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- From: bsalter@acorn.co.uk
- Subject: Acorn news release: Photo CD
- Date: 20 Jan 93 08:48:16 GMT
-
- Photo CDs to run on Acorn Archimedes
-
- Embargo Release Date 20th January 1993
-
- Acorn Computers has reached an agreement with Kodak allowing Photo CD images
- to be displayed and manipulated on Acorn Archimedes computers.
-
- Under the agreement Acorn is upgrading its Compact Disc Filing System (CDFS)
- to be able to read Photo CD and other Mode 2 Form 1 CDs as well as porting
- the Kodak Photo CD Access Developer's Toolkit to run on its platforms.
-
- Photo CD technology allows users to have their 35mm films transferred to a
- recordable CD ROM, storing up to 100 images per disc. These images are
- encoded in five different formats allowing them to be used for a variety of
- purposes. The formats include "Thumbnail" (128x192 pixels) for selection and
- preview, "Snapshot" (256x384 pixels) for low resolution image manipulation,
- "TV-comparable" (512x768 pixels) for moderate resolution, HDTV (1024x1536
- pixels) for high-resolution image handling, and "Full detail" (2048x3072
- pixels) for photographic quality printing and enlargement.
-
- The Photo CDs will be capable of being read by any Archimedes computer
- equipped with the upgraded CDFS filer software and attached to a Photo CD
- compatible CD drive. All the devices supplied as part of the current Acorn
- CD ROM system offers are capable of reading the first set of images put onto
- a Photo CD (single session). However, the CD drive contained within the
- Multimedia Expansion System launched at BETT supports full image access
- (multisession).
-
- Acorn's Technical Director, Malcolm Bird pointed out that the Photo CD
- system effectively gives everyone affordable access to very high quality
- image scanning equipment. "Users can incorporate the professionally scanned
- images straight into documents or use graphics programs that are linked into
- the Photo CD toolkit that we are porting to the Archimedes to manipulate
- these high quality images." he said.
-
- "We also believe that Photo CDs will find a ready market as a major resource
- amongst educational institutions." he added. "Pupils will be able to take a
- camera out on a school trip and then incorporate the images which have been
- transferred to Photo CD into a computer-based project folder. The images can
- be cropped or scaled and have other processing applied to them, possibly as
- an art exercise. Similarly photographic libraries will be able to store
- their work for distribution to clients in a common, computer readable,
- format. "
-
- Cliff Trott, Regional Business Group Manager for Kodak CD Imaging commented
- "Today's announcement by Acorn is a major endorsement of the Photo CD system
- and marks the arrival of desktop colour imaging for the UK education market.
- "The power of the Archimedes platform, coupled with the extra dimension of
- the Photo CD system, will deliver a new generation of applications for
- users." he added.
-
- ENDS
-
- Further information from:
-
- Malcolm Bird Cliff Trott
- Acorn Computers Ltd Kodak CD Imaging
- Tel: 0223 254254 0442 844255
-
-