Trouble with image colors

[jarvis24]

[edited from support email]

I'm having a problem properly displaying pictures in Direct RT. I have converted the images from JPGS to BMP's, using Microsoft Paint. However, when I convert to a 256 color bitmap, the color seems to be all washed out. I don't know if this is a function of the original images, which were in JPG form. I CAN, however, save the images as a higher quality BMP, and in this case the images look fine.

However, when I try to display these higher quality BMPs in Direct RT, the colors appear washed out, and I can't figure out why this might be. I'm attaching to this email, for your information, a copy of a larger quality BMP file in which the colors look good, but which Direct RT does not display properly. I'm also attaching a 256 color version of the same file that paint saved, in which the colors appear washed out.

If you have any idea why I'm having this problem, I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know. Any information or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much for your time.