Digital Color Management: Encoding Solutions, 2nd Edition

12

Scene-Based Color Encoding

In 1992, the Kodak Photo CD system (Figure 12.1) was introduced by Eastman Kodak Company. This system, which was quite sophisticated for its time, produced digital images from photographic negatives, transparencies, and reflection prints and stored them on CDs. Digital images from other sources such as electronic cameras also could be stored on the same CDs. Photo CD discs could be used to produce video images on television receivers and monitors using special disc players. Images of various resolutions also could be displayed on computer systems using CD-ROM drives and appropriate software. Hardcopy output images, such as 35 mm slides, large-format transparencies, reflection prints, and color separations for graphic arts applications, could be produced from Photo CD discss on systems equipped with film writers, thermal printers, and other types of digital hardcopy output devices.

Our main assignment in the development of this system was to devise a method for digitally encoding color on Photo CD discs. Because the system was specified to include a disparate assortment of inputs and both hardcopy and softcopy outputs, the task turned out to be an interesting challenge. Ultimately, it led to our invention of an entirely new method of encoding color, which we refer to as scene-based color encoding. That method is now an important component of advanced color-imaging systems such as the one described in detail in Chapter 21 currently being designed for ...