Barco Creator
Encyclopedia
Barco Creator was an image manipulation program targeted at the repro and print shop markets. It was developed by the Creative Systems (later Graphics) division of the Barco Group
from 1988 (first shown as a prototype at Ipex 88) to the late 1990s, and ran on several generations of Silicon Graphics
computers. Barco (later Esko) ColorTone
for Windows NT
is considered its successor.
Paintbox
. Barco Creator was one of the first products to break the mold by running on off-the-shelf SGI workstations instead. Originally targeted at the "high end", Creator evolved into a slightly more mid-market alternative with the "personal"-edition running on the Indy. Still the price was in the $10k to $100k range depending on options, and additional hardware was sometimes needed to speed up specific operations. While Creator could rely on superior features and performance to justify its price through the mid 1990s, it became increasingly clear that each new Photoshop
version made the Barco package harder to sell. After the release of version 7.1 in late 1997 there were few new sales. In the end Creator was abandoned, like many of its conteporaries; Dalim Tango
, Linotype-Hell DaVinci
and Alias Eclipse
. Its spiritual successor, known as Esko ColorTone, is still available.
, selection, transformation, shape
s, basic colour correction
, densitometer
, layers etc.), also featured in other Barco Graphics CT (continuous tone) products, e.g. ColorTone. On top of this Creator added the "Creative functions" libraries (special effect filters; mosaic
, emboss
, b/w, warp etc.), "basic brush" module (size, thickness, shapes, styles, pressure sensitivity), "advanced brush" module (brush profiles, textures), "basic colour correction" module (gradation correction, pick mixer, plane mixer, colour mixer), "advanced colour correction" module (chain all of the basic correction tools, batch corrections, instant preview) and finally the "auto mask" module.
Optional software modules included "PrintView" (preview a given CMYK printing process
), "BlackSmith" (modify CMYK files to reduce ink usage, better print quality) and "InkSwitch" (convert CMYK into special ink separations for packaging
printing).
Barco ColorTone
adds an "Image quality estimator" module (evaluate if an image is printable according to certain quality parameters), but lacks several of the other Creator modules.
Using the "Brix Organizer" software it was possible to group CT-Brix modules into "sessions" customised for the current workflow
. One could for example disable both colour correction and the creative functions/filters, giving the operator an interface more focused on painting
.
s depended on a dedicated software "interface"
. Interfaces for Creator CVW files, TIFF, PSD (no layers) and EPS/DCS
were standard. Optionally one could order interfaces for Hell and Scitex and Scitex online file formats.
Creator originally ran on Silicon Graphics Power Series computers with one or more processors. By 1993 "Personal Creator" was available for the Indigo
, while the "full" Power Creator ran on a Crimson
. Later releases were available for the Indy
, Indigo2, 02
and Octane
computers. It is unknown if Creator will run on the later Octane2, Fuel
and Tezro
workstations with VPro graphics.
Due to its high end focus Barco developed several dedicated hardware options to speed up Creator.
For the Power Series and Crimson Barco originally supplied a "Colcom/VME
" colour computer board. This was replaced in early 1993 with the more powerful "Chameleon" board, featuring a custom ASIC
for real-time colour transformations. Its main purpose was displaying CMYK colours on the (RGB) monitor quickly, not speeding up the final colour conversion operation itself. After version 7.0 the Chameleon was also used for accelerating certain colour correction operations.
For the release of Creator 6 Barco also added a Brush-accelerator board that made retouching with large brushes on files of several hundred megabytes possible.
Turnkey
workstation
s were additionally supplied with a Wacom
tablet
, a Barco Reference Calibrator self-calibrating monitor and SCSI
RAID
storage, though stripped down versions were also available.
Input was usually from high-end scanners, i.e. the Itek
310-I. From the Indigo/Crimson versions the Howtek D4000 (4000dpi
) drum scanner was usually offered as an option. Version 7 supported both the D4000 and the D7500 (5000dpi
) scanner.
s anymore. As Creator was only available in single nodelocked licenses, one would need to buy an original system with the license included to have a "full legal version".
Barco
Barco N.V. is a display hardware manufacturer specialising in video projectors, LCD projectors, DLP projectors, LCoS projectors, LED displays, video walls, flat panel displays, automated luminaires, digital lighting and lighting controls....
from 1988 (first shown as a prototype at Ipex 88) to the late 1990s, and ran on several generations of Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
computers. Barco (later Esko) ColorTone
Barco ColorTone
Barco ColorTone was a stripped down version of the Barco Creator image manipulation program. It was originally developed for IRIX, and only featured the base "CT-Brix", brush and colour correction modules. An additional "image quality estimator" module, not featured in Creator, was also added.Later...
for Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
is considered its successor.
History
Up until the late 1980s digital retouching depended on specialized hardware such as the QuantelQuantel
Quantel is a company based in the United Kingdom and founded in 1973 that designs and manufactures digital production equipment for the broadcast television, video production and motion picture industries...
Paintbox
Quantel Paintbox
The Quantel Paintbox was a dedicated computer graphics workstation for composition of broadcast television video and graphics. Its design emphasizes the studio workflow efficiency required for live news production...
. Barco Creator was one of the first products to break the mold by running on off-the-shelf SGI workstations instead. Originally targeted at the "high end", Creator evolved into a slightly more mid-market alternative with the "personal"-edition running on the Indy. Still the price was in the $10k to $100k range depending on options, and additional hardware was sometimes needed to speed up specific operations. While Creator could rely on superior features and performance to justify its price through the mid 1990s, it became increasingly clear that each new Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems Incorporated.Adobe's 2003 "Creative Suite" rebranding led to Adobe Photoshop 8's renaming to Adobe Photoshop CS. Thus, Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the 12th major release of Adobe Photoshop...
version made the Barco package harder to sell. After the release of version 7.1 in late 1997 there were few new sales. In the end Creator was abandoned, like many of its conteporaries; Dalim Tango
Dalim Tango
Dalim Tango was a color retouching package aimed at the repro and prepress markets. It ran on Silicon Graphics workstations, and was first released in 1993. Support continued until Dalim filed for bankruptcy in late 1998.-Features:...
, Linotype-Hell DaVinci
Linotype-Hell DaVinci
Linotype-Hell DaVinci was an image manipulation program targeted at the repro and print shop markets. It originally ran on proprietary hardware, but was later ported to Silicon Graphics workstations. The first version was released in 1993, and it continued to see regular releases until Heidelberg...
and Alias Eclipse
Alias Eclipse
Alias Eclipse, otherwise known as Form & Vision Eclipse, is a high-end 2D image editing package that was originally available only for Silicon Graphics workstations...
. Its spiritual successor, known as Esko ColorTone, is still available.
Software modules
Creator was set up to be a modular system, tailored to the specific needs of each "shop" or user. The base for version 7.0 for example was the "CT-Brix" software library (colour selection, basic compositingDigital compositing
Digital compositing is the process of digitally assembling multiple images to make a final image, typically for print, motion pictures or screen display...
, selection, transformation, shape
Shape
The shape of an object located in some space is a geometrical description of the part of that space occupied by the object, as determined by its external boundary – abstracting from location and orientation in space, size, and other properties such as colour, content, and material...
s, basic colour correction
Color correction
Color correction by using color gels, or filters, is a process used in stage lighting, photography, television, cinematography and other disciplines, the intention of which is to alter the overall color of the light; typically the light color is measured on a scale known as color temperature, as...
, densitometer
Densitometer
A densitometer is a device that measures the degree of darkness of a photographic or semitransparent material or of a reflecting surface. The densitometer is basically a light source aimed at a photoelectric cell. It determines the density of a sample placed between the light source and the...
, layers etc.), also featured in other Barco Graphics CT (continuous tone) products, e.g. ColorTone. On top of this Creator added the "Creative functions" libraries (special effect filters; mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
, emboss
Image embossing
Image embossing is a computer graphics technique in which each pixel of an image is replaced either by a highlight or a shadow, depending on light/dark boundaries on the original image. Low contrast areas are replaced by a gray background. The filtered image will represent the rate of color change...
, b/w, warp etc.), "basic brush" module (size, thickness, shapes, styles, pressure sensitivity), "advanced brush" module (brush profiles, textures), "basic colour correction" module (gradation correction, pick mixer, plane mixer, colour mixer), "advanced colour correction" module (chain all of the basic correction tools, batch corrections, instant preview) and finally the "auto mask" module.
Optional software modules included "PrintView" (preview a given CMYK printing process
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
), "BlackSmith" (modify CMYK files to reduce ink usage, better print quality) and "InkSwitch" (convert CMYK into special ink separations for packaging
Packaging and labelling
Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport,...
printing).
Barco ColorTone
Barco ColorTone
Barco ColorTone was a stripped down version of the Barco Creator image manipulation program. It was originally developed for IRIX, and only featured the base "CT-Brix", brush and colour correction modules. An additional "image quality estimator" module, not featured in Creator, was also added.Later...
adds an "Image quality estimator" module (evaluate if an image is printable according to certain quality parameters), but lacks several of the other Creator modules.
Using the "Brix Organizer" software it was possible to group CT-Brix modules into "sessions" customised for the current workflow
Workflow
A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons, an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work...
. One could for example disable both colour correction and the creative functions/filters, giving the operator an interface more focused on painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
File formats
As of Barco Creator 7 support for foreign (non-Barco) file formatFile format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
s depended on a dedicated software "interface"
Interface (computer science)
In the field of computer science, an interface is a tool and concept that refers to a point of interaction between components, and is applicable at the level of both hardware and software...
. Interfaces for Creator CVW files, TIFF, PSD (no layers) and EPS/DCS
Encapsulated PostScript
Encapsulated PostScript, or EPS, is a DSC-conforming PostScript document with additional restrictions which is intended to be usable as a graphics file format...
were standard. Optionally one could order interfaces for Hell and Scitex and Scitex online file formats.
Output
For the earlier versions, at least, the primary output was film (4x5" or larger) for further reproduction. One must keep in mind that the internet was just coming of age, and the whole prepress/magazine industry was almost exclusively based on film photographers and a film workflow.Hardware
SGI Indigo
The Indigo, introduced as the IRIS Indigo, was a line of workstation computers developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics, Inc. . The first Indigo, code-named "Hollywood", was introduced on 22 July 1991...
, while the "full" Power Creator ran on a Crimson
SGI Crimson
The IRIS Crimson, code named Diehard2, is a Silicon Graphics computer released in the early 1990s. It was the world's first 64-bit workstation....
. Later releases were available for the Indy
SGI Indy
The Indy, code-named "Guinness", is a low-end workstation introduced on 12 July 1993. Developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics Incorporated , it was the result of their attempt to obtain a share of the low-end computer-aided design market, which was dominated at the time by other workstation...
, Indigo2, 02
SGI O2
The O2 is an entry-level Unix workstation introduced in 1996 by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to replace their earlier Indy series. Like the Indy, the O2 used a single MIPS microprocessor and was intended to be used mainly for multimedia. Its larger counterpart was the SGI Octane...
and Octane
SGI Octane
The Octane and the similar Octane2 are UNIX workstations marketed by SGI. Both are 2-way SMP-capable workstations, originally based on the MIPS R10000 microprocessor. Newer Octanes are based on MIPS R12000 and R14000. The Octane2 has four improvements compared to Octane, a revised power supply,...
computers. It is unknown if Creator will run on the later Octane2, Fuel
SGI Fuel
The SGI Fuel is a mid-range workstation developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics, Inc. . It was introduced in January 2002, with a list price of US$11,495. Together with the entire MIPS platform, general availability for the Fuel ended on 29 December 2006...
and Tezro
SGI Tezro
The SGI Tezro was a series of high-end computer workstations sold by SGI from 2003 until 2006. It was the immediate successor to the SGI Octane line. The systems were available in both rack-mount and tower versions, and the series was released in June 2003 with a list price of $20,500...
workstations with VPro graphics.
Due to its high end focus Barco developed several dedicated hardware options to speed up Creator.
For the Power Series and Crimson Barco originally supplied a "Colcom/VME
VMEbus
VMEbus is a computer bus standard, originally developed for the Motorola 68000 line of CPUs, but later widely used for many applications and standardized by the IEC as ANSI/IEEE 1014-1987. It is physically based on Eurocard sizes, mechanicals and connectors , but uses its own signalling system,...
" colour computer board. This was replaced in early 1993 with the more powerful "Chameleon" board, featuring a custom ASIC
ASIC
ASIC may refer to:* Application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit developed for a particular use, as opposed to a customised general-purpose device.* ASIC programming language, a dialect of BASIC...
for real-time colour transformations. Its main purpose was displaying CMYK colours on the (RGB) monitor quickly, not speeding up the final colour conversion operation itself. After version 7.0 the Chameleon was also used for accelerating certain colour correction operations.
For the release of Creator 6 Barco also added a Brush-accelerator board that made retouching with large brushes on files of several hundred megabytes possible.
Turnkey
Turnkey
A turn-key or a turn-key project is a type of project that is constructed by a developer and sold or turned over to a buyer in a ready-to-use condition.-Common usage:...
workstation
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
s were additionally supplied with a Wacom
Wacom
in Krefeld, Germany. Wacom is a Japanese portmanteau: Wa for "harmony" or "circle", and Komu for "computer". Wacom tablets are notable for their use of a patented cordless, battery-free, and pressure-sensitive stylus or digital pen...
tablet
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures...
, a Barco Reference Calibrator self-calibrating monitor and SCSI
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it...
RAID
RAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
storage, though stripped down versions were also available.
Input was usually from high-end scanners, i.e. the Itek
Itek
Itek Corporation was a US defense contractor that initially specialized in the field of camera systems for spy satellites. In the early 1960s they built a conglomerate in a fashion similar to LTV or Litton, during which time they developed the first CAD system and explored optical disk technology...
310-I. From the Indigo/Crimson versions the Howtek D4000 (4000dpi
Dots per inch
Dots per inch is a measure of spatial printing or video dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch . The DPI value tends to correlate with image resolution, but is related only indirectly.- DPI measurement in monitor...
) drum scanner was usually offered as an option. Version 7 supported both the D4000 and the D7500 (5000dpi
Dots per inch
Dots per inch is a measure of spatial printing or video dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch . The DPI value tends to correlate with image resolution, but is related only indirectly.- DPI measurement in monitor...
) scanner.
Release history
The feature set was basically frozen after Creator 7 (June 1996). The most apt comparison to the final release, featurewise, would be Adobe Photoshop 4 (November 1996).| Version | Hardware | O/S | Release date | Price | Significant changes (selected) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator 1.0 Prototype | ? | IRIX 3.X | Fall 1988 | ? |
|
| Creator CD, SP, SPX and MP |
R3000 The R3000 is a microprocessor chip set developed by MIPS Computer Systems that implemented the MIPS I instruction set architecture . Introduced in June 1988, it was the second MIPS implementation, succeeding the R2000 as the flagship MIPS microprocessor... processors at 25 MHz, 64MB RAM and 1.2GB harddrive. BG-530 and BG-520 with 2 and 1 processors respectively. |
IRIX 3.X | 1990 | ? |
|
| Repro Creator | Power Series, later Crimson | IRIX 4.X? | 1992 | $155.000 incl Crimson |
|
| Personal Creator | (BG-510) Indigo, 32-96MB RAM, 1.2GB HD | IRIX 5.X? | 1993 | $25.000 |
|
| Power Creator | (replaced BG-540) Crimson, 128MB RAM | IRIX 5.X? | 1993 | ? |
|
| Personal Creator 5.0 | Indy R4000 100mhz (61 SPECfp92, 57 SPECint92 - compare Intel P66; 55 fp, int 64) | ? | 1993 | £38.000 (incl. Indy). | ? |
| Creator 5.2 | ? | ? | 1994 | $17.000 | ? |
| Creator 6.0 | ? | IRIX 5.X? | January 1995 | ? |
|
| Creator 7.0 | Indy and Indigo2, except R8000 | IRIX 5.3 | 28/06/96 (CD1375C), 09/07/96 (CD1377C) | $30.000 |
Line art Line art is any image that consists of distinct straight and curved lines placed against a background, without gradations in shade or hue to represent two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects... module is based on a subset of Barco Strike! Barco Strike! Barco Strike was a vector-based drawing program targeted at the repro and print shop markets. It was developed by the Graphics division of the Barco Group from 1993 to the late 1990s on both Barco's own proprietary workstations and SGI computers... Typesetting Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner... based on the Barco Strike! text engine |
| Creator 7.1 | Indigo2 R10000, O2, Octane | IRIX 5.3, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 | 15/12/97 (CD1488C) | $30.000 |
|
| Creator 7.2 | O2, Octane | IRIX 6.5 | 08/04/99 (CD1546C) | $30.000 |
|
Availability
Barco Creator was discontinued in the late 1990s, and was not picked up by Purup-Eskofot after it purchased the Graphics division of Barco. Neither Barco nor Esko have the ability to issue new licenseLicense
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
s anymore. As Creator was only available in single nodelocked licenses, one would need to buy an original system with the license included to have a "full legal version".