code: private static short[] toShortPixels(int[] pPixels) {
          short[] pixels = new short[pPixels.length];
  
          for (int i = 0; i < pixels.length; i++) {
              pixels[i] = (short) (pPixels[i] & 0xffff);
          }
  
          return pixels;
      }
docs: Converts an array of {@code int} pixels to an array of {@code short}
  pixels. The conversion is done, by masking out the
  <em>higher 16 bits</em> of the {@code int}.
  
  For any given {@code int}, the {@code short} value is computed as
  follows:
  <blockquote>{@code
  short value = (short) (intValue & 0x0000ffff);
  }</blockquote>
  
  @param pPixels the pixel data to convert
  @return an array of {@code short}s, same lenght as {@code pPixels}