Abstract

A video display system for displaying still frame images which emulate photographic images by being bordered with a mask of selected dimensions; the mask being selected from several masks so as to display the image with a desired aspect ratio. The video image is stored in a frame store. A memory having two arrays which map the video screen in x and y coordinates, respectively, provides storage for a plurality of sets of x and y coordinate data each of which sets define a different one of the masks. The memory may be addressed by a computer and supplied with data to change any one or more of the available masks. The memory is scanned while the frame store is read out in synchronism with the scanning of the memory. Registers are provided for storing digitized video information representing a border of a selected color. The memory is read out to provide mask signals which control the multiplexing of data from the mask registers or the frame store to a digital output bus. Digital information representing images with the selected mask is available on the output bus and may be stored in a digital recorder and then converted into images for viewing on a monitor, or the information on the digital bus may be converted directly into analog form and applied to the monitor for viewing. The system enables proofing of the images without the delay in printing photographic prints for proofing and selecting such prints as are desired by customer.