HEIC vs. ODD: Which Format is better?

By Admin | Updated 29th August, 2024

ODD vs. HEIC

Table of contents

ODD and HEIC file types are extensively used across different platforms. However, their adoptions largely depend on the built-in features and qualities that web developers and graphic designers must understand before settling on a format. 

The article compares ODD vs. HEIC concerning structure, file size, storage demands, animation support, compression method, web performance, image quality, web browser support, and transparency to help users select an ideal format.  

When is HEIC better than ODD?

HECI images are smaller, high-quality, web-responsive, and storage efficient, while ODD images are larger, low-quality, less web-responsive, and demand more storage space. 

HEIC file type captures, stores, and exchanges images and video clips on websites or over mobile phones or networks. The HEIC advantages include smaller loads online, efficient compression using HEVC algorithms, high-quality images, comprehensive metadata, and high web responsiveness. 

When is ODD better than HEIC?

ODD images are supported by all web browsers and platforms, while HEIC images are only supported by Apple Safari, Google Marketplace, and Google Workplace. This makes ODD file type widely adopted in detached office applications and ODD suites, such as PowerPoint slides, Word Processors, and Spreadsheet documents. 

ODD versus HEIC Table Comparison

Aspect/FactorHEICODD
Transparency Supports transparency.Supports transparency.
File SizeSmaller than ODD files. Larger than HEIC files.
Image Quality High-quality images compared to ODD images. Low-quality images compared to HEIC images.
PerformanceSmaller and loads faster than ODD.Larger and loads slower than HEIC.
Structure Raster graphics with comments and tags, image series, and EXIF/TIF files stored via indicators for display. Vector graphic with a single XML document and sub-docs with user-defined and pre-defined metadata.
Animation Supports still image animations.Supports animations. 
StorageNeeds less storage space than ODD. Needs more storage space than HEIC.
CompressionSupports lossy and lossless compression methods. Supports lossless compression method.
Browser SupportLimited browser support compared to ODD.Supported by all modern and legacy web browsers.

Differences and similarities between HEIC and ODD images

Differences and similarities between HEIC and ODD images

The comparison table above shows that ODD versus HEIC supports lossless compression, transparency, and animations. However, the formats differ in file size, web performance, storage needs, structure, lossy compression, browser support, and image quality. 

Transparency

ODD and HEIC files support transparency. ODD extensions enable multi-sample pixels by encrypting lossless files with alpha channel transparency data. Their XML-aware devices can show the order of transparent components in an ODD file. 

Conversely, HEIC supports transparency just like the PNG format. It allows images like graphics and logos to merge seamlessly with the dominant webpage background. Its files have different bit depths: 0 represents transparent pixels, 255 denotes opaque pixels, and 1-254 pixels imply translucent pixels. 

File Size

HEIC vs. ODD file size comparison

HEIC stores metadata and data in a single file, while ODD stores vector graphics. Multilayered HEIC files can be larger if uncompressed than lossless ODD files. However, HEIC uses the most efficient HEVC compression method, significantly minimizing file sizes compared to lossless ODD. Lossy HEIC deletes unnecessary image data, resulting in smaller files than ODD files.

Image Quality

ODD image quality is slightly lower than HEIC image quality. The ODD file format supports 8 bits per color channel, while HEIC supports 10-bit and 16-bit color modules or files loaded as 48-bit by default. HEIC also supports a Wide Color Range and High Dynamic Range, which are not supported by ODD files.

ODD supports standard rendering and vector graphics, like graphic and typographic effects, but its specs hardly mention ICC color profiles. HEIC's bit-depth results in crispy and visually attractive images and a better user experience than ODD.HEVC compression also reserves HEIC's High-Quality image details.

Performance

HEVC creates smaller, high-quality, and web-responsive files than ODD, making them easy to share using low-bandwidth connections. They consume fewer bytes, necessitate less storage expenses, and load or download faster on websites than ODD files. 

Structure

HEIC versus ODD structure comparison

HEIC files are raster graphics, whereas ODD files are vector-based. An ODD file can be a single XML document or a group of different sub-documents. ODD packages store part of their document with a definite structure using sub-documents. 

Each sub-document package has unlike document root but stores a particular module of the XML document. Its metadata has pre-defined, user-defined, and custom metadata.ODD metadata has a document template, editing cycles, hyperlinks, creation, change, printing dates, title, description, keywords, and generator. 

In contrast, HEIC files specify how specific images, image series, and metadata are kept in a container file compliant with the ISO Base Media File Format rules. They have Exif metadata like tags and comments supported by EXIF and TIFF. They also have embedded TIFF files without image data but keep specific image files marked as "items." All files have a labeled number of items.

Animation

HEIC format supports image series or still animations, while ODD supports animations and scenes rendering 3D objects using detailed projection and lighting. The central ODD graphical markup for comical clips is on the drawing page, which has layers, forms, frames, and drawing objects. 

The ODD's draw page elements within the presentation slides have animations and accompanying texts. Conversely, HEIC files store layered images and metadata in a single file, making it possible to generate short animations. HEIC also stores image series that can be played as slideshows or lively content. 

Storage

HEIC uses an efficient and advanced HEVC compression method, resulting in smaller files than lossless ODD files. Hence, HEIC files require less than half the storage space used by ODD files. Nonetheless, both formats can store data indefinitely with proper handling, good storage conditions, and ideal storage mediums.

HEIC files can be stored in EXIF/TIFF File Systems, ISO Base Media Files, Cloud, and Content Delivery Networks. In contrast, ODD files can be stored in an XML file system called a manifest file. Thus, web developers and graphic designers should choose HEIC over ODD for less storage space demands.

Compression

ODD supports lossless compression with ZIP algorithms, whereas HEIC supports lossless and lossy compression with the HEVC video codec. The ODD compression process preserves all image details and occurs in steps. First, a password is created to protect the ODD files by retaining the bundle structure. 

Then, the XML file contents in the package are encrypted and compressed using the DEFLATE algorithm. While ODD compression reduces file sizes, the format produces larger files than the compressed HEIC files. HEIC uses an efficient and more advanced compression than the ODD format.

Lossy and lossless HEIC use high-efficiency video coding (HEVC) to minimize file sizes. Their lossless images are significantly smaller and of higher quality than ODD images. Lossy HEIC deletes some file data and results in a loss in image quality. The final images are smaller and of higher quality than ODD images. 

Browser Support

ODD has a rich history from 2005, while the HEIC format is among the next-generation file types. Compared to ODD files, HEIC files are incompatible with most web browsers and software. Apple Safari, Google Workplace, and Google Marketplace inherently support HEIC files. 

Modern and legacy email and web browsers like Internet Explorer, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Discord, Firefox, Brave, Chrome, and Samsung Internet do not support HEIC files. Therefore, for wider web browser support, compatibility, usage, and adoption, choose ODD over HEIC.  

ODD files are universally compatible and supported by all email and web browsers, including Brave, Discord, Opera, Edge, Vivaldi, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Samsung Internet, Firefox, and Safari. 

Convert HEIC to ODD or ODD to HEIC

Convert HEIC to ODD using Convertjack to enjoy the quality and features of ODD images and files. The ODD file type is open-source, universally supported by most applications, software, and all web browsers, and can be scaled up and down without losing resolution levels. 

Convertjack is a perfect ODD to HEIC converter. The tool ensures users relish the unsullied HEIC format features: efficient and advanced compression, high-quality, comprehensive metadata, storage efficiency, and web-responsive images and files with better user experience and optimized search engines.