Topic 4 - Distribution Considerations

Question 1

Identify two advantages of using online platforms to distribute media products.

Answer 1

Access content at any time from anywhere
Creators have access to a larger market
Apps and media products can be easily updated at any time
Removes the need for physical materials and transportation

Question 2

Identify two disadvantages of using online platforms to distribute media products.

Answer 2

Need a reliable internet connection
A large market means new products can get ‘lost’ quickly
Unregulated websites may illegally sell or use the personal data of users and fail to store it securely
Unregulated websites may allow copyright

Question 3

Identify two advantages of using physical platforms to distribute media products.

Answer 3

Common in most homes and available for a range of budgets
Smart TVs allow access to a wide range of content
Many devices allow content to be downloaded and consumed later without internet connection

Question 4

Identify two disadvantages of using physical platforms to distribute media products.

Answer 4

They may become quickly outdated
Small devices may be unsuitable for those with poor eyesight
Different operating systems may require creators to adapt their products

Question 5

Give three examples of online platforms to distribute media products

Answer 5

Apps
Spotify, Netflix or Steam
Web browsers

Question 6

Give three examples of physical platforms to distribute media products

Answer 6

Computers and laptops
Smart TVs
Interactive Kiosks
Mobile devices

Question 7

What are the three ways to physically distribute media?

Answer 7

CDs and DVDs
Memory sticks
Paper-based products

Question 8

What are the positives of physically distributing media using CDs and DVDs?

Answer 8

They are cheap and simple to distribute to a lot of people.

Question 9

What are the negatives of physically distributing media using CDs and DVDs?

Answer 9

They can be easily damaged and may require specialised hardware to play.

Question 10

What are the positives of physically distributing media using memory sticks?

Answer 10

They are small, cheap to product and can have a large storage capacity. They also do not need an internet connection, easy to transport and can be used to back up data.

Question 11

What are the negatives of physically distributing media using memory sticks?

Answer 11

They may not be compatible with all operating systems. Some devices no longer have a standard USB port.

Question 12

What are the positives of physically distributing paper-based products?

Answer 12

They are relatively chape to product and can be distributed through a large network of shops and supermarkets. They also do not require any special requirement to use.

Question 13

What are the negatives of physically distributing paper-based products?

Answer 13

They can be easily damaged by water or fire and cost more to distribute due to their size. It can also create a lot of waster paper if thrown away after use.

Question 14

What does compression mean?

Answer 14

Reducing the size of a file.

Question 15

Why would you need to compress a file?

Answer 15

To share the file online or via email, or to save space on the computer.

Question 16

What is the difference between lossy and lossless compression?

Answer 16

Lossy compression reduces the file size by removing non-essential data.
Lossless compression reduces the file size by retaining all the original data.

Question 17

You are sending a high-resolution print file via a cloud-based folder. Which type of compressions should you use?

Answer 17

Lossless - no data should be removed but a smaller file will be quicker to send.

Question 18

You’re uploading videos to a streaming website. Which type of compression should you use?

Answer 18

Lossy - websites run faster with smaller files. Loss of quality won’t be visible on the small screen.

Question 19

You’re adding images to an eBook. Which type of compression should you use?

Answer 19

Lossy - eBooks need small file sizes for fast distribution. Loss of quality won’t be visible on the small screen.

Question 20

You’re archiving audio recordings from completed projects. Which type of compression should you use?

Answer 20

None if possible - you should not compress archive files. If storage space is limited, lossless compression should be used.

Question 21

Explain what a bitmap image is

Answer 21

Bitmap images are made up of pixels lined up horizontally and vertically in a grid. The more pixels, the more detailed the image and the bigger the file size.

Question 22

Explain what a vector image is

Answer 22

Vectors use co-ordinate points, lines, curves and colours to generate an image. This uses less data and lets the image be scaled to any size without losing quality.

Question 23

Would you use a bitmap or vector image of a character for a digital comic book?

Answer 23

Vector - many shapes can be repositioned separately and it is likely to contain solid colours.

Question 24

Would you use a bitmap or vector image for a cover for a video game?

Answer 24

Bitmap - they can include a lot of detail and offer a wide range of colour making them good for photos and realistic images.

Question 25

Would you use a bitmap or vector image for a geometric, single-colour logo for a bike?

Answer 25

Vector - shapes and angles can be easily adjusted if the logo is adapted in the future and needs to be re-sized for other products.

Question 26

What is image resolution measured in?

Answer 26

DPI - Dots per inch PPI - Pixel per inch

Question 27

What is DPI?

Answer 27

Dots per inch - used for print products as it is the number of dots of ink per square inch. The standard used of printed material is 300 DPI.

Question 28

What is PPI?

Answer 28

Pixel per inch - used for digital images as it is the number of pixels per square inch. The minimum size is 72 PPI.

Question 29

What is pixel dimension?

Answer 29

The width and the height of an image in pixels.

Question 30

What is a native image file format?

Answer 30

File format that is software specific e.g. .psd (photoshop) and .ai (Illustrator)

Question 31

Which image file format would you use for a high quality bitmap format and is ideal for printing?

Answer 31

TIFF

Question 32

Which image file formats would you use for vector images?

Answer 32

PDF SVG

Question 33

Which image file format would you use to include transparent elements?

Answer 33

PNG

Question 34

Identify three image file formats

Answer 34

TIFF JPG GIF PNG BMP PDG SVG

Question 35

What does audio quality depend on?

Answer 35

Sample rate and Bit depth

Question 36

What is sample rate?

Answer 36

The number of samples taken each second.

Question 37

How does sample rate affect the quality of the audio?

Answer 37

A higher sample rate means that the measurements are closer together along the sound wave. The higher the sound quality and the larger the file size.

Question 38

What is bit depth?

Answer 38

The number of bits used to store each sample.

Question 39

How does the bit depth affect the quality of the audio?

Answer 39

If a sample is stored using more bits it will be more accurate.

Question 40

Identify three audio file types

Answer 40

WAV MP3 AAC OGG FLAC ALAC

Question 41

What three factors does the quality of moving images depend on?

Answer 41

Frame Rate, Resolution and File Format

Question 42

What is the frame rate?

Answer 42

The number of frames shown in one second and is measured in frames per second (fps).

Question 43

How does the frame rate affect the quality of moving images?

Answer 43

The higher the frame rate, the smoother the movement but the greater the file size.

Question 44

What is moving image resolution?

Answer 44

The number of pixels per frame.

Question 45

Identify three moving image file formats

Answer 45

AVI MOV MP4 MKV GIF