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From: jacobson@cello.hpl.hp.com (David Jacobson)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics,rec.photo
Subject: Re: Digital Photography
Summary: CCDs are analog
Message-ID: <1991Mar29.173328.23660@cello.hpl.hp.com>
Date: 29 Mar 91 17:33:28 GMT
References: <1991Mar22.234502.4783@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <50815@apple.Apple.COM> <1991Mar27.015600.21812@rice.edu>
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs
Lines: 21

In article <1991Mar27.015600.21812@rice.edu> fontenot@rice.edu (Dwayne
Jacques Fontenot) writes regarding a previous query about digital video:

> The image data is stored internally (on the 2" floppy) in an *analog* format
> that was developed ~10 years ago by a consortium of electronics corporations.
> After the image is taken off the CCD, it is no longer digital -- if you want
> it in digital form, you have to *digitize* it. The analog step involves
> quite a bit of degradation of the image data. 
> [stuff deleted]
> Also, I refuse on principle alone to buy anything so stupidly
> obviously built-in-planned-obsolescence designed (i.e. there is *NO* reason,
> at least no good reason I have heard, for these cameras to still be using
> ugly, messy analog technology). [more stuff deleted]

Underlying this posting seems to be the assumption that at some point
the image was digital, and the manufactureres are turning it back into
analog.  Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) are inherently analog devices.
In most video systems the image never is digital.  I don't think there
is anything malicious going on here.

  -- David Jacobson