Image MIME Reference
JPEG-XR-Sequence
JPEG XR Image Sequence (HEIF Container)
image/jxrs
VS
PCO B16 Image
image/vnd.pco.b16
PCO-B16
A complete technical comparison of JPEG XR Image Sequence (HEIF Container) and PCO B16 Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | JPEG-XR-Sequence | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | Yes | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | ✕ No |
JPEG XR Image Sequence (HEIF Container)
image/jxrs
Extension
.jxrs
Container
HEIF / ISOBMFF (ISO/IEC 23008-12 / Annex F of ITU-T T.832)
Compression
Lossy / Lossless
Algorithm
JPEG XR (Lapped Biorthogonal Transform)
Color Depth
8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit (Float)
Developed by
ISO/IEC JTC 1 / ITU-T
Released
2019
Magic Bytes
XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 6A 78 72 53
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 | JPEG-XR-Sequence | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
JPEG-XR-Sequence
JPEG-XR-Sequence Strengths
- Supports 32-bit floating point HDR color depths natively across an entire animation sequence
- Combines the advanced coding efficiencies of JPEG XR with the sequence timing and metadata framework of HEIF
- Shares frame data structures allowing for optimized storage of burst photography
Limitations
- Extremely rare format with essentially no mainstream software adoption
- Zero web browser support
- Overshadowed heavily by HEVC (HEIC sequences) and AV1 (AVIF sequences) which offer superior compression and broader hardware decoding support
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
JPEG-XR-Sequence
Use JPEG-XR-Sequence when…
- Experimental Animation Workflows
- HDR Burst Photography Archiving
- Specialized Medical & Scientific Imaging
PCO-B16
Use PCO-B16 when…
- Microscopy and Life Sciences
- High-Speed Camera Recording
- Machine Vision and Industrial Inspection
- Scientific Photometry