Convertron3000 is a graphics converter for Commodore 64 computers. It runs on 64 bit versions of Linux, MacOS, Windows and other systems supported by Python.
| reason | description |
|---|---|
| open source | easy to modify and to improve, any useful contribution is highly welcome |
| portable | available on Linux, MacOS, Windows and any other system supported by Python3 |
| instant preview | just fiddle around with the sliders and see the result before converting |
Using Convertron3000 is pretty straight-forward:
- Open some image.
- Adjust the sliders or apply an effect.
- Convert to koala or hires format.
- optional: Check position of color-clashes.
- Save the resulting image.
As of now, Convertron3000 offers various dithering methods. As the PIL-library only implements "floyd-steinberg"-dithering, all other dithering methods were taken from the hitherdither library.
| reason | description |
|---|---|
| floyd-steinberg dithering | speedy performance from the PIL-library |
| bayer-ordered dithering | the speedy standard, my favourite for C64 pictures |
| line dithering | a modified bayer-ordered dithering method, sometimes looks better than normal ordered dithering |
| dot dithering | not my favourite, but might give nice results on some pictures |
| yliluomas1 dithering | Warning: Painfully slow - use with care! The results are stunningly good sometimes, though. |
Please, take note that all dithering implementations except "floyd-steinberg"-dithering are quite slow when using the "Brightness palette"-mode, which is described below.
Sometimes converted images look better when applying a palette based on brightness values.
- Select "brightness palette" mode.
- Choose one of the presets ("purple", "brown" etc.).
You can also create your own palette like this:
- Edit the .json file: In the .json file you specify the size of your palette and the C64-colors like in one of the examples provided.
- Open your .json file. You find this option in the drop-down menu under "open custom gradient".
- Choose "custom" as your brightness palette.
The multicolor bitmap is stored in the widely-spread KoalaPainter (.koa) format:
- 2 bytes load address
- 8000 bytes raw bitmap data
- 1000 bytes raw "Video Matrix" (screen) data
- 1000 bytes raw "Color RAM" data
- 1 byte background data
The hires bitmap is stored in the widely-spread Advanced Art Studio (.art) format:
- 2 bytes load address
- 8000 bytes raw bitmap data
- 1000 bytes raw "Video Matrix" (screen) data
- fieserWolF/Abyss-Connection - initial work - https://github.com/fieserWolF https://csdb.dk/scener/?id=3623
Acknowledgments
- thanks to Green/ATW for spontaneously naming Convertron3000 :)
- thanks to people on csdb.dk for commenting and giving ideas how to improve
- thanks to Henrik Blidh for his hitherdither library https://github.com/hbldh/hitherdither which I use
Convertron3000 comes in two flavors:
- standalone executable for 64-bit systems Linux, MacOS/Darwin and Windows (see releases)
- Python3 script
Just download your bundle at releases and enjoy. Keep in mind that only 64bit systems are supported as I could not find a 32bit system to generate the bundle.
If some antivirus scanner puts Convertron3000 into quarantine because it suspects a trojan or virus, simply put it out there again. It isn`t harmful, I used PyInstaller to bundle the standalone executable for you. Unfortunately, the PyInstaller bootloader triggers a false alarm on some systems. I even tried my best and re-compiled the PyInstaller bootloader so that this should not happen anymore. Keep your fingers crossed ;)
Your system might complain that the code is not signed by a certificated developer. Well, I am not, so I signed the program on my own.
"Convertron3000" can`t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.
You need to right-click or Control-click the app and select “Open”.
Download convertron.py and the whole resource - directory into the same folder on your computer.
At least this is needed to run the script directly:
- python 3
- python tkinter module
- python "The Python Imaging Library" (PIL)
- python "hitherdither" library
Normally, you would use pip like this:
pip3 install tk pillow git+https://www.github.com/hbldh/hitherdither
On my Debian GNU/Linux machine I use apt-get to install everything needed:
apt update
apt install python3 python3-tk python3-pil python3-pil.imagetk
pip3 install git+https://www.github.com/hbldh/hitherdither
- custom brightness palette editor
Any help and support in any form is highly appreciated.
If you have a feature request, a bug report or if you want to offer help, please, contact me:
http://csdb.dk/scener/?id=3623 or wolf@abyss-connection.de
- fixed: wrong hires image dimensions when using line dithering
- fixed: proper scaling, better conversion
- show position of color clashes in GUI and on console
- proper dithering support: bayer-ordered, line dither and some others
- GUI improvements
- moved standalone executables to releases
- transfered whole code to Python3
- great speed improvement, converts much faster now
- new feature: specify image on the command-line, e.g. "convertron.py picture.jpg"
- standalone executables for 64bit-systems: Linux, Darwin (MacOS) and Windows
- GUI design adjusted for MacOS/Darwin
- numpy library not used any more
- documentation
- custom brightness palette now uses .json format
- added licenses
- added to github with proper README.md
- hires mode
- colodore palette
- button: reset color modifiers to default
- start address now in hex
- custom brightness palette (config file)
- initial release
Convertron3000 is a graphics converter for Commodore 64 computers.
Copyright (C) 2024 fieserWolF / Abyss-Connection
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
See the LICENSE file for details.
For further questions, please contact me at http://csdb.dk/scener/?id=3623 or wolf@abyss-connection.de
For Python3, The Python Imaging Library (PIL), Tcl/Tk and other used source licenses see file LICENSE_OTHERS.