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Posts Tagged ‘multimedia’

How to Buy Your First Computer

October 19, 2009 by admin Comments Off

It is much easier to purchase your second computer than it is to buy your first one, because those who’ve bought and used a computer in the past already have an idea of what they require in a new computer, but those who are new to the computer world can easily become confused in the numerous of choices available.

The quick reply to “What should I buy?” is “the best”. Of course that reply is completely biased because “the best” to one person is not going to be the best to another. Our description of “the best” is the fastest and with the largest memory, but even that can leave the computer newbie confused. Here’s a quick rundown of what the computer novice should do and why.

1. Buy a computer that includes all the basic components. Every computer system can be broken down into four major pieces of equipment: CPU unit, screen, keyboard, and mouse. For the beginner, it’s best to buy a computer that has all of these components included so that when it’s taken home, assembling the computer is a simple affair of plugging the components in where they belong. Save the individual purchase of these components to those who have more experience.

2. Decide what you’ll use the computer for. If you want to use your computer for investigating the Internet, sending email, or performing straightforward word-processing or spreadsheet tasks, a computer with the basic components that we recently described plus a printer should suffice. If you want to use a computer to help with a career in multimedia however, you’re going to need to increase your system with maybe a scanner, digital camera, tablet, or digicam as well for example. If you want a computer to help with a career in music, you might require a good microphone and array of loud-speakers.

3. Make a budget and adhere to it. How much can you afford to splurge on a new computer? Even though the cost of computers is decreasing, they can still be rather a large outlay especially if you want further components as talked about above. In addition, you’ll need to factor in costs for Internet access, repairs, servicing, and insurance.

4. Begin comparison shopping and search for the fastest and largest. By fastest and largest, we mean the computer with the quickest processor, the quickest modem, the largest memory, and the largest hard drive capacity. Even if you think that you’ll never require the amount of speed or space available on the market today, it’s essential to have in case that you truly do require that much in the future. Having such a large reserve will cut down on costs when the time comes to upgrade.

5. Stick with the better-known makes. Going off the trodden path with lesser-known makes is again an exploit for those who have more familiarity with computers. Although those better-known makes might be a tad more expensive, the computer greenhorn will appreciate the comfort of buying a computer from a business that has a lengthy history of building quality products, and that has the finances on hand for satisfying returns, trades, servicing, and guaranties.

6. Pick a good store. Once you have an idea of what you want in a computer and what kind of computer that you want, the only task left to do is to decide on the place where you want to buy it. There are many places, which embrace computer shops, online stores, auction sites and operated computer shops. For the computer greenhorn, we recommend buying a computer from a physical store. In a physical store, you have the opportunity to see the computer of interest itself and ask questions. New computer buyers will also have a store guarantee, returns, trades, and services.

These recommendations should give the computer newcomer a helpful foundation in selecting a quality computer for the first time and these suggestions apply to either Windows computers or Apple Macintosh computers. After making these decisions and eventually picking one that suits your requirements, you can then venture into the fascinating world of software – a world that is equally as impressive as the world of hardware!

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Computer 3d animation The High Tech Illusion Of Life

July 21, 2009 by admin Comments Off

As human society has made progress, its aesthetics have also found new and ingenious means to portray itself. Today, the evolution of art has entered the domain of modern technology, as animation was created as a new art form. This has been a drastic change from the simple beginnings which can be traced back to the Lascaux cave paintings, but nevertheless, it has presented us with exciting opportunities.

Three Dimensional Animation is a process which makes it possible to create and show digital moving objects with a Three Dimensional touch on a 2D screen. 2D animation has been around for a long time, but 3 Dimensional animation has overtaken it as the results of the later are stunningly realistic. Three Dimensional Animation is not restricted to movies, but is also used in computer games, architecture, constructing models and samples, and as a web designing and communication tool.

3 Dimensional Animation consists of an elaborate process of 3D modeling, texturing, animating and rendering. 3D Modeling is the sculpting of any object or a scene in its digital 3D representation through specialized software. Texturing gives a life like shape to the 3 Dimensional models, which makes it possible for the audience to relate to an object or a person, or even a location in a 3D Animation. It is much like painting into pencil sketches and gives the model its finished look.

3D Animation may not look like the cartoons where characters like Mickey Mouse were first displayed, yet the central concept of animation remains the same as in traditional animation. These concepts have taken the form of Motion Capture and Key-framing with the development of computers. Key-framing, descendent of traditional animation technique, involves setting up of two or more key object positions in different time frames , these frames were then called key frames. After this the animator assistant was drawing all the frames in between the key frames by hand, these gradual changes in repetitive illustrations that made up the animations where called by animators in-betweens. Today the computer fills the 3D Animation by automatically generating the frames in between.

Motion Capture is a procedure of recording of motions of real objects for a near-reality imitation in an animation. The method is expensive, but can bring breathtaking reality to the cartoon production if carried out in a proper fashion. The actor who is to be imitated is wearing a motion capture suit which conveys his movements through motion sensors to the digital actor. 3D Animation, in order to hold its realistic look, needs higher frame rates than traditional animation, or even television broadcasts, which are about 14 frames per second.

Computer Animation is a challenging and exciting career. Before you start some serious professional work, it is always helpful to thoroughly research quality institutes that offer animation courses. You should focus on schools like Sheridan and Vancouver Institute of Media Arts, to really have a substantial foundation to your career. However, attending small courses will do you no good as this way you will only learn to work with different software, which is not enough to become a great 3D Animator.

Besides formal education, you should be focusing on developing and refining a number of skills to become a successful animator. You should be well versed with key animation concepts and skills like constructing animation variables, which are the building blocks of animatable characters.

You must master the basics of composition and must have a deep knowledge and understanding of how colors work. You will be continually playing with them for the rest of your lives. You must have a good sense of shade and light, which actually sum up the basics of all visual arts. Besides the technical knowledge, it is your sense of story-telling and film-making which will help create a compelling animation.

But what if you are not a professional animator? That still does not stop you from benefiting from it. A number of 3 Dimensional Animation packages exist to help you out. 3ds max, Maya, XSI, Lightwave and Hash Animation Master are very wide spread but complex software, and top choices of professionals. Although some of them are accommodating to novices, you could find yourself more at ease with simpler software like 3D GIF Designer, RealSoft 3D and Effect 3D. You should research carefully before buying one of them, as you would want all the features and tools you need from a single package as per your needs.

Website developers could utilize 3D Animation to their advantage by adding 3D Animation content on their websites. Not only will it express messages more efficiently, but it will also attract traffic to their websites. With all the ease with which you could create your very own 3D communication and presentation tools through a myriad of specialized software, not using them could literally cost you a competitive edge.

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