zerkle@iris.ucdavis.edu (Dan Zerkle) (04/06/91)
In article <+0#ghwl@rpi.edu> metahawk@itsgw.rpi.edu (Wayne G Rigby) writes: >32 bit color graphics is effectively the same as 24 bit graphics. There >are only 2^24 (16,777,216) colors on screen. The extra 8 bits (alpha control) >are (from what I've heard) used for transparent objects and perhaps color >cyling, among other things that I have no idea about. Not necessarily. In some cases, you want to use the extra 8 bits for the alpha channel, usually to indicate transparency. However, some devices can use all 32 bits for color: 10 bits of blue 11 bits of red 11 bits of green The justification for this is that people can distinguish fewer shades of blue than other colors. Although under most conditions, the human eye can not tell the difference between two 24 bit colors next to each other, it apparently can happen under certain circumstances, resulting in (so-called) "mach banding". Real, live, 32 but color can eliminate this completely. IMHO, though, you're not bloody likely to need this. 24-bit gives you more colors than humans can distinguish. Dan Zerkle zerkle@iris.eecs.ucdavis.edu (916) 754-0240 Amiga... Because life is too short for boring computers.