A more advanced bi-level image compression standard that improves on the older MH, MR, and MMR fax compression methods.
- JBIG (Joint Bi-level Image Experts Group) is a compression standard for bi-level, black-and-white images, including scanned fax pages.
- It generally compresses the same type of page more tightly than the older MH, MR, and MMR fax compression methods.
- Despite the better compression, JBIG saw limited real-world adoption in fax hardware compared to the older methods it improves on.
- Fax.Plus's own compression is handled automatically in the cloud; JBIG isn't something a sender configures or needs to know about.
What Is JBIG?
JBIG, short for Joint Bi-level Image Experts Group, is a compression standard for bi-level images, meaning images made up of only two colors, almost always black and white, which covers the vast majority of scanned fax pages. It was developed specifically to improve on the compression ratios of the older MH, MR, and MMR compression methods used in standard Group 3 fax.
Why JBIG Didn't Replace the Older Methods
Despite compressing the same kind of page more tightly, JBIG saw limited adoption in real-world fax hardware and services. Migrating an entire installed base of fax machines to a new coding method category requires both ends of a transmission to support it, and the older methods were already universal enough that the gain wasn't worth the compatibility risk for most manufacturers. A JBIG-compressed image can still end up stored inside a TIFF container, the same file format used for pages compressed with the older methods.
A Common Case: Archiving Decades of Scanned Records
An organization digitizing a large backlog of old paper records for long-term storage evaluates JBIG against older compression methods to see how much storage space a more efficient standard could save across thousands of scanned pages.
FAQs
Does JBIG replace MH, MR, and MMR compression in fax machines?
No. JBIG compresses more efficiently, but the older methods remained the universal standard because they're supported by virtually every Group 3 fax device already in use.
Can a JBIG-compressed fax still be saved as a TIFF file?
Yes. JBIG is a compression standard, not a file format, so a JBIG-compressed image can still be stored inside a TIFF container, the same format used for pages compressed with older MH, MR, or MMR methods.
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