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Image MIME Reference
SGI

Silicon Graphics Image

image/sgi
VS

AutoCAD Slide

image/vnd.sld
SLD

A complete technical comparison of Silicon Graphics Image and AutoCAD Slide — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.

Equal browser support

Feature Support

Feature SGI SLD
Transparency (Alpha) Yes ✕ No
Animation Support ✕ No ✕ No
Progressive Loading ✕ No ✕ No
HDR Support ✕ No ✕ No
EXIF Metadata ✕ No ✕ No
ICC Color Profile ✕ No ✕ No
Silicon Graphics Image
image/sgi
Extension
.sgi.rgb.rgba.bw.int.inta
Container SGI Image Format
Compression Uncompressed / Lossless (Run-Length Encoding)
Algorithm
RLENone
Color Depth 8-bit, 16-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by Paul Haeberli (Silicon Graphics)
Released 1990
Magic Bytes
01 DA
Full SGI reference →
AutoCAD Slide
image/vnd.sld
Extension
.sld
Container AutoCAD Slide Container
Compression Uncompressed (Vector Instructions)
Algorithm
None
Color Depth 8-bit (AutoCAD Indexed Color)
Developed by Autodesk, Inc.
Released 1980s
Magic Bytes
41 75 74 6F 43 41 44 20 53 6C 69 64 65 0D 0A 1A 00
Full SLD reference →

Browser Support Comparison

Browser SGI SLD
Chrome Chrome
✕ ✕
Firefox Firefox
✕ ✕
Safari Safari
✕ ✕
Edge Edge
✕ ✕
IE IE (Legacy)
✕ ✕
SGI

SGI Strengths

  • Pioneered multi-channel and 16-bit per channel imaging capabilities required for high-end 1990s visual effects
  • Extremely robust and simple header structure
  • Reliable Run-Length Encoding provided solid lossless compression for flat-shaded 3D renders
Limitations
  • Completely obsolete for modern web and application development
  • Zero native web browser compatibility
  • Largely replaced by TIFF and OpenEXR in modern professional VFX and 3D pipelines
SLD

SLD Strengths

  • Allowed for instantaneous loading of highly complex architectural and engineering blueprints on low-memory MS-DOS systems
  • Easy-to-parse binary structure containing simple opcodes for drawing vectors and polygons
Limitations
  • Completely obsolete and heavily fragmented, largely replaced by PDF and lightweight web-based DXF viewers
  • Destructive 'snapshot' format irrevocably strips all useful, editable CAD geometry data from the original drawing
  • Zero support in web browsers or standard image processing libraries

When to choose which format

SGI
Use SGI when…
  • Legacy 3D Animation & VFX
  • Silicon Graphics IRIX Workflows
  • Historical CGI Archiving
SLD
Use SLD when…
  • Legacy AutoCAD Slideshows
  • AutoCAD Custom Icon Menus
  • Historical CAD Archival

More comparisons

SGI vs ACES → SLD vs ACES → SGI vs APNG → SLD vs APNG → SGI vs AVCI → SLD vs AVCI → SGI vs AVCS → SLD vs AVCS → SGI vs AVIF → SLD vs AVIF → All comparisons →
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