Ani-ST vs BMP Format Comparison
Ani-ST
Ani ST Animation Script
image/x-ani-st
VS
Bitmap Image File
image/bmp
BMP
A complete technical comparison of Ani ST Animation Script and Bitmap Image File — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
BMP wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | Ani-ST | BMP |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| 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
Bitmap Image File
image/bmp
Extension
.bmp.dib
Container
BMP / DIB
Compression
Uncompressed / RLE
Algorithm
NoneRLE (Run-Length Encoding)
Color Depth
1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit
Developed by
Microsoft Corporation
Released
1985
Magic Bytes
42 4D
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | Ani-ST | BMP |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Firefox
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Safari
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Edge
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
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
BMP
BMP Strengths
- Universally supported across almost all operating systems, image editors, and programming languages
- Lossless quality (since it is typically uncompressed, no visual data is lost)
- Extremely simple file structure makes it easy to read and write programmatically
Limitations
- Massive file sizes make it entirely unsuitable for web delivery or network transfers
- No native animation support
- Lacks modern features like EXIF metadata and widespread transparency support
When to choose which format
Ani-ST
Use Ani-ST when…
- Atari ST Retrocomputing Archival
- Vector Animation Scripts
- 1980s Computer Graphics History
BMP
Use BMP when…
- Windows Desktop Wallpapers
- Legacy Windows Applications
- Simple Image Editing
Convert & Edit Online
Free online web tools for Ani-ST and BMP 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