Overview of Graphics System

Contents
 Graphics System
 Raster Scan Display
 Random Scan Display
 Graphics Input Devices
 Graphics Software

Graphics System
 There are different formats used for storing a picture in a computer; but, unlike text
and data files, which are primarily made up of alphanumeric characters, graphics
formats are more complex.
 Two major categories of graphics formats are vector graphics (objects made up of
lines) and bitmapped graphics (TV-like dots).
 Images stored in vector format can be moved to another vector system typically
without loss of resolution. There are 2D vector formats as well as 3D vector formats.
 During transfer of raster images among different devices, resolution is a major
concern. Such transfers can occur without loss of resolution as long as the new format
supports the same or is of higher resolution to the old one.
 Standard graphics formats allow images to be moved from machine to machine,
while standard graphics languages let graphics programs be moved from machine to
machine.
 For example, Graphical Kernel System (GKS), Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive
Graphics Standard (PHIGS) and Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) are major
graphics languages that have been adopted by high-performance workstation and
CAD vendors. Graphics Device Interface (GDI) and DirectX are the graphics
languages in Windows.
 High-resolution graphics is typically expensive to implement due to its large storage
and fast processing requirements. However, as desktop computers become more
powerful, graphics have become widely used in every application.

Raster Scan Displays

 In a raster-scan system, the electron beam is swept across the screen, one row at a time
from top to bottom.
 As the electron beam moves across each row, the beam intensity is turned on and off to
create a pattern of illuminated spots.
 Picture definition is stored in a memory area called the refresh buffer or frame buffer
used for redrawn.
 Each screen point is referred to as a pixel or pel (picture element).
 Intensity range for pixel positions depends on the capability of the raster system.
 In a Black &White system, each screen point is either on or off. So only one bit is
needed.
 The frame buffer in Black &White system is called a bitmap. For multi-color systems
the frame buffer is called a pixmap.

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  Refreshing on raster-scan displays is carried out at the rate of 60 to 80 frames per
second. The unit for refreshing rate is Hertz (Hz).

Random-Scan Displays
 The Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) has the electron beam directed only to the parts of the
screen where a picture is to be drawn.
 Random-scan monitors draw a picture one line at a time, called as vector display.
 Refresh rates on a ransom-scan system depends on the number of lines to be displayed.
 Picture definition is stored as a set of line-drawing commands in the refresh display file
or refresh buffer.
 To display a specified picture, the system cycles through the set of commands in the
display file, drawing each component line.
 These systems are designed for the line-drawing applications and can’t display realistic
shaded scenes.

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Difference between Raster Scan Display and Random Scan Display
Base of Raster Scan Display Random Scan Display
Difference

Electron The electron beam is swept across the The electron beam is directed only to
Beam screen, one row at a time, from top to the parts of screen where a picture is
bottom. to be drawn.

Resolution Its resolution is poor because raster Its resolution is good because this
system in contrast produces zig-zag lines system produces smooth lines
that are plotted as discrete point sets. drawings because CRT beam directly
follows the line path.

Picture Picture definition is stored as a set of Picture definition is stored as a set of

Definition intensity values for all screen points, called line drawing instructions in a display
pixels in a refresh buffer area. file.

Realistic The capability of this system to store These systems are designed for line
Display intensity values for pixel makes it well drawing and can’t display realistic
suited for the realistic display of scenes shaded scenes.
contain shadow and color pattern.

Draw an Screen points/pixels are used to draw an Mathematical functions are used to
Image image. draw an image.

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Graphics input devices
Keyboard
 The keyboard is the most common input device for entering numeric and alphabetic data
in to a computer system by pressing a set of keys which are mounted on the keyboard,
which is connected to computer system.
 The keys on computer keyboards are often classified as follows:
 Alphanumeric Keys - letters and numbers.
 Punctuation Keys - comma, period, semicolon, and so on.
 Special Keys - function keys, control keys, arrow keys, Caps Lock key, and so on.

Touch Screen
 A touch screen is a display which can detect the presence and location of a touch within
the display area.

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  The term generally refers to touch or contact to the display of the device by a finger or
hand.
 Touch screens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus. However, if the
object sensed is active, as with a light pen, the term touch screen is generally not
applicable.
 The ability to interact directly with a display typically indicates the presence of a touch
screen.
 The touch screen has two main attributes. First, it enables one to interact with what is
displayed directly on the screen, where it is displayed, rather than indirectly with a mouse
or touchpad.
 Secondly, it lets one to do so without requiring any intermediate device.
 Such displays can be attached to computer terminals or to networks. They also play a
prominent role in the design of digital appliances such as the personal digital assistant
(PDA), satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games.

Joystick
 A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its
angle or direction to the device it is controlling.
 Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually have one or more
pushbuttons whose state can also be read by the computer.
 A popular variation of the joystick used on modern video game consoles is the analog
stick.
 The joystick has been the principal flight control in the cockpit of many aircraft,
particularly military fast jets, where centre stick or side-stick location may be employed.
 Joysticks are also used for controlling machines such as cranes, trucks, underwater
unmanned vehicles and zero turning radius lawn mowers.
 Miniature finger-operated joysticks have been adopted as input devices for smaller
electronic equipment such as mobile phone.

Digitizers
 A graphics tablet (or digitizing tablet, graphics pad, drawing tablet) is a computer input
device that allows one to draw freehand images and graphics, similar to the way one
draws images with a pencil and paper.
 These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures.
 A graphics tablet (also called pen pad or digitizer) consists of a flat surface upon which
the user may "draw" an image using an attached stylus, a pen-like drawing apparatus.
 The image generally does not appear on the tablet itself but, rather, is displayed on the
computer monitor.
 Some tablets however, come as a functioning secondary computer screen that you can
interact with directly using the stylus.
 Some tablets are intended as a general replacement for a mouse as the primary pointing
and navigation device for desktop computers.

Voice System
 Voice input device - A device in which speech is used to input data or system commands
directly into a system.

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  Such equipment involves the use of speech recognition processes, and can replace or
supplement other input devices.
 Some voice input devices can recognize spoken words from a predefined vocabulary,
some have to be trained for a particular speaker.
 Speech recognition (also known as automatic speech recognition or computer speech
recognition) converts spoken words to machine-readable input (for example, to key
presses, using the binary code for a string of character codes).
 The term "voice recognition" is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to speech
recognition, when actually referring to speaker recognition, which attempts to identify
the person speaking, as opposed to what is being said.

Trackball
 A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing
sensors to detect a rotation of the ball about two axes—like an upside-down mouse
with an exposed protruding ball.
 The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a
cursor.
 Large tracker balls are common on CAD workstations for easy precision. Before the
advent of the touchpad, small trackballs were common on portable computers, where
there may be no desk space on which to run a mouse.
 Some small thumb balls clip onto the side of the keyboard and have integral buttons
with the same function as mouse buttons.
 The trackball was invented by Tom Cranston and Fred Longstaff as part of the Royal
Canadian Navy's DATAR system in 1952, eleven years before the mouse was
invented. This first trackball used a Canadian five-pin bowling ball.

Graphics Software
 There are two general classifications for graphics software: general programming
packages and special-purpose applications packages.
 A general graphics programming packages provides an extensive set of graphics
functions that can be used in a high-level programming language. It includes those for
generating picture components (straight line, polygons, circles and other figures), setting
color & intensity values, selecting views and applying transformations.
 Application graphics packages are designed for non-programmers.
 These computer graphics may be clip art, Web graphics, logos, headings, backgrounds,
digital photos, or other kinds of digital images. Some of the graphics software are:
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Paint Shop Pro
• CorelDraw
• The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
• Microsoft Paint, Digital Image Suite ,CAD

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