SIXEL to UYVY Converter

Export inline terminal art to UYVY format online for free

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Any Device Works

Convert SIXEL to UYVY from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. Any device with a modern browser and internet connection works.

Multi-File Processing

Queue several SIXEL files at once and convert them all to UYVY simultaneously. Batch mode streamlines repetitive conversion work.

Effortless Process

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

How to convert SIXEL to UYVY

1

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

2

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

3

Let the file convert and you can download your uyvy 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
UYVY is a packed pixel format for storing images and video frames in YUV 4:2:2 chroma-subsampled color space, with the UYVY designation indicating the byte ordering within each 4-byte macropixel: U (Cb), Y0, V (Cr), Y1. Each macropixel encodes two horizontal pixels sharing a single pair of chrominance samples (U and V) but retaining individual luminance values (Y0 and Y1), achieving 2:1 horizontal chroma subsampling that reduces data size by 33% compared to full 4:4:4 YUV while maintaining full luminance resolution. The UYVY ordering is specified as a FOURCC code in Microsoft's Video for Windows and DirectShow frameworks, and is commonly used in professional video capture cards, broadcast equipment, and video processing pipelines. UYVY raw files contain no header — the pixel data is a flat sequence of U,Y,V,Y byte quadruplets, requiring external specification of image dimensions. The 4:2:2 subsampling exploits the human visual system's lower spatial resolution for color compared to brightness: the eye notices luminance detail at much higher spatial frequencies than chrominance detail, so sharing color samples between adjacent pixels produces no visible quality loss in practice. One advantage is broadcast-standard compatibility: UYVY's 4:2:2 sampling matches the chrominance structure used in professional video standards (ITU-R BT.601, SDI), making it the natural format for video capture hardware and frame-accurate processing. The format's efficient memory layout is another strength — the packed byte arrangement enables fast DMA transfers between capture hardware and system memory. UYVY data is handled by FFmpeg, ImageMagick, and professional video capture/editing software.
Developer: ITU-T / Microsoft
Initial release: 1982

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SIXEL to UYVY?

Terminal-rendered SIXEL graphics are confined to the command line. Converting to UYVY makes them usable across all platforms and apps.

What programs can open UYVY?

VLC media player, FFplay, and raw image viewers handle UYVY video frame data. ImageMagick can also process UYVY raw frames.

How accurate is SIXEL to UYVY conversion?

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

How long does SIXEL to UYVY conversion take?

Most SIXEL images convert to UYVY within seconds. The exact time depends on the resolution and complexity of the source, but it is typically quick.

Does Convertio support batch SIXEL to UYVY conversion?

Absolutely. Add several SIXEL images at once, set UYVY as the output, and the converter processes them all in parallel for maximum efficiency.

Which terminal emulators output SIXEL?

Terminals like mlterm, foot, WezTerm, and xterm (with SIXEL enabled) produce SIXEL graphics. Convert those outputs to UYVY here.