Image MIME Reference
EDMICS-MMR
Fuji Xerox EDMICS-MMR
image/vnd.fujixerox.edmics-mmr
VS
PiCture eXchange
image/x-pcx
PCX
A complete technical comparison of Fuji Xerox EDMICS-MMR and PiCture eXchange — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | EDMICS-MMR | PCX |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | ✕ No |
Fuji Xerox EDMICS-MMR
image/vnd.fujixerox.edmics-mmr
Extension
.mmr.edm
Container
Fuji Xerox EDMICS Wrapper
Compression
Modified Modified READ (MMR / Group 4 Fax)
Algorithm
MMR (ITU-T T.6 / CCITT Group 4)
Color Depth
1-bit (Monochrome / Bi-level)
Developed by
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
Released
1990s
Magic Bytes
Unknown (Proprietary Container wrapped around MMR bitstream)
PiCture eXchange
image/x-pcx
Extension
.pcx
Container
ZSoft Proprietary Header (128 bytes)
Compression
Run-Length Encoding (RLE)
Algorithm
ZSoft RLE
Color Depth
1-bit (Monochrome), 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), 24-bit (True Color)
Developed by
ZSoft Corporation
Released
1985
Magic Bytes
0A (followed by version, e.g., 0A 05 01 08)
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | EDMICS-MMR | PCX |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
EDMICS-MMR
EDMICS-MMR Strengths
- Utilized the highly efficient MMR (Group 4) algorithm, which allowed massive, E-size engineering blueprints to be compressed into tiny file sizes suitable for 1990s hard drives and networks
- Deeply integrated into Fuji Xerox hardware and database systems for seamless scan-to-archive workflows
Limitations
- Completely proprietary and closed-source, making modern archival extraction and migration extremely difficult
- No support in modern image processing libraries like ImageMagick, libvips, or standard TIFF viewers without first stripping the proprietary header
- Strictly limited to 1-bit monochrome images
PCX
PCX Strengths
- Incredibly simple RLE algorithm makes it very fast to decode, which was historically vital for early 3D video game engines
- Retains crisp, lossless pixel data suitable for pixel art and interface assets
- Well-documented and highly supported by older desktop publishing and image editing software
Limitations
- Extremely inefficient compression by modern standards, producing large file sizes compared to PNG
- Lacks modern imaging features such as alpha channel transparency, EXIF metadata, and color profiles
- Zero support in web browsers; must be converted to PNG for web use
When to choose which format
EDMICS-MMR
Use EDMICS-MMR when…
- Fuji Xerox EDMICS Enterprise Systems
- Archival of Large-Format Engineering Drawings
- Legacy Corporate Document Scanning Pipelines
PCX
Use PCX when…
- MS-DOS and Early Windows Graphics
- 1990s Video Game Assets (Textures, UI)
- Retro Computing Archival