I’ve spent a bit of time on things which can be achieved with complex, precise MIDI control over the VJX, but as an artistic tool we can achieve similarly exciting results with random, ad-hoc controls. Here’s a look at some variations using 4 camera sources and the Crop effect.

Vixid Crop Effect Automation from Create Digital Media on Vimeo. Music by pornophonique.

For the initial crop effect I’m controlling the Crop L and Crop R parameters for the top three camera layers, bringing in control of Opacity, RGB and Blend Mode as the video progresses. Manually controlling all of these things at once would of course be impossible, so another time that the VJX’ full midi map comes to the rescue. As I was looking for a rough prototype to see how these type of effects would look, I turned to VDMX (previously on CDMo) to quickly put together some control routings.

What you can’t see from this screenshot is that the various sliders for Crop and Opacity (which was also used for RGB and Blend) all have various Behaviour Chains applied to them. This lets me take the extremely erratic and fast-moving “drunk” mode and turn it into something more fluid through smoothing, inversion, scaling etc.

For other VDMX users, I’ve uploaded the preset file so you can try it out yourself - vixid-cropmove - all you have to do is choose your midi interface in the Midi Destination on the two MidiOut modules, and you’re set! If you don’t have VDMX, you can try this project file out by downloading the demo.

The above video uses effects which have been exaggerated so you can see what is happening clearly and quickly. In performance these could be tweaked more subtly, triggered by audio or BPM, and combined with feedback, keying, or other tweaks to make a unique and artistic combination.

The VJX’ Preset system is pretty robust, allowing you to save and recall 16 blocks of settings for Keyer, FX, Motion, Crop, RGB, BCS, Transition, Audio Type and Audio Link. If you haven’t made it that far down the manual: Press Preset then one of the Matrix buttons to save a preset for the current section. Hold down that section button (RGB for instance) and press one of the Matrix buttons to load a preset.

It goes deeper though. Somehow, on my first several readings of the VJX manual I managed to skip the part about saving and loading entire track presets. This will save all of the above settings for the track.

The “Select” button - your new best friend.

To save a Track preset, press Preset as normal, press the Select button for the track you want to save, then press a Matrix button to save the whole track preset in that matrix location.

This is very useful when you’re working with complex feedback effects, or have different track settings for different inputs. For instance: I’ve been using RGB and HSB tweaks to colour correct my camera inputs, but if I was to switch from a computer input on the same track to the camera I’d want to be able to quickly load these colour tweaks. To reset back to “default” you can do a Track reset, by holding down Reset and pressing the track Select button.

So this gives you almost all the track settings possible in just a couple of button presses. We can’t yet save a “super-preset” of the whole mixer setup including routing, compositing mode etc., although I’m told that this functionality is being investigated for a future firmware update, and in the meantime we can control all of these things via MIDI. Has anyone made an application to save and send VJX setups via MIDI? Sounds like a good candidate for the next PD experiment.

On the way to creating some more VJX-basics tutorials I have found myself distracted, hopelessly so, by the topic of feedback. Video feedback is of course a very common and simple “technique”, available in many forms, both hardware and software. However, in most incarnations the result is quite similar and recognizable. Not so with the VJX. The combination of 4 layers, per-layer blend modes and effects, and internal routing create a staggering range of possibilities. I’ve previously posted some examples, and now I’d like take apart and explain the most popular of those, the black and white mirror morph effect.

Vixid Advanced: Feedback Setup and Demo from Create Digital Media on Vimeo.

Input/Patch Setup

Camera or other source feed plugged in to Track 4. Select the appropriate input on Track 4.
Output 1: Connect via patch cable to input on Track 3. S-Video or Composite - Each will give different effects, as will using poor-quality cables, as noise in the patch cable will create more interference in the feedback loop.
Output 2: Connect via patch cable to input on track 2.
Output 3: Final Output - Connect to projector, screen, capture or preview.

The Setup

The VJX is in “Compositing” mode.
Outputs: All set to “Master 1″ (this is what builds the feedback, as the composited output is immediately routed back into tracks 2 and 3).

Track 4: Camera Input. Layer Order D (bottom). BCS (Brightness, Contrast, Saturation) Contrast on 255. Opacity at 100%. This effect works best with a moving, high-contrast, white on black source.
Track 3: First feedback layer. Input from Output 1. Blend Mode: Difference. Layer Order C (second from bottom). Opacity around 40%. Gain 255.
Track 2: Second feedback layer. Input from Output 2. Blend mode: Normal. Layer opacity 25%. Gain 220. Effects: Flip Horizontal, Negative.
Track 1: Not used (could be utilized as an additional feedback loop).

How it Works

The key to this effect is the Negative and Flip effects on track 2. Various combinations of a negative layer applied over a negative blend mode will give you other similar looks. Tweaking the opacity of tracks 2 and 3 will change the “bleed” speed, and depending on the brightness of your source input they may need to be tweaked up or down slightly.

I’m very pleased with this effect. It’s relatively simple to setup, and gives a beautiful, organic look. I’m not sure how well it would work on stage, but it has huge potential for post-production work.

While I’m in a sharing mood. I’ve been spending some time with Feedback effects in the VJX this week, as I was planning to do my next “advanced” tutorial on VJX feedback and effects. However, after losing several hours in experimenting with different blend modes, input and output routing - and creating a huge range of effects and looks - I came to the realization that feedback in the VJX is such a huge topic that we couldn’t hope to cover it properly in a single tutorial.

So instead I’m going to focus on some interesting effects I have discovered, and documenting the exact combination of layers, routing, effects, and other parameters are required to achieve them.

This one is rather complicated. Using the mixer in Battle mode it to isolate two layers as a “feedback loop”, it brings a camera input from track 4, over to the feedback loop on layers 1&2, and then composites them back over the camera input with layer 3. With Difference, Subtraction and Negative blend modes used, and an Inverse effect, I can’t really tell you what’s happening here, but it looks great. The entire effect is controlled with just the gain on the camera input, and tweaking this from 1-255 gives all of the various effects you see in the video.

This one is a little easier, and documented on the Vimeo page. The black/white butterfly effect is achieved by overlaying a Difference blend mode over a layer which is flipped horizontally and has Negative effect applied.

I’ll give proper instruction on creating these effects, and more, soon.

VJX owner Tiago Pereira (previously spotted on CDM) is fusing technology with tradition in the OMIRI A/V project.

With Vasco Ribeiro Casais on electronic bouzouki, nyckelharpa, flute, loops, beats, effects pedals, laptop and other enhancements, the sound is a complex mix of past, present and future, and - with the help of João Chaves - the visuals help build this into a consistent performance. The historical basis of these pieces is in dance, so the content is spot on, with dance from a huge range of cultures making an appearance.

OMIRI LIVE - Teatro da Luz - Xotiça Marmeleira from Tiago Pereira on Vimeo.

Being Vixid.Noisepages, this performance does indeed feature a VJX as the hub which glues the visual show together. There’s some fitting use of blend modes on display, but we need not forget that the VJX is a mixer at heart. You don’t need to use effects just because they’re there, and Tiago doesn’t fall into this trap.

Recently I had two matched projectors for a couple of hours, so I decided to try and achieve a seamless scrolling effect with live camera sources.

Through luck rather than planning, all of my video cameras are from Sony, and they all have the same type of cable for composite analog-out. Looking for better quality, I picked up half a dozen of these replacement cables, which have both S-Video and Composite jacks. This allows me to send a single camera output to 2 separate layers, setting the stage for some multi-screen spanning.

The Setup

Put the VJX into Battle Mode (Menu > Video > Mixmode > Battle 2*2)
Set Outputs for separate projectors (Menu > Video > Outputs > Choose “Master 1″ for first projector, “Master 2″ for second)

Plug one output from each camera into each side of the mixer:
Camera 1:
Composite Output - Track 1, Input 1
S-Video Output - Track 3, Input 3
Camera 2:
Composite Output - Track 2, Input 1
S-Video Output - Track 4, Input 3
… and then hold down the “Input” button and select these inputs.
For each track in turn:
Enable Background Alpha
Enable Scroll FX

Midi Control

The VJX has a complete midi map, covering almost every function available (apart from saving and loading of presets). The VJX has a pretty intuitive control setup for the huge amount of options available, but it would be physically impossible to control independent parameters for 4 tracks concurrently, which is where external midi enters the picture.