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 

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