About Mitchell's Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) Color Wiring Diagrams

The Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format is a new XML-based standard for defining vector-based 2D graphics for the Web and other applications. What does this have to do with fixing cars? Plenty. SVG can't be beat when viewing and printing fine-detail graphics such as wiring diagrams. And only Mitchell 1 has them.

The primary advantages of Scalable Vector Graphic Wiring diagrams are:

  • Zoomability - Unlike bitmapped GIF and JPEG formats, SVG is a vector format, which means you can zoom in on any portion of an SVG wiring diagram without degradation. SVG graphics are also much smaller in terms of file size, which means more information on fewer CD/DVDs.
  • Scalability -- SVG images can be printed with high quality at any resolution, without the pixilation (staircase effect) you see when printing bitmapped images.
  • Searchable text -- Unlike in bitmapped images, text in SVG text is searchable. For example, you can search for specific text strings, like color codes or components.

Combined with the obvious advantage of color in tracing complex circuitry, SVG technology provides distinct advantages in terms of clarity, zoomability, and file size.

Pixels vs. Vectors

The difference between a vector-based graphic and a bitmapped graphic is illustrated in the Flash movie below. Use the 200% and 300% zoom links to zoom in and out of the image without degradation. Click the "See Black and White" link below to zoom in and out of a bitmapped image.

Note: Because of slight image degradation in Flash, OnDemand5 will display wiring diagrams even more clearly than depicted above.

CircuitSelect™

Mitchell 1's proprietary CircuitSelect allows you to trace and highlight wiring with unprecedented ease. Just move your mouse cursor over a circuit and you will see that it is highlighted for you. Click on the circuit and it remains highlighted in your display. Click on additional circuits to highlight the entire circuit in the diagram. You can also change colors to highlight additional circuits in the figure. Your color highlights will display in your printouts.

The Mitchell Editorial Difference

Long before SVG technology, Mitchell wiring diagrams had already been the best. The difference is the result of superior editorial process. OEM wiring diagrams tend to vary between manufacturers because there has never been an industry formatting standard. For decades, Mitchell has completely redrawn the majority of OEM wiring diagrams, meticulously verifying every detail. The end result is a consistent look and feel to every diagram in our products. And because they're redrawn - not scanned - they take up much less space on a CD-ROM or DVD, allowing us to put more information on each disc.

“Mitchell 1 has consistently raised the bar when it comes to offering wiring diagram displays and functionality, and this time, we have even surpassed our own level of sophistication,” said David Niemiec, vice president of marketing for Mitchell 1. “Vehicle engine and operating systems have gotten increasingly complex over the years. Version 5.5. was developed to help our customers by improving usability, providing easier access to electrical components and significantly decreasing the technician’s time diagnosing a problem.”

For More Information about OnDemand5:

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