“Two bit/pixel full color encoding” by Campbell, DeFanti, Frederiksen, Joyce, Leske, et al. …

Realism in computer graphics typically requires using 24 or more bits/pixel to generate an image. This paper describes a method developed by the authors called “Color Cell Compression” or “CCC” that preserves at least a limited animation and local update capability yet yields extraordinary-looking color images in approximately two bits/pixel independent of image complexity. Three intermediate methods of compressing images to six, four and three bits/pixel respectively are also described. The CCC encoding process for a 640 × 480 image averages 11 seconds on a VAX 11/750, however, the CCC method does permit real-time decoding of these images using software look-up tables and conventional display hardware. The three intermediate methods may also be decoded in real time but have the added advantage of requiring only 3-4 seconds for encoding on a VAX 11/750.

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