Do you guys know of any tool, either for Windows or DOSBox, that can take a .png image and convert it into a 80x25 .ans file? I wrote a little tool to crate simple e-zines from .txt files, and would like to mix in between pages some .ans files. I'm trying to convert some copyright-less pics into .ans
Thanks in advance for any tips you can give me.

Cheers!

Pol Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

Do you guys know of any tool, either for Windows or DOSBox, that can
take a .png image and convert it into a 80x25 .ans file?

I think people rather do opposite.

-h1

... -=Lordz of BooM are back=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 08 Nov 2025, hollowone said the following...

Do you guys know of any tool, either for Windows or DOSBox, that can take a .png image and convert it into a 80x25 .ans file?

I think people rather do opposite.

-h1

What do I want a .png file for, if I intend to .zip up a handful of .ans files to be published as an e-zine, meant to be read with something like AcidView??

Pol Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

What do I want a .png file for, if I intend to .zip up a handful of .ans files to be published as an e-zine, meant to be read with something like AcidView??

I think it'd be easier to either have that viewer targeting SIXEL enabled terminal or create your own ansi mag engine that supports SIXEL rendering.

Way more consistent user experience on the end. Unless you target some sophisticated and potential UTF-8 true color encoder that will simulate framebuffer for your expected output image.

Otherwise I don't trust you'll like the results.

-h1

... -=Lordz of BooM are back=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 09 Nov 2025, hollowone said the following...

What do I want a .png file for, if I intend to .zip up a handful of . files to be published as an e-zine, meant to be read with something l AcidView??

I think it'd be easier to either have that viewer targeting SIXEL enabled terminal or create your own ansi mag engine that supports SIXEL
rendering.

Way more consistent user experience on the end. Unless you target some sophisticated and potential UTF-8 true color encoder that will simulate framebuffer for your expected output image.

Otherwise I don't trust you'll like the results.

lol SIXEL graphics are pretty niche. maybe not from your perspective because it seems like a lot of (/modern/) BBS users talk about it, but the window of SIXEL capable users is basically:

linux users
people with SyncTERM

the problem is any retro enthusiast wouldn't run anything that displays SIXEL, they'd be running Telix, QModem, BananaCom, just to name a few DOS specific ones. they'd be more inclined to have something like 86Box or DosBox installed specifically for this purpose, etc. there is no user terminal in the sense you're thinking on these machines. you can't "cat" the SIXEL file.

i suspect the audience of this e-zine is someone who would appreciate real ANSIs and not some SIXEL slop anyways

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (21:1/616)

On 09 Nov 2025, hollowone said the following...

What do I want a .png file for, if I intend to .zip up a handful of . files to be published as an e-zine, meant to be read with something l AcidView??

I think it'd be easier to either have that viewer targeting SIXEL enabled terminal or create your own ansi mag engine that supports SIXEL
rendering.

Way more consistent user experience on the end. Unless you target some sophisticated and potential UTF-8 true color encoder that will simulate framebuffer for your expected output image.

Otherwise I don't trust you'll like the results.

-h1

My friend, have you tried AcidView on Windows for standard viewing of .zipp-ed up packs .ans files?

Pol Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

the problem is any retro enthusiast wouldn't run anything that displays SIXEL, they'd be running Telix, QModem, BananaCom, just to name a few
DOS specific ones. they'd be more inclined to have something like 86Box
or DosBox installed specifically for this purpose, etc. there is no user terminal in the sense you're thinking on these machines. you can't "cat" the SIXEL file.

That's why I suggested writing own .exe as a client/engine to display this mag with a proper conversion handled by themselves.
I'm aware of the limit. I live in the buble I moved my telnet/bbs client to iTerm2 on MacOs which natively supports SIXEL :)

I have SIXEL for free..

but I think the core question was that you have .PNG file of certain resolution (most likely significantly higher than 80x25 limit of standard terminal and convert it smartly into ANSI art using characters available in the ASCII table + colors.

I believe that's nonsense so that's why I suggested investigating SIXEL instead. This way or another.

-h1

... -=Lordz of BooM are back=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

My friend, have you tried AcidView on Windows for standard viewing of .zipp-ed up packs .ans files?

Nope, I'm on Mac. is it solving the issue?

-h1

... -=Lordz of BooM are back=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

On 09 Nov 2025, hollowone said the following...

but I think the core question was that you have .PNG file of certain resolution (most likely significantly higher than 80x25 limit of
standard terminal and convert it smartly into ANSI art using characters available in the ASCII table + colors.

yeah.. images converted to ansi this way might put people off.. at least anyone who has spent time trying to spot "gif2ans" usage from people in ansi art groups.

That's why I suggested writing own .exe as a client/engine to display
this mag with a proper conversion handled by themselves.

yeah. i haven't seen a zine with it's own reader for a while. much less one with it's own built in mod player.. the good old days..

I'm aware of the limit. I live in the buble I moved my telnet/bbs client to iTerm2 on MacOs which natively supports SIXEL :)

i duno, the concept is cool enough when it's used for a utility type reason (the weather door for example) but if i called a bbs and their answer screen was a sixel i might hang up lol. especially if it's text generated with one of those plugins GIMP used to be bundled with ;)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (21:1/616)

in the meantime, I've found this :

https://www.asciiart.eu/image-to-ascii

still crappy but closest to the original request, I suppose.

-h1

... Multitasking: Reading in the bathroom

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

On 22 Nov 2025, hollowone said the following...

in the meantime, I've found this :

https://www.asciiart.eu/image-to-ascii

still crappy but closest to the original request, I suppose.

-h1

I have tried that one and I have to say: that is *exactly* what I need, but the results on that app aren't anywhere near "perfect". I found another (slightly better) option, in:
convert2ascii.com

Thanks for the help!!

Pol Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)