SIXEL to PDB Converter

Convert SIXEL graphics to PDB format online for free

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Effortless Process

The SIXEL to PDB converter guides you through a clear upload-convert-download workflow — no technical expertise required.

No Install Required

The entire SIXEL to PDB conversion runs in your browser. No desktop software, no plugins — just upload and convert.

Simple Workflow

Upload SIXEL, pick PDB, download the result — the three-step process makes converting legacy formats effortless for anyone.

How to convert SIXEL to PDB

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

SIXEL (Six Pixel) is a bitmap graphics encoding format created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1983 for rendering images on character-cell printers and video terminals. The name derives from the encoding's fundamental unit: a column of six pixels represented by a single ASCII character. Each printable character in the sixel data stream (ASCII 63-126) encodes a 6-pixel vertical column, with the character's binary value determining which pixels are on or off. Color is specified through register-based palette control: a Select Color Sequence assigns an HLS or RGB color value to a numbered register, and subsequent sixel characters use that color until another register is selected. The encoding supports raster attributes for specifying pixel aspect ratio and image dimensions, repeat sequences (! followed by a count and character) for run-length compression of identical columns, and $ (carriage return) and - (new line) for navigating the sixel grid. DEC implemented SIXEL support in their VT240, VT241, VT330, and VT340 terminals, as well as multiple printer models. One advantage of the SIXEL encoding is its ASCII-clean nature: the data stream consists entirely of printable characters and standard control sequences, meaning SIXEL graphics can be transmitted through any text-based communication channel — serial terminals, SSH sessions, telnet connections — without requiring binary-safe transport or protocol modifications. The format's modern renaissance provides another remarkable dimension: after decades of obscurity, SIXEL support has been implemented in numerous contemporary terminal emulators, enabling inline image display in command-line workflows. SIXEL output can be generated by ImageMagick, libsixel, chafa, and various plotting libraries.
Initial release: 1983
PDB (Palm Database) is a generic database container format created by Palm, Inc. for the Palm OS platform, first appearing with the original PalmPilot in March 1996. In the ebook context, PDB files most commonly use the PalmDOC or Plucker encoding to store readable text with basic formatting. The format consists of a 78-byte header identifying the database name, creation date, and record count, followed by a record index table and the data records themselves. PalmDOC-encoded PDB files use a simple LZ77-based compression scheme to pack plain text efficiently, while Plucker extends this with HTML rendering, image support, and hyperlink navigation. PDB ebooks powered a thriving mobile reading ecosystem years before dedicated e-readers existed — millions of Palm OS users carried entire libraries on devices like the Palm V, Tungsten, and Treo handhelds. A primary advantage is extreme simplicity: the flat record structure and minimal overhead mean PDB files parse instantly even on severely constrained hardware with limited memory and processing power. The open, well-documented structure is another strength, having spawned numerous reader applications across Palm OS, Windows, and later mobile platforms. Though the Palm platform is long discontinued, PDB ebooks remain accessible through conversion tools and readers like Calibre, and the format holds historical significance as one of the earliest practical mobile ebook solutions.
Developer: Palm, Inc.
Initial release: March 1996

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SIXEL to PDB?

SIXEL images only appear inside terminal emulators. Exporting to PDB lets you use that artwork in any image viewer or editor.

What programs can open PDB?

Palm OS emulators and ImageMagick process PDB image files. This database format was used for images on Palm handheld devices.

How accurate is SIXEL to PDB conversion?

PDB preserves image data without lossy compression, so the visual content from your SIXEL is retained faithfully during conversion.

How long does SIXEL to PDB conversion take?

Conversion is handled on cloud servers and usually completes in a few seconds. Larger or higher-resolution SIXEL images may take slightly longer.

Does Convertio support batch SIXEL to PDB conversion?

Batch conversion is supported. Queue as many SIXEL files as you need and convert them all to PDB in a single run — no repeating steps manually.