Specifications

An important parameter affecting the color on a display is the white point. People
tend to think of white as an absolute color. But there are actually many hues of
white—compare the “white” light of the sun, an incandescent lightbulb, and a fluores-
cent light. The white point is important because it affects how you perceive all other
colors on that display. Even more important is maintaining a consistent white point
over time, because a white point that changes will throw off all the other colors on
the screen. LCDs are excellent at maintaining a consistent white point, providing a
predictable and uniform environment in which to view color images over time.
Managing color
Even with the color consistency now possible with flat-panel displays, for the most
color-critical work it’s still important to carefully manage the performance of every
device in the workflow—cameras, scanners, displays, and printers. Because each device
has different color reproduction capabilities, maintaining consistent colors in a given
image from device to device is difficult without a systematic method of color control.
That’s why many creative professionals need a high-quality color management system.
Color management systems work by collecting information about every device
and then using color correction to translate between the color characteristics of the
different devices. Apple’s own ColorSync technology is the industry’s best means of
managing color. It uses the industry-standard International Color Consortium (ICC)
format for storing color information about different devices, known as the ICC
profile. Creating a profile for a given device requires a calibrated measuring tool.
The GretagMacbeth Eye-One and the MonacoOPTIX are two such tools. They can
measure CRT and LCD displays, ensuring better long-term color fidelity in a color-
managed workflow.
Apple Displays and SWOP Certification
With a calibrated Apple LCD, ColorSync, and a color-managed workflow based on
Mac OS X, creative professionals and their clients can now evaluate print or electronic
documents on the computer display, a more reliable, more accurate, cheaper, and
faster method of proofing. Clients benefit from reduced costs and cycle times, and
creative professionals gain a valuable competitive advantage, because they no longer
have to create expensive hard-copy proofs or wait for overnight delivery services. Print
publishers, designers, photographers, and art directors can share soft proofs via email
or the web with full confidence that clients can see their work—even high-end color
work—exactly as intended.
In January 2003, the Remote Director 2.0 proofing system from Integrated Color
Solutions, Inc. (ICS) became the first display-based proofing system to be certified by
SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications; www.swop.org). The prestigious
SWOP certification means Remote Director 2.0 can be used to approve jobs for press
production onscreen without the need for hard-copy proofs. Remote Director 2.0 uses
a 20-inch Apple Cinema Display or 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display along with a
Power Mac using Mac OS X. ICS chose Apple flat-panel LCDs because they are the only
displays capable of providing the luminance and color gamut ICS needs to create an
onscreen proof that has the same brightness and feel as paper. The 30-inch Apple
Cinema HD Display is based on the same color technology as the 20-inch Apple
Cinema Display and 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.
15
Technology Overview
Apple Cinema Displays