Convert VIFF to PHM

The Khoros Visualization Image File Format (VIFF), developed by AccuSoft Corporation, is a bitmap image format used primarily within the Khoros software environment for scientific and engineering applications. It supports various image types, including grayscale, color, and multi-spectral images, making it useful for visualizing complex datasets. Despite its powerful capabilities, VIFF is now considered somewhat obsolete due to the emergence of newer, more versatile image formats. However, it remains an important part of the history of image processing and visualization technologies.

The PHM file extension stands for Portable Float-map Image (16-bit half), a format used for storing High Dynamic Range (HDR) images with 16-bit half-precision floating-point values. This format is particularly useful in applications requiring precise color representation and extensive dynamic range, such as computer graphics, image processing, and scientific visualization. Originating from the Portable FloatMap (PFM) format, PHM was developed to provide a more efficient storage solution by utilizing half-precision floats, thereby reducing file size while maintaining significant detail and accuracy.