Given our current foray into visual synthesis, and the gracious hosting of visual synthesis manufacturers by LZX, here we are!
We’ve been hard at work on Structure, every single day since we showed the latest prototype at Moogfest and we plan on having the final fully working hardware at KnobCon (as it will be going into production just before or during that time).
Recently we finally have Composite (CVBS) or RGB (LZX 1V) working on the prototype into our system! This was the last big milestone we wanted to hit. Currently we’ve been working with Lars very closely on cleaning up the sync timing and proper blanking required to be fully compatible with the LZX spec.
We are super excited to get this out, and we want to stress that Structure will not be a static product. If any of you have seen what we did with GateStorm and the level of updates I made to functionality over time, that same level of commitment is coming to Structure, but even more. From the beginning the system is designed to have upgraded firmware because, to be quite frank, there is just so much we have planned, we didn’t want people to have to wait for every single feature we have imagined possible.
Plus, we also like getting feedback from the community and incorporating those changes/enhancements. We are artists as well, and we know sometimes when the engineering and programming hats come off, you see the things you create from an artistic standpoint, and that really can change the way you interact with something.
If you have any questions, ask away, and we’ll see what we can answer!
Sure! Structure is visual generator that is based on OpenGL. You can either have it generate visuals of the huge collection of included GLSL generators, or, you can have it process incoming video that is either composite or LZX 1V RGB.
The output is Composite.
It included 2 audio inputs (that can be used at CV rate), and 8 CV sources. 3 are from inputs with offset/scale and 1V/5V selectable mode. 2 are from an XY joystick, and 3 are from macro knobs used as an output control section by default.
There are 3 gate inputs (all with buttons as well) and quite a few keys for navigating different features. It also has an integrated display for preview and other UI based functions.
The system works on a node graph architecture that allows us to create different configurations with different types of nodes.
We’ll be showing the final hardware version at KnobCon this year. We also plan to release the firmware in stages, because we’d like to get it into community hands as we integrate the many new features we keep dreaming up!
So happy you’ve joined the party here. I’ve been stalking your Facebook for ages about this. If anyone looks up eroggenous tones on Facebook their page has some images and I belief a brief glimpse of video. But the development has been ongoing so I’d love to see where y’all at today. Super excited!
. regarding Structure - we feel it would be at home in almost any video setup. it can be used to process incoming video or generate visuals based on GLSL generators and effects. we’ve built a routing matrix to take incoming CV, audio, or MIDI data to modulate available parameters. so, it could be the centerpiece of a video setup, an extensive and responsive effects unit for video processing, or as a dynamic visual generator that feeds into LZX gear, VJ software (via capture card), or other video hardware among other things.
both websites have real time interactive GLSL code (where you can tweak values and functions to see what happens). a caveat thought, the video system on Structure is more modest than those on modern laptops - so ray marching, larger for loops, and complex shaders generally do not work (primarily due to memory constraints). however, some of the simpler shaders look great, especially layered w/effects. overall performance is dictated by how many shaders, effects, and objects are being used for a patch.
. video input will be able to be processed via GLSL shaders as well, which opens up a lot of possibilities - we have pixellate, posterize, mirror + kaleidoscope, HSV rotation, color shifting, sobel, tunnels, etc. we have a lot of effect shaders we’ve been fine tuning for release and have plans for many more. our node based system allows you to configure multiple effects and control how they’re mixed before the final output - giving you even more options !
. as we get closer to the final release, we’ll be releasing more information and demonstrations.
This article on Moogfest shows the previous prototype, the final version is different (we decided to change the output section and change the buttons somewhat).
But, gives you an idea of the display with a preview and some CV feedback going on!
Doing the same myself! Well, I am putting both analog and digital in the same case, but CANNOT wait for the new Orion series to interact with Structure!
The first time I saw a picture of Structure, of an earlier prototype, I got very excited with the Component In and Out. So when Structure was finally released, I felt disappointed by the lack of Component Out. I felt the integration with a LZX system would be pretty much one way only, LZX going into Structure. But, still, so far I love the results I’m getting, re-colorising the Structure output through Visual Cortex. Of course, Structure is a lot of fun on its own, or processing video signals from LZX… “Just” for that, it’s already worth it.
In the Erogenous Tones’ website they mention the possibility of chaining a Composite => HDMI and a HDM=> Component, to get the colour video signal into Visual Cortex, but in practice I doubt it would work. Has anyone tried it?
Earlier on, we were going to put LZX 1V out, but we realized the cost to do this for the end user would have pushed STRUCTURE into the $1200 (or more) range, and we felt that it didn’t make a lot of sense to make every user pay for that when only a subset required it. We spent a lot of time talking with Lars on his thoughts and we both agreed that the Dual TBC was the way to go. So we built STRUCTURE with using a TBC in mind (which we cannot wait to get ahold of ourselves!)
We have used a first edition TBC to get into Visual Cortex, and that works perfectly.
Pertaining to HMDI->Component, we have had some success with the chaining that was mentioned, but I will say the quality of HMDI->Component converter we used wasn’t that great. Given how inexpensive it was, that’s probably why.
We just purchased about 7+ different composite to HDMI converters, from $10 to $400 to do a little write up on the quality of each. We can probably get some component converters too if you don’t mind waiting for us to do those tests (Right now, we are preparing for KnobCon as well). But I could order a few this weekend and get back to you with the results.
There is no hurry. I just got the Structure a few days ago, and this thing is deep… It’ll keep me busy for quite a while, just trying everything it can do. I thought I just mentioned the issue about getting the colour output into Visual Cortex, since it was what stopped me from buying Structure for a whole two weeks… Just in case there are other people with the same concern, and others that already found a solution. I’ll probably wait as well for the TBC2. But until then, it will be nice to know of some cheaper converters that actually work. Thanks for taking the effort (and the expense) to try different converters.
Hello to all
I’m new into modular video, I just ordered my Structure! So excited about this!
I was just wondering if someone could help me.
How could I use structure with some LZX modules and the send it back into a beamer or a TV screen?
Thank u all
If the TV or beamer take Composite, that’s not a problem. Structure has 2 Composite outs.
Structure works well with LZX modules, but if you want to process the output from Structure using LZX modules, then you need something like Visual Cortex and/or TBC2. Visual Cortex will give you 2 more Composite OUTs, that you can use to connect to TVs or beamers.
Hi,
Thanks for the answer.
That’s what I feared. I just bought the structure at 850euros and and that have more money to buy the Visual Cortex
Is there any option to find it from second hand or cheeper?
you’ll be lucky finding a new VC, let alone a used one - they sell fast and there aren’t really that many out there - probably somewhere over 500 (based on Lars quote of 450 last year)
other possibilities are Vidiot (about the same price and just as rare as VCs) or DIY (look at the cadet line for something similar to VC)
do you have other eurorack? if so I’d just start off by modulating Structure with that (lfos etc)
it can be used to process incoming video or generate visuals based on GLSL generators and effects. we’ve built a routing matrix to take incoming CV, audio, or MIDI data to modulate available parameters. so, it could be the centerpiece of a video setup, an extensive and responsive effects unit for video processing, or as a dynamic visual generator that feeds into LZX gear, VJ software (via capture card), or other video hardware among other things.
