ASCIICAM

ASCIICam is a web application that transforms your camera feed into real-time ASCII art. It converts video input into text characters, creating a unique visual experience reminiscent of early computer art.

Features

• Real-time ASCII Conversion: Instantly transforms your camera feed into ASCII art
• Camera Switching: Toggle between front and rear cameras
• Screenshot Capability: Capture and save your ASCII art creations as PNG images
• Responsive Design: Works on both mobile and desktop devices
• Dark Mode: Sleek black background with white text for optimal contrast
• Convert from Gallery: Choose any image from gallery and covert it into ASCII

How It Works

ASCIICAM uses your device's camera to capture video frames, which are then processed in real-time. Each pixel's brightness is mapped to a corresponding ASCII character, with brighter areas represented by denser characters and darker areas by spaces.

The application uses a carefully selected set of ASCII characters to represent different brightness levels:

' ', '.', ',', '-', '~', '+', '=', 'o', 'a', '#', '%', '8', '@'

(From darkest to brightest)

Usage

1. Grant Camera Access: When prompted, allow ASCIICam to access your camera
2. Switch Cameras: Use the camera icon button (bottom left) to toggle between front and rear cameras
3. Capture Images: Click the capture button (bottom right) to save your current ASCII art view as a PNG image
4. Adjust Positioning: Move closer or further from the camera to change the level of detail

Technical Details

• Built with vanilla HTML
• Uses the HTML5 Canvas API for image processing
• Implements the MediaDevices API for camera access
• Optimized for performance with efficient pixel sampling

Browser Compatibility

ASCIICAM works best on modern browsers that support the MediaDevices API:

• Chrome (desktop and mobile)
• Firefox (desktop and mobile)
• Safari (iOS 11+ and macOS)
• Edge (Chromium-based)

Privacy

ASCIICAM processes all video data locally in your browser. No images or video are transmitted to any server.

Installation

Simply host the HTML file on any web server, or open it directly in a browser. No build process or dependencies required.

License

ASCIICAM is open source and free to use, modify, and distribute.

Credits

Developed with Claude Sonnet 3.7 and a passion for retro computing aesthetics.