ASCII webcam filter online
TekDetek is an ASCII video tool online and ASCII webcam filter: camera or MP4 in, live character-grid out — no install, no plugin.
TekDetek is not completely free. Open the app, swipe a look or browse the showcase, then tune columns and palette. Free records are watermarked and cap at 20 seconds. Pro removes the watermark and the time cap.
Free
Open the app. Swipe and edit looks — phone reaction-diffusion and cellular automata included. Luma detection. Hand. Watermarked MP4 or PNG up to 20 seconds. Watermarked OBS up to 5 minutes (restart anytime).
Pro
Clean export — no watermark. Record and OBS as long as you want. Full preset library, Shuffle, Depth, Alt ASCII. Add RD, CA, PreText, GEO 3D, and Sonify on the desktop graph. Higher detection caps. Buy Pro on Gumroad.
ASCII art from webcam — in the browser
Most ASCII webcam options are phone apps or plugins. TekDetek is a live ascii art from video converter: glyphs mapped to brightness, palettes from ember to aurora.
Pair ASCII with AI detection so glyphs sit inside tracked boxes, or stack reaction-diffusion behind a silhouette.
Text video effect — INPUT → ASCII → EXPORT
Upload H.264 MP4 or activate camera. Fine-tune in the ASCII FX node. Step-by-step: user guide.
Alt ASCII (p5 WebGL charset) is a separate node — try it on phone; adding it on the desktop graph is Pro. See Alt ASCII.
FAQ
What is free?
Open the app in a browser, swipe and edit looks (phone reaction-diffusion and cellular automata included), luma detection, Hand, watermarked MP4 or PNG up to 20 seconds, and watermarked OBS up to 5 minutes (restart anytime).
What requires Pro?
Clean export with no watermark, unlimited record and OBS, the full preset library, Shuffle, Depth and Alt ASCII, adding RD / CA / PreText / GEO 3D / Sonify on the desktop graph, and higher detection caps. TekDetek is not completely free.
What is an ASCII video tool online?
A browser app that turns webcam or file video into a live character grid — TekDetek does that at vikmil.com/tekdetek with no install.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Chrome, Edge, or Firefox with WebGL is enough.
Can I export ASCII video?
Yes. Free: watermarked MP4 or PNG, 20 seconds. Pro: clean, unlimited.