Not everyone wants loads of advanced video processing, compositing, custom programming visual tools in their software. For dedicated visualists, a tool you can grow into has major advantages. But some people just want some straightforward video triggering. I regularly get questions about what a simple, cheap solution is. In the past, I tended to direct people to Vidvox’s Grid, but that tool has been effectively replaced by their new application, VDMX. I love VDMX, and think it could be a great choice to “grow into.” But for people who want a basic but flexible solution, I’ll definitely be taking a closer look at Livid’s Cell, which clearly fits a Grid-like niche:
US$99 gets you a nice set of bread-and-butter tools:
- Basic grid playback of various video formats
- Integrated, OpenGL-accelerated video effects
- Full MIDI control
- Automated triggering and sequencing
- Included clips
It sounds like just the right combination of ingredients for someone adding live visuals to an existing music or DJ set, or who needs just the basics, without lots of more advanced features and customization to get in the way. The interface also seems to be nicely laid out. We’ll take a closer look soon.
Incidentally, back to Grid, note that one of the really nice things about VDMX5 is that you can use a window layout to get all the simple video-triggering properties of Grid, but with the added flexibility of customizing the interface to exactly what you want — or switching to a more “advanced” mode for sets that require it. We’ll be looking more at this soon, as well.