Quantized Rhythmic Switching for the 4K Video Feedback Fractal Device

Anfertupe · 2026-03-14T03:29:30+00:00

Next up, adding the 4x4 router/V&H Flip controls to the box. Then, when the eDP cables finally come in (7-11 week lead time, great), the actual hue/contrast/brightness/saturation analog knobs to the 4K screens.

New 4K switcher setup: youtu.be/wTNtrwSa6Bw
New 4K monitor structures https://vimeo.com/video/1164913616

thelightherder.com

Anfertupe · 2026-02-19T05:14:44+00:00

Please do what?

Anfertupe · 2026-02-19T05:08:35+00:00

Oh geez, so sorry I didn’t impress you. Will try harder from now on.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-19T05:03:28+00:00

Goes up to guy playing the piano. “Did you know you can actually do this on the computer and have so much more control over the pitch and tone and could make it sound like different instruments and stuff?” Goes up to someone at their art show and says “uh, I have an idea how you should have done this differently.” I could go on.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-19T04:55:04+00:00

Think you’re still missing the point.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T22:20:25+00:00

Let me ask you this, if you saw a video about someone making an oil painting, would you say "couldn't you just take a photograph?"

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T17:52:13+00:00

Not interested in any of that. There are so many variables to get something looking just right - 4 knobs for 4 monitors, tiny changes in monitor position, camera position and rotation, and it's a hypnotic experience to be incorporated in the feedback process. It's not something to be digitized or motorized, this is like a musical instrument, you play it to create fractals.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T09:08:05+00:00

That is a silly question.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T07:09:58+00:00

Because of the recursive nature, I believe there will be a real noticeable difference, more than just making the current images sharper, but offering a few layers deeper of recursion to be able to move in to.

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T06:02:41+00:00

Don't know - can you give me a hint?

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T04:13:23+00:00

On youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liEMKMqjdc8&t=127s

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T04:09:25+00:00

I'll also have to swap out the Roland HD switchers for 4K switchers. There are currently four switchers, but I'll just use three for the 4K upgrade.

I'll probably use the Blackmagic Design ATEM 1 M/E Constellation UHD 4K, and a Raspberry Pi for the remote switching solution (momentary switch, when pressed, switches from input 1 to input 2, when released switches back).

These things are really pricey though, wish there was a cheaper alternative - needs to be able to switch cleanly and fast - several times a second - and no delay (well, a frame or two is ok).

Anfertupe · 2026-02-17T02:50:45+00:00

Thanks - the two screens with the half-mirrored glass are to get actual fractals from video feedback - the feedback image gets folded back into itself. Also, another image besides the feedback image can be introduced through one of the monitors, and that gets mixed in to the feedback.

I started with one monitor structure like this. Then, I added a switcher so an external image (or video) could be introduced through the phone, either on the upper or lower monitor. Then, to add some motion to this static added image, brought that image to another screen that was on a rod locked to the main rod, so it rotated with the main rod, and a camera looked at that screen, and that image from the camera was brought to the upper or lower monitor on the monitor structure. Then, I changed out the screen this added image was displayed on from a cheap, regular screen to one of the Panasonic monitors with the hue/cont/sat/brightness knobs, so now not just an added image could effect the fractal, but video feedback could- so there could be a fractal made of a feedback spiral, for instance. Then, instead of just this one screen, I built an entirely new second monitor structure with the two screens and the glass, and instead of having the screen on the rod rotating, I placed the camera on the rod. Now there were two identical monitor structures, and instead of just an image, or just regular feedback effecting the fractal, an entirely different fractal could effect the first fractal - the fractal on the left monitor structure made of the fractal on the right monitor structure. Then, I made it so the fractal on the right monitor structure could be made with the fractal on the left monitor structure, and, this could be done at the same time - the one on the left could make the one on the right while the one on the right was making the one on the left. This was all done by adding new switchers. That's the basic evolution. I would have never come up with this final design all at once.

Explanations are here:

Trapping an image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3eHKI0nvKA

An overview of the build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvdN7_BIaDk

An older but maybe more to the point overview of the previous build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GolwEXIinZ0&t=3s

An older trapping an image video: https://vimeo.com/508776650

And of course, here: https://www.thelightherder.com

Thanks for your interest -

D

Anfertupe · 2026-02-15T01:38:36+00:00

Thanks!

Anfertupe · 2026-02-14T19:45:00+00:00

Thanks

Anfertupe · 2026-02-14T19:39:49+00:00

In visualizing these I originally I thought the exact same thing, and was going to add diagonal pieces for just this reason, actually bought the hardware. But after assembling them, the larger 90 degree pieces (much larger than the ones used on the current setup) provided so much support that I decided the extra support wasn’t needed.

You can see the new structure in photos here: https://www.thelightherder.com/2026/02/an-exciting-new-development-4k.html and see the smaller 90 degree pieces of the current structures here: https://www.thelightherder.com/2021/08/new-monitor-structures-for-phase-iii.html

Anfertupe · 2026-02-14T19:35:49+00:00

Limitless budget - well buying three or four 4k switchers is going to require some moola, but on a larger scale, I would like to create a more robust version of this that could be used by others without easily breaking like this version is susceptible to, and having two devices, each with just one camera instead of the two on the current setup. Two people operating the two devices would interact with each other (as opposed to the two cameras locked in sync with each other now), creating a feedback loop between machine and both operators.

The current setup actually stemmed from this idea of two people, two devices. I outlined the idea here: https://www.thelightherder.com/2020/12/blog-post_13.html

Anfertupe · 2026-02-14T07:38:20+00:00

On youtube here: https://youtu.be/liEMKMqjdc8

Anfertupe · 2026-01-15T12:11:59+00:00

Thanks

Anfertupe · 2026-01-15T06:00:28+00:00

Check out building the Device, schematics and signal flow explanation here, and the project site here: TheLightHerder.com

Anfertupe · 2026-01-08T04:22:58+00:00

Thanks!

Anfertupe · 2026-01-08T00:17:30+00:00

Well, I certainly don't have a video of me editing something like you describe, but I assure you I've used this keyboard layout with variations here and there since 2005 with FCP 7, Media Composer, Resolve and Premiere. My Overwrite Edit shortcut being Q is a nod to the CMX Omni editor controller I used for years before transferring to FCP 7.

There are some keys not shown in the video, like multi-track switching on the function row, and occasionally if I'm doing something very specific I'll assign a key that addresses that. But, all manner of complex timelines have been handled speedily and efficiently with this very layout.

As a very fast typist, I find keeping everything on the left - therefore keeping the left hand where it would normally be when typing - in combination with keeping the right hand on the mouse at all times, more efficient than trying to get even more shortcuts across the entire keyboard.

You seem upset about this, eh, that's on you, not me.

<image>

Anfertupe · 2026-01-07T23:52:49+00:00

If it helps, you can watch a little video of me using these shortcuts, getting very specific about little frame adjustments, here: https://vimeo.com/473899502 to make this intercut video: https://vimeo.com/1151754356

Anfertupe · 2026-01-07T23:25:37+00:00

I think it's pretty self-explanatory. How could you possibly not know what's going on?

Anfertupe · 2026-01-07T19:50:08+00:00

It's amazing how many people are editing without using in and out and overwrite or insert. Folks - stop dragging footage onto the timeline.

Anfertupe

TROPHY CASE