so I’ve just moved my system around and thought it would be nice to write up some general ideas on it as I get it set back up as it may be helpful to someone
System overview
old setup
the setup at its simplest is a mixer running into the visual cortex with lots of feedback
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Hardware capture
Black magic intensity shuttle
so I found a crazy good deal on black magic intensity thunderbolt shuttles on ebay and bought one
I’m using mac 10.10.5
I downloaded the software here
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support/family/capture-and-playback
for reference my download was 10.11.4
the shuttle immediately showed up in the desktop video software panel when plugged in via thunderbolt
the black magic media express software doesn’t seem to want to open on my operating system (from the download 10.11.4 os is 10.10.5) so I was going to try quicktime for capture as a short term solution
then I tried the closest powered video source which happened to be a nintendo switch
so I plugged the HDMI output from the switch into the HDMI input on the shuttle
I changed the input to HDMI on the blackmagic desktop software panel
I opened up quicktime and went to file>new movie recording and selected the shuttle as the input via the selector next to the record button
the switch via didn’t show up at first
then I powered the switch on and and by pressing the home button and then it showed up on my computer screen!
success
I recorded some donkey kong with quicktime
so naturally I went to plug in the component output from the LZX system next
and nothing showed up like it did for the switch
I tried messing around with a bunch of setting and no such luck
so this morning I went back to the link I posted earlier and downloaded and older version of the video desktop software bundle
I looked for my operating system 10.10.5
and found a couple that I ended up downloading
10.9.4
10.9.5
10.9.7
within one of these versions (possibly all three I don’t remember) was a version of the media express application that worked on my system! yay
so during all my testing with these older versions apparently I had my cable plugged in incorrectly (thunderbolt) so the shuttle didn’t show up in the black magic panel when I had versions .4, .5, or .7 installed. This was because of my cable orientation though
I know that because when I reinstalled the original version i had downloaded to begin with (10.11.4) I flipped the cable and it showed up immediately 
but that left me with the newest (again 10.11.4) version of the blackmagic desktop video software and also ( only because I preemptively copied it onto my desktop ) a working version of the media express software
so far in my short time with it this morning it seems like as long as I have the video input set correctly (via the blackmagic desktop video panel) and media express software preferences set to the same resolution of the video coming in then it shows up and captures perfectly
this is the output from media express into a 1080p frame in final cut
I think I’m starting to get this figured out
I’m got a lot more testing of various cameras and equipment directly plugged into the shuttle
I’ll get some pictures of the whole setup including setting when I get back home
Hyperdeck shuttle
so I’ve just received a hyperdeck shuttle!
at first I tried simply sending it a feed from my switch via an ambery vga/component => HDMI transcoder (I don’t believe it is being sold anymore can’t find any info)
no luck 
well some luck as you can see the whole image is green
at this point some of you probably already know what the issue was
so I tried the component out from the LZX rig through the ambery transcoder again just a green version of the lament configuration
I did some research and found that the hyperdeck is expecting the HDMI source to be YUV video not RGB so I had to start looking at all the manuals of my devices to see what would allow for going from RGB component to HDMI YUV
my first thought was to use the BMD intensity shuttle
while it isn’t a practical setup unless I was wanting redundant video recording (one to computer and one to SSD) I still wanted to see if it would work
and it did good news! (the source this time from a VHS player into a V440 mixer out via the s-video program output)
ultimately I’d like to be able to record to send video out from computer (intensity shuttle) and record straight onto a SSD (hyperdeck shuttle)
so I have a couple extron scaling boxes I bought for around $20 each off ebay and while looking back through the manual one stood out as it would happily change the colorspace from RGB to YUV via its on screen menu system
the one I ended up using first worked so I didn’t end up trying the others yet extron RGB-HDMI 300 A (i think “a” allows for 1/8 stereo audio input alongside the component/VGA input and even has some audio delay built in for proper lip syncing!)
so I went out with component from the LZX rig => a component to VGA adapter => the extron 300 HDMI box => the hyperdeck shuttle => the viewing monitor
I know this is a big rambly but I’m hoping that somebody will find it useful
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Video Mixers
V4
(video signals into v4)
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Feedback, S-video from Visual cortex
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Video playback, composite from Andor 1
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Color output, composite from Vidiot
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Feedback, composite from V4
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Andor 1
- Composite output to V4
- Turn sync off in the settings or the video will stop and restart every minute or so
- I use different USB drives for
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Full movies
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short found and created clips
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video output from the LZX system
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Vessel
Top Row
Arch
2hp passive mult
curtain
stiarcase
polar fringe
color chords
marble index
visual cortex
Bottom Row
Bridge
Navigator
Shapechanger
Doorway
Staircase
BSO video soup
cadet scaler (5v => 1v)
Prismatic ray
Prismatic ray
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Software
here I’ll list different kinds of software I’m using to Capture and others I’m using as Sources
Sources
Signal Culture
I haven’t used these but they all look fantastic
I haven’t played with these but with a way to easily incorporate the computer like the TBC2 coming I might have to start
OBS
with OBS you can do a good deal of keying (chroma and Luma) to an incoming signal
you can also create feedback by doing a display capture and then centering the window over the workspace
video looping is as easy as drag and dropping then setting the loop
it can also be used for streaming and recording inputs from syphon or otherwise
Modulaser
This application is a lot of fun to hook up any random MIDI controller to and start playing
it uses three oscillators at its heart for the XYZ of the resulting image
you get three layers of this shape creation
then you can assign A/b channel and mix from to taste
there are some neat simulation effects that you can play with in the preferences
this is a great little synth even for those who aren’t going to buy a laser
Where to find
Demo 1
Demo 2
Demo 2
I haven’t tried processing any of this output video through the LZX system yet
I don’t see any syphon support but with TBC2 coming I would imagine it wouldn’t be hard to integrate the video output into the system directly
this also supports driving lasers through specific DACs which can be hooked up to the computer
Tx modular
A funny thing happened recently
someone (on the lines forum ) contacted me about a piece of software that I had spoken about a long time ago
back when the lines forum was still the monome forum I suspect
the software is called Ripple (this is where the software used to live )
he was hoping that I had a copy of the program somewhere as he couldn’t find it online anymore
I couldn’t find it
however there was a program called TX modular I used about a year ago that reminded me a bit of Ripple
both programs are built around supercollider and they just had a similar feel
since that time TX modular has grown considerably it seems
while this post ultimately isn’t about audio synthesis this is a proper free modular synthesizer and if you gel with the layout/channel scheme it is loads of fun to play with
I’ve just noticed something new or at least I never noticed it before
there is a module called “animate code” which gives a video output with a lot of modulation inputs
I’ll try to get some video up running some modulation into it
just thought I’d share
Capture
- OBS
- Black magic media express
- Quicktime player | file > new movie recording > drop down next to record button > black magic device | haven’t gotten this to work yet
Black syphon + Syphon recorder
- Install software listed below
- Open black syphon
- Black syphon settings
- Open syphon recorder
- Syphon recorder settings
- Record/Snapshot
Details
I have been messing around with different software recording setups starting with a Blackmagic intensity shuttle thunderbolt going into a macbook pro 10.10.5
previously I was using BM media express which my computer doesn’t really like (had to find an old version to work on my setup)
here I used black syphon for getting the BM device in syphon world
then syphon recorder
this also shows up reliably in OBS as a syphon stream now
this was honestly my biggest issue with my capture stuff before I couldn’t figure out what magic I had done in order to get the stream into OBS. It worked a couple times then no more. So now I can record lightweight playback with the black syphon=>syphon recorder setup or get something a little more complex with capturing to OBS.
when capturing to BM media express I was getting like 2G file sizes for a minutes worth of video and couldn’t seem to curb that down to something more reasonable. This little clip which is the cheapest output from syphon record ended up at 997k
this means I’ll be able to get a streaming setup going
this video was the older capture method
this video is using the newer capture method with the lowest quality settings
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Video games
Wii
Output
composite or component output
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composite could go into V4/v440HD
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composite could go to structure
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composite could go to any of the raspberry Pi based units that take video input
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component could go out directly into Visual Cortex
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component could go into V440HD mixer
Udraw studios
so this games is supposed to be played with a tablet that a wiimote plugs into
this allows for you to draw onto the screen
there are different kinds of canvases to be drawn on
Switch
I’ve been thinking about trying to use the switch as a capable drawing pad in combination with the LZX setup via recapture, extron box scaling or v440HD
Colors live
so this is currently being kickstarted and looks to be a very comprehensive painting application for the switch. While a lot of people may have ipads or access to other options for digital touch/pen painting I feel the switch is still a viable option.
using the built in “time lapse” feature I think you could get some neat video to process through a video system
Coloring book
Coloring book
the only app that looked right was one called coloring book (free with in game purchases) but as far as I read it just provided pre dawn coloring book pages with no “blank canvas” type option
I thought that was pretty lame but maybe it would be worth downloading it just to mess around with since it is free
so I did and it looks like there has been a whiteboard option added to the free version!
I’m looking forward to plugging it into a TV at some point
also it is multiplayer… so there is that
only 1 “canvas” at a time unless you pay 1.99
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Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi based video devices have been popping up in several places
Hardware to get you started
raspberry pi 3b,
keyboard,
microsd card,
MIDI controller (korg nanokontrol 1 or 2 work well),
USB thumb drive,
USB camera (this is what I use works across the devices),
USB input device (this one works across all devices for me),
composite output cable (this isn’t the one I bought but I can’t seem to find it anymore sometimes you may have to use the red output instead of the yellow if you are having trouble)
Extra info & moving forward
There are several different people working on these projects all of which are open source I believe. I’m trying to use similar MIDI device and layouts as the other people too so that you can easily switch between things. Additionally I’ve bundled what I’m doing with one of the other makers as we have a similar hardware footprint.
So if you go the the scrawl readme (github) there are links for an image file which contains installed versions of scrawl, spread, spectral mesh, and waaaave_pool and an easy way to switch between them via mouse and keyboard.
I’ve got another app to put out soon here based on a variable quadrants/mirror/multi type effect then i’ll bundle the newest waaaave_pool and chromatic aberration
We will just keep growing this ecosystem of free video gear based on the raspberry pi
I know once I get all my pieces I’d like to put together a larger system that contains my drawing, colorizer, quads, and a strobe one I haven’t started on yet as I would really like to do a whole V4 type effects section with extras that would need a larger/different controller though 
Scrawl
you can find the image linked in the github readme with some instructions
if you are loading the latest image it will include several other apps installed (all also listed here) with .sh files on the desktop to switch between them (press escape to get to the desktop once it has booted)
or you can download the source and load it up on an older image if you already have one
Scrawl is a standalone RGBA shape generator/positioner with painting capabilities, full MIDI/keyboard and some mouse control for the Raspberry Pi (currently using 3b+(old hardware version)/3b).
Spread
this is my colorizer originally based off one from R_E_C_U_R it has grown considerably now!
the idea moving forward will is two colorizers mixed via video mixer the mixer currently has 12 or 13 different mixing options
Spectral_Mesh
(picture by https://www.instagram.com/andrei_jay_creative_coding/)
Waaaave_pool
(picture from https://www.instagram.com/andrei_jay_creative_coding/)
a video feedback machine with many controls
Chromatic_aberration1_the_search_for_sasquatch
(picture from https://www.instagram.com/andrei_jay_creative_coding/)
Andrei’s colorizer
Strange Loop
(picture from https://www.instagram.com/melt_dream_/ )
a fantastic video feedback machine with joystick control
r_e_c_u_r
A feedback/shader player/sampler with a neat interface
(picture from https://www.instagram.com/lesz2537/)
Recurboy
(picture by https://www.instagram.com/altable/)
I haven’t played with this one at all but it seems like an awesome workshop version of recur with physical controls!
Super Pikix Pi
(picture by https://www.instagram.com/joshuamorganmusic/)
I haven’t used this one at all either I just first heard about it recently it looks to be doing some very interesting stuff like r_e_c_u_r almost
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Sync
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Visual cortex is the Main sync signal (in a vessel case)
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Visual cortex => navigator => vessel case RCA output => Vidiot RCA video input
- Vidiot loop through RCA output => Esher sketch => Memory Palace in a secondary case
the sync is terminated there for now
both my prismatic rays are pre RCA sync on the PCB so they just happily use the CV bus in order to get their sync
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Passive utilities
- Boredbrain Splix 2:1 mixing or 1:2 splitting
- Koma Attenuator cable inline attenuation for taming feedback mostly
- passive switches in 1u and DIY for switching between modulation sources and A B comparing video effects
- UTL-1 lowgain electronics for interfacing ciat-lonbarde synths with the system
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Scaling / Converting
HDMI > Component
I’ve used this universal one and it will take my macbook output and input into visual cortex or V440HD just fine!
Analog <> Digital
I use the extron for things like taking component output from Visual Cortex and bringing it into YUV colorspace to be recorded onto the hyperdeck shuttle for a standalone recorder
it is a great scaler and you can insert audio via 1/8th input if you don’t have a mixer or some way that you are doing it otherwise
Composite/Svid => Component
These boxes are great for going from whatever your sources is be it a camera or mixer into a visual cortex/chromagnon.
Extron DVS series
you can pick up lots of different models in the DVS series that should be able to go from composite/svid to component just fine. I’ve used both of these and if you are patient you should be able to pick one up for pretty cheap. I like these Extron devices because they used a standard power cable.
Ambery SDv1
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S-video out from V4 into Ambery composite to component box
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Switch on the side of the unit set to YCbCr
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Component out from ambery box into visual cortex
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Once the unit is powered on it is necessary for me to press the button on top otherwise the visual cortex doesn’t see it. The light on the unit will flash red instead of being green.
the button press is just switching between the svideo and composite inputs
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Audio
- Camera audio
- Andor1
- LZX feedback
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Watching
Here is a playlist that I helped compile from recommendations on the LZX facebook group
the prompt from Lars was “Post your favorite classics in this thread!”
This will continue to be updated as suggestions are made
Video Synth Classics
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