An essential subject for the Multimedia Technology major

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:-

Describe the key technological elements driving the development of broadband networks and mobile multimedia systems.

Will have developed a practical understanding of wireless based technologies and the impact upon multimedia content and interactivity.

Understand the basic components of multimedia communication networks.

Be able to solve real world problems in the area of advanced multimedia applications.

Be able to design and analyse ATM/wireless/mobile networks.

Will fully appreciate the current status and trends driving modern digital TV, standard and high definition television (S/HDTV) and digital video technologies.

Will be able to explain the main system principles of digital TV and video, and respective transmission protocols and standards.

Understand the concepts behind the new suite of multimedia compression algorithms, especially MPEG-4, JPEG2000 and H.264.

Will understand the fundamental basics of wavelet technology.

Recognise, understand and evaluate the increasing convergence of Internet and DTV technologies

The student will be able to solve real world problems in the area of advanced multimedia and network applications.

Be able to design and analyse ATM/wireless/mobile networks.

Have a practical understanding of current advanced technological trends within modern digital video and TV.

Have a thorough appreciation of prcatical concepts behind the new still image and video compression techniques (JPEG2000 and H.264) and the pivotal role of the principles of wavelets.

This unit will explore all aspects of this rapid progress including modern video features in the range of multimedia applications, such as digital television, video and HDTV, the integration of digital TV with the Internet, recent multimedia file formats and contemporary compression technologies, including MPEG-4 and the most exciting developments, namely JPEG2000 for still images and the advanced video coding (AVC) standard H.264. It will also cover aspects of multimedia communication networks including broadband ATM together with wireless and mobile networks. Practical problem solving elements will be integrated into the unit based on the theoretical concepts. After successfully completion of this unit, you will be able to integrate multimedia technology into both the design and simulation of real world multimedia applications and systems.

Prescribed textbook:

Fred Halsall, ?Multimedia Communications: Applications, Networks, Protocols and Standards? Addision-Wesley, 2001, ISBN 0-201-39818-4.

Recommended reading:

Regis J. Bates, ?Wireless Networked Communications: Concepts, Technology, and Implementations? MaGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995.

Jerry D. Gibson, ?Communications handbook? 2nd ed. Boca Raton, Fla., London: CRC Press, 2002.

On-campus and off-campus learning mode

On-campus students will attend 2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial per week. Students are expected to spend 8 hours per week on self-directed study and assignment work, including library and computing laboratory work outside the class contact hours.

Distance Education students will spend 12 hours per week working through study guides and on-line learning materials, prescribed reading, practical and assignment work and communications with lecturer and other students.

This unit's assessment consists of two major components:

Two assignments (40%) A final examination. (60%)

Two major assignments (worth 40%) which will directly assess objectives dealing with design and analysis of ATM and the vital role of MPEG-7 in efficient multimedia content retrieval strategies.

A 2 hour final examination will be designed to test all subject objectives (60% weighting). The final grade will be assigned using a formula that reflects the student's achievements in both the practical and theoretical elements of the course. To successfully complete the course, the student must achieve at least 50% of the total marks with a contribution to this total of no less than 40% of the possible marks from the major assignment and the examination.

12 hours per week for 13 weeks.

On-campus classes require a lecture theatre equipped with electronic display devices for 2 hours per week.

On-campus tutorials require a computing lab equipped with electronic display devices for 1 hour per week.

1 full-time lecturer with marking support for 1 semester

GSCIT 100%

GCO3812