Images

SongShow Plus supports a number of image file formats.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

This image format is the preferred one to use for photographs. This format is very effective at handling the complex nature of photographs when compressing the image to a smaller size. The format supports 24-bit color resolution. The format is a "lossy" format which means that some image information is lost as part of the compression process. When saving an image, the user is typically given an option to choose how much compression to use. High compression results in a smaller file and a lower quality image. Low compression results in a larger files and a higher quality image. The JPEG format does not support transparency. The file extension used for JPEG images is typically .jpg.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

This image format is the preferred one to use for graphics images, particularly ones that have large areas of the same color and which have sharp lines, such as in a graph. The format is "lossless" which ensures that the image retains its original look when its saved. The format supports 24-bit color resolution and also supports transparency through use of a per-pixel alpha channel. This capability makes PNG files useful as high-quality overlay images. The file extension used for PNG images is .png.

BMP (bitmap)

This is the native image format used by Microsoft Windows. It's a "lossless" format that is typically stored as uncompressed image data. It supports up to 24-bit color resolution but has no support for transparency. The files can be stored using compression but this is not common, but when used, works better for graphics type images rather than photographic type images. When creating an image file, there is little reason nowadays to use this format. It is supported by SongShow Plus for legacy files. The file extension used for BMP files is .bmp.

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

This image format was a common format used by early websites and networks with low bandwidth. It supports 24-bit color resolution, but can only use 256 different colors in any one image. It is a "lossless" format similar to PNG and BMP. It also supports optional transparency through the specification of a transparent color. While this makes it similar to PNG, it doesn't use alpha channel information which reduces the quality of graphics images (insufficient support for anti-aliasing). The GIF image format also provides optional support for animation. However, SongShow Plus does not support this feature of GIF. When creating an image file, there is little reason nowadays to use this format. It is supported by SongShow Plus for legacy files. The file extension for GIF images is .gif.

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

This image format differs from the others in that it is actually a container format. The image resides within the container and can use a variety of compression schemes, including JPEG. Certain formats within TIFF support transparency. The TIFF format is still commonly used for a variety of applications, particularly fax and scanner software. It's likely that you'll come across TIFF files when working with other graphics persons. However, there is little reason to choose this format yourself when saving a file. The typical file extension for TIFF files is .tif.

TGA (TARGA, or Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter)

This image format supports various levels of compression, 24-bit color resolution and optional alpha channel. Note: This format is not widely supported within SongShow Plus but is used for a few high-end graphics features. You should only use this format if you want to make use of those capabilities.

View the Images Panel

Find an Image

Present an Image

Edit an Image

Use an Image as a Background

Import an image from Shift Worship

Import an image from Planning Center Online

Import an image from Microsoft Bing