Motion ASCII guide

Help

Short answers to what goes wrong most often.

My video will not open

The tool takes MP4, WebM, MOV and M4V files. Anything else gets the message Choose an MP4, WebM, MOV or M4V video supported by your browser, and a file of another type dropped on the page is ignored.

If it says The browser could not decode or play that video, the file uses a format your browser cannot play; many MOV files only play in Safari. Convert it to an MP4 and try again.

It says the video is larger than 250 MB

Videos over 250 MB are refused. Trim the clip or save it smaller, then choose it again. Only the first 60 seconds go into a download anyway.

Can I use a picture instead of a video?

No. Motion ASCII takes video only. For a still picture, use ASCII art.

The characters are too small to read

At 240 columns the grid is 1,440 pixels wide and is shrunk to fit your screen. Lower Resolution, or look through the loupe. The PNG is always saved at full size, where every character is clear.

The picture is almost all blank, or all solid

Move Brightness towards the middle and lower Contrast. Check that Invert is off, unless you want it.

How do I use the loupe on a phone?

Press on the picture and drag; the loupe follows your finger and hides when you lift it. Set its zoom with Lens zoom; the mouse wheel only works with a mouse.

The page does not scroll over the picture

While the loupe shows, the mouse wheel changes its zoom instead of scrolling. Move the pointer off the picture to scroll. On a touch screen, dragging on the picture moves the loupe; scroll from outside it.

Download video does not work

Recording a canvas depends on the browser. If the line under the buttons says This browser can’t encode canvas video, or that no supported format was found, try a current Chrome or Edge, or save a PNG instead.

The video has no sound, even when your clip has it.

Does it work on a phone or tablet?

Yes. Phones and touch screens open at 160 columns instead of 240 and with a smaller loupe, to keep it smooth; every slider keeps its full range. If it stutters, lower Resolution or Frame rate.

Is my video uploaded?

No. The video is read and drawn on your device and never leaves it.

Are there keyboard shortcuts?

The tool has none of its own. Anywhere in the lab, Ctrl K, or Cmd K on a Mac, opens the list of all tools.