Image MIME Reference
CNS-INF2
Comverse Network Systems INF2 Image
image/vnd.cns.inf2
VS
JPEG 2000 Part 2 (Extended)
image/jpx
JPX
A complete technical comparison of Comverse Network Systems INF2 Image and JPEG 2000 Part 2 (Extended) — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | CNS-INF2 | JPX |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | Yes |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | Yes |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | Yes |
Comverse Network Systems INF2 Image
image/vnd.cns.inf2
Extension
.inf2
Container
Proprietary Comverse Container
Compression
Proprietary
Algorithm
Unknown (Proprietary Telecom Encoding)
Color Depth
Unknown
Developed by
Comverse Network Systems (Ann McLaughlin)
Released
1999
Magic Bytes
Unknown (Proprietary)
JPEG 2000 Part 2 (Extended)
image/jpx
Extension
.jpx.jpf
Container
ISOBMFF / JPX (ISO/IEC 15444-2)
Compression
Lossy / Lossless
Algorithm
Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT)
Color Depth
8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 38-bit
Developed by
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
Released
2002
Magic Bytes
00 00 00 0C 6A 50 20 20 0D 0A 87 0A ... 66 74 79 70 6A 70 78 20
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | CNS-INF2 | JPX |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
CNS-INF2
CNS-INF2 Strengths
- Historically allowed Comverse to standardize media transmission internally across their global telecom messaging platforms
Limitations
- Completely obsolete and non-functional outside of decommissioned telecom infrastructure
- Undocumented, closed-source binary structure
- Zero support in modern image processing libraries like ImageMagick, libvips, or FFmpeg
JPX
JPX Strengths
- Removes the color space limitations of baseline JP2, adding native support for CMYK, CIE Lab, and custom vendor color spaces
- Supports multiple codestreams in a single file, allowing for rich compositing and animation
- Enables fragmented files where image data and metadata can reside in separate physical files via data references
Limitations
- Extremely complex specification makes full software implementation rare, leading to compatibility issues
- Zero web browser support, rendering it unsuitable for public internet distribution
- Often overkill for standard imaging tasks where baseline JP2 or modern alternatives like AVIF suffice
When to choose which format
CNS-INF2
Use CNS-INF2 when…
- Legacy Telecom Infrastructure
- Historical Comverse Unified Messaging Systems
- Proprietary Server-to-Server Media Exchange
JPX
Use JPX when…
- Prepress & Commercial Printing (CMYK)
- Geospatial Data
- Archival Preservation
- Medical Imaging