[Libvisual-devel] libvisual and OpenSoundControl

[Niels E. <ne...@lo...>]

Hello list ,

The OpenSoundControl protocol
(http://www.cnmat.berkeley.edu/OpenSoundControl/) would make a great
extension to libvisual.

Using the OSC would bring a few benefits to libvisual:
 1. Flexible (external/remote) control of libvisual plugins
 2. Application programmers dont have to hardcode parameter/event handling
    but can send messages to libvisual actor/plugin instead

At audio analyzer level (not needing the visualization plugins):

 3. Users can setup OSC messages to be sent to other applications
    to trigger bangs/events on sound events ( kick, beat, frequency ... )

Looking at the morph sdl example, I can imagine an osc structure for
flexible control of libvisual plugins:

 /visual/morph/setup/
                  depth
                  dimension
                  pitch
                  duration <in frames>

 /visual/morph/set/
                  freeze <num>
                  alpha <float>
                  speed <float>
                  reverse

 ...

(3. Users sets up OSC messages to be sent to other applications)

 /visual/analyzer/setup
                    destination_host <host>
                    destination_port <port>
 /visual/analyzer/on
                    kick <message>
                    beat <message>
                    roll <message>
                    vol <message>


I guess that the latter (nr. 3) would be most usefull for libvisual ; it
would greatly improve interoperability with other applications without
needing to implement libvisual in those applications (the user can simply
connect them).

Best,

 Niels Elburg
 (main developer of Veejay, http://veejay.sourceforge.net)