NAMM 22: Positronic Recursion Studio - Video Synthesizer

[@StephenMcLeod]

I'm not a huge fan of kaleidoscopic visuals, so wish the demo showed off some others - but the feature list seems real impressive. The CV inputs in particular are great.

[@inthefade]

My friend has spent thousands on a modular video synth setup to basically do this same thing. It's a big scene that most people don't know a lot about. Pretty cool.

[@VJFranzK]

It's not quite the same as modular video, which is really different under the hood. It is similar to visualizer software one might run on a laptop, except here is a dedicated digital machine and control panel for it.

[@RabRabNZ]

1200 for a pi in a box is ridiculous. More than a chromagnon, memory palace, vidiot, structure.... All incredible feats of electronic engineering.

[@NateHorn]

Very cool to see more video synths, interested to try this one out!

[@jeffreymcgoldrick1249]

Hey,its Nate!

[@engx3733]

Great to see that Video is getting some love. I will keep my eyes on this product.

[@localhost4460]

That's a much more impressive visuals than I've seen from competitors. For instance I was very underwhelmed by things like the Eyesy. That said it was 1/3 the cost... Very cool device!

[@VJFranzK]

There isn't enough VJ gear to really consider things "competitors" 😉 This is more expensive hardware, running dedicated software. Whereas Eyesy is simpler hardware, running open source visualizers, including those one might code by one's self, It's a bit of a different approach. (Okay, it looks like Positronic will also be able to load more software, we shall see..!)

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

pretty sure this is my next purchase, DOPE!

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

i haven't seen you at any parties, in SF, been going to the wrong parties, LoL!

[@FetzAV]

Just curious, are you using other gear and this would be an addition to your visual setup?

[@FetzAV]

@@isaacanthonydj4124 I was thinking the same thing!

[@Paintopia_VR]

This is amazing!

[@mechanicom]

reminds me of winamp visualizations

[@bdxfhsf]

That and Plane9 (free)

[@mechanicom]

@@bdxfhsf yeah - the price point is high. 1080p and nothing mind blowing from the demo..

[@bdxfhsf]

@@mechanicom Crazy price tag and Visual Synthesizer by Imaginando is now out retailing at £100 or less and is also rent to own, hook up a behringer x-touch mini, sorted. Easy

[@FetzAV]

@@bdxfhsf Thanks for the Plane9 tip!

[@bdxfhsf]

@@FetzAV You're welcome and here's a useful KZbin video title to c & p in search for a quick guided tour, without quotes - 'A Free Audio Visualizer for your Content - a Guide to Plane 9'

[@BeardslapRadio]

I just want milkdrop with midi input and a decent UI.

[@Strages_Powers]

thank you

[@_c_y_p_3]

There is a project on ios but it lacks much real support and no midi. i think its called “Project M Pro” . i just found a laptop near a trash and after the sterilization dried I installed winamp!!! Figured I will run that in as one of several video inputs , maybe post process through a video cam…l.

[@otherreality]

Lol, i use milkdrop when jamming, just feed the mixer audio out to winamp and jam along. It would be amazing if it could handle midi but hey, ita good enough as it is for me

[@Engineeer]

Very cool. When I look at the hardware, it seems that it is based on the Raspberry Pi. The LAN and USB port configuration looks identical. There are also touch screens of similar size available for the Raspberry Pi. If this device is using these standard parts, it's a huge plus when it comes to repairability. Thumbs up! I think the success of this device will heavily depend on the stability of the software.

[@OscillatorCollective]

I’ve wanted one of these for like 20 year!!!

[@entropyandsons]

This was a common sentiment amongst the proto-AI proletariat from the years ~12000-14000AD

[@808Wood]

I absolutely want this thing

[@djbrotherelectric]

I'd like to have seen what it does with a random image or video if was capable yet. Looks cool though

[@FetzAV]

How it handles the video input from other sources will be a big factor for me. Interesting stuff!

[@PaulBoos]

WOW! I'd definitely consider buying one of those for shows...

[@VJFranzK]

New VJ Gear! 🔵🌔 Appears once in a blue moon... Looks good!

[@BattleAngelSound]

Looks like a great idea and dev seems to be nice guy (and honest). I think that I'll get it one day to make video clips on the fly. Audio input is great!

[@entropyandsons]

Our local human proxy seems to have adequate neuronal capacity, although he does need to lose a little weight.

[@cravensean]

I sat through the first few minutes of this thinking, "But is it of use to a visual artist?" Now you've got my interest.

[@chukah9484]

Super interested. I am looking forward to see a deeper dive review of this piece of hardware, particularly what is possible with mixing its engines and other video files.

[@Jexus]

Ha! Can I connect my VHS gear to it?

[@kgbinfo]

I bet you could with an HD to AV adapter

[@FetzAV]

@@kgbinfo Something like an Atlona scaler (composite to HDMI) or other brand would work to get analog gear into this thing.

[@entropyandsons]

Godspeed

[@FetzAV]

It looks really cool! To clarify, does it actually generate it's own visual content, or just play back clips & content loaded into it with effects and algorithms? Can you turn off the kaleidoscope effect? Or are there other types of algorithms? It's nice to have variety for long VJ gigs. Super cool that it has MIDI, CV, and USB input. Very versatile. What happens to the signals (from video hardware HDMI) input via USB? Can you mix that in with the kaleidoscopes and internal content? How do they work together? *Edit* I learned through your website that there are multiple modes beyond kaleidoscope, and that incoming signals are fractalized and kaleidoscoped. Also, it does synthesize it's own visuals content through different engines. Very cool! Final thought. The beings behind this advance technology are not from our universe.

[@entropyandsons]

It generates it's own videos, independent of external sources, dynamically, in response to it's inputs. There is nothing pre-rendered. The kaleidoscopic layer is optional, but it is recommended. The device will ship with at least 3 algorithms, which we call visual instruments. The device is a platform for hosting visual instruments, and is not tied to any specific algorithm/instrument. Additional instruments will be added in the future. In general though, additional information is forthcoming. It is a common misconception that we are not from your universe, but we are. In fact it is possible to argue that we *are* your universe. The continuing expansion of consciousness into material life forms ascends well beyond the human epoch

[@PaulBoos]

@@entropyandsons that closing paragraph is funny right there. Almost snorted my bourbon through my nose…

[@DanieleGiannattasio]

Very cool! :)

[@the8ctagon]

If only I could have something like this on my own PC... and maybe it could start automatically after the computer had been idle for a specified number of minutes?

[@untoward]

You prolly could...it looks like a raspberry pi with a custom hat...kinda over priced for the hardware.. If you ask me...would love to see the daughter board sold separately as a kit... but under the hood it's just linux in there and if they have the source up on a public repository it would be possible to port it and control it with a midi controller

[@MobiusVideo]

@@untoward I think he/she was ‘subtly’ hinting that we’ve seen this kind of thing before many times over with screensavers. Apple iTunes had a similar Visualizer effects which synced to the music. Not entirely sure why you need an expensive hardware unit to do this. 🤷‍♂️

[@mooseinbeesocks2700]

I would have liked to see an audio input demo!

[@modularsamples]

Perfect for rave visuals, love this kind of thing. If money was no object I'd be all over it. I'm a big fan of the CoGe video synth software. It's designed for VJs, but I like to make silly music videos with it. It's trippy as f@ck and totally modular. It borrows a lot terminology & concepts from synths so for someone who's a video illiterate it's a lot easier to figure out than motion or after effects.

[@rastcheck6037]

Nice. Would be possible to upload user algo? Which coding language is used to make the visual? Thanks

[@badoedipus2551]

I kinda feel like I want something that does a little better then 1080p and I would have liked to see what it can do with a video input... also I kinda feel like you might want to be able to somehow synch these together with other stuff.. and its not clear what that would look like.

[@halcyonacoustic7366]

It has beat detection for analog sound and midi can transmit tempo data.

[@badoedipus2551]

@@halcyonacoustic7366 you often want better synch with video that what MIDI can get you.

[@g3cd]

Hm, the Sleepy Cicuits "Hypno" is half the price, shipping right now, produces better / more interesting images and has better connectivity. Also the video above and the website doesn't mention wether it has an HDMI connector … which would be crucial for professional use.

[@I.O.M.]

Can also be easily incorporated into modular set-up. That is what sold me on the Hypno 😀

[@neiel1]

Hypno is rad! Sleepy Circuits is cool! It’s amazing what that little box can create. To be fair he does mention in the video that they are working on providing an hdmi to usb converter for the final product.

[@KeithRowley]

The dude said it has a usb to hdmi converter to get any hdmi video into it.

[@FetzAV]

There is an HDMI cable running from the back of the box into the TV. Is that what you meant by HDMI connector?

[@entropyandsons]

Our device supports USB MIDI, 5 pin MIDI, has a dedicated audio input for beat detection etc, has 8 CV jacks, and can also accept video input via the included HDMI -> USB converter. It is unclear what additional connectivity you might want.

[@Wagoo]

Reminds me of my Edirol (Roland) CG-8

[@FetzAV]

Lucky! Wow!

[@rafaelbrenerrosa]

Great !

[@jupitor919]

My mom used to collect Kaleidoscopes. I could look 👀 through those things for hours.. Sometimes I would point it at the 📺 tv.. I guess I could have invented something like this.. hahaha 🤪

[@marantz1]

Lol $1200?! They've got to be joking.

[@sekkes]

Gene Shuman looks like a cool guy - would love to see him at a Long Now event

[@nothankyou]

Not sure I understand the comment about the CV vs Midi precision thing - you could quantise the CV to 127 steps and it would be the same resolution as Midi and provide an identical experience.

[@entropyandsons]

It takes some finesse to make the device respond to wave forms in an aesthetic way, it is not a question of precision. Although there explicitly are parts of the system designed to take wave form input. In general though, it is much easier to make the system animate aesthetically either by triggering LFOs or other events via MIDI ON/OFF events as opposed to MIDI CC or CV signals.

[@jjrusy7438]

Awesome piece of performance gear. some day i will get one of this type of device. but probably wait until future generations. his little history was cool. edit: burning man cred. i need someone to tell me what it is really like eating alkaline playa dust and living "wilderness" life for a week. is it worth it for the bragging rights? looks really cool in all the vids.

[@entropyandsons]

No. The alkaline dust seriously damages our circuitry.

[@rort1371]

They should have an onboard mic for audio analysis.

[@entropyandsons]

The device doesn't have an onboard mic, but it does have an 1/8" jack so you can just plug one in.

[@rort1371]

@@entropyandsons I’ve owned the Critter/guitari version of this and an onboard mic would have been a godsend

[@entropyandsons]

@@rort1371 Interesting, we'll definitely put some thought into it.

[@markwatson7834]

Does I move along with music

[@elissitdesign]

Yes.

[@entropyandsons]

Yes.

[@NicleT]

Does it have only a kaleidoscopic fx output?

[@entropyandsons]

No, it's a very general system. It will release with other algorithms, not related to the kaleidoscopic fractal on which is the primary focus.

[@NicleT]

@@entropyandsons awesome, thank you 👍

[@absurdbird3556]

Winamp's 'Milkdrop v2' is better.

[@rabbadak]

Is it me, or does that connector layout look suspiciously like that of a Raspberry Pi 3?

[@CadeParkison]

definitely a rasberry pi in there haha

[@AveMcree]

homie charging $1200 for a $50 chipset and software you can do using the Pi code book... lmao

[@entropyandsons]

Not an RPI, but you're not too far off.

[@TriangleWaveRecords]

Imagine asking $1200 for a Max/MSP patch in a box… 😬 on a lighter note, this looks good and seems to have a good form factor, but I’m not sure what this brings that current software on a small laptop can’t do. Especially if I’m having to plug-in a MIDI controller anyway

[@entropyandsons]

It's not a Max/MSP patch in a box, it is much closer to MAX/MSP in a box. It's not quite that degree of generality, but it is a *very* general system, that admittedly, this demo doesn't quite capture. We will be releasing videos soon which explains this in more depth.

[@TriangleWaveRecords]

@@entropyandsons that is reassuring. This video definitely does not pay it justice. I will keep an eye out for more demos!

[@amoeba23]

This is amazing....for 1994.

[@telumatramenti7250]

Just 1 question. How is it that with a DEDICATED, and rather large device you couldn't achieve 1/5th of the kind of complexity, originality, and just overall organic, nature-like fractal beauty that is Milkdrop 2.0 (visualization used in Winamp)? Is it your grasp of mathematics? Is it about programming language? Why is this that over a decade later so few visualizations were able to even approach Milkdrop?

[@TrinityCodex]

the sleepycircuits hypno could do this better with the same Rpi, for less money

[@dannymontreal6316]

I was going to leave a snarky comment, and then read ALL the other snarky comments; and now feel it would be poor taste to pile on.

[@antoniocalimero1173]

In Windows 98 is this free:-)

[@TheValueOfN]

I was hoping for so much more. The visuals were nowhere near as good as I expected; especially not for $1200 +.

[@technohead9670]

Namm been a bit of a let down this year

[@rhamlyn100]

The worst product in the world.

[@entropyandsons]

Your mother is so fat, she can directly interact with neutrinos.