first radio station licensed by the music copyright holders, and was featured in several news reports on TV and radio networks in the United Kingdom. In order to enable people to continue to surf while listening, Robin also developed the first known pop-up windows.

Robin lives on the southeast coast of England with his wife Julie, a trained nurse, and five children, where he also finds time to foster three disabled children, as well as working full time from home as a technical author.

Robin has contributed an article to “The Daily Tip” section on “IT World,” and Plug-In PHP is one of the featured books on the company’s web site. For a look at the article, please click HERE.

Books by Robin Nixon

ISBN-13: 978-0-07-166659-6
ISBN-10: 0071666591
©2010 | 1st Edition | 384 pages , Softcover
Pub Date: February 2010 
Price: US$ 39.99
Sample Chapter 01  |  Learn More

Plug-In JavaScript 100 Power Solutions

ISBN-13: 978-0-07-173861-3
ISBN-10: 0071738614
©2011 | 1st Edition | 400 pages , Softcover
Pub Date: May 2010
Price: US$ 39.99
Learn More

Filled with ready-to-use JavaScript solutions for creating dynamic web content, this practical guide is will save hundreds of hours of programming time!

Plug-in JavaScript is aimed at people who have learned basic HTML (and perhaps a little CSS) but are interested in doing more. For example, they may wish to create more dynamic menu systems, provide mouse hover effects, and support Ajax functionality. This practical guide shows readers how to do all of these things and much more using very simple JavaScript.

Readers are taken through each example step by step. All explanations are included so there is no need to look up anything elsewhere. Every solution is complete and applicable immediately. The book can be dipped into as required with each chapter being self-contained.

Features

• 100 ready-to-use JavaScript solutions—saves over 500 hours of programming time
• Author based in the UK and writes for several UK-based computing magazines
• Each chapter solves a single problem or set of problems, is self-contained, and features the entire solution in JavaScript code
• Companion website includes all the book’s ready-to-run examples available for download
• While not a programming tutorial, the book fully explains all solutions should readers want to know how they work

Author: Willard, Wendy
ISBN-13: 978-0-07-170134-1
ISBN-10: 0071701346
©2010 | 2nd Edition | 496 pages , Softcover
Pub Date: May 2010
Price: US$ 29.99
Learn More   

An easy-to-use guide to the latest web design tools and techniques  

Fully updated to cover new and emerging web design technologies and trends, this new edition teaches the fundamental skills and concepts of web design through tutorials, hands-on exercises, and integrated projects. The book is filled with tips for designing web pages from concept to completion. Expert advice from industry professionals take you beyond the “how to” and into the “why” of common web design practices.  

Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide, Second Edition features: 

• Step-by-step details on how to create a successful design mockup, take it apart, and begin coding
• Tutorials in web design using HTML and CSS, the two most widely used and supported coding methods on the web
• Techniques for integrating multimedia such as audio, video, and animation
• Best practices for ensuring that sites are standards-compliant and will display correctly in all major browsers
• Instructions on how to test and deploy completed designs

Learn essential web design skills:

  1. Planning
  2. Beginning the Design Process
  3. Preparing for Production
  4. Producing the Design
  5. Getting Started with the Code
  6. Styling Content
  7. Positioning Content
  8. Integrating Dynamic Content
  9. Editing Blog Templates
10. Testing and Deployment; Publishing Content
11. Advertising Your Site
12. Maintaining Your Site 

Wendy Willard (Bel Air, MD), is an accomplished professional with over 13 years of experience in all aspects of design, including publication design, print design, and web design. She is the author of the best-selling McGraw-Hill book HTML: A Beginner’s Guide (now in its fourth edition), and has written additional books and articles on the topics of Photoshop, web design, and the Mac O/S. 

Plug-In PHP: 100 Power Solutions

Authors: Nixon, Robin
ISBN-13: 978-0-07-166659-6
ISBN-10: 0071666591
©2010 | 1st Edition | 384 pages , Softcover
Pub Date: March 2010
Price: US$ 39.99

100 PHP power solutions in one handy guide

This practical resource contains 100 ready-to-run PHP plug-ins you can use to create dynamic Web content. The book begins by showing you how to install, configure, and use a powerful web development environment. Then, each chapter in Plug-In PHP offers complete, working examples for specific end results you can achieve right away. In this time-saving tool, all of the code is extensively documented along with tips for adapting it for your own requirements.

Get ready-made PHP plug-ins for:

• Text processing
• Image handling
• Content management
• Forms and user input
• Internet integration
• Chat and messaging
• MySQL, sessions, and cookies
• APIs, RSS, and XML
• JavaScript and Ajax
• Geo-location
• Spelling and language translation
• And much more

Download all of the book’s plug-ins at www.pluginphp.com

About the Author

Robin Nixon (UK) is a developer and freelance technical writer who has published more than 500 articles in magazines such as PC Plus, PCW, Web User, .net, PC Advisor, and PC Answers. He is the author of 3 computing books, including the upcoming Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript (O’Reilly).

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