Image MIME Reference
HEIC-Sequence
HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container)
image/heic-sequence
VS
PaintShop Pro Image
image/x-paintshoppro
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
A complete technical comparison of HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container) and PaintShop Pro Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
HEIC-Sequence wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | HEIC-Sequence | PaintShop-Pro-PSP |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | Yes |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container)
image/heic-sequence
Extension
.heics.heic
Container
HEIF / ISOBMFF (ISO/IEC 14496-12)
Compression
Lossy / Lossless
Algorithm
HEVC (H.265)
Color Depth
8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit
Developed by
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) / Apple
Released
2017
Magic Bytes
XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 68 65 76 63
PaintShop Pro Image
image/x-paintshoppro
Extension
.psp.pspimage.tub.pat
Container
PSP Chunk-based Format
Compression
Uncompressed / RLE (Run-Length Encoding) / LZ77
Algorithm
RLELZ77
Color Depth
8-bit (Indexed), 16-bit (Grayscale), 24-bit (RGB), 32-bit (RGBA), 48-bit (High Color)
Developed by
Jasc Software / Corel Corporation (Alludo)
Released
1990
Magic Bytes
7E 42 4B 00
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | HEIC-Sequence | PaintShop-Pro-PSP |
|---|---|---|
|
|
✕ | ✕ |
|
|
✕ | ✕ |
|
|
✓ 11+
|
✕ |
|
|
✕ | ✕ |
|
|
✕ | ✕ |
HEIC-Sequence
HEIC-Sequence Strengths
- Incredibly efficient storage for bursts and short animations compared to GIF or motion JPEG
- Supports 16-bit color, HDR, and alpha channel transparency across all frames
- Shares frame data blocks, meaning the base image and animation data are heavily optimized for space
Limitations
- Zero support in web browsers outside the Apple ecosystem (Chrome, Firefox, Edge do not support it)
- Heavily encumbered by HEVC patent pools, hindering open-source adoption
- Complex container structure makes parsing and decoding difficult without specialized libraries
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
PaintShop-Pro-PSP Strengths
- Provides robust, non-destructive editing capabilities with full support for vector layers, adjustment layers, and layer blend modes
- Historically offered a highly capable and affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop's PSD format for Windows users
- Features proprietary support for 'Picture Tubes' (.tub), a unique brush technology that paints sequential or random raster objects along a path
Limitations
- Deeply proprietary format tied exclusively to the Corel/Alludo ecosystem
- Third-party software support (like GIMP or ImageMagick) is often limited to parsing older .psp files, frequently failing to render complex layers in modern .pspimage files
- No support in modern web browsers; must be exported to a flattened web format (JPEG/PNG) for online viewing
When to choose which format
HEIC-Sequence
Use HEIC-Sequence when…
- Apple Live Photos
- Burst Photography
- High-Quality Animations
- Cinemagraphs
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
Use PaintShop-Pro-PSP when…
- PaintShop Pro Multi-layer Project Archival
- Digital Art and Photo Retouching
- Picture Tubes (.tub) and Custom Patterns (.pat)