LZX Industries Vidiot

Hovercraft · 2019-08-22T10:11:31.366Z

I started out with the 3TrinsRGB, then to the Vidiot and a V4–finally to a full LZX system. Strongly recommend starting with the Vidiot, because it’s a full self-contained system. The VC is designed as the cornerstone for a system of modules. There’s no problem creating beautiful subtlety with the Vidiot, but it’ll give you a far wider range of imagery than a lone VC.

Dewb · 2019-08-22T17:22:03.393Z

zuliani:

I would rather not get sucked immediately into a video version of audio modular synth G.A.S., and could see the Visual Cortex being very dangerous in that regard.

Yup, this is a very real risk.

Vidiot + V4 might be a good self contained playground for you. You might be able to use the keying and wipes in the V4 to make up for the lack of ramps.

robotboot · 2019-08-22T18:51:57.525Z

I own both a Vidiot and a Visual Cortex. If i had to pick just one I would go for the Vidiot. I don’t think you can do all that much with just a visual cortex and if your using a computer to generate signal to feed into it there are some other computer ways to go…lumens, Vsynth… Visual Cortex is great when you have other video modules and more of an investment. Unless you planning on growing your system i would go vidiot over Visual Cortex. Visual Cortex is more of a video mixer and ramp generator. you need other stuff to modulate and change shapes. I would also throw memory palace in the mix of stuff. you could use it completely on its own or use it for feedback and video input.
couple videos i made with only the vidiot:

video i made with full on LZX more shape based:

wednesdayayay · 2019-08-22T20:03:34.486Z

I have a vidiot that I’m currently trying to find a buyer for that is posted on the LZX facebook page! (nicholepichon)

between the two for starting out you get more bang for you buck with the vidiot but the cortex is fantastic when you are ready to start outputting via component

Kheone · 2019-08-22T22:45:47.939Z

Here is the info about the yoga event we did:

Lay Your Body Down

PlySpace Gallery | Muncie, Indiana
Thursday, May 30, 2019

Daniel Chamberlin and Mark Perretta will join PlySpace Artist-in-Residence Karl Erickson for Lay Your Body Down: May 2019. This installment in the monthly Drone Yoga series combines Yin yoga and meditation with an immersive audio-visual experience including long-form keyboard and tape loop improvisations from Perretta and video projections from Erickson.

And some pictures:

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image3264×2448 754 KB

I was using a vidiot and an 0-coast to do the visuals (not a batumi, I forgot!).

Video feedback makes it fun.

zuliani · 2019-08-22T23:08:08.507Z

Wow, this is just incredible. Exactly what I was imagining wanting to do! Thank you so much for sharing. This definitely convinces me.

zuliani · 2019-08-22T23:09:14.964Z

Thank you @robotboot! That makes complete sense. Vidiot it is

These videos are so, so cool. I love the range of tones and textures! Makes me very excited to start!

wednesdayayay · 2019-08-23T10:09:40.503Z

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDFvg7iamA this is just a vidiot two cameras and two projectors

robotboot · 2019-08-23T18:24:23.086Z

video feedback and camera feedback are great additions to making videos with a modest set up.

zuliani · 2019-08-23T18:31:53.792Z

Wow. It’s incredible how much you get out of that! What cameras are you using? I suppose I could look for some thrift-store camcorders…

chailight · 2019-08-24T02:31:55.506Z

Hey @Hovercraft - I feel like I’m on a similar path. Did you manage to integrate the 3Trins with your LZX gear?

I have a 3TrinsRGB and an Oscillatorscope and a few other bits and pieces. Have been tossing up whether to dive deeper into LZX territory, even if just to build a compact mixer for the gear I already have but I wonder if just a V4 or even just some additional capture devices with a laptop (I use Lumen and VDMX a fair bit) would be sufficient.

I find it hard to understand whether LZX gear is plays well with gear from outside it’s ecosystem and I’ve not had a chance to try out the LZX stuff anywhere to understand how it might fit into my workflow.

michael_matos · 2019-08-24T03:10:27.757Z

The 3trins pairs well with the v4. If you are using lumen you can send video out from lumen via a conversion box into the 3trins, process, then out to the v4 for your final mixing and effects. You can build an expansion to send it’s signal into the lzx system or if you get a cortex or vidiot you can send that in a sync the system to that signal.

wednesdayayay · 2019-08-24T11:57:20.153Z

one was a standard thrift store vhs I believe and one was a cannon t2i (could be any camera though)

the dual projector dual camera feedback setup is pretty magical without any LZX gear but throw in a feedback processor like vidiot and you can go wild

t3h · 2019-10-03T07:04:02.965Z

wednesdayayay:

the dual projector dual camera feedback setup is pretty magical without any LZX gear

I’m experimenting with similar technique (2 projectors, 1 camera and a computer) and it looks lush. My aim is to work with different textures and movements of the artefacts: from big islands to small bird-eye like groups. There is not too much information available about the good resolution and connection to use. Any suggestions on this regard? I would guess the better resolution of high-end projectors (used for home cinema systems etc) will improve the fluidity of the artefacts and ‘feedback islands’.

wednesdayayay · 2019-10-03T09:53:22.238Z

I mean more resolution may not be bad but honestly I am just using what I’ve got available I haven’t bought or sought out and projectors since way before I started with video synthesis

improving the feedback quality all comes down to your ambient light, camera settings (focusing, white balance etc.) and angle of camera to screen

if you throw in some flashlight/laser pointer or some source of light it can be be very fun to play with in this setup too

making sure to mess around with the orientation (flipping the image around via the OSD) of the projectors (I may have mentioned that earlier) if key to this technique

t3h · 2019-10-03T13:20:43.540Z

wednesdayayay:

making sure to mess around with the orientation (flipping the image around via the OSD) of the projectors (I may have mentioned that earlier) if key to this technique

Thanks, thats helpful. Music will probably take most of my attention during the performance so video will have to live with lots of inconsistence and learning by doing.

robotboot · 2019-10-03T15:53:40.619Z

As someone that also works with feedback something to think about is the added delay that higher resolution devices add to the signal. I do most of my feedback with a old tub camera and a CRT monitor and while the resolution is SD some things it does are unobtainable with newer hirer resolution cameras do to the lag/delay time added but each digital thing in the system. thus is an example of some all analog feedback.

I am not saying this is better or anything like that and this was filmed with a HD camera that was not attached to the feedback line. I think its an example tho of more resolution doesn’t mean better feedback. Digital also has its own benifits of a longer delay between what is seen on the screen and then coming back to it. its own ascetic as well.

t3h · 2019-10-03T20:18:32.469Z

robotboot:

filmed with a HD camera that was not attached to the feedback line

is it me or is the hd camera not focused correctly? Amazing patterns and colors

cmcavoy · 2019-10-03T20:25:26.937Z

I just started using Vidiot, but have been messing around with software “analog” video synth ideas via Lumen for a while, and more recently the JS / browser based Hydra. Hydra was where I really started to appreciate feedback.

Here’s a short piece I stitched together Monday night from footage I’d been accumulating for a few days. I’d actually like to re-edit it to cut out the color bits, but…all the black and white sections are purely feedback with a nikon powershot pointed at a flatscreen SD TV. You can even see the little battery indicator in the corner…no idea how to make that go away

robotboot · 2019-10-03T20:39:56.304Z

Part of generating patterns and gradients is having the camera in the feedback line be out of focus or have the focus moving. So yes this image is on the softer side but is also part of the ascetic. I chose a softer image over getting all the digital aliasing. Idealy I would have also recorded the tube camera and so on for comparison. Also YouTube is crushing this video I can see a drastic difference in quality between my originals and what gets posted…tooo many colors and gradients over here.