计算机专业英语教程(第4版)译文8.1

Introduction Multimedia means from the user s perspective that computer information can be represented through audio and or video in addition to text image graphics and animation 从用户的观点 多媒体技术意味着 计算机信息不仅可以通过文本 图象 图形和动画 还可以通过音频或者视频表现出来 For example using audio and video a variety of dynamic situations in different areas such as sport or ornithology lexicon can often be presented better than just using text and image alone 例如 利用音频或者视频 许多不同领域的动态情形 例如运动场 面 鸟类生活 能够比仅仅使用文本和图象更生动形象的表现出来 The integration of these media into the computer provides additional possibilities for the use of computational power currently available e g for interactive presentation of huge amounts of information 多媒体与计算机的综合为计算机的普遍应用提供了额外的可行性 例如 大量信息的交互式表现 Furthermore these data can be transmitted though computer and telecommunication networks which implies applications in the areas of information distribution and cooperative work 另外 这些数据可以通过意味着信息分工和合作工作 Multimedia provides the possibility for a spectrum of new applications many of which are in place today 多媒体技术为一连串的新应用程序提供了可能性 多媒体技术是一 连串的新应用程序成为可能 并且许多已经开发到位 8 1 1 Main Properties of a Multimedia System If we derive a multimedia system from the meaning of the words in the American Heritage Dictionary then a multimedia system is any system which supports more than a single kind of media 如果我们从美国传统字典中查找 a multimedia system 的字面意思 我们可以得知 一个多媒体系统是任何支持多于一种单一媒体的系 统 This characterization is insufficient because it only deals with a quantitative evaluation of the system 这一描述是不充分的 因为他只是对系统进行定量的评估 For example each system processing text and graphics would be classified as a multimedia system according to this narrow definition 例如 根据这一狭隘的定义 任何能处理文字和图片的系统都将被 归类为多媒体系统 Such systems already existed before the multimedia notion was used in a computer environment 这些系统在多媒体概念被应用于计算机领域之前就已经存在了 Hence the notion multimedia implies a new quality in a computer environment 因此 多媒体这一概念意味着在计算机领域中的一种新的特性 We understand multimedia more in a qualitative rather than a quantitative way 我们更应从性质方面而不是从数量方面去理解多媒体这一概念 Therefore the kind rather than the number of supported media should determine if a system is a multimedia system 因此 一个系统是不是一个多媒体系统应由所支持媒体的类型而不 是数量决定 It should be pointed out that this definition is controversial 应该指出的是 这一定义是存在争议的 Even in the standardization bodies e g ISO a weaker interpretation is often used 即使对于标准化组织 如 ISO A multimedia system distinguishes itself from other systems through several properties 一个多媒体系统通过数个属性使自己有别于其他系统 We elaborate on the most important properties such as combination of the media media independence computer control and integration 我们对最重要的一些属性进行详细解释 如媒体的组合 媒体的独 立性 计算机控制和集成 Combination of Media Not every arbitrary combination of media justifies the usage of the term multimedia 并不是任意的媒体组合都能满足术语 多媒体 的要求 A simple text processing program with incorporated images is often called a multimedia application because two media are processed through one program 一个支持图像处理的简单文本处理程序通常被称为一个多媒体应用 程序 这是因为两种媒体通过一个程序被处理 But one should talk about multimedia only when both continuous and discrete media are utilized 但是我们说到的 多媒体 应该是使用了连续媒体和离散媒体 A text processing program with incorporated images is therefore not a multimedia application 一个支持图像处理的简单文本处理程序因此并不是一个多媒体应用 程序 Independence An important aspect of different media is their level of independence from each other 媒体的一个重要性质是他们之间的独立性 In general there is a request for independence of different media but multimedia may require several levels of independence 一般说来 对于不同媒体间需要一个关于独立性的要求 但是多媒 体可能需要几个等级的独立性 On the one hand a computer controlled video recorder stores audio and video information but there is an inherently tight connection between the two types of media 一方面 一个计算机控制的录像机存储音频和视频信息 但是在这 两种类型的媒体间存在一个内在的紧密联系 Both media are coupled together through the common storage medium of the tape 那就是 这两种媒体通过共同的磁带存储媒介联接在一起 On the other hand for the purpose of presentations the combination of DAT recorder Digital Audio Tape signals and computer available text satisfies the request for media independence 另一方面 出于表达的目的 数字录音带信号和有效的计算机文本 组合满足媒体独立性的需求 Computer supported Integration The media independence prerequisite provides the possibility of combining media in arbitrary forms 媒体的独立性使得各种媒体的组合成为可能 Computers are the ideal tool for this purpose 计算机是进行媒体组合的理想工具 The system should be capable of computer controlled media processing 系统必须具有可受计算机控制的媒体处理能力 Moreover the system should be programmable by a system programmer or even a user 而且 系统还应该是可由系统程序员甚至用户编程的 Simple input or output of different media through one system e g a video recorder does not satisfy the requirement for a computer controlled solution 对不同媒体通过一个系统 如录像机 进行简单的输入和输出处理 并不满足 由计算机控制 的这一方案的要求 Computer controlled data of independent media can be integrated to accomplish certain functions 计算机控制的独立媒体数据可以被集成以实现一定的功能 For such a purpose timing spatial and semantic synchronization relations will be included 为了达到这一目的 必须包含时间 空间 语言的同步关系 A text processing program that supports text table calculations and video clips does not satisfy the demand for integration if program supporting the connection between the data cannot be established 如果不能建立支持这些数据之间连接的程序 则支持文本 表格计 算和视频剪辑的文本处理程序不满足集成的要求 A high integration level is accomplished if changing the content of a table row causes corresponding video scene and text changes 一个高水平的集成可以实现如果对表格的行内容进行修改能导致相 应的视频片段和文本的修改 8 1 2 Multimedia A multimedia system is characterized by computer controlled integrated production manipulation presentation storage and communication of independent information 多媒体系统的特征是 独立信息的计算机控制 集成制作 处理 演示 存储和通信 which is encoded at least through a continuous time dependent and a discrete time independent medium 这些信息必须至少通过一种连续的 与时间有关 和一种离散的 与时间无关 媒体进行编码 Multimedia is very often used as an attribute of many systems components products ideas etc without satisfying the above presented characteristics 多媒体常常作为许多系统 组件 产品 理念等的一个特性 但却 并不满足以上所陈述的多媒体特性 From this view point our definition is deliberately restrictive 在这一观点上 我们的定义是故意限制的 过于苛刻的 Thus two notions of multimedia can be distinguished 所以 必须将两种含义的多媒体区分开来 Multimedia strictly speaking 严格意义上的多媒体 In this context continuous media will always be included in a multimedia system 在这一范围中 多媒体系统必然包括连续媒体 At the same time important timely marginal conditions through the continuous media for