Visualization of real-time music

Factual Questions
1

Howyadoin,

Windows Media Mangler (all your .wmas are belong to us) and Winamp (way to screw up a good product, AOL) have visualization displays that run kaleidoscopic patterns based on various formulae. These take the mp3/wav/wma/whatever as an input parameter for the algorithm, thus synchronizing the display to the music. This is cool, but…

What I want to do is run these visualization displays using a real-time input, namely a line input from a PA. Then take the video and run it to a LCD projector, using this display as part of a light show for my band. Does anyone know of software that will either take the line input and feed it to Winamp or Media Player or software that will create the video directly? MIDI control for changing patterns with a footswitch would be cool too.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks,

-Rav

2

I used to do projections for a coupla bands, and I really liked Cthugha.

I had a low-tech approach-- a PC with Cthugha and a coupla other proggies, (I made 3D studio loops w/ band logos and special graphics for different songs,) and a VCR, with a switcher to cut to videotape when adjusting what the computer was showing.

The videotape was mostly colour cycling fractals made with Fractint.

Cheap & easy.

3

Oh, a note about Cthugha-- get the DOS version and the windows version. They look quite different and depending on what you’re going for you may like the old version better.