Digital Media Primer, 3rd edition

For introductory digital media courses in computer science, art, communication, or digital media departments

Tools and Techniques for Understanding and Producing Digital Media

Digital Media encompasses a wide variety of topics, including the study of image, sound, and video processing, compression, interactive multimedia development, and advanced web programming. Digital Media Primer is designed for students from all disciplines, and teaches the foundational concepts and basic techniques of digital media production. The text is not tied to a specific application program like Flash or Photoshop; instead, the author introduces tools and techniques using a task-based approach and gives the rationale for using those techniques. This way, students learn skills they can transfer to different platforms and tools. For students that do not know how to navigate certain tools, Wong provides brief Application tutorials as supplemental material. The Third Edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to include current mobile device technology, ultra high-definition video, and multimedia authoring from Flash ActionScript programming to JavaScript programming with HTML5 Canvas.

• Key terms are boldfaced. When a key term appears at several places in the text,  the term is usually boldfaced where its definition is given.
• Learning aids are integral to the text and noted in blue boxes throughout. Titles and brief descriptions are given for each learning aid. The learning aids can be found on the accompanying Web site of this text.
• Boxed materials expand the discussion and explanation of the concept or terminology relevant to the current part of the text. Boxes are separated from the main text to avoid diversion from the flow of thoughts.
• Margin notes provide brief explanations of terminology or refer to the chapter that covers the basics needed for the current part of the text.
• Self-test questions are found in the text of some chapters. Answers are provided at the end of the question or the bottom of the page. These questions, unlike the end-of-chapter review questions, give students an instant review of topics that are a little too involved to wait for the end-of-chapter review questions.
• Summary of key concepts is at the end of each chapter.
• End-of-chapter review questions reinforce learning and ensure that students reach the same level of competence of foundational knowledge.

• Exploring the applications. At the end of a production chapter, there is a list of suggested commonly used features and functionalities for the students to look up and explore in application programs. The goal is to help students to learn how to explore application programs in terms of tasks, and apply the basic concepts they have learned in the textbook. By taking this approach, the student is not tied to learning a particular software package or version.

• NEW! JavaScript programming is introduced in Chapter 10.

• NEW! Adding images and drawing on HTML5 Canvas is addressed in a brand-new chapter.
• NEW! Creating animation on HTML5 Canvas has its own newly added chapter.
• NEW! Adding interactivity on HTML5 Canvas is included in a newly written chapter.
• NEW! Object-oriented JavaScript introduced in Chapter 14.
• NEW! Section on vector graphics for the Web in Chapter 3.
• NEW! Section on cloud computing in Chapter 1.
• NEW! Screenshots of the latest digital media software applications.
• REVISED! Chapter on video concepts includes information on ultra high-definition video and H.264 compression standard
• REVISED! Information about data rate updated to be more relevant to wireless connection.
• REVISED! Video production chapter includes updates on digital video cameras, examples of high-definition video editing tools, and examples of video effects.

• JavaScript programming is introduced in Chapter 10.
• Adding images and drawing on HTML5 Canvas is addressed in a brand-new chapter.
• Creating animation on HTML5 Canvas has its own newly added chapter.
• Adding interactivity on HTML5 Canvas is included in a newly written chapter.
• Object-oriented JavaScript introduced in Chapter 14.
• Section on vector graphics for the Web in Chapter 3.
• Section on cloud computing in Chapter 1.
• Screenshots of the latest digital media software applications.
• REVISED! Chapter on video concepts includes information on ultra high-definition video and H.264 compression standard
• REVISED! Information about data rate updated to be more relevant to wireless connection.
• REVISED! Video production chapter includes updates on digital video cameras, examples of high-definition video editing tools, and examples of video effects.