Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for displaying Y-bit coded RGB image data that is received as X-bit coded RGB or YCbCr image data, where X>Y. The method includes receiving X-bit coded image data, where each color channel comprises m-bits; arithmetically processing the image data to include dithering noise values that result in maintaining the luminance of the image data substantially constant; converting the YCbCr image data to RGB image data, and quantizing the image data to Y-bit coded RGB image data where each color channel comprises n-bits. For example, X=24 and Y=12. The step of arithmetically processing includes, for the RGB case and for each pixel, generating an integer random number lying in the range of [?Q/2 . . . Q/2], where Q is a quantization step size; adding the random number to each of the Red and Blue color channels, and subtracting the random number from the Green color channel; and truncating and clipping the result in each color channel. Preferably, Q=2(m?n).

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for displaying Y-bit coded RGB image data that is received as X-bit coded RGB or YCbCr image data, where X>Y. The method includes receiving X-bit coded image data, where each color channel comprises m-bits; arithmetically processing the image data to include dithering noise values that result in maintaining the luminance of the image data substantially constant; converting the YCbCr image data to RGB image data, and quantizing the image data to Y-bit coded RGB image data where each color channel comprises n-bits. For example, X=24 and Y=12. The step of arithmetically processing includes, for the RGB case and for each pixel, generating an integer random number lying in the range of [−Q/2 . . . Q/2], where Q is a quantization step size; adding the random number to each of the Red and Blue color channels, and subtracting the random number from the Green color channel; and truncating and clipping the result in each color channel.