Abstract: In the present invention, an 8-bit input pixel gray level at a particular location in an image is screened, or compressed, down to k-bits where k is less than 8. A plurality of threshold tables are generated which represent a tone curve associated with the image in accordance with threshold table load logic (48). A preference matrix (42) which maps each pixel of the image to one of the threshold tables is generated using an image plane mapping interface (44) based on the input pixel location. An entry from the threshold table associated with the input pixel is selected using the gray level of the input pixel. The input pixel gray level is simultaneously compared with each of four thresholds in the selected entry using a quad comparator (58). A status register (60) is set based on the results for each comparison and is used to generate the k-bit output gray level associated with the input pixel.