PhonoPaper
Latest release - 1.6.1b (22 oct 2023)
Русская версия здесь

Download:
PhonoPaper for iOS
PhonoPaper for Android
PhonoPaper for Android (APK file for non-Google Play users)
PhonoPaper for Linux

ChangeLog

Please support further PhonoPaper development

About
How to use
Video | Examples of use | Codes
Code specification
Forum

What is PhonoPaper

PhonoPaper is a camera app for playing pictures with encoded sound (PhonoPaper-codes).
With this app, you can also create your own codes: 10 seconds of sound can be recorded from a microphone and converted into an image.

Key features:
  • PhonoPaper does not require access to the network for decoding;
  • PhonoPaper code is analogue, so it is not so sensitive to different types of the image distortion (bad camera, dark picture, wrinkled paper, etc.); at least you will hear the "silhouette" of the original sound;
  • code can be played in real-time with hand-controlled speed and direction;
  • code can be drawn by hand to get some unusual sounds.

Examples of usage:
  • voice messages (or pieces of music) on t-shirts, billboards, posters, postcards, goods;
  • audio labels for phonorecords;
  • audio examples in books;
  • secret messages;
  • art-experiments.
PhonoPaper is based on the Virtual ANS engine - it is a software simulator of the unique Russian synthesizer ANS.
Use Virtual ANS, if you want to make more complex (and longer) codes.


Logo design by Goglus
Special thanks to Darya Ovechkina and Anton Rozhin / RA Voskhod.

How to use

Launch the app, point the camera at the code (tap on the screen to focus if necessary) and smoothly scan the picture from left to right. The code should be parallel to the frame - try to keep the camera level. The black code markers (top and bottom) should fall entirely into the frame. If the application recognizes code markers, you will hear a sound. If you are unable to play the code smoothly, press the record button on the right side of the screen, this will enable automatic scanning.
Default PhonoPaper code length is 10 seconds. But if the code was generated in Virtual ANS, its length can be much longer - in this case, the playback speed can be changed manually.

Video







Examples of use

2015
Ural Music Night (music festival) / RA Voskhod:



2015
Popular Mechanics magazine:



2014
The City Sounds quest / SODA Creative Agency

PhonoPaper code examples

Click on the image to zoom it in.


Говорит и показывает Москва


Ой мороз


W.A.Mozart - Lacrimosa


W.A.Mozart - Serenade No.13


J.S.Bach - Toccata


Jean-Baptiste Lully - Folia


Маяк


J.S.Bach - Prelude & Fugue No.8


Мы к вам, профессор


Все поделить


Говорит и показывает Москва


W.A.Mozart - Lacrimosa


NightRadio - PhonoPaper Intro


NightRadio - Time Flow


Empty template with octaves and time markers