Upload an image
Choose a PNG, JPG, BMP, or WebP image from your computer.
Binary signal studio for Windows
Arecibo
Turn an image into a two-tone audio transmission.
Decode the signal and bring the image back.
Arecibo converts images into black-and-white binary data, turns that data into an audio signal made from two tones, and can decode compatible audio signals back into images.
Download Arecibo for Windows
Windows 10 and Windows 11
If the download does not start, the installer may not have been added to the downloads folder yet.
The transmission path
From pixels to beeps—and back again
Everything happens through a clear, inspectable sequence. Black pixels become zeroes, white pixels become ones, and two audio frequencies carry the message.
Convert to binary
Create a recognizable black-and-white image where every pixel is one bit.
Encode BFSK tones
Transmit zeroes and ones using two fast, distinct audio frequencies.
Save the WAV
Export the complete binary transmission as standard mono PCM audio.
Load compatible audio
Open an Arecibo-generated WAV and analyze its two signal frequencies.
Restore the image
Validate the packet and reconstruct every black-and-white pixel.
Quick start
How to use Arecibo
- 1
Download and run the installer.
Follow the short Windows setup wizard.
- 2
Open Arecibo.
Find it from the Start Menu or your desktop shortcut.
- 3
Choose the Encode Image tab.
Upload the image you want to transmit.
- 4
Select dimensions and conversion settings.
Preview the exact two-color result before encoding.
- 5
Generate and save the audio transmission.
Test-decode it first, then export the WAV file.
- 6
Use the Decode Audio tab.
Load a compatible WAV file and recover its signal packet.
- 7
Save the reconstructed image.
Export the checksum-verified binary image as a PNG.
Built for the full round trip
Signal tools without the clutter
A focused Windows application for experimenting with visual binary data and audible transmission.
Image to binary
Global, adaptive, ordered, and Floyd–Steinberg conversion modes.
BFSK audio
Separate frequencies represent binary zero and binary one.
Signal decoding
Frequency-energy analysis recovers data from compatible WAV files.
Image preview
Compare the source with the final black-and-white pixel image.
CRC32 validation
Corrupted or incomplete packets are detected before reconstruction.
WAV export
Save transmissions as portable mono PCM audio files.
Adjustable signals
Control tone frequencies, bit speed, volume, and silence.
Private by design
Local processing with no account, cloud upload, or server required.
Local Windows application
Your files stay on your computer
Arecibo processes image and audio files locally. Your files are not uploaded to a server, and no account is required.
- Offline image conversion and audio generation
- No analytics, advertising, or tracking
- Normal Windows installation and uninstallation
About the project
A visual message carried by sound
Arecibo explores a simple idea: visual information can be represented as a sequence of binary values, wrapped in a verifiable data packet, and transmitted through audio tones. The project turns that concept into a practical, hands-on desktop tool.