AFF to TCR Converter

AFF to TCR online — free compressed text ebook output

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Legacy Reader Format

AFF to TCR conversion produces compressed text ebooks for Psion and PDA devices — serving retro computing enthusiasts.

Effortless Use

Upload, pick TCR, download — straightforward and fast. No knowledge of legacy formats required.

Cloud Processing

All conversion work happens remotely. Your device stays free while Convertio servers do the job.

How to convert AFF to TCR

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose tcr or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your tcr file right afterwards

About formats

AFF (Acorn Draw) is a vector graphics file format native to Acorn Computers' RISC OS operating system, introduced with the Draw application bundled in RISC OS 2 in April 1989. The Draw application shipped as a standard component of every RISC OS installation, providing users with a capable vector illustration tool at no additional cost. AFF files store vector objects as a sequence of tagged data blocks, each containing object type, bounding box, and type-specific data — supported objects include paths with straight lines and Bezier curves, text objects with font references, sprite (bitmap) objects, groups, and tagged objects for application-specific extensions. Path objects use cubic Bezier curves with move, line, and curve elements, supporting variable line widths, join styles, dash patterns, and flat color fills. The coordinate system uses RISC OS draw units at 1/180 inch resolution, providing precision for both screen display and print output. One advantage is the straightforward binary structure — the tagged block architecture makes AFF files simple to parse and generate programmatically. Native operating system integration is another strength: RISC OS renders Draw files natively in its desktop environment, treating vector graphics as first-class objects alongside bitmaps. While Acorn Computers ceased operations in the late 1990s, RISC OS continues under active open-source development, and AFF files remain supported through the platform's drawing applications and conversion utilities.
Developer: Acorn Computers
Initial release: 1989
TCR (Text Compression for Reader) is a compressed plain-text ebook format developed by Barry Childress in the early 1990s for the Psion Series 3 family of palmtop computers. The format was created for Childress's Reader3 application, a text file viewer that needed to fit large books into the Psion's extremely limited storage — typically 128 KB to 2 MB of available memory. TCR uses a dictionary-based compression scheme derived from the earlier ZVR format by Ian Giddings, replacing repeated byte sequences with single-byte tokens that reference a header dictionary. This straightforward approach achieves compression ratios of roughly 40-60% on typical English prose while requiring minimal CPU resources for decompression. The Psion Series 3 ran on a 3.84 MHz NEC V30 processor with no floating-point unit, so TCR's low computational overhead was essential for smooth page-by-page reading. A key advantage is remarkable storage efficiency for its simplicity — users could carry dozens of novels on removable SSD cards that held only a few hundred kilobytes. The format found a dedicated user community among Psion enthusiasts who built libraries of compressed literature for portable reading years before smartphones existed. Though the Psion platform faded from the market in the early 2000s, TCR files can still be opened and converted by modern ebook tools, and the format stands as an early example of purpose-built mobile reading technology from the pre-smartphone era.
Developer: Barry Childress
Initial release: 1993

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert AFF to TCR?

AFF is stuck in the extinct Acorn Draw. TCR is a compressed text format for Psion and legacy PDA readers — converting serves retro and legacy device users.

What reads TCR files?

Psion devices, some Palm readers, Calibre, and specialized TCR-compatible ebook applications can open TCR files.

Is TCR a modern format?

TCR is a legacy format from the Psion/PDA era. For modern use, EPUB or MOBI are better choices.

Is conversion free?

Yes — completely free. No account needed — premium is optional.

How secure is the conversion?

AFF uploads are deleted immediately after conversion. TCR results are purged within 24 hours.