TARGA File – What is .targa file and how to open it?
TARGA File Extension
Targa Graphic – file format by Avid Technology
Targa Graphic (TARGA) is an image file format developed by Avid Technology. It is a raster graphics format that supports a variety of color depths and resolutions. TARGA files are often used to store high-quality images for video and film production.
Definition and History of TARGA Files
TARGA (Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter) is a raster image file format first created by Truevision in 1984 for use with its TARGA graphics board. It gained prominence in the early days of desktop publishing and computer graphics due to its support for a wide range of color depths, resolutions, and compression methods.
Over time, TARGA became an industry standard for storing high-resolution images in various applications, including image editing, graphics design, and 3D modeling. Due to its versatility and widespread adoption, TARGA files have remained prevalent in the digital imaging and multimedia industries.
Technical Details and Features of TARGA Files
TARGA files are characterized by their ability to support up to 32 bits per pixel, allowing for true color images with a vast range of tones and hues. The format also provides options for storing alpha channels, making it suitable for images with transparency.
TARGA supports both lossless RLE (Run-Length Encoding) and lossy LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) compression, enabling efficient storage and transmission of image data. The format’s header contains information about the image’s dimensions, color depth, and compression type, allowing software applications to interpret and process the file correctly.
TARGA files are widely compatible with various image editing and graphics software, making it easy to import, export, and manipulate images in this format. The versatility and technical capabilities of TARGA files have contributed to their continued use in digital graphics and imaging applications.
Opening TARGA Files
TARGA (Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter) is a graphics file format developed by Truevision for its TARGA video cards. It supports uncompressed 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit color depths, as well as compressed and uncompressed images. To open a TARGA file, you can use various software programs, including:
- Graphics editors: Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET
- Image viewers: Windows Photo Viewer, IrfanView, XnView
- Video editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro
Opening TARGA Files on Different Systems
To open TARGA files on different systems, you may need additional software or drivers.
- Windows: Most versions of Windows support TARGA files natively. If not, you can install the Truevision TARGA Codec Pack.
- macOS: You can open TARGA files using the built-in Preview app or third-party software such as Photoshop.
- Linux: Install the “libpng” and “libjpeg” packages using your package manager, and you should be able to open TARGA files with most image viewers.
Historical Origins and Development
The TARGA (Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter) file format was originally developed by Truevision in the mid-1980s for use with their proprietary graphics cards. It was designed to support high-resolution graphics and provide advanced features such as transparency and multiple image layers. TARGA quickly gained popularity in the professional graphics community due to its versatility and support for a wide range of color depths and resolutions.
Over time, the TARGA file format has undergone several revisions and updates. In 1989, Truevision released TARGA 2.0, which introduced support for lossless compression. In 1992, TARGA 2.1 was released, adding support for 32-bit color depth and YUV color space. These updates significantly expanded the capabilities of the format and ensured its continued relevance in the digital imaging industry.