AbstractIn this paper, a color holographic display system based on the utilization of effective viewing area (EVA) is proposed. Color reconstruction is achieved by using a single spatial light modulator (SLM). The EVA of three color reconstructed images is analyzed based on the holographic diffraction theory and the principle of geometrical optics. Then, the effective holograms of three colors are calculated based on the EVA of the system. When three color lasers are used to collimate the SLM, three color reconstructed images can be coincided in the same position with a fast speed of calculation. Moreover, the chromatic aberration can be eliminated and the experimental results verify the feasibility of the proposed system.