Very much agree, touchdesigner is awesome! But I love the ‘texture’, tiny instabilities, and hands on feel of analog video gear though + I work with touchdesigner (and Houdini) as my day job so it’s a nice change of scenery too.
I’m working on recreating the LZX ecosystem / workflow as touchdesigner ‘modules’ with GLSL. It’s still early w.i.p. I should share it online once it’s a little further.
I also combine touchdesigner with analog all the time with a hdmi->composite converter. Lot’s of cool stuff to be done there
I’m also hoping for a “late December” delivery Giant
Do you have existing Electron gear? How are you planning to use the Hypno? Just hands-on or using CV or midi?
My plan is to automate some parameters using the Octatrack, like shape changes on the beat using an Octa midi track converted to USB midi via an iConnectivity box. Might try and manipulate some movement using CCs and an LFO but was excited about being hands on with the Hypno and tweaking parameters manually.
The idea that we can recall saved patches using midi notes is EPIC and I’m definitely going to be trying that with the Octatrack!
wow, thanks for your input!
I have to try that.
In the meantime I am deeper into the topic and have read a lot and viewed a lot of video material.
I expanded my setup with an old MiniVD camera for feedback loops, a Sony color corrector with which really great effects can be achieved and a V8 to bring everything together.
I have a Sleepy Circuits Hypno and a Critter and Guitari Eyesy. They both produce fabulous graphics using different methods and inputs. The Hypno can take visuals from a live camera feed but the Eyesy can’t. I don’t view this as a limitation on the Eyesy.
The Eyesy uses “modes” which are written in Pygame. There’s no need to learn how to program. The unit comes with enough preinstalled modes to produce hours and hours of glitched video performance material. There are also a lot of really good Eyesy modes at PatchStorage for free.
The Hypno is more hands on (buttons, knobs and sliders) for video modulation (it’s got cv jacks for us modular nerds) and can source from a usb drive or a webcam (one or the other. you can’t display both at the same time). I use a Logitech c920 and a usb stick). There’s also no need for programming skills. It has a steeper learning curve than the Eyesy but a few evenings of twisting knobs and sliders (RTFM) and you’re off. The Hypno gives you a lot more hands on control and deeper midi implementation than the Eyesy and is more flexible with input sources.
Both units produce stunning graphics and both have adequate midi implementation to allow sequencing image changes (presets are accessible via PC’s on the Eyesy and note values for the Hypno) and video glitching / modulations (CC) using the midi tracks on my Digitakt.
The Hypno has 48 CC’s available to modulate the bejeezus out of your video (basically everything you can do with the front controls). The Eyesy is more of a walled garden with less midi control (CC’s 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25) which correspond to the 5 controller knobs on the unit and modulate depending on what the programmer coded the mode to show and do. I find the Eyesy to be much easier to sequence with the Digitakt. The Eyesy output also never gets overly glitched (to the point of being unusable).
Things can go haywire with the Hypno in a hurry and troubleshooting can be difficult. It takes a little fiddling to figure out which unit (Hypno or Digitakt) is doing what and get it to stop. I start by zeroing out any active midi track LFO’s on the Digitakt and then load my Hypno panic preset (no motion) to get back into a known condition with minimal or zero motion. I like the Hypno mostly for hands on action and I like the Eyesy for sequencing with the Digitakt. I currently use them one at a time but I’ve got an ATEM Mini Pro ISO video switcher coming which will enable me to mix between both units.
Finally, the Eyesy comes in a powder coated orange aluminum case that inspires confidence and just looks damn nice. The Hypno case is cheap plastic with poorly hacked out cable thru’s. The USB C connector doesn’t extend all the way to the opening so you’ll need to add a USB C extender. The unit is attached to the case with x4 M3 screws and mine came with only one screw actually attached to the threads on the case, the other 3 screws are attached to nothing and simply fall out. I contacted Sleepy Circuits and got blown off.
I’d give both units an A+++ for glitching video the most in a small package!
The Eyesy smashes another A+++ for stylish minimalism and robust build.
The Hypno gets a D- for being jammed into a poor quality case.
It reacts to the audio. It’s mostly horizontal line type affair. Colours. I used on a couple projects and exhibition. I would think of it like a component in a chain, on its own it’s relatively basic at what it does. But if you have some larger structure you involve it, it could be part of those results.
