SIXEL to VICAR Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
DEC SIXEL Graphics and VICAR Planetary Image exist for different jobs: SIXEL is DEC's terminal graphics protocol — raster images rendered inline in VT340/xterm terminals, revived by modern terminal emulators for image display over SSH. Convert planetary VICAR frames to PNG, or write VICAR for JPL tooling.
This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly — your files never leave your device, nothing is uploaded, and there are no watermarks, sign-ups or queues. Drop in several files at once to convert them as a batch.
How SIXEL compares to VICAR
| SIXEL | VICAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | DEC SIXEL Graphics coder | VICAR Planetary Image coder |
| Compatibility | ImageMagick, specialty tools | ImageMagick, specialty tools |
| Best for | Legacy and specialty pipelines | Legacy and specialty pipelines |
How to convert SIXEL to VICAR
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your SIXEL files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to VICAR". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted VICAR file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the SIXEL format
The DEC SIXEL Graphics coder of the ImageMagick set — the terminal-graphics format is written natively by the magick.wasm engine, entirely in your browser.
Obscure coder formats like this are exactly what template-driven converters list and never actually convert — here it really works.
+Strengths
- ✓Written natively by ImageMagick
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser
- ✓Free, private, no watermarks
!Limitations
- −Niche format — few modern readers
- −Feature subset varies by coder
- −Keep the original for re-editing
About the VICAR format
The VICAR Planetary Image coder of the ImageMagick set — the planetary-science format is written natively by the magick.wasm engine, entirely in your browser.
Obscure coder formats like this are exactly what template-driven converters list and never actually convert — here it really works.
+Strengths
- ✓Written natively by ImageMagick
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser
- ✓Free, private, no watermarks
!Limitations
- −Niche format — few modern readers
- −Feature subset varies by coder
- −Keep the original for re-editing
Why convert SIXEL to VICAR?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Niche format — few modern readers VICAR works differently: Written natively by ImageMagick If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this SIXEL to VICAR converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Will I lose quality converting SIXEL to VICAR?
No — VICAR is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original SIXEL file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
What happens to EXIF data and other metadata?
Conversions here re-encode the image, and re-encoding generally does not carry the original metadata over. If the EXIF data of your SIXEL files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.
Will transparent areas survive the conversion to VICAR?
Transparency is kept whenever VICAR actually supports an alpha channel. If the target format has none (like JPG), transparent areas are flattened onto a white background — that is a property of the format, not of this tool.