[sdiy] Modular Video?

[Rotwang the Mad Inventor]

Videre!

At 22:10 2001-09-12 -0700, John L Marshall wrote:

>It seems to me that vector manipulation would be most visually pleasing.

Vector manipulation I beleive is certainly the most interesting image
_generating_ method. If you are into mathematics, it is a very direct way
of visualising quite complex functions. An analog computer is a very useful
tool here. (Hmmm... we have two of them in the great junkpile in our
basement... :)

Still, making an analogy :) with music synthesisers, dealing with vector
synthesis only, we still haven't left the oscillator module!
Of course we want to apply further processing to the synthetic image, just
like we would send our raw oscillator signal through lots of other modules.

To process image signals, I still think you need to move into the line-scan
world of television. Then, in the end you may probably also want to put the
results onto tape. 
(Maybe even telecine - I have a idea of running an analog video synth setup
at really low speed, using the systems sync pulses to drive the shutter of
a super-8 camera. The resulting films would be interesting to project
during live performances etc. Sync pulses derived from the projector would
then drive analogue sequensers and so on, of course...)

The vector image, for example a simple lissajous figure, would of course be
interesting to colorise. A voltage controlled three-channel panner (for R,
G and B) of some kind would give you voltage controlled color. 
Several image generators could be mixed, and/or set to interact with each
other. Those ringmodulators we use in sound synthesis; 1496 and 8013 both
have _lots_ of bandwidth, very suitable for video work. Filter functions
are as useful on image signals as sound. Nonlinear amplification makes
drastic changes in the images tone scale...
There seem to be lots of room for experimentation here. Most of us know at
least a little what will happen to sound when a certain processing is
applied, but image twisting is a whole new field of tweak-o-mania! :)

Another funny thing ist that an analog video synth/processor would share
control standards with our audio-synthesisers, enabling them to interact.
Audio and video could be set to interact or at least synchronise.

>Why not convert an old television to vector operation?

Yes, why not? :) Peronally, I am a little nervous about poking around where
there is high voltages.
I _have_ put my fingers where I shouldn't have put them, and as a result
invented "direct-to-mind visual synthesis" :) - I got to see lots of stars
and bright colors! *ouch*

It is true that there is not much commercially available in the field of
video synthesis.
For those of you with PAL system, Velleman has a processor kit which is
very suitable for serious hotrodding:
http://www.velleman.be/Product.asp?lan=1&id=9229

Then there is always the good old way of salvaging junk.
Nowadays, when every major broadcaster moves into the digital domain, there
should be lots of old but functioning analog broadcast equipment ready to
be saved from the dumpster. I used to work at the Swedish national
broadcaster, and annoyed my girlfriend quite frequently by carrying home
lots of "junk"...
I found lots of good stuf, Now I just need to fint the time top put it all
together to something funny.

I guess I will post here when I get something running.

	Peace!

	/P! the Mad Inventor