Products of Interest.

ArKaos Visualizer Video Enhancement Software for MP3 Players

The Belgian company ArKaos has released its Visualizer program, designed to add visual and video effects to the playback of MP3 files on computer. The free software is intended to be integrated with mainstream MP3 software such as SoundJam (for Macintosh) and WinAMP (for Windows). When the software is placed in the Visual Plugins folder of the MP3 program, it should launch when a soundfile is opened.

The Visualizer comes with 60 real-time effects created with the proprietary video sampler. These files contain static visuals, video loops, Flash animations, real-time effects, and optional MIDI information. The program is designed to analyze the audio data and synchronize the visual data with the primary beat pattern of the music. A new visual experience will be generated for each music selection. It is also possible to edit the program by adjusting the sensitivity rating, beat/effect ratio, and the default beats-per-minute (a feature designed for incorporating the visual presentation with more complex or nonbeat-oriented music.

The ArKaos website will provide new visual files for free download. It is also possible to create your own .kos (visual) files using the company's ArKaos 2.0 creation software. This is available in three forms: the free version (which includes full functionality but displays the company banner across the screen of any visuals that are created); the VMP version, which allows static images to be edited and assigned to effects and sequences; and the VJ version, which adds the ability to incorporate QuickTime video loops. A Software Developer's Kit (SDK) version of the creation program is also available, enabling users to create their own visual effects to be added to the existing array.

Visualizer is available for download from the ArKaos website. Contact ArKaos; telephone (+32) 2-340-8685; electronic mail contact@arkaos.net; World Wide Web www.arkaos.net/.

Benchmark Media Systems 24-bit 96 kHz Analog-to-Digital Multi-Channel Converters

As more and more studios move toward the creation of multi-channel digital audio, a need has developed for high-quality converters to incorporate analog recorded sound into the production. Benchmark Media Systems has released a pair of high-quality analog-to-digital converters: the AD2404-96, handling four channels, and the AD2408-96, handling eight.