Image MIME Reference
MrSID
Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database
image/x-mrsid-image
VS
PCO B16 Image
image/vnd.pco.b16
PCO-B16
A complete technical comparison of Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database and PCO B16 Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | MrSID | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | Yes | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | ✕ No |
Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database
image/x-mrsid-image
Extension
.sid
Container
Proprietary MrSID Container
Compression
Proprietary Wavelet (Lossy) / Proprietary Wavelet (Lossless)
Algorithm
Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT)
Color Depth
8-bit (Grayscale), 24-bit (RGB), Multi-spectral (Multiple bands)
Developed by
Los Alamos National Laboratory / LizardTech (Extensis)
Released
1992
Magic Bytes
6D 73 69 64
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 | MrSID | PCO-B16 |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
MrSID
MrSID Strengths
- Incredible compression ratios enable multi-gigabyte geographical datasets to be stored on standard hard drives or transmitted easily
- Multi-resolution architecture means panning and zooming across a massive map is completely fluid, as the system decodes only the visible quadrant at the required zoom level
- Supports multi-spectral bands critical for remote sensing and agricultural GIS analysis
Limitations
- Deeply proprietary; creating or decoding MrSID files typically requires expensive commercial software or the proprietary Extensis DSDK
- Open-source geospatial libraries like GDAL require compiling against the proprietary SDK to legally enable MrSID support, causing licensing headaches for Linux server deployments
- Not natively viewable on the web without specialized geospatial map servers (like GeoServer or MapServer) tiling the image into PNGs or JPEGs on the fly
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
MrSID
Use MrSID when…
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Satellite Imagery Archival
- Aerial Orthophotography Mosaics
PCO-B16
Use PCO-B16 when…
- Microscopy and Life Sciences
- High-Speed Camera Recording
- Machine Vision and Industrial Inspection
- Scientific Photometry