Ani-ST vs AVIF Format Comparison
Ani-ST
Ani ST Animation Script
image/x-ani-st
VS
AV1 Image File Format
image/avif
AVIF
A complete technical comparison of Ani ST Animation Script and AV1 Image File Format — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
AVIF wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | Ani-ST | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | Yes |
| Animation Support | Yes | Yes |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | Yes |
Ani ST Animation Script
image/x-ani-st
Extension
.scr.str
Container
Text-based Scripting Language
Compression
Uncompressed (Plain Text Script)
Algorithm
None
Color Depth
Atari ST Indexed Palette (up to 16 colors)
Developed by
Jim Kent (Published by Antic Software)
Released
1987
Magic Bytes
AV1 Image File Format
image/avif
Extension
.avif
Container
HEIF / ISOBMFF
Compression
AV1 Lossy / AV1 Lossless
Algorithm
AV1
Color Depth
8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit
Developed by
Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia)
Released
2019
Magic Bytes
XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 61 76 69 66
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | Ani-ST | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ |
✓ 85+
|
Firefox
|
✕ |
✓ 93+
|
Safari
|
✕ |
✓ 16+
|
Edge
|
✕ |
✓ 121+
|
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
Ani-ST
Ani-ST Strengths
- Produced incredibly small file sizes by storing rendering instructions (vectors) rather than raw raster frames, making it ideal for floppy disks
- The human-readable script format allowed advanced users to manually edit animation paths and parameters directly in a text editor
Limitations
- Completely obsolete and inherently tied to the hardware limitations of the Atari ST ecosystem
- The generic .scr and .str extensions conflict with dozens of other historical and modern formats, making file identification a major challenge
- Zero native support in modern operating systems, web browsers, or standard graphics software
AVIF
AVIF Strengths
- Best-in-class compression — typically 20–50% smaller than WebP at equivalent quality
- Native HDR and wide color gamut (BT.2020) support
- Supports 8, 10, and 12-bit color depth
Limitations
- Encoding is highly CPU-intensive — significantly slower than JPEG or WebP
- Requires Edge 121+ (not supported in earlier Edge versions)
- Limited support in native desktop image viewers
When to choose which format
Ani-ST
Use Ani-ST when…
- Atari ST Retrocomputing Archival
- Vector Animation Scripts
- 1980s Computer Graphics History
AVIF
Use AVIF when…
- Next-Gen Websites
- HDR Photography
- High-Quality Web Images
Convert & Edit Online
Free online web tools for Ani-ST and AVIF files.
Free Image Resizer
Editor
Resize, scale, crop, and modify dimensions for any photo or graphic.
Use Tool
Image Metadata Remover
Privacy
Clean EXIF, camera, lens, and location tags from your photos.
Use Tool
WebP to JPG Converter
Universal
Convert modern web images to universal high-compatibility JPG.
Use Tool
Compress WebP Images
Optimizer
Reduce image file sizes for faster web performance.
Use Tool