ECW (file format)
Encyclopedia
ECW is a proprietary
wavelet compression image format optimized for aerial and satellite imagery. It was developed by Earth Resource Mapping, and is now owned by ERDAS, which is owned by Intergraph
. The lossy compression format efficiently compresses very large images with fine alternating contrast.
In 1998 ER Mapper, Ltd (Perth Australia) company founder Stuart Nixon, and two software developers Simon Cope and Mark Sheridan were researching rapid delivery of terabyte sized images over the internet using inexpensive server technology. The outcome of that research was two products, Image Web Server (IWS) and ECW. ECW represented a fundamental mathematical breakthrough enabling Discrete Wavelet Transform
s (DWT) and inverse-DWT operations to be performed on very large images very quickly, while only using a tiny amount of RAM. For ECW patents, see and . For IWS patent, see . These patents were assigned to ERDAS (under a former name of Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging) July 29, 2007.
After JPEG2000 became an image standard, ER Mapper added tools to read and write JPEG2000 data into the ECW SDK to form the ECW JPEG2000 SDK. After subsequent purchase by ERDAS, the software development kit was renamed to the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK.
information can be embedded into the ECW file format to support geospatial
applications.
Image data of up to 65,535 bands (layers or colors) can be compressed at a rate of over 25 MB
per second on a i7 740QM (4-cores) 1.731 GHz processor using v4.2 of the ECW/JP2 SDK. Data flow compression allows for compression of large images with small RAM requirements. The file format can achieve typical compression ratios from 1:2 to 1:100.
The ECW Protocol (ECWP) is an efficient streaming protocol used to transmit ECW and JPEG2000 images over networks, such as the Internet. ECWP supports ECWPS for private and secure encrypted streaming of image data over public networks such as the Internet.
There is a very fast read-only SDK supporting ECW and JPEG2000 which is available for no charge for desktop implementation (Microsoft Windows only). The read / write SDK is available for desktop and server implementations, but are not free. A full functioning server implementation (using ECW, JPEG2000, ECWP and JPIP) is available with an ERDAS APOLLO IWS license.
A previous version of the SDK (3.3) is available in open source, and can be used for non-Microsoft operating systems, such as Linux, MacOs or Android.
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
wavelet compression image format optimized for aerial and satellite imagery. It was developed by Earth Resource Mapping, and is now owned by ERDAS, which is owned by Intergraph
Intergraph
Intergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,...
. The lossy compression format efficiently compresses very large images with fine alternating contrast.
In 1998 ER Mapper, Ltd (Perth Australia) company founder Stuart Nixon, and two software developers Simon Cope and Mark Sheridan were researching rapid delivery of terabyte sized images over the internet using inexpensive server technology. The outcome of that research was two products, Image Web Server (IWS) and ECW. ECW represented a fundamental mathematical breakthrough enabling Discrete Wavelet Transform
Discrete wavelet transform
In numerical analysis and functional analysis, a discrete wavelet transform is any wavelet transform for which the wavelets are discretely sampled...
s (DWT) and inverse-DWT operations to be performed on very large images very quickly, while only using a tiny amount of RAM. For ECW patents, see and . For IWS patent, see . These patents were assigned to ERDAS (under a former name of Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging) July 29, 2007.
After JPEG2000 became an image standard, ER Mapper added tools to read and write JPEG2000 data into the ECW SDK to form the ECW JPEG2000 SDK. After subsequent purchase by ERDAS, the software development kit was renamed to the ERDAS ECW/JP2 SDK.
Properties
Map projectionMap projection
A map projection is any method of representing the surface of a sphere or other three-dimensional body on a plane. Map projections are necessary for creating maps. All map projections distort the surface in some fashion...
information can be embedded into the ECW file format to support geospatial
Geospatial
Geospatial analysis is an approach to applying statistical analysis and other informational techniques to geographically based data. Such analysis employs spatial software and analytical methods with terrestrial or geographic datasets, including geographic information systems and...
applications.
Image data of up to 65,535 bands (layers or colors) can be compressed at a rate of over 25 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
per second on a i7 740QM (4-cores) 1.731 GHz processor using v4.2 of the ECW/JP2 SDK. Data flow compression allows for compression of large images with small RAM requirements. The file format can achieve typical compression ratios from 1:2 to 1:100.
The ECW Protocol (ECWP) is an efficient streaming protocol used to transmit ECW and JPEG2000 images over networks, such as the Internet. ECWP supports ECWPS for private and secure encrypted streaming of image data over public networks such as the Internet.
There is a very fast read-only SDK supporting ECW and JPEG2000 which is available for no charge for desktop implementation (Microsoft Windows only). The read / write SDK is available for desktop and server implementations, but are not free. A full functioning server implementation (using ECW, JPEG2000, ECWP and JPIP) is available with an ERDAS APOLLO IWS license.
A previous version of the SDK (3.3) is available in open source, and can be used for non-Microsoft operating systems, such as Linux, MacOs or Android.
Packages offering support
The software packages offering support include:- Adobe PhotoshopAdobe PhotoshopAdobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems Incorporated.Adobe's 2003 "Creative Suite" rebranding led to Adobe Photoshop 8's renaming to Adobe Photoshop CS. Thus, Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the 12th major release of Adobe Photoshop...
4.0, 7.0 (only with 3rd party plugins) - Aegis3 a GIS for schools used in the UK
- ArcGISArcGISArcGIS is a suite consisting of a group of geographic information system software products produced by Esri.ArcGIS is a system for working with maps and geographic information...
8.x, 9.x, 10 sp2 - ArcPad v6.0
- ArcReader
- ArcViewArcViewArcView 3.x was a geographic information system software product produced by ESRI.-History:ArcView started as a graphical program for spatial data and maps made using ESRI's other software products. Over time more and more functionality was added to ArcView and it became a real GIS program capable...
3.x - AutoCADAutoCADAutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
(from version R14)(only certain versions, Civil, and Map are confirmed) - BentleyBentley SystemsBentley Systems, Incorporated is a software company that produces solutions for the design, construction and operation of infrastructure. The company’s software serves the building, plant, civil, and geospatial vertical markets in the areas of architecture, engineering, construction and operations...
MicroStationMicrostationMicroStation is a CAD software product for 2- and 3-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems. The latest versions of the software are released solely for Microsoft Windows operating systems, but historically MicroStation was available for Macintosh platforms and a... - Blue Marble Geographic Transformer
- BricscadBricscadBricscad is a CAD package developed by Bricsys. Until release 10 it was built using the IntelliCAD engine. It is designed for Windows and is among the few commercially supported CAD packages which runs on Linux....
- CARISCARISCARIS is a software company that develops and supports geomatics software for land and marine applications.The company was founded in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada in 1979 as Universal Systems Ltd...
Easy View - Carmenta Engine
- Carmenta Engine Lite
- CDA Manifold System 8.0
- CompeGPS TwoNav (and GPS navigation device TwoNav Aventura)
- ECW for ArcGIS Server
- ERDAS Leica Photogrammetry SuiteLeica Photogrammetry SuiteLeica Photogrammetry Suite is a software application for performing photogrammetric operations on imagery and extracting information from imagery...
- ERDAS APOLLO
- ERDAS ECW Header Editor 2.5
- ERDAS ER Mapper
- ERDAS IMAGINEERDAS IMAGINEERDAS IMAGINE is a remote sensing application with raster graphics editor capabilities designed by ERDAS for geospatial applications. The latest version is 2010, version 10.1. ERDAS IMAGINE is aimed primarily at geospatial raster data processing and allows the user to prepare, display and enhance...
8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 9.2, 9.3, 2010, 2011 - ERDAS ViewFinder 2.1
- FalconViewFalconViewFalconView is a mapping system created by the Georgia Tech Research Institute for the Windows family of operating systems. It displays various types of maps and geographically referenced overlays. Many types of maps are supported, but the primary ones of interest to most users are aeronautical...
has been enhanced by the Australian Defence Force to fully support ECW mapping. (used by US DoD and 23 allied nations) - Safe Software FMEFeature Manipulation EngineFME is an integrated collection of Spatial ETL tools for spatial data transformation and data translation produced by Safe Software Inc. of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada...
- Geoweb3d Desktop allows the user to view high-resolution images worldwide on a 3d globe.
- Geoweb3d SDK
- GDAL - Geospatial Data Abstraction Library
- Global MapperGlobal mapperGlobal Mapper is a geographic information system software package developed by globalmapper.com that runs on Microsoft Windows. The GIS software competes with ESRI, Manifold System, and MapInfo GIS products. Global Mapper handles both vector, raster, and elevation data, and provides viewing,...
allows the user to create any size ECW. - infiniMap Pro a plugin for LightWave 3D
- IntergraphIntergraphIntergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,...
GeoMediaGeoMediaGeoMedia is the technology, suite of software components in Intergraph Corporation's geographic information system and family of software products that include: GeoMedia Objects, GeoMedia Viewer , GeoMedia, GeoMedia Professional, GeoMedia WebMap, GeoMedia WebMap Professional and others... - IrfanViewIrfanViewIrfanView is a freeware/shareware image viewer for Microsoft Windows that can view, edit, and convert image files and play video/audio files. It is noted for its small size, speed, ease of use, and ability to handle a wide variety of graphic file formats, and has some image creation and painting...
allows one to read and write (even bulk translated) ECW files. - LAMPS2 (as raster objects)
- MapImagery Plug-in for MapInfo 6
- MapWindow GISMapWindow GISMapWindow GIS is an open source GIS application and set of programmable mapping components. It has been adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as the primary GIS platform for its BASINS watershed analysis and modeling software.-Technical details:MapWindow GIS is distributed...
- Paint Shop Pro
- Pitney Bowes MapInfo Professional
- Pitney Bowes EncomEncomEncom Technology is a company whose primary interests are the development, support, and consultation of software products that are aimed at the mining and exploration of natural resources industries...
Compass Suite - progeCAD 2009
- Quantum GISQuantum GISQuantum GIS is a free software desktop Geographic Information Systems application that provides data viewing, editing, and analysis capabilities.-Development:...
- SmallworldSmallworldSmallworld was a GIS company founded in Cambridge, England, in 1989 by Dick Newell and others. It grew to become the global market leader for GIS in utilities and communications, according to Daratech. In September 2000, it was acquired by GE Energy, a division of General Electric...
- ttMaps allows to display ECW files on TomTom GPS devices.
- WavGen Pro by WavGen - Terratracer
- XnViewXnViewXnView is a cross-platform image viewer used for viewing, converting, organising and editing graphical & video files. It is free of charge for private, educational and non-profit organisations...
- ZWCAD (from version 2012)
External links
- http://erdas.com/products/ecw/ecw/details.aspx - ERDAS ECW Product Web Page
- Ueffing - Wavelet based ECW image compression (PDF)
- Large (over 100 GByte) ECW files displayed online