XBM to HRZ Converter

Change XBM images to HRZ — no downloads, works online

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Lightning Fast

XBM files are small and convert to HRZ in seconds. The cloud-based engine handles the transformation quickly so you can download right away.

Format Upgrade

Move from X Window System era XBM to the modern HRZ format — enjoy slow-scan television image format from amateur radio and broad software compatibility.

Simple Interface

Three steps to convert: upload your XBM, select HRZ, and download. The clean interface makes the process intuitive even for first-time users.

How to convert XBM to HRZ

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

XBM (X BitMap) is a monochrome (1-bit) image format defined as part of the X Window System, originating at MIT around 1987. XBM files are unique among image formats in being valid C source code: each file defines the image as a static array of unsigned char values containing the packed pixel data, preceded by #define statements specifying the image width, height, and optional hot-spot coordinates (for cursor images). The pixel data is stored in hexadecimal byte values within curly braces, with each bit representing one pixel (1 = foreground, 0 = background) and bits ordered LSB-first within each byte. This design was intentional — XBM images could be #included directly into X Window application source code and compiled into the binary, eliminating the need for external file loading and runtime format parsing. The format was used throughout the X11 ecosystem for cursor shapes, window icons, toolbar buttons, and other small UI elements. One advantage is the source-code nature of the format: XBM files can be edited with a text editor, diff'd and merged in version control, generated by shell scripts, and compiled directly into C programs without any image loading library — a level of toolchain integration that no binary image format can match. The format's role as part of the X Window standard ensures it is understood by every X11-aware toolkit and application. While limited to monochrome and no compression, XBM's simplicity makes it an excellent teaching format for understanding bitmap representations. XBM files are supported by all X11 applications, ImageMagick, GIMP, web browsers (as a legacy web format), and programming environments.
Developer: MIT X Consortium
Initial release: 1987
HRZ is a simple raster image format associated with slow-scan television (SSTV), a method of transmitting still images over radio frequencies used by amateur radio operators since the late 1950s when Copthorne Macdonald pioneered the technology. HRZ files store images at a fixed resolution of 256x240 pixels in raw RGB format, with each pixel represented as three bytes (red, green, blue) at 8 bits per channel, producing uncompressed files of exactly 184,320 bytes. The format has no header, no metadata, and no compression — the file is simply a sequential dump of raw pixel data in row-major order. This extreme simplicity reflects the format's origins in the amateur radio community, where SSTV images are transmitted as audio tones encoding luminance and chrominance values over narrow-bandwidth HF (shortwave) radio channels. The fixed 256x240 resolution corresponds to common SSTV transmission modes, and HRZ files serve as the digital capture or storage medium for received SSTV transmissions. One advantage is the format's zero-overhead structure: with no parsing, decompression, or metadata processing required, HRZ files can be read by any program capable of reading raw pixel data with known dimensions — a single function call in virtually any programming language. The format's connection to amateur radio SSTV culture is another notable aspect: HRZ files document a unique form of image communication where operators transmit photographs over thousands of miles using nothing but radio waves and audio encoding, a practice that continues today alongside digital modes. HRZ files can be opened by ImageMagick, GIMP, and specialized SSTV software.
Developer: SSTV Community
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XBM to HRZ?

XBM originated in X11/Unix and has narrow compatibility today. HRZ offers slow-scan television image format from amateur radio — a far more practical choice for sharing.

What apps support HRZ?

You can view HRZ with ImageMagick, specialized SSTV software. These tools cover all major desktop and mobile platforms.

Is XBM to HRZ conversion free?

Yes — Convertio offers free XBM to HRZ conversion. Premium options exist for users who need more capacity or faster processing speeds.

What exactly is the XBM format?

The XBM format is a monochrome bitmap from the X Window System, rooted in X11/Unix. Modern software rarely supports it natively, making conversion essential.

Are my uploaded files kept private?

Yes — your XBM files are deleted immediately after processing. The resulting HRZ files are also removed from servers within 24 hours.

Does converting XBM to HRZ affect quality?

The conversion preserves the visual content of your XBM image. HRZ will reproduce the same pixel data within the limits of its format capabilities.