Convert Sound Into Image in Minutes : Slow Scan Television (SSTV) Basics Explained

Turn Sound Into Image in Minutes, SSTV, SSTV decode, , SSTV decoder online free, Image to SSTV converter, How to decode SSTV on pc?, Image to audio

Imagine This:

You hear a weird beeping sound…
But when you decode that sound using an app — BOOM! An image appears!
No internet, no cables… just sound and your phone.

Sounds like sci-fi? Nope. It’s real.

It’s called SSTV – Slow Scan Television.

What is SSTV?

SSTV (Slow Scan Television) is a method to send images using sound.

It’s like saying:

"Why send images through the internet, when you can send them through radio waves or sound files?"

With SSTV:

An image is converted into audio tones (encoded).

The sound is sent via radio or saved as an audio file.

A decoder converts that sound back into an image (decoded).

A Bit of History

NASA and the ISS (International Space Station) have used SSTV to send pictures from space.

Ham radio operators have used SSTV for decades to share images over radio.

In disasters, SSTV helps share important visual info without internet.

How SSTV Works

1: Encode Image to Sound

An app or software converts an image into a sound that looks like high-pitched warbling (like a fax machine).

2: Send the Sound

This sound can be:

Played over radio

Saved as an MP3

Played through a speaker

3: Decode the Sound

Another device records or listens to the sound, and converts it back into the original image.

Magic? No. Science.

How YOU Can Try SSTV at Home

You don’t need a radio tower or spaceship! You just need:

What You Need:

- A phone or PC

- 1 apps and 1 Website: SSTV encoder and SSTV decoder

- An image file (JPG or PNG)

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Download Apps and Visit Website

Encoder (to create SSTV sound)
For this, use "SSTV encoder (Scottie S1)" Website
Link: https://sheeptester.github.io/javascripts/sstv-encoder.html

Decoder (to read SSTV sound)
APP: Robot36 (Android)
CQ SSTV (iPhone)

Step 2: Create SSTV Sound

- Go to SSTV Encoder website.
- Select an image.
- Tap “Play” — your image turns into a strange sound.

- play it out loud.

Step 3: Decode the Sound

- Open Robot36 app on another phone or the same phone.
- Point the mic to the sound OR load the audio file.

- Wait a few seconds — and your image appears like magic

Where Is SSTV Still Used Today?

Use Case	Why?
ISS Events	Astronauts send space photos to Earth!
Ham Radio Hobby	Image exchange without internet
Disaster Communication	Reliable image sharing when everything else fails
Education & Space Clubs	Students learn radio + image science
Spy Tech in Past	Cold War-era secret image transfer

So Finally!

SSTV proves one amazing thing:

Sound is not just to hear... sometimes, it's meant to see.

You don’t need fancy tools. Just your phone, a curious mind, and a willingness to try.

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How to decode SSTV on pc?

What is an SSTV signal?

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