Norcross, GA — ERDAS announces the release of a new version of the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK, which allows software developers to enable rapid and efficient file handling in the applications they create by including robust support for selected wavelet compression formats and protocols.
The ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK provides support for the visually-lossless ECW imagery format and the ECWP protocol. ERDAS’ Enhanced Compression Wavelet (ECW) technology compresses bulky imagery files into manageable sizes, enabling faster processing and transfer of imagery and reducing the hardware investment required for the geospatial workflow. Using minimal memory, ECW can compress massive files to smaller sizes faster than other formats, while still preserving the quality of the images. ECW files can then be reopened quickly, in many cases faster than uncompressed imagery. Additionally, multi-resolution level of detail is built into the file, eliminating the need to generate or distribute pyramids or overviews. Enhanced Compression Wavelet Protocol (ECWP) allows streaming of ECW images, enabling rapid delivery of large quantities of imagery over the internet to thousands of users with standard server hardware of just eight cores or less. The SDK also provides support for the numerically-lossless JPEG2000, an ISO-certified compressed image format commonly used for geospatial imagery.
“Massive files are a fact of life in the geospatial industry, and as sensors evolve to collect more information and at higher resolutions, typical file sizes are steadily increasing. While any compression format can make a file somewhat smaller to save money on storage space, the highest hardware costs of dealing with large files result from the need to acquire extra memory and more expensive server technology. Organizations also experience a relentless drain on profit from the productivity reduction caused by a slow workflow,” said Mark Sheridan, Development Manager for the ECW SDK and Image Web Server, ERDAS. “Using ECW and ECWP, applications can compress, decompress and transfer files extremely fast with very little memory and standard server equipment, imparting a comprehensive cost reduction that other formats just cannot offer.”
New for Version 4.2, the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK is being offered as three different editions, with tool sets targeted specifically for either desktop or server applications. As in previous versions, the SDK is also available as a free, read-only edition that allows developers to sample the speed and power of ECW and ECWP before upgrading to one of the full editions. All editions of the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK are compatible with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, 2008, and 2010.
ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK Desktop Read-Only is a free product that provides software developers with tools to add read support for ECW, ECWP and JPEG2000 in their desktop applications.
ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK Desktop Read-Write provides software developers with tools to add read support for ECW, ECWP and JPEG2000 in their desktop applications. It also provides the tools to compress images into ECW and JPEG2000 data formats.
The newly released ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK Server Read-Write provides software developers with tools to enable server applications to read ECW, ECWP, and JPEG2000 data, serve ECW and JPEG2000 data, and compress images into the ECW and JPEG2000 data formats.
To learn more about the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK, please visit the official product page or attend a free webinar on March 22nd.
For more information about ERDAS or its products and services, please call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 877 GO ERDAS, or visit www.erdas.com.
About ERDAS
ERDAS – The Earth to Business Company – helps organizations harness the information of the changing earth for greater advantage. ERDAS creates geospatial business systems that transform our earth’s data into business information, enabling individuals, businesses and public agencies to quickly access, manage, process and share that information from anywhere. Using secure geospatial information, ERDAS solutions improve employee, customer and partner visibility to information, enabling them to respond faster and collaborate better. It also means better decision-making, increased productivity and new revenue streams. Welcome to ERDAS: a trusted name, with a new energy, and a new vision. Earth to business starts here. ERDAS is a part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden. For more information about ERDAS or its products and services, please call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 866 534 2286, or visit www.erdas.com.