My Video Synth Setup: Part 2 – Eurorack Video Modules

In this instalment, I’m going to detail my currently small collection of eurorack modules that I incorporate into my video synth setup. All of these are for processing composite (RCA) video signals in some way. I don’t currently have any LZX format video gear.

VidPix
First up is the VidPix by Sound Study. It’s available in a console or eurorack module format (in a DIY kit or fully assembled). I opted for the DIY eurorack version but have considered picking up the console kit for more standalone operations.

It’s inspired by the original Atari Music and is fully programmable. The programming side is a little involved and while I’ve tinkered with it a little, haven’t created my own modes with it yet. It requires a Windows computer to upload new packs of animations. More info about the programming side is on their GitHub.

Its main function is sound reactive animations in the 8-bit video game style. It’s really easy to just plug some audio in and set it to auto mode where it will cycle through a myriad of characters from the old Atari and Nintendo days as well as a number of other pattern based animations. You can control the color palette as well which will cycle in auto mode. Conveniently, both the pattern mode and color palette are controllable via CV inputs. A knob allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the incoming audio signal.

There is a left, right and stereo jack. When only the left jack is patched, the audio is normalled to the right jack. When right or stereo is patched, it is no longer normalled. The jacks are passive, so all three can be inputs or outputs.

The following clip was captured via a USB capture dongle but it should give you a good idea of the animation options with a source audio from a Behringer TD-3 loop:

The RCA composite output at the bottom is perfect for connecting to a projector or ideally a CRT. I often feed this output into something else like the next module below. For some quick and interesting visuals, I like to connect the VidPix to a projector pointed at my eurorack rig when I’m noodling at the eurorack.

Arcadian Rhythms
I tend to pair the VidPix with the Arcadian Rhythms which is simply 3 arcade buttons for trigging one-shot changes. If you trigger both the pattern and color inputs for more than 2 seconds, you’ll get a menu in the VidPix which lets you select animation groups (or all) as well as enabling random glitch effects to the animations.

This is what a ‘clean’ glitch mode looks like (same TD-3 loop as above):

VidMix
Another module I regularly use is the VidMix which is a slightly fancier dirty video mixer for messing with multiple video signals at the same time.

I also have the standalone dirty video mixer (also a DIY kit) and one I built myself that I put into a 4hp module. The VidMix replaced my DIY one since it works better and has the CV control of the crossfader. But I sometimes through it into a smaller portable skiff.

Wave Comber
The Wave Comber is a fun module designed by Chroma Cauldron which is also available as a DIY or assembled module. This module is “designed to filter audio and produces sound responsive video patterns”.

I built the older DIY version and it definitely is not skiff friendly (which has been addressed in the newer version you can buy now). It’s currently my deepest module and only fits in my Ikea RAST eurorack stand since it is open-ended at the back. If you’re into DIY kits, it has to be said that this was one of the best documented and laid out modules I’ve built. All the parts were attached to the BOM and well labeled.

A larger, more in depth version of this module is the Mainbow which has been in my shopping cart for far too long.

I like to connect all kinds of video output into this module to process it. Everything from video clips, videogame play or the output from the VidPix above or my Eyesy (more details coming in the next part of this blog series).