diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71abf92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "resolution": [1920, 1080],
+  "scale": 20,
+  "temp_folder": "temp/frames"
+}
diff --git a/decode.py b/decode.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..943d187
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decode.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import os
+import sys
+import json
+import shutil
+import imageio
+from main import png_2_pixels, pixels_2_bits, bits_2_file, decode_header, file_2_bits
+from PIL import Image
+
+def load_config(path="config.json"):
+    script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+    full_path = os.path.join(script_dir, path)
+    with open(full_path, "r") as f:
+        return json.load(f)
+
+def extract_frames_from_gif(gif_path, out_folder="temp/frames_dec"):
+    if os.path.exists(out_folder):
+        shutil.rmtree(out_folder)
+    os.makedirs(out_folder)
+    vid = imageio.get_reader(gif_path)
+    for i, frame in enumerate(vid):
+        fname = os.path.join(out_folder, "frame-%05d.png" % i)
+        imageio.imwrite(fname, frame)
+    return out_folder
+
+def decode(gif_path, output_folder=".", temp_folder="temp/frames_dec"):
+    cfg = load_config()
+    scale = cfg.get("scale", 1)
+
+    frames_folder = extract_frames_from_gif(gif_path, temp_folder)
+
+    # read logical pixels from each frame using png_2_pixels with scale
+    logical_pixels = []
+    frame_files = sorted(os.listdir(frames_folder))
+    for fname in frame_files:
+        if not fname.lower().endswith(".png"):
+            continue
+        full = os.path.join(frames_folder, fname)
+        pixels = png_2_pixels(full, scale=scale)
+        logical_pixels.extend(pixels)
+
+    # convert logical pixels to bits
+    bits = pixels_2_bits(logical_pixels)
+    # diagnostic: show first 128 bits as bytes
+    sample = bits[:128]
+    byts = ['{0:08b}'.format(int(''.join(sample[i:i+8]),2)) for i in range(0, len(sample), 8)]
+    print("DEBUG first bytes (bin):", ' '.join(byts))
+    print("DEBUG first bytes (hex):", ' '.join(hex(int(b,2)) for b in byts))
+
+
+    # decode header to get filename and payload bits
+    fname, payload_bits = decode_header(bits)
+
+    out_name = os.path.splitext(fname)[0] + "-recovered." + os.path.splitext(fname)[1]
+    out_path = os.path.join(output_folder, out_name)
+
+    # write payload bits to file
+    bits_2_file(payload_bits, out_path)
+    print("Decoded and wrote:", out_path)
+    return out_path
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        print("Usage: python decode.py <input.gif> [output_folder]")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    gif = sys.argv[1]
+    outf = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else "."
+    decode(gif, outf)
+
diff --git a/encode.py b/encode.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1356586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/encode.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import sys
+import os
+from main import file_2_bits, bits_2_pixels, pixels_2_png, make_gif, add_header
+import json
+
+def load_config(path="config.json"):
+    script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+    full_path = os.path.join(script_dir, path)
+    with open(full_path, "r") as f:
+        return json.load(f)
+
+def encode(input_path, out_gif=None):
+    cfg = load_config()
+    frame_width, frame_height = cfg["resolution"]
+    scale = cfg["scale"]
+    temp_folder = cfg.get("temp_folder", "temp/frames")
+
+    print(f"Loaded config: res={frame_width}x{frame_height}, scale={scale}")
+
+    # read bits from file
+    bits = file_2_bits(input_path)
+
+    # diagnostic: show first 64 bits as bytes (useful to compare with decoder)
+    if len(bits) >= 64:
+        first_bytes = []
+        for i in range(0, 64, 8):
+            byte = int(''.join(bits[i:i+8]), 2)
+            first_bytes.append(hex(byte))
+        print("DEBUG: first bytes hex:", ' '.join(first_bytes))
+    else:
+        print("DEBUG: bits length <", len(bits))
+
+    # add header (filename + payload length) compatible with decode_header in main.py
+    bits = add_header(bits, os.path.basename(input_path).encode('utf-8'))
+
+# Number of logical bits in a frame (Based on the specified scale)
+    logical_w = frame_width // scale
+    logical_h = frame_height // scale
+    frame_size = logical_w * logical_h
+
+    total_bits = len(bits)
+    num_frames = (total_bits + frame_size - 1) // frame_size
+    print(f"Frame logical grid: {logical_w}x{logical_h}, total bits per frame: {frame_size}")
+
+
+    # create temp folder
+    temp_folder = "temp/frames"
+    if os.path.exists(temp_folder):
+        # keep previous contents or clear
+        import shutil
+        shutil.rmtree(temp_folder)
+    os.makedirs(temp_folder)
+
+    # for each frame, take slice of bits, convert to pixels and save png
+    for i in range(num_frames):
+        start = i * frame_size
+        end = min(start + frame_size, total_bits)
+        frame_bits = bits[start:end]
+        # pad with zeros (black pixels)
+        if len(frame_bits) < frame_size:
+            frame_bits += ['0'] * (frame_size - len(frame_bits))
+        pixels = bits_2_pixels(frame_bits)
+        fname = os.path.join(temp_folder, "frame-%05d.png" % i)
+        pixels_2_png(pixels, fname, reso=(frame_width, frame_height), scale=scale)
+
+        print("Wrote", fname)
+
+    # make gif 
+    base_out = out_gif[:-4] if out_gif and out_gif.endswith(".gif") else (out_gif or "out")
+    gif_path = make_gif(temp_folder, base_out)
+    print("Created:", gif_path)
+    return gif_path
+    
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        print("Usage: python encode.py <input_file> [output.gif]")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    inp = sys.argv[1]
+    out = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else None
+    encode(inp, out)
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index b753fa8..ab49961
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -21,89 +21,119 @@
 # 0 is black pixel, white is 1
 
 # writes a gif in parent_folder made up of all it's sorted .png files
-def make_gif(parent_folder,fname):
-	items = os.listdir(parent_folder)
-	png_filenames = []
-	for elem in items:
-		if elem.find(".png")!=-1:
-			png_filenames.append(elem)
-
-	sorted_png = []
-	while True:
-		lowest = 10000000
-		lowest_idx = -1
-		for p in png_filenames:
-			val = int(p.split("-")[1].split(".")[0])
-			if lowest_idx==-1 or val<lowest:
-				lowest = val
-				lowest_idx = png_filenames.index(p)
-		sorted_png.append(png_filenames[lowest_idx])
-		del png_filenames[lowest_idx]
-		if len(png_filenames)==0: break
-	png_filenames = sorted_png
-
-	with imageio.get_writer(fname+".gif", mode='I',duration=0.1) as writer:
-		for filename in png_filenames:
-			image = imageio.imread(parent_folder+"/"+filename)
-			writer.append_data(image)
-	return fname+".gif"
+def make_gif(parent_folder, fname):
+    items = os.listdir(parent_folder)
+    png_filenames = sorted([f for f in items if f.endswith(".png")])
+
+    with imageio.get_writer(fname + ".gif", mode="I", duration=0.1) as writer:
+        for filename in png_filenames:
+            image = imageio.imread(os.path.join(parent_folder, filename))
+            writer.append_data(image)
+    return fname + ".gif"
 
 # provided a list of pixels, writes it out as an image
 # with the specified resolution
-def pixels_2_png(pixels,fname,reso=four_k):
-	img = Image.new('RGB',reso)
-	img.putdata(pixels)
-	img.save(fname)
-	#print pixels[:16]
-	print("pixels_2_png: Saved to %d pixels to %s" % (len(pixels),fname))
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw
+
+def pixels_2_png(pixels, fname, reso=(1920, 1080), scale=1):
+    """
+    Creates an image where each pixel (bit of data)
+    is drawn as a square of scale×scale pixels.
+    Black square = 0, white square = 1.
+    """
+    # Calculating the number of "logical pixels" along the axes
+    width, height = reso
+    logical_w = width // scale
+    logical_h = height // scale
+
+    img = Image.new("RGB", (width, height), (0, 0, 0))
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
+
+    idx = 0
+    for y in range(logical_h):
+        for x in range(logical_w):
+            if idx >= len(pixels):
+                break
+            color = pixels[idx]
+            x0 = x * scale
+            y0 = y * scale
+            draw.rectangle([x0, y0, x0 + scale - 1, y0 + scale - 1], fill=color)
+            idx += 1
+
+    img.save(fname)
+    print(f"pixels_2_png: Saved {len(pixels)} bits as {logical_w}x{logical_h} logical grid, each {scale}px -> {fname}")
+
+
+    img.save(fname)
+    print(f"pixels_2_png: Saved {len(pixels)} pixels (scale={scale}x) to {fname}")
+
 
 # provided a filename, reads the png and returns a list of pixels
-def png_2_pixels(fname):
-	im = Image.open(fname)
-	pixel_list = []
-	pixels = im.load()
-	width,height = im.size
-	for row in range(height):
-		for col in range(width):
-			pixel_list.append(pixels[col,row])
-	print("png_2_pixels: Read %d pixels from %s" % (len(pixel_list),fname))
-	#pixels_2_png(pixel_list,"test2.png")
-	return pixel_list
+from PIL import Image
+
+def png_2_pixels(fname, scale=1):
+    im = Image.open(fname)
+    im = im.convert('RGB')
+    width, height = im.size
+
+    # if scale = 1, the behavior is default 
+    if scale == 1:
+        pixels = list(im.getdata())
+        print(f"png_2_pixels: Read {len(pixels)} pixels from {fname}")
+        return pixels
+
+    logical_w = width // scale
+    logical_h = height // scale
+    pixels = []
+
+    for y in range(logical_h):
+        for x in range(logical_w):
+            # We take the average color of the square scale×scale
+            r_total = g_total = b_total = 0
+            for dy in range(scale):
+                for dx in range(scale):
+                    px = im.getpixel((x * scale + dx, y * scale + dy))
+                    r_total += px[0]
+                    g_total += px[1]
+                    b_total += px[2]
+            count = scale * scale
+            avg_r = r_total // count
+            avg_g = g_total // count
+            avg_b = b_total // count
+
+            # Deciding whether a square is black or white
+            color = (255, 255, 255) if avg_r > 127 else (0, 0, 0)
+            pixels.append(color)
+
+    print(f"png_2_pixels: Read {len(pixels)} logical pixels ({logical_w}x{logical_h}) from {fname} with scale={scale}")
+    return pixels
 
 # writes out the bits as binary to a file
-def bits_2_file(bits,fname):
-	f = open(fname,'wb')
-	idx=0
-	inc=8
-	while True:
-		char = ''.join(bits[idx:idx+inc])
-		f.write(chr(int(char,2)))
-		idx+=inc
-		if idx>=len(bits): break
-	f.close()
-	print("bits_2_file: Wrote %d bits to %s" % (len(bits),fname))
+def bits_2_file(bits, fname):
+    with open(fname, 'wb') as f:
+        idx = 0
+        inc = 8
+        while idx < len(bits):
+            char = ''.join(bits[idx:idx+inc])
+            b = int(char, 2)
+            f.write(bytes([b]))
+            idx += inc
+    print("bits_2_file: Wrote %d bits to %s" % (len(bits), fname))
 
 # returns a list of bits in the file
 def file_2_bits(fname):
-	bits = []
-	f = open(fname, "rb")
-	try:
-	    byte = f.read(1)
-	    while byte != "":
-	        cur_bits = bin(ord(byte))[2:]
-	        while len(cur_bits)<8:
-	        	cur_bits = "0"+cur_bits
-	        for b in cur_bits:
-	        	bits.append(b)
-	       	byte = f.read(1)
-	finally:
-	    f.close()
-	'''
-	first_char = ''.join(bits[:8])
-	n = int(first_char,2)
-	print(binascii.unhexlify('%x' % n))
-	'''
-	return bits
+    bits = []
+    with open(fname, "rb") as f:
+        byte = f.read(1)
+        while byte != b"":
+            cur_bits = bin(byte[0])[2:]
+            while len(cur_bits) < 8:
+                cur_bits = "0" + cur_bits
+            for b in cur_bits:
+                bits.append(b)
+            byte = f.read(1)
+    return bits
+
 
 # converts a list of 0/1 bits to pixels
 def bits_2_pixels(bits):
@@ -380,4 +410,4 @@ def main():
 	#conversion_test()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-	main()
\ No newline at end of file
+	main()