home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
ftp.cdrom.com/pub/cdrom/
/
cdrom.tar
/
cdrom
/
photo_cd
/
portfolio.txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1992-11-16
|
9KB
|
179 lines
CONSUMERS CAN BECOME PUBLISHERS
WITH NEW PHOTO CD DISC FORMAT
NEW YORK, Aug. 25_Kodak's new Photo CD format extends consumer
and commercial uses for Photo CD discs. Like the Kodak Photo CD
Master format that Kodak began shipping in April 1992, Kodak
Photo CD Portfolio discs can combine sound, text, graphics, and
interactive branching with photographs.
Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs differ from Kodak Photo CD
Master discs in three ways:
∙ Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs can hold up to 800
images at TV-resolution or one hour of audio CD-quality
stereo sound or any combination of images and sound, such as
400 images and 30 minutes of sound
∙ Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs must be created from
Kodak Photo CD Master discs or other Photo CD Portfolio
discs
∙ Kodak Photo CD Master discs are created from consumers'
original 35 mm slides or negatives, or they are reproduced
from other Photo CD Master discs. Because Photo CD Master
discs always contain images of full photographic-quality,
they are limited to approximately 100 images
"The Kodak Photo CD Portfolio format is one of the most
exciting extensions of Photo CD technology," said Stephen S.
Stepnes, general manager and vice president of CD Imaging at
Kodak. "It adds new dimensions to photography by merging
pictures with voice-overs, music, or sound effects and by
extending image capacity when more than 100 images are required.
With Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs, we're making it possible for
everyone to be their own storyteller."
One important feature of both Kodak Photo CD Master and Photo
CD Portfolio discs is what Kodak calls branching (or interactive
programmed access) capability that lets users look at images on a
disc in the way that suits them best. A user might choose to
view all the pictures of an individual child versus another, for
example.
Like the Kodak Photo CD Master format, the Kodak Photo CD
Portfolio format also lets users add sound, text, or graphics to
their pictures_creating audio captions to accompany the pictures
on a family tree or of a wedding or creating multimedia-style
business presentations.
All of these capabilities will become available by mid-1993.
The Kodak Photo CD Portfolio format was described in Kodak
announcements earlier this year as the Kodak Interactive Photo CD
disc. The Kodak Photo CD Master format has been previously
described simply as "Photo CD" discs. The Kodak Photo CD
Portfolio disc, like all Photo CD format discs, can be displayed
on TV (using a Photo CD or CD-I player) or input to a desktop
computer (using a Photo CD-compatible CD-ROM XA drive). The
Photo CD players that are currently on the market can already
play the new features of Photo CD Master and Photo CD Portfolio
discs.
About the Kodak Photo CD Formats
The Kodak Photo CD Portfolio format is one of four new disc
formats Kodak introduced today as the company brings the benefits
of Photo CD technology to new groups of users and to new markets.
Besides the Kodak Photo CD Master and Photo CD Portfolio
formats, the other formats include:
∙ Kodak Pro Photo CD Master discs, which store the larger
film formats favored by professional photographers (such as
120 and 4 x 5-inch)
∙ Kodak Photo CD Catalog discs, which allow easy
distribution of disc catalogs containing hundreds of
pictures of vacation destinations, art works or retail
products
∙ Kodak Photo CD Medical discs, which can store computed
tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance images (MR) in
addition to film-based images
It is expected that most applications for Kodak Photo CD
Portfolio discs will fall into one of three categories: personal
pictures, business presentations, and premastered prerecorded
discs for sale through retail channels.
∙ Personal pictures. These include programs such as family
trees, where the viewer can look at pictures of
grandparents, birthday celebrations, or even the family dog
just by choosing the appropriate branch from an on-screen
menu. As the pictures are displayed on either a Photo CD
player or a computer's Photo CD compatible CD-ROM XA drive,
any sound or graphics linked to the image will also play.
A Depression-era photo of grandparents, for example, might
include on-screen text noting the year and location, along
with reminiscences of the period in grandma's own voice.
To create Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs, consumers will use
special authoring software scheduled to become available in
1993 at minilabs and other locations. They'll bring in
their Kodak Photo CD Master or Portfolio discs and audio
selections and follow the directions in the authoring
software to assemble their own unique program.
Easy-to-use templates will be available for the most popular
applications, such as family trees, weddings, and birthdays.
Once the consumer has assembled the program, it will be
turned over to the photofinisher, who will create the Kodak
Photo CD Master or Portfolio disc at a Kodak Photo CD
Imaging Workstation (PIW).
∙ Business presentations. This application area comprises
anything being produced in quantity_large or small_for
distribution to others, including business presentations,
real estate listings, travelogues, and similar programs.
All of the same branching, audio, and visual options are
available.
The key difference in business presentations lies in how
discs are created. In addition to the Kodak Photo CD
Imaging Workstations with authoring software, properly
configured desktop computers can be used to combine text,
graphics, and images on either a Kodak Photo CD Master or
Portfolio disc. These desktop computers will be equipped
with Photo CD compatible CD-ROM XA drives, Kodak authoring
software, and Kodak Photo CD 200 writers (to be introduced
later this year). With the help of the software, people can
select images from among their existing Photo CD discs and
add graphics, text, and sound to create a program script.
With the script, users can produce finished discs in
moderate quantities at the photofinisher or on their own
compact disc writers.
∙ Premastered discs. Because Photo CD-compatible playback
devices, including Photo CD and CD-I players and computers
equipped with Photo CD compatible CD-ROM XA drives will be
widespread, it is expected that software publishers will
make the Kodak Photo CD Master or Portfolio disc a preferred
format for the creation of multimedia-style titles that can
be stamped for mass production under the disc publisher's
brand.
Kodak has already had preliminary discussions with
organizations interested in publishing guided tours of major
museums, narrated summaries of fine art collections
(complete with mood-setting music), a series of children's
books, and other programs. Rick Smolan, the author of the
photographic A Day in the Life of . . . book series, is
including a Kodak Photo CD Portfolio disc in his new book,
From Alice to Ocean, which documents the story of a woman's
journey across the Australian Outback. (This disc contains
photos, narration, and ambient sound that could not be
included in the book itself.)
Production of these premastered discs begins at a desktop
computer or workstation, the same way that personal Kodak
Photo CD Portfolio discs do. Final production of large
quantities of discs, however, would take place at a compact
disc mastering house similar to those that stamp thousands
of audio CDs.
"The significance of this new format encompasses both the
consumer and commercial sectors," Stepnes said. "Consumers will
have an opportunity to create the ultimate photo album, with
music and narrative that brings their pictures to life.
Commercial users will have a powerful presentation and marketing
tool, as well as the opportunity to tap exciting new markets for
their creative work.
"With all that potential, this new Photo CD format stands
poised to bring the power of multimedia to everyone. It will
truly be 'multimedia for the masses.' "
The first Kodak Photo CD Portfolio discs are set to be
available next year. Those interested in more information may
call the Kodak Information Center at 1-800-242-2424, ext. 77.
###
[Note: Kodak is a trademark.]