.SID File Extension
Steam Game Data Backup File
| Developer | Valve |
| Popularity |
3.7 | 53 Votes |
What is a SID file?
Backup file created by Steam, an application used to download and manage Valve video games on desktop computers; contains compressed game data created by the Steam backup feature (steambackup.exe program); used to backup games to DVDs or other external media.
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SID files are created with a .SIS file and a .SIM file, which provide metadata necessary to restore backup game data. SID files use the naming convention {game}_disk{X}_{Y}.sid, where "game" is the name of the backup game, "X" is the disk number, and "Y" is the backup file number on the disk.
NOTE: Steam backups do not include saved games, custom multiplayer maps, or configuration files. You must backup and restore those files manually.
Programs that open or reference SID files
MrSID Image
| Developer | Extensis |
| Popularity |
3.3 | 22 Votes |
Image created using Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database (MrSID) compression, which was developed by Extensis for compressing large images; commonly used to partition and store large Geographic Information Systems (GIS) images.
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NOTE: Extensis was formerly known as LizardTech.
Programs that open SID files
SID Audio
| Developer | Michael Schwendt, et al. |
| Popularity |
3.5 | 14 Votes |
A SID file may also be an audio file saved in a format used by Commodore computers (primarily, the Commodore 64). It most likely contains background music played in a video game. While SID files are uncommon, some specialized music players and Commodore 64 emulators can still play them.
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Michael Schwendt, Simon White, Dag Lem, Wilfred Bos, and LaLa developed various iterations of the SID format to store Commodore 64 audio. The format is named after the MOS Technology Sound Interface Device (SID), which is the sound generator chip that the Commodore 64, Commodore CBM-II, Commodore 128, and MAX Machine computers use to play sounds and music.
SID files may be saved in one of two variants of the SID format: PSID or RSID. PSID (PlaySID) is an older version of the format; RSID (RealSID) is the newer version. SID files saved in the PSID format are compatible with more Commodore 64 emulators, because playing RSID files requires a more complete emulation of Commodore 64 hardware.
How to open a SID file
You can play a SID file with quadraSID, ACID 64 Player, Audacious, SIDPlayer, or Vitamin/CAIG ZXTune.
Programs that open SID files
ScanIt Document
| Developer | AmsterCHEM |
| Popularity |
2.5 | 4 Votes |
Document created and used by ScanIt, an application used to extract data from graphs; contains the graph image and its metadata; includes axes definitions, document windows, and other document specific options.