1. A computer-implemented method for halftoning, comprising the steps of: dividing a 1/600 th square within a 600 dpi pixel into four quadrants, each quadrant having eight bits; for each quadrant, using two bits of the eight bits for programming a contone level, said contone level being from the set of: zero, one, two, and three; setting a tag bit for the 600 dpi pixel to a particular template from a set of templates; and using the particular template as two bits per pixel at 1200 dpi; wherein the particular template requires not using any of its eight bits for contone or any of its eight bits for representing a binary four-by-four square within a 600 dpi pixel; and wherein at least one of the steps is performed by a processor.