BCD to Decimal Converter
Convert Binary-Coded Decimal (BCD) values into standard base-10 numbers
What is a BCD to Decimal Converter?
I like binary, but let’s be honest—binary-coded decimal (BCD) makes life a little weird. Instead of packing values tightly like standard binary, BCD encodes each decimal digit into its own 4-bit binary chunk. This makes it easy to read digitally but not so fun to decode manually. A BCD to Decimal Converter reads that binary mess and gives you back a regular human-readable number.
What Does Our BCD to Decimal Converter Do?
This tool takes a string of binary digits—grouped in fours—and decodes each 4-bit segment into a decimal digit. It handles spacing, trims input, checks for invalid bits, and returns the final number immediately. You just paste, click convert, and the number pops out below. Everything runs in your browser for privacy and speed.
What to Expect When Using This Tool
When you land on the page, you will see two clean boxes. In the first, you paste or type your BCD. You can include spaces if you want—it ignores them. In the second box, you will see the decimal result. There are two buttons: one to convert and one to clear. That is it. No distractions, no color overload, just pure functionality.
Common Use Cases
- Digital Circuit Debugging – If you work with hardware, you may see outputs in BCD. Use this to get human-readable values fast.
- Embedded Systems Logs – Some microcontrollers log BCD instead of ASCII or standard decimal.
- Engineering Class Homework – BCD conversions are a favorite exam question. This saves your weekend.
- Assembler-level Coding – Some low-level languages store numeric data in BCD format for legacy reasons.
- Control Panels – Older industrial systems show BCD readouts on LED displays. Convert them easily for analysis.
Input and Output Examples
Example 1
Input:
<pre>0001 0010 0100</pre>
Output:
Each group:
0001 → 1<br>0010 → 2<br>0100 → 4
Example 2
Input:
<pre>0011 0101 1001</pre>
Output:
Simple, readable, and works with or without spacing.
FAQs
What happens if I enter fewer than 4 bits?
The tool shows an error. Every decimal digit must be exactly 4 bits.
Can I enter spaces or line breaks?
Yes. The tool ignores all whitespace between bits.
Does this support packed BCD?
No. This tool supports standard 4-bit encoding only.
Is it safe to use offline?
Yes. The entire tool runs in your browser. No network calls.
What happens if I paste in invalid bits?
It tells you which 4-bit chunk is invalid and stops converting.
Can I paste a whole line of binary?
Yes, as long as the total length is a multiple of 4.
Does it support fractional numbers?
No. BCD usually represents whole numbers. This version does not handle decimal points.
Will it crash on large inputs?
Not likely, unless you paste hundreds of digits. Try it and see.
Is this used in real-world systems?
Yes. Elevators, cash registers, PLCs, and microcontrollers often use BCD.
Can I use this for teaching?
Absolutely. It is simple enough for students and works great on projectors.
Benefits of Converting BCD
BCD is space-inefficient, but easy to decode visually. This converter takes the tedium out of it and ensures accuracy. You avoid mistakes from doing math manually or reading 0s and 1s wrong. It is a fast bridge between machine output and human understanding.
Best Practices
- Always verify the number of bits is a multiple of four.
- Separate digits for readability but know it works without spaces too.
- Use lowercase or uppercase—it does not matter.
- Label your input/output if you are using this in reports.
- Double-check results if you mix BCD with binary or hexadecimal.
Getting Started
- Paste your BCD into the top box.
- Click Convert BCD.
- View the decimal output in the bottom box.
- Click Clear All to start over.
- Copy your result into your report, calculator, or worksheet.
With this tool, you decode BCD instantly without squinting at tables or writing 10 lines of Python. Use it and move on with your project.
