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#1 2008-04-17 4:24 am
- Bat
- The Man From Larrabee
- Royal Wombat

- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 22892
HP develops 30-bit display
~ 1 billion colors. Deep Color (36/48-bit) Color was ratified as a standard in '06 IIRC, but this is the first hardware I've seen to achieve above 24-bit. Coming in summer to a workstation near you (and wider use after that). Better backlight too, apparently.
April 16, 2008 (Computerworld) Hewlett-Packard Co. is planning to deploy a new color display technology it is said can display 1 billion colors, making them far more vibrant and real, across its product lines.
The technology was developed by HP and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. and is intended to ensure that colors used in movies are consistent throughout the production process and even in printing.
HP says that the technology improves upon today's widely used displays, which offer 24-bit color, making 16.7 million colors available per pixel. The company plans to raise the color display to 30-bit, which can offer 1 billion colors per pixel. The product is called the HP DreamColor display, and it follows a two-year collaboration with between the computer maker and the animation studio.
The display was announced Tuesday at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas.
Cogito ergo pwnum.
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
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#2 2008-04-17 5:39 am
- Pariah
- Member

- From: BBQing Sacred Cows.
- Registered: 2001-05-24
- Posts: 15980
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Nobody really needs more than 256 shades of Grey.
Don't Breed Or Buy While Shelter Dogs Die.
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#3 2008-04-17 5:51 am
- avkills
- demyelinated brain matter

- Registered: 2001-05-09
- Posts: 6347
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Sign me up as a beta tester. 
-mark
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#4 2008-04-17 2:29 pm
- Bat
- The Man From Larrabee
- Royal Wombat

- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 22892
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
I'm in. Most folks aren't even aware that DX9-class videochips have been doing 96/128-bit color internally since '02, with the output dithered down to a 32-bit final output to match displays. Anyone who saw the huge gain between 4-bit and 8-bit alpha channels likely longs for more. I hate banding.
Almost everything now does 32 bits/channel, 128 bits total, 96-bit color plus alpha. Display tech just hasn't caught up yet. Good to see it get closer.
Cogito ergo pwnum.
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
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#5 2008-04-17 2:33 pm
- avkills
- demyelinated brain matter

- Registered: 2001-05-09
- Posts: 6347
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
I hear you on that Bat. I am in video heaven now that I have uncompressed 10bit YUV video and able to work in 16bit per channel in After Effects. Banding be gone! I hate banding as well.
I am really surprised that displays have not caught up to support 32bit per channel color as well. It only makes sense. FP color is not something new and mysterious.
-mark
Last edited by avkills (2008-04-17 2:33 pm)
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#6 2008-04-17 7:37 pm
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
The only "liberal" media is the one that serves "liberal" evil corporations. Because after all, "liberals" are also an audience to be sold to them.
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#7 2008-04-18 12:10 am
- avkills
- demyelinated brain matter

- Registered: 2001-05-09
- Posts: 6347
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
That isn't the point. Whether you like it or not, 8 bit per channel color and 8 bit YUV video has banding which most people can point out.
-mark
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#8 2008-04-18 1:42 am
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR

- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 7852
- Website
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Pariah wrote:
Nobody really needs more than 256 shades of Grey.
Nobody really needs more than 640 KBs of RAM.
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
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#9 2008-04-18 2:39 am
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
I'm not gonna buy a new monitor until it does... one hundred billion colors!
(raises little finger to mouth, laughs maniacally)
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#10 2008-04-18 7:33 pm
- Mr. T
- Uses STOS implicitly

- From: omnipresent
- Registered: 2002-04-02
- Posts: 3472
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
I've noticed banding in games due to the 8-bits lost to the alpha channel. It's not really something that jumps out at you, but you can see it if you look for it. Otherwise, straight 32-bit color would be enough for me.. But I can understand how a professional would want more, too.
while (1) {fork();}
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#11 2008-04-18 8:57 pm
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
avkills wrote:
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
That isn't the point. Whether you like it or not, 8 bit per channel color and 8 bit YUV video has banding which most people can point out.
-mark
But thats not a problem caused by the number of colors, but by the range of values and how they are calculated and transformed into voltages. Anyway, if it looks better, I'm for it.
The only "liberal" media is the one that serves "liberal" evil corporations. Because after all, "liberals" are also an audience to be sold to them.
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#12 2008-04-19 12:16 am
- avkills
- demyelinated brain matter

- Registered: 2001-05-09
- Posts: 6347
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Metacell wrote:
avkills wrote:
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
That isn't the point. Whether you like it or not, 8 bit per channel color and 8 bit YUV video has banding which most people can point out.
-markBut thats not a problem caused by the number of colors, but by the range of values and how they are calculated and transformed into voltages. Anyway, if it looks better, I'm for it.
Correct, so a LCD with a 30bit LUT (if that is what they are touting) is going have a lot more voltage range than most monitors of today that use a 8bit LUT.
Although over at the Newtek forums, there is a monitor thread and Eizo makes some monitors that have 12bit LUTs, and they even have a 30" now. I'd very interested to find out how it compares to the Apple 30".
-mark
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#13 2008-04-19 4:38 am
- kamizuno
- Poking you with a stick

- From: Smileytown
- Registered: 1999-07-13
- Posts: 1860
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
if this makes porn look better then I'm all for it, becuz porn distribution is pretty much what the internet is for, or so says South Park 
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#14 2008-04-19 5:00 am
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
D'Eyncourt wrote:
Pariah wrote:
Nobody really needs more than 256 shades of Grey.
Nobody really needs more than 640 KBs of RAM.

If I could go back 10 years, I'd probably pick a quote by Steve instead of Bill.
"I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!"
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#15 2008-04-19 3:53 pm
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR

- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 7852
- Website
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Jasoco wrote:
D'Eyncourt wrote:
Pariah wrote:
Nobody really needs more than 256 shades of Grey.
Nobody really needs more than 640 KBs of RAM.
http://www.jasoco.net/files/Jasoco's%20 … icture.jpg
If I could go back 10 years, I'd probably pick a quote by Steve instead of Bill.
Uh, who is Steve Gates?
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
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#16 2008-04-19 5:15 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55

- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4491
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
D'Eyncourt wrote:
Jasoco wrote:
D'Eyncourt wrote:
Nobody really needs more than 640 KBs of RAM.
http://www.jasoco.net/files/Jasoco's%20 … icture.jpg
If I could go back 10 years, I'd probably pick a quote by Steve instead of Bill.Uh, who is Steve Gates?
Obviously he mean Steve Ballmer
"Developers, Developer, Developers!"
10 years later they have an OS where you need a third-party app just to extract a .zip archive.
Last edited by FutureDreamz (2008-04-19 5:19 pm)
Thanks for clicking.
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#17 2008-04-19 6:20 pm
- Bat
- The Man From Larrabee
- Royal Wombat

- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 22892
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
FutureDreamz wrote:
10 years later they have an OS where you need a third-party app just to extract a .zip archive.
Where do you get this in-depth knowledge of Winders, anyway?
::misses Hackerjax::
Last edited by Bat (2008-04-19 6:20 pm)
Cogito ergo pwnum.
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
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#18 2008-04-19 6:41 pm
- avkills
- demyelinated brain matter

- Registered: 2001-05-09
- Posts: 6347
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
My Windows XP Pro install handles ZIP archives just fine; and I don't remember installing anything special. In fact Windows has handled ZIP archives out of the box longer than OS X.
-mark
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#19 2008-04-19 8:08 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55

- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4491
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
avkills wrote:
My Windows XP Pro install handles ZIP archives just fine; and I don't remember installing anything special. In fact Windows has handled ZIP archives out of the box longer than OS X.
-mark
From what I recall: Thanks to WinZIP.
Thanks for clicking.
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#20 2008-04-20 3:16 am
- Bat
- The Man From Larrabee
- Royal Wombat

- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 22892
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
FutureDreamz wrote:
avkills wrote:
My Windows XP Pro install handles ZIP archives just fine; and I don't remember installing anything special. In fact Windows has handled ZIP archives out of the box longer than OS X.
-markFrom what I recall: Thanks to WinZIP.
Perhaps you need to Switch. Obviously this WinZIP thing is messing with your head.
Cogito ergo pwnum.
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
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#21 2008-04-20 8:59 am
- Czachorski
- Member
- Registered: 2002-12-20
- Posts: 5567
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Spaceman wrote:
I'm not gonna buy a new monitor until it does... one hundred billion colors!
(raises little finger to mouth, laughs maniacally)

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#22 2008-04-20 11:48 am
- jerwin
- Sophist
- Registered: 2003-01-01
- Posts: 5184
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
Are you quite sure that this is the limit? Does this cover everything from the blinding heat of the desert sun, to the barest glimmer visible under a starlit light?
Last edited by jerwin (2008-04-20 4:31 pm)
Some subjects actually enjoy pain, and withhold information they might otherwise have divulged in order to be punished.
Central Intelligence Agency. (1983). Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual
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#23 2008-04-20 3:53 pm
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR

- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 7852
- Website
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
FutureDreamz wrote:
D'Eyncourt wrote:
Jasoco wrote:
http://www.jasoco.net/files/Jasoco's%20 … icture.jpg
If I could go back 10 years, I'd probably pick a quote by Steve instead of Bill.Uh, who is Steve Gates?
Obviously he mean Steve Ballmer
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20 … er_095.jpg
"Developers, Developer, Developers!"
10 years later they have an OS where you need a third-party app just to extract a .zip archive.
Hey, on a MacAddict...um, MacLife Forum, there can be only one Steve!
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
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#24 2008-04-20 5:59 pm
- Bat
- The Man From Larrabee
- Royal Wombat

- From: Björk, Björk
- Registered: 2001-05-14
- Posts: 22892
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
jerwin wrote:
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
Are you quite sure that this is the limit? Does this cover everything from the blinding heat of the desert sun, to the barest glimmer visible under a starlit light?
I believe it's ~one billion discrete shades, but don't confuse color with brightness.
Cogito ergo pwnum.
"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."
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#25 2008-04-20 6:34 pm
- jerwin
- Sophist
- Registered: 2003-01-01
- Posts: 5184
Re: HP develops 30-bit display
Bat wrote:
jerwin wrote:
Metacell wrote:
Maybe with a billion colors available in their circuits, they'll actually be able to match the 3 million shades the human eye can distinguish.
Are you quite sure that this is the limit? Does this cover everything from the blinding heat of the desert sun, to the barest glimmer visible under a starlit light?
I believe it's ~one billion discrete shades, but don't confuse color with brightness.
Ok. I'm confused. Tell me the difference.
Some subjects actually enjoy pain, and withhold information they might otherwise have divulged in order to be punished.
Central Intelligence Agency. (1983). Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual
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