diff --git a/examples/random-colors.php b/examples/random-colors.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d0e67c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/random-colors.php
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+<?php
+
+// this simple example reads from STDIN, assigns a random text color and then prints to STDOUT.
+// you can run this example and notice anything you type will get a random color:
+// $ php random-colors.php
+//
+// you can also pipe the output of other commands into this like this:
+// $ echo hello | php random-colors.php
+//
+// notice how if the input contains any colors to begin with, they will be replaced
+// with random colors:
+// $ phpunit --color=always | php random-colors.php
+
+use React\Stream\Stream;
+use React\EventLoop\Factory;
+use Clue\React\Term\ControlCodeParser;
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
+
+$loop = Factory::create();
+
+if (function_exists('posix_isatty') && posix_isatty(STDIN)) {
+    // Disable icanon (so we can fread each keypress) and echo (we'll do echoing here instead)
+    shell_exec('stty -icanon -echo');
+}
+
+// process control codes from STDIN
+$stdin = new Stream(STDIN, $loop);
+$parser = new ControlCodeParser($stdin);
+
+$stdout = new Stream(STDOUT, $loop);
+$stdout->pause();
+
+// pass all c0 codes through to output
+$parser->on('c0', array($stdout, 'write'));
+
+// replace any color codes (SGR) with a random color
+$parser->on('csi', function ($code) use ($stdout) {
+    // we read any color code (SGR) on the input
+    // assign a new random foreground and background color instead
+    if (substr($code, -1) === 'm') {
+        $code = "\033[" . mt_rand(30, 37) . ';' . mt_rand(40, 47) . "m";
+    }
+
+    $stdout->write($code);
+});
+
+// reset to default color at the end
+$stdin->on('close', function() use ($stdout) {
+    $stdout->write("\033[m");
+});
+
+// pass plain data to output
+$parser->pipe($stdout, array('end' => false));
+
+// start with random color
+$stdin->emit('data', array("\033[m"));
+
+$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/remove-codes.php b/examples/remove-codes.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4e0242
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/remove-codes.php
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<?php
+
+// this simple example reads from STDIN, removes ALL codes and then prints to STDOUT.
+// you can run this example and notice that special keys will be filtered out:
+// $ php remove-codes.php
+//
+// you can also pipe the output of other commands into this to remove any control
+// codes like this:
+// $ phpunit --color=always | php remove-codes.php
+
+use React\Stream\Stream;
+use React\EventLoop\Factory;
+use Clue\React\Term\ControlCodeParser;
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
+
+$loop = Factory::create();
+
+if (function_exists('posix_isatty') && posix_isatty(STDIN)) {
+    // Disable icanon (so we can fread each keypress) and echo (we'll do echoing here instead)
+    shell_exec('stty -icanon -echo');
+}
+
+// process control codes from STDIN
+$stdin = new Stream(STDIN, $loop);
+$parser = new ControlCodeParser($stdin);
+
+$stdout = new Stream(STDOUT, $loop);
+$stdout->pause();
+
+// pipe data from STDIN to STDOUT without any codes
+$parser->pipe($stdout);
+
+// only forward \r, \n and \t
+$parser->on('c0', function ($code) use ($stdout) {
+    if ($code === "\n" || $code === "\r" || $code === "\t") {
+        $stdout->write($code);
+    }
+});
+
+$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/stdin-codes.php b/examples/stdin-codes.php
index ee82fb9..3362f1d 100644
--- a/examples/stdin-codes.php
+++ b/examples/stdin-codes.php
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 <?php
 
+// this example prints anything you type on STDIN to STDOUT
+// control codes will be given as their hex values for easier inspection.
+// also try this out with special keys on your keyboard:
+// $ php stdin-codes.php
+//
+// you can also pipe the output of other commands into this to see any control
+// codes like this:
+// $ phpunit --color=always | php stdin-codes.php
+
 use React\Stream\Stream;
 use React\EventLoop\Factory;
 use Clue\React\Term\ControlCodeParser;
@@ -8,8 +17,10 @@
 
 $loop = Factory::create();
 
-// Disable icanon (so we can fread each keypress) and echo (we'll do echoing here instead)
-shell_exec('stty -icanon -echo');
+if (function_exists('posix_isatty') && posix_isatty(STDIN)) {
+    // Disable icanon (so we can fread each keypress) and echo (we'll do echoing here instead)
+    shell_exec('stty -icanon -echo');
+}
 
 // process control codes from STDIN
 $stdin = new Stream(STDIN, $loop);