kaptivator or edirol p10
http://www.deepvisual.com/kaptivator.html
i think the kaptivator is out of production although one might show up on ebay or some such.
the cool thing about video is that it often doesn’t need to be directly synced to the visuals if the content is not obviously 4 to the floor.
i put a dozen 720p clips (seamless loops) up for free here:
https://www.avloops.com/users/supergeek
these look great and don’t explicitly define any tempo or rhythm.
Roland has some video products too, like V4.
yes although is a mixer for external sources, whereas the Kaptivator is a combination of mixer and source material with two preview windows.
it’s the one to buy, pretty much.
does require that the visuals be sampled to the disk rather than brought via usb. so there’s that. but the unit is truly a powerful creative standalone video instrument and mixer focused on actually working with video samples.
having the all-in-one solution is truly energising as regards creativity and portability. how long it takes to link up the gear for a set, whether vj, dj, or djvj/audiovisual artist, does somehow make things easier if it’s no more than five minutes. lower gear count = less leads/connections/signal-pathways.
This looks like it might work. Very simple device.
I’ve been thinking of buying that and a vidiot for some video synthesis.
guaranteed possible to sample the video clips adequately.
the only question is whether it is possible/easy to ensure a captured video loop is fully looping seamlessly.
i reckon the Kaptivator would do it.
the Moog Model D was made in 1974 or something and people still respect it immensely.
video is video at the end of the day; if the Kaptivator captures the input properly when preparing clips for a show, it is guaranteed to have a very smooth playback capability especially when applying video effects to multiple layers.
out of all the hundreds of potential video codecs a video mixer must deal with and allow for, the Kaptivator conveniently positions itself 20 percent ahead in efficiency by only using one video codec and pixel count: it’s own.
and this is the genius; a single native video codec for every clip - predictable by the video code and effects code - enforced by the requirement to sample/record a clip from the input, rather than bring it over from computer via usb linkup.
same frames per second. same size. same codec. every clip.
video deals with ten times as much data per second as what audio does, and when a number of clips are all playing, that is when performance and code architecture matters.
especially when the show is on a 20 meter screen.
but anyway i checked out LZX industries and absolutely love them. i’m their new greatest fan.
they make a video mixer that is capable of what the Edirol V4 does, and yet so much more. Mix between two video inputs smoothly with a xfader? yes. Use voltage controlled oscillators and Eurorack moduar synthesis patching in response to video colour makeup elements, etc and more with discrete circuitry hardware fx? yes.
this thing is next level elegant powerful and fun …
that could pair very well with two of those aforementioned looping media players. $1100 for an extremely creative, modular and powerful video instrument.
and just as with Eurorack modular options for audio, there is quite a range of tempting extra video modules.
lol re/ standalone video synthesizer entitled “Vidiot”.
$1100 for a super limited module.
Holy crap!
Max/Jitter
love the Piano Sketch Max Reaktor diffusion clip.
utterly gorgeous.
wasn’t too impressed with the rest except for the Autechre video clip, the visuals of which seem to be making a cool reference to a video art clip released by a boutique vj dvd label based out of London and Japan in 2006. the visuals were way ahead of their time, so to reference them will remain a hip cool thing to do until at least 2045.
yes the Visual Cortex is - although kitted up ready for modular video interactions, just a video mixer for two video inputs with some potential for less-complex video effects on the inputs.
but the function of a video mixer with a crossfader is itself a desirably powerful instrument. “two turntables and a microphone” as the lyrics go in some vaguely relevant song.
to go one or two levels further requires a video synth module or two, connected to the voltage control patch inserts and so forth.
another $669 scores the Vidiot, and $499 brings the Navigator onboard. suddenly, things become very cool to say the least.
this is for sure how i would design a visual show.
either that or just play back clips with GrandVJ from a laptop and some beat-matched fx.
anyway ridiculous shopping list fun coupon investment alert:
https://www.lzxindustries.net/shop/product/lzxvid-vidiot-2629
I guess what im getting at is Max can go as far as you can.
I did this video mapping 7 years ago with Arkaos vj, 15 years old version, and After Fx before.
I’d like a simple hardware thing, I don’t need a lot of power as my projector is crappy ! 
I’d like to try Resolume again.
SICK! that looks awesome. 
It was with my wife’s grass creation. Smoke is water for plants. 
I was supposed to play / control these visuals live with my guitar via midi + groovebox but it didn’t work properly ! Too complicated setup !
I could only play a simple sequence and play guitar over it. 
i love that, it’s like a video art clip in and of itself; the documentation of the artwork then becomes the artwork.
Touch Designer is also pretty next level way-cool.
And Unity in fact has some very cool potential to repurpose as a VJ performance tool or series of purpose built custom art tools for video performance.
i’m still keen for the modular Vidiot though 
Amazing. Lots of options. If that Andor1 does the trick, really can’t beat the price for $199. The LZX website seems pretty incredible and like a money pit. 
Thanks everyone for the input.
@previewlounge - I definitely have to have a tight sync for our live stuff. I edit video down to the sample for a lot of changes and have sync with backing tracks.
Really great recommendations though. Thanks again.
my wallet told me not to go there again until my bank balance is ludicrously salubrious.
the Kaptivator would have a trimming function.
and its own way of nudging a clip forwards and backwards during realtime play to properly be in the groove.
and there are two preview screens and two sides of the crossfader with 8 clips apiece or something so its pretty way cool for prepping up the next clip for the transition.
also, the Kaptivator xfader would be midi controllable … i know the V4 i used to work with was midi controllable. Even worked linked to the xfader of a djm800 mixer.
Kaptivator also offers some moderately cool beat detecting generative video art options.
Powerful. Workable. Realtime flexible options. And the sampled video clips could be trimmed cleanly easily enough i believe on the Kaptivator.
the Andor1 doesn’t have clip nudge or speed adjust.
Looks really cool!
Little update on this thread.
I ended up getting an Andor1, configuring to send a midi note to trigger the start of the video from the Octatrack, which is pretty dope.
Only issue is that because the Andor1 reads video from a usb stick, there’s a bit of an inconsistent delay from the trigger of the midi note to when the video loads and actually starts playing… 
Pretty cool if I weren’t trying to sync down to the sample…
Workaround is to hit play on the remote and then start the Octatrack arrangement with a count down visual reference from the video (like 3, 2, 1, go).
Little bit wacky, but still lets me bypass using a laptop.