Abstract: A backside coating is applied to lithographic printing plate precursors and this coating provides sufficient protection so that adjacent precursors are not scratched or otherwise damaged when stacked. The backside coating is readily dissolved during processing or development at a pH of at least 6.5 after the precursors are imaged.

Abstract: The process of converting a digital data word having N-bits into an analog voltage value includes decrementing or incrementing a counter word (B) having N-bits from a respective maximum or minimum value to form a series of decremented or incremented values, synchronizing the decrementing or incrementing of the counter word (B) to a time course of an analog reference voltage (U.sub.ramp) having a ramp-shaped time dependence, evaluating a logical connection function of the decremented or incremented values of the counter word (B) with a digital data word (A) to determine when one of the decremented or incremented values of the counter word (B) is equal to a complement of the digital data word (A) and setting an output analog voltage value (U.sub.column) equal to the analog reference voltage (U.sub.ramp) as soon as the decremented or incremented value of counter word (B) equal to the complement of data word (A) is reached.