Image MIME Reference
FST-Image
FAST Search & Transfer Image
image/vnd.fst
VS
PCO B16 Image
image/vnd.pco.b16
PCO-B16
A complete technical comparison of FAST Search & Transfer Image and PCO B16 Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | FST-Image | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
FAST Search & Transfer Image
image/vnd.fst
Extension
.fst
Container
Proprietary FAST Container
Compression
Proprietary
Algorithm
Unknown (Proprietary FAST encoding)
Color Depth
Unknown
Developed by
FAST Search & Transfer ASA (Arild Fuldseth)
Released
2000
Magic Bytes
Unknown (Proprietary)
PCO B16 Image
image/vnd.pco.b16
Extension
.b16
Container
PCO B16 Binary Container
Compression
Uncompressed (Raw Sensor Data)
Algorithm
None
Color Depth
16-bit (Monochrome or Bayer Raw Color)
Developed by
PCO AG (Excelitas PCO GmbH)
Released
Early 2000s
Magic Bytes
50 43 4F 2D
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | FST-Image | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
FST-Image
FST-Image Strengths
- Historically served as an optimized, compressed format for FAST's early multimedia and live streaming engines over constrained late-1990s bandwidth
Limitations
- Completely obsolete and non-functional in modern software ecosystems
- Undocumented, closed-source binary structure with zero support in modern image processing libraries
- Shares its file extension with several other distinct file types (such as FL Studio state files or FAST Search dictionaries), leading to easy misidentification
PCO-B16
PCO-B16 Strengths
- Preserves exact, uncompressed 16-bit raw sensor data, which is critically important for accurate scientific measurements, fluorescence microscopy, and photometry
- The simple, linear struct header is highly predictable and easy to parse in custom Python, MATLAB, or C++ scripts for researchers building bespoke pipelines
Limitations
- Generates massive file sizes due to the complete lack of image compression [1.3.1]
- Completely unsupported by standard operating systems, web browsers, and consumer image editing suites
- Strictly tied to the hardware and software ecosystems of a single camera manufacturer
When to choose which format
FST-Image
Use FST-Image when…
- Historical FAST Enterprise Search Indexing
- Legacy Proprietary Multimedia Streaming (late 1990s)
- Internal Media Transmission
PCO-B16
Use PCO-B16 when…
- Microscopy and Life Sciences
- High-Speed Camera Recording
- Machine Vision and Industrial Inspection
- Scientific Photometry