datamosh-cli

A command-line tool to break files.

What the hell is datamoshing?

Long story short, it’s the act of modifying digital files in such a way that they create artifacts for aesthetic pleasure. See Compression Artifact on Wikipedia.

Installation

If you want to use datamosh-cli in a project, you can install it as a project dependency:

npm install datamosh-cli

If you want to use it on your computer instead, you can either install the package globally:

npm install -g datamosh-cli

Or use npx to download the package automatically and run it:

npx -p datamosh-cli datamosh [command] [options]

Usage

datamosh [command] <source> <destination> [options] [-- ffmpeg arguments]

ffmpeg-static is used to convert various formats to corruptable formats. Consequently, <source> and <destination> can be whatever format ffmpeg gets. You can pass additional settings (like encoding, compression, etc) after the -- argument:

datamosh all stickers.mp4 stickers-destroyed.mp4 -- -c:v libx264

Additional parameters to ffmpeg might clash with what datamosh tries to do, so use with caution.

datamosh all <source> <destination> [options]

Option	Default value	Description
--overwrite	-	Skips overwrite prompt and overwrites <destination> if it exists

The all command runs all commands in the following order:

1. remove-keyframes
2. shuffle-frames

Example

datamosh all examples/stickers.mp4 examples/stickers-all.gif -- -filter_complex 'fps=15'

datamosh remove-keyframes <source> <destination> [options]

Option	Default value	Description
--frame-offset	-1	Offset to start looking for neighbouring frames
--overwrite	-	Skips overwrite prompt and overwrites <destination> if it exists

The remove-keyframes command replaces keyframes (I-frames) with delta frames (B/P-frames), resulting in the pixel of one scene leaking into to next, similar to the music video of A$AP Mob - Yamborghini High. The first keyframe is preserved. When replacing keyframe n, datamosh-cli starts at frame n + frameOffset and loops back in time until it finds a delta frame. This means that a positive frame offset can be used to cause (intentional) stuttering.

Example

datamosh remove-keyframes examples/stickers.mp4 examples/stickers-remove-keyframes.gif --frame-offset 4 -- -filter_complex 'fps=15'

datamosh shuffle-frames <source> <destination> [options]

Option	Default value	Description
--overwrite	-	Skips overwrite prompt and overwrites <destination> if it exists
-p, --probability	0.1 (=10%)	Probability of swapping a frame
-r, --range	2	Range of neighbouring frames to swap

The shuffle-frames command shuffles B/P-frames around. Each B/P-frame has a probability of probability of being swapped. A greater probability will cause more distortion. If frame n is being swapped, it will swap with one of the neighbouring frames, based on range. A greater range will cause more stuttering, depending on probability.

Example

datamosh shuffle-frames examples/stickers.mp4 examples/stickers-shuffle-frames.gif --probability 0.25 --range 4 -- -filter_complex 'fps=15'

What are these stickers from?

• Fronteers - a Dutch union for front-end web developers
• Hawgs - wheel brand of Landyachtz skateboards
• Landyachtz - skateboard, longboard, and apparel brand
• MODALZ MODALZ MODALZ - a site by @adrianegger revealing a painful truth
• S1 Helmet Co. - skate helmets to protect your skull
• Vans - dope shoes

Disclaimer

This project is not affiliated with the logos/brands shown in the examples. I’m just a sticker-owning fan. Don’t sue me. Send me a message if you’re angry.