PC disco lighting effect - Vusic

[johnd 0]

Does anyone else use a PC and projector?

 

I have found this simple programe called 'VUSIC' to be quite stunning in its effects and V cheap to licence, i. e. $25 from the programe writers. This is downloadable from the Vusic web site and gives a thirty day evaluation period before licensing kicks in.

 

 

Its effects cover every aspect of standard lighting systems with lots more thrown in. It is stand alone or music activated and with a little time spent learning all the effects can give an evenings lightshow with little repition.

 

Given a good projector - 1200 ANSI Lumens or better you can fill a fair sized room with a truly attention getting effect.

 

A laptop is the ideal way to drive the projector, but any reasonable spec, (i. e. cheap) PC Pentium 2 - 400 meg will do the job. Given that E-Bay has plenty of reasonable projectors going for the £2 -300 mark you can have a unique lightshow for little more than a good set of scanners.

 

The downside is that lamps for the projector can cost over £300 and the rougher tretmant that gigging subjects the projector to make this an overhead that has to be considered.

Also, projectors are eminantly nickable! As I found out not so long ago.

 

This does not replace conventional lighting rigs, so no worries about Congleton Sound and Light's profit margins(!) but it is an effect that will have its day, sooner rather than later.

 

 

John D

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (johnd @ Dec 13 2004, 01:44 PM)

A laptop is the ideal way to drive the projector, but any reasonable spec, (i. e. cheap) PC Pentium 2 - 400 meg will do the job. Given that E-Bay has plenty of reasonable projectors going for the £2 -300 mark you can have a unique lightshow for little more than a good set of scanners. The downside is that lamps for the projector can cost over £300 and the rougher tretmant that gigging subjects the projector to make this an overhead that has to be considered. Also, projectors are eminantly nickable! As I found out not so long ago.

Certainly different and this is certainly something that would be best run off of a separate PC/Laptop from one that might still be being used for music.

 

I heard from a friend of mine who works in a fun-pub/bar that their DJ was using a full PC for music and running visualisations (Dancing sheep and wormhole effects) for a couple of hours one night until the PC froze and showed signs of overheating - eg: it worked again after 30 minutes of being off, outside.

 

But overall, yes a really bright video projector would be the close 2nd to any lightshow in terms of atmosphere, and a definate winner in terms of flexibility - changing your lightshow, would simply be a task of re-programming some animation scenes etc, rather than spending cash.

[brianmole 0]

Interesting thread...

 

I am booked on a VJing course in January as I am really interested in researching new avenues. I see VJing as a compliment to the DJ - it's like doing a pop video for a DJ live. It is also a lightshow thing, and it is not just mixing music videos like some of us may have done in the 80's!

 

I was at the House Music Awards, and at Plasa, both showcased VJ talents of Dan Tait which created a real buzz. People were looking at the screens!

 

Also, there is a mastermix dvd out now which has video graphics and 'celebration banners' which could be used on mobile rigs easily.

 

So, I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility for mobile DJs to incorporate some elements of VJing in their setups, specialy as the cost of the hardware is tumbling in this area.

 

Now, for those of you who use Itunes, there is a basic built in visualiser. But if you go to Arkaos visualiser you can download a free addon visualiser - I think there is one there for window$ too. On the web site, you can also get demo versions of the full product to try.

[bluejools 0]

Intresting one.......

 

Couple of things I would point out..... even the cheapest home video projectors cost alot of money......especially if you want to be able to see them in a lit room...

 

They are not designed to throw small tight images... being a large,diffuse light source with limited focussing .... so really your summer gigs they are a non-starter.

 

Secondly, the cost of bulbs is incredible (250GBP + after 2000 hours use http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/fear.gif ). I know this compares with some exspensive lighting effects, but how many in this group role them out every show.... ?

 

I can see benefits and intrest (nightclubs have used video walls for a long while) but at what price.....

 

 

Since i was involved in the PAR56 discussion... and for all you budding home enthusiasts try the following link

 

http://www4.tomshardware.com/howto/20041113/index.html

 

a reputable website doing what ebay has promised for years.

An intresing read... .but try getting that through PAT.!!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[MadGutts 0]

To answer the original thread.... YES!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

But only on the big shows.. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

 

I use OtsDj which has a built in visualisations program - it uses winamp plugins! so the Ots program can directly generate the effects and also put the song and artist on screen! Its way cool, and i am going to install it into a pubs system soon!

 

Try the demo of OtsDJ - it your not using it already http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[DJ_Ajay 0]

Want a FREE visual program??

 

Then use Winamp (turn on the line in) and it will make kewl effects to the beat!!!

Cost = $0

 

We use Winamp in the club I work in and its hooked up 2 a TV wall and lots of plasma's and tvs. We use winamp and Nightlife.

 

Do you's have Nightlife over in the uk?

 

(Don't bother with Arkaos, if you ever run into that program.)

[analyst 0]

Another "Yes" to the original question.

I've been using video projection visualising with a full PC mobile setup for over 5 years now and I love it.

 

I have run it for hours (and hours and . . . well, ya get the idea) with never a freeze in sight. It sounds to me like the guy who froze it had a general heating problem on his processor, probably a decent case fan would cure it. I do use a hefty heatsink and fan on all my builds but most of the projection demand is going to be on the video card not the CPU. A decent card these days should easily cope with that.

 

Although, I do use multiple sound cards and multiple video cards (or a single multi-out card) hence the reason for not being a great laptop enthusiast.

 

I would also recommend installing Motherboard Monitor in any case, whatever you use your PC for. If you are worried whilst working a particularly hot venue you could always whip the sides off the PC to cool it.

 

A few more tips from my experience for the enthusiasts if you wanna give it a try.

 

Make sure you use a decent (domestic models don't usually have the power) data-projector with image inversion capability. Some don't (e.g. Sony) and although it may not seem important if you are just scattering pretty colour bursts across the ceiling, when it comes to words or video movies its gonna look great from the console but upside down to the punters.

 

I tend to use the ceilings because its usually hard to find an uncluttered projection wall.

 

As well as projecting the song/artist titles (if that's your wish) you can send out messages across the room, which can be quite fun for the punters to see their name in lights. Like " Happy Birthday from ???" comes zooming into the bed of exploding fireworks, pauses a few seconds and then gets reabsorbed into the swirls of disappearing colours.

 

I could go on . . . but enough for now eh?

[partychris 0]

Hi all i have just picked up on this thread and i am also going on the same VJing course with Mr Mole.

I ahve been playing with for the last month or so Arkaos and i would love to know what Mr DJ_Ajay has a problem with?? is it that it is not FREE??

I think its a great program n(along with lots of other users on VJing web sites) and is only limited to the users imagination !! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

Ok Vjing is not to everyones tastes but can add to a show in the right situations.

 

 

[brianmole 0]

I must admit I have only played with Archaos demo for a few hours using a midi keyboard, both on a PC and a Mac, and it does seem very good and worth the couple of hundred quid for the full version. It is an amazing tool, with a lot of the VJing community singing its praises.

 

I have played with winamp, it is limited but fun and runs itself - could do ok as just a standalone lightshow for a mobile.

[NiM 0]

I did this on NYE at the pub I was working in. They had a lovely plasma screen so we played music videos through it which went down well and when the videos weren't playing, I was throwing stuff to the tv using a program called Resolume which worked really well - didn't crash, never slowed down (running on a 2.1gig AMD with 1gig RAM)

 

I'd taken footage from discos I'd done at the pub during the year and using adobe premiere and after effects I'd played with those videos (changing colours, morphing etc) and used those along with some effects I'd thrown together (swirling colours etc (some "borrowed" from winamps avs thingy - output as avi))

 

I was well impressed with the results, and when mixed with a live video input of the dancefloor it was just amazing..

 

Though, if you are going to be doing live VJing, it does need someone else to handle the music..

 

edit: Forgot to mention that I used to use Arkaos for this, was fine for ages, then 1 night everything seemed to go wrong with it. Seemed to have a few problems with using all resources (I did have some big avi files I was using with it though).. Hence I swapped to Resolume. Also, winamp is alright but you don't get full control over what you are doing..

Edited January 10, 2005 by NiM

[YourBigEvent 0]

We did this sort of thing in the 80's, along with playing music videos.on VCR......

 

 

 

Am I showing my age now ?

[NiM 0]

Under the name of the Big Vid Roadshow, Or something equally as 80s?

[DJ_Ajay 0]

I know Arkoas isn't free, but my problem the following:

 

The software has to me maned all the time, the beat-sync in it doesn't work at all.

 

The shows it comes with are great, but very hard to design your own.

 

Winamp made better shows and changes between shows its self, Arkoas you have to stop the show and do it.

 

when ever you have it on full screen, you touch the software and it goes out of full screen.

 

It couldn't handle playing quality video files.

 

The program has the look and fuctionality that it was designed for a Baby.

 

Its very fussy over video codecs and picture formats.

 

 

Value for money theres a much better software called Elektronika Live.

 

 

Don't think I was playing around with this at home. The company I work for spent alot of money on this software and in the end we got rid of it over winamp, but still winamp isn't perfect for what we need.

 

But when I knocked down Arkoas on this thread, it was about using it with mobile djing and arkoas needs to be controlled, while winamp turn on and leave. So it wouldn't be practical to use and it is costly.

 

A mobile dj needs to focused on the music, not which key will i hit next for the visuals.

 

Ajay

[NiM 0]

See to me, VJing would be a hands on thing, starting something and then leaving it to do it's own thing is to me the same as djing with a premixed cds.... But then there are 2 of us that do the disco, so 1 of us is always free.. Winamp is good for visuals (I've exported them to avi and used them myself), but is fairly limited in what it does. But then if you are just after wavy lines and what not that react to the music, then winamp is a good program..

[DJ_Ajay 0]

did u say winamp doesn't react to music??

 

in the settings turn on line input and send a feed from your mixer to the pc and it will react to music.

[NiM 0]

No I said:

 

"But then if you are just after wavy lines and what not that react to the music, then winamp is a good program"

[DJ_Ajay 0]

sorry mate.... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/sadwalk.gif

[NiM 0]

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Tis ok, just out of interest - have you ever tried creating your own avs files for winamp?

[NiM 0]

Incidently, you can control arkaos via DMX..

[DJ_Ajay 0]

No I haven't tried making a AVS, I will be shortly. My work wants visuals and pictures of clients on the tv wall and tv around the club. So I was going to try using a AVS to play pictures of the clients.

 

I did know about arkaos with dmx, but to do that we needed to put a DMX card into the visual pc = more money. Change the wiring setup (the dmx is no where near the visual pc)....... not realy worth it, when I couldn't get it to do what we wanted with midi keyboard.

 

Ajay

 

[revbobuk 0]

Don't know if anyone is still interested in this thread, but I have the G-Force 'Platinum' package, which has a standalone program, so will work with DJ software, not just as a visualisation plug-in for Winamp or Media Player. I have a 3200 lumen projector, and a large rear projection screen, and the effects are gorgeous. Better for 60s psychedelia rather than 90s dance, as the sound-to-light stuff is rather slow and moody, rather than beat-based. Still worth a look - they do a free demo version which is pretty useful.

 

Bob

 

Does anyone else use a PC and projector?

 

I have found this simple programe called 'VUSIC' to be quite stunning in its effects and V cheap to licence, i. e. $25 from the programe writers. This is downloadable from the Vusic web site and gives a thirty day evaluation period before licensing kicks in.

Its effects cover every aspect of standard lighting systems with lots more thrown in. It is stand alone or music activated and with a little time spent learning all the effects can give an evenings lightshow with little repition.

 

Given a good projector - 1200 ANSI Lumens or better you can fill a fair sized room with a truly attention getting effect.

 

A laptop is the ideal way to drive the projector, but any reasonable spec, (i. e. cheap) PC Pentium 2 - 400 meg will do the job. Given that E-Bay has plenty of reasonable projectors going for the £2 -300 mark you can have a unique lightshow for little more than a good set of scanners.

 

The downside is that lamps for the projector can cost over £300 and the rougher tretmant that gigging subjects the projector to make this an overhead that has to be considered.

Also, projectors are eminantly nickable! As I found out not so long ago.

 

This does not replace conventional lighting rigs, so no worries about Congleton Sound and Light's profit margins(!) but it is an effect that will have its day, sooner rather than later.

John D

 

[nrgize 0]

Just noticed this thread,, made a good read.

Where do most people tend to get their music videos from when using visuals ??

[BK Sound 0]

Hi all.

 

I work professionally as a VJ, i'll be happy to help out with advice on VJ/visuals specific questions.

 

Several dj's i know who use visuals use some software called Resolume, it doesnt do self-generated winamp type visuals but it does do a very good job of triggering clips & allows live camera input (via usb or firewire) with some funky effects like time-delay (that always raises a smile) as someone walks across the dancefloor, but is then followed by another version of him a few seconds later.

 

For content you can convert youtube and google video clips to avi files, or make your own using showpro gold or similar.

 

 

[dh140770 0]

I am using Mediamonkey which uses Winamp plugins.

I use this simply as a music browser for inspiration i.e I dont output music from it at all (expect in an emergancy).

 

I use the Milkdrop 1.03 visualisation to output visuals to 2 screens on the rig which receive the same signal through a splitter. I can post messsage or graphics over the top of the visuals if required, such as a pulsating heart for valentines night, forthcoming. Or just my logo ... whatever...

 

The laptop is a Celeron with 1/2 gig and it works fine all night.

 

I can also display slideshows but shutting down the visualisation.

 

I have considered the projector route but there is not always somewhere to project so the screens seemed a better route as they attach to my rig.

[BK Sound 0]

If you're looking for 3d sound activated visuals that you can add a message or even a brand logo or something personalised theres always R4 by Rabid Hampster R4 Website

or find some decent avs files from winamp & edit them to add your text or images.

 

If space is an issue with projections check out the NEC WT610 or WT615 projector, it gives you an 8ft wide image with only 18 INCHES projection distance required, pair that with a rear projection fastfold screen with a drape under to hide the projector sitting behind and you've got a nice little set up that will work with all but the smallest venues.

 

lol i just noticed how old this thread is, 2005