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Someone in our depeartment would like to know what type of Mac they are using, or would recommend to use, to run NIH-Image?? They are typically dealing with images that are 1kbx1kb 24 bit colour. They are contemplating buying a new Mac to run Image and would like input as to what people are using and how well they run Image before buying a new computer. Any and all comments would be appreciated.

Mark Elliott
MELLIOTT@prl.pulmonary.ubc.ca

Look at the nih-image web site, http://rsb.info.nih.gov/nih-image/ which you can also find using "Net Search" for "nih image", in your favorite web browser like Netscape.

This is an interesting web site even if you don't want to use NIH Image.

(NIH Image runs on power macs as well as the 68k macs).

huffe@pgL7.chem.nyu.edu
Edward J. Huff

Mark:
The PowerMacs (PPC601 or 604 based) are generically the best way to go for running NIH Image. I have been using the 7500 (which is a PCI-bus based system) and the PCI Scion LG-3 frame grabber (PAL version). The PCI version is very fast for video capture, although it sounds like your user has an alternate source of images. (Also, they need to be aware that NIH- Image is not a true 24-bit color package - It handles the three color planes as a stack of 8-bit images. They should consider something like IP- lab Spectrum for true-color quantification or Photoshop for "graphic arts type" image massaging and printing.) I have also used the built-in video on the 7500. It is a reasonable image quality, but lacks the "scientific" capabilities that the Scion has (grayscale quality, gain/level adjust, analog out, digital I/O, etc.).

The 7500/8500/9500 PowerMacs all have high-speed internal SCSI, so disk I/O is very good. The 7500 is probably the best "bang/buck" system right now. It also uses a daughterboard processor card, so it can be upgraded to a PPC 604, in principal. If I had the budget and had to spend it right now, I would look very hard at the 132 MHz 9500. Of course, this family has now been out long enough that it is likely Apple will introduce a new even- faster Mac family soon. My impression has been that the best value has been on the model which is two steps back and within the same family as the most-recent top model (Current model example: high end is the 9500, hence the 7500 is the best value - i.e., affordable on tight budget, but excellent performance. Most recent past example: the 950 high-end/650 best buy). The clones have some VERY IMPRESSIVE specifications, (combination PCI/NuBus, high processor speed, etc) but may require optional hardware that is already in the Mac, depending on your use environment.

Bill Heeschen
Email: waheeschen@dow.com

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone is using a Macintosh-based software for image aquisition and manipulation that they are happy with? I have been using Metamorph (Love it!) but now need something for the Mac. Thanks in advance.

Ruth Hughes
e-mail RMH@CIDMV1.WUSTL.EDU

Yes. An excellent package for color image acquisition and analysis for the Macintosh is made by Signal Analytics. I can send you a demo disk and literature if you are interested. I represent Signal as well as several other software companies.

John Libert
jlibert@cpcug.org

About Macintosh-based software for image capture and manipulation -- We use the Prism image analysis & measurement package (Analytical Vision, Raleigh NC) together with a RasterOps graphics display & video image capture board on our Macintosh Quadra. We acquire color images with Adobe Photoshop. Works well and yes we're happy with it. (Usual disclaimer...)

Thor Bostrom
t.bostrom@qut.edu.au

Ruth: The best place to start for Macintosh imaging is NIH Image. It is public domain software from NIH and is available by anonymous FTP from:

zippy.nimh.nih.gov

There is a WWW home page, as well:

http://rsb.info.nih.gov/nih-image/

It can inherently acquire images via frame grabbers (NTSC,PAL) as well as a host of other video-type inputs if you have the appropriate Photoshop plug- in modules (PIM). There are also SEM/EDS interfaces (4pi analysis) for digital acquistion using PIMs. It is able to open TIFF and PICT files directly, any 8- or 16-bit bitmap file and "many" other formats through import PIMs. A wide range of spatial and intensity information extraction is available as well as image processing functions. The software is inherently very useful and becomes extremely useful with the built-in Pascal-like macro language, PIMs and source level programming (the Pascal source code is public domain, as well). The manual includes a fairly comprehensive list of commercial imaging products as well. Best of all, getting up and running is very straightforward, particularly for someone who has already been using imaging software. Even better than best of all is the worldwide support network available through the NIH Image listserver.

My personal rule-of-thumb commercial value of the software would be in the $1000 to $2000 price range, based on the feature set of NIH Image and the comparable feature set for commercial software (Mac,Wintel, etc).

Bill Heeschen
Email: waheeschen@dow.com

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