While Edirol takes the synthesis approach with its new video box (at least from a marketing standpoint), VJ gear rival Korg is going the sampler route.
As reported here earlier,
the Kaptivator is a video sampler with a 4×4 Akai-style drum pad grid.
Now that we're not reading in Japanese, we've got some more details:
- It's a sampler for video: Here's the stunningly-cool bit:
sample up to 800 clips, up to 10 minutes in length (though shorter will
be more interesting) and play them back on the sixteen pads. - It's a 2-channel mixer: Mix clips or (as expected) external video input and even DV camera connections.
- Watch the action on dual LCDs
- Create "style" routings and automation: Effects are
bundled into routings called "styles," with 15 presets and 100 user
settings, for everything from coloring to beat-synchronization. And of
course, you can record and reproduce movements. - Make it musical: Use MIDI, audio triggers, tap tempo, and even auto-detection of BPM for rhythm-synced effects.
All in a 5-lb. box with a 40 GB hard disk. What we don't know: price or
availability. A representative for Korg USA tells CDM simply that
products at Messe aren't yet announced in the US market, and even the
European models appear to be unreleased. Stay tuned; let me know if you
hear anything!
How does this differ from the Edirol CG-8? Some of those details will
become clear, but the emphasis of the Korg appears to be on longer
video clips (the CG-8 appears to be focused on short clips and stills),
and higher specs like the included LCD displays. We should know more
once we see these in person within the next few months.