{ths} Dot Matrix Printer

{ths} Dot Matrix Printer is a macOS app that simulates a 1980s dot matrix printer and stylizes your images and videos.

Drop an image or video, pick a printer, press Convert. Photos, illustrations, logos, screenshots – anything works. Watch the sheet being converted line by line, just like back then, and export the result. Not a filter, the machine: every dot is a wire striking an inked ribbon. Worn pins, a ribbon that runs dry, a slipping paper feed, misaligned passes, and ink soaking into the paper. At the end, your image looks like a print from the 1980s.

• 13 classic printers: From the MPS 801 to the LQ-2550 and Pinwriter P6, plus your custom printer
• Every printer is one of a kind: A serial number decides worn wires, paper slip, and ribbon behavior, always reproducible
• Paper & ribbon: Green-striped listing paper, fanfold with sprocket holes, yellowed sheets, ribbons fresh or worn out
• Four-color ribbon: One pass per color, with a ribbon that gets dirty as it prints
• Images, animation & video: Stylize images and videos, animate between different settings
• (Bonus) Hear it: The rattle of the print head, made from the dots actually being printed

WHO IT’S FOR

• Designers and illustrators looking for an authentic retro print look for posters, covers, packaging, and branding.
• Content creators who want a distinctive, analog style for videos and social media.
• Musicians and labels – album art, music videos, visualisers.
• Retro computing fans who remember the sound and the smell of fanfold paper.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

• Real simulation instead of a filter. The look comes from physics, not from a texture.
• Honest imperfection. Worn wires, dry ribbons, slipping paper – the beauty is in the defects.
• Reproducible. The same settings and the same serial always give the same print.
• Images and videos. Stills, animations, and complete video clips.
• Native Mac app. Fast, private, works offline. Your pictures never leave your computer.

See my website www.ths.nu for detailed information about the app.

Requirements:

• macOS 14 Sonoma or later
• Apple Silicon (minimum M1) (macOS only)
• Not supported: iPhone / iPad
• 8 GB RAM is recommended
• Under 50 MB disk space

Version: 1.0.0

All prices include tax (EU)