Please post photos of your setup and describe how and why you designed it the way you did.
This is my Triple Vessel Fleet currently:
You can see the modular assortment here:
The modular grid link is accurate except there’s a brownshoesonly Video Grip where the Dave Jones MVIP is shown.
I have the following additional modules on order to finish this phase of system design:
- 2 Doorway
- 3 Staircase
- 2 Shapechanger
- 3 Prismatic Ray
After that I’ll have what I feel like is a solid 3-4 voice shape generation and processing system. And this is all pre Orion!
An unusual aspect of the system is having 3 Sensory Translators which allows for true stereo processing and audivisualization. My actual use-case for three is an electroacoustic composition I’m working on for a trio of acoustic instruments, and the stereo use is just a happy accident.
The cases are set up in an odd configuration at the moment. Initially, I had the dual run of Color Chords, Polar Fringe, Mapper, and Marble Index all in one case to allow for at least six RGB paths (two per side of the Visual Cortex) to be in the mix at once. However, this left most of the signal generation modules in other cases. I wanted to try and create a setup where in a pinch, one Vessel could do a bit of everything, and that’s what the bottom case is at this time. You can see that the bottom Vessel has two Passages in it, and so does the middle case. I think a Passage per row is not asking for too much. Even though they are not patched up in this picture, when I develop a patch, I eventually need the mixing capabilities that they offer, and they do it with brilliant subtlety.
Seriously, a Passage, Bridge, and Arch in EVERY row is how I plan to roll. Especially once I relocate these modules into my Goike Studio case. At the point the idea I have is for the Goike to be like a library, and the Vessels like book bags to carry things back and forth to performances.
The one thing I feel this system currently lacks is ramps options. @creatorlars and other folk have helped me get my head around multing them from Visual Cortex (BRIDGES, I NEED MORE BRIDGES!) and then running those multed versions through processes (ARCHES, I NEED MORE ARCHES!) and this has helped. But what I really want is a Visionary Ramps. Or, maybe, I can haz Diver?! 
I could also justify having a Pendulum in every row. SO useful from mixing to creating subtle movements. Sleeper hit of the whole line imho.
The Castle line brings a lot to the party, but they are deep for the Vessels and require very specific placement to fit. I’m eager to scatter them around in my studio case as they really open up interesting options with the other modules. At first I thought they all had to be used together within the Castle line. The more I break them free and intermingle them with the Expedition line, the more amazing things I see.
I’m still learning Video Grip, but the ability to mix video signals with a joystick is more fun than should be allowed. 3 joysticks in 18u isn’t too much is it? 
The Malekko AD/LFO packs a lot of motion in a small package.
All of the non-video specific modules pictured do some very useful things in a video synth. The Modcan LFO is particularly useful as it can be synced, has a really wide range, and has attenuation of both incoming and outgoing signals (meaning it doesn’t need to run through Bridge to work with the LZX video voltage range.)
You can see examples of what I’m getting up to with this system here:
Feel free to hit me up with any questions and comments you may have.
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Love the thought process behind this system. Mine was created much more organically as I started back in the beginnings of the visionary system, and you fought tooth and nail for anything you could get.
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July 27, 2018 (Europe: Paris), July 26, 2018 (America: Los Angeles)
This is a system that I’ve been building slowly over the course of about a year and a half. At this point, it is best at external video processing & shape generation. It has a couple of oscillators for pattern generation, but I wouldn’t say that is its strength. (I briefly owned a Vidiot, and that was fantastic at pattern generation.) As I expand, I’d like to continue in the shape generation direction by adding a further Navigator to compliment the 2nd Shapechanger (adjusting X/Y w/ Passage is not ideal), and in the direction of external processing with some of the forthcoming Orion series modules.
So far, apart from a couple odd music video projects, I’ve used the system to do what I think of as “video parlor tricks” – very representational experiments that help improve my technique.
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I quite like that phrase. 
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Portable setup since I travel a good bit. Mantis for now but Vessel eventually. I wanted to give a shoutout to the Blackmagic Ultrastudio HD Mini - perfect if you want to travel “light” and have both recording and monitoring to HDMI in one box. (If you’re going to bring a notebook to record anyhoo…)
(That patch is a few different Castle VCOs going into a TVMMF, and different filter types going into different color channels on either side of the VC, with a Pendulum modulating the filters. Maybe some color variation from Color Chords?)
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What started as a row of video modules in the Pittsburgh enclosure quickly took over the whole case. With the release of Orion I will have the case filled and would like to switch to two stacked vessel cases. I have everything jammed into the corner of my office until renovations are finished, then I will have a projector wall and more outlets in the work area.
I spend more time in the eurorack audio world and only dabble in the video. A Sensory Translator looks like my next addition. Orion modules are pre ordered and I expect to be spending a lot of time this winter in their warm embrace.
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Is that the Pittsburgh Modular Structure EP-360 case? Have you had any issues with noise? I’m thinking about getting the same one, but saw that the structure EP-420 is noisy.
Yes, that is the case I am using. The power supplies used in both the 360 and 420 can make some noise if there are no modules plugged in but I have never had problems with sound from the 360 when loaded. Mean well power supplies cab make noise when no load is attached or if no 5v is being used from what I understand.
Thanks for the response! I’m actually wondering about video noise, not audio noise - see this thread.
Here’s my modest set up.
A set of Castle, visual cortex, cadet scaler, cadet ramps. Lots of diy modules. Three of my adders, a dual buffered mult, dual enhancer, two multipliers, two video amps, and the mhzxer from akiras rebirth.
I use this rig mostly for scan processing right now, tek 620 as evidence. I’ve got a preview monitor magic armed to the case for raster preview. Not seen its a pile of diy, castles, and cadets. This is an example of the scan processing I do:
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SURE IS A LACK OF TVFKG IN THIS THREAD…
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How y’all do without is beyond me
- cough* 2019 RESTOCK *cough *
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Lol, I got one and I love mine. Every time I get doubtful, I take two outputs from some end of my system and key them in one channel and fade in another. Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a world of difference.
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This is my current setup. I´m interested in shape generation and cross-patching audio and video modulars, and I´m really looking forward getting the shapechanger and sensory translator into my system.
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I see what you did with the knobs.
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Hehehe yeah, its fun to customize a little bit. Also the color coding helps to prevent knob-blindness. 
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I’ve just completed a case reorg and design.
Current State of the Video Synth Racks (11/22/19). As I begin a push towards my thesis show & publication, I’ve made some adjustments to my video synth setup. This spalted maple case is my original Matthew Goike (2012) with @officialtiptopaudio Zeus Studio power. 15u and 150 hp is a sweet spot ergonomically for me and I love patching in this layout. A recent addition that I’m thrilled about is a custom Lone Vidiot SolaChromatron colorizer. A Drew Pauper Fluxus Duo and an Erogenous Tones Structure round out the more recent additions to the signal flow, joining an Dave Jones MVIP and the mighty Castle DIY set from Philip Baljeu. The single LZX Industries Vessel is serving as a control skiff and is loaded with Nick Ciontea’s brownshoesonly goodness along with much of the #lzx Orion line.
You can see details about the particular modules included at these two modulargrid links:
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Wanted to go full DIY but screwed up the Cadet Sync and RGB encoder, so I had to buy the Visual Cortex and I am not regretting it so far.
Just trying to find out what’s right for me and what’s in my budget range. Next stuff I’m going to build is the whole Castle range and reverselandfills matrix mixer.
My dream would be to experiment with rutt ettra, scanning and maybe laser stuff, but this is far from being close.
BTW loving the stuff pbalj is doing.
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Is that Befaco Excalibus working alright for you? Have you noticed any noisy power issues with it?
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