Products of Interest.

Publication: Computer Music Journal

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COPYRIGHT 2001 MIT Press Journals

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.

The analog connectors are balanced XLR, while the digital connectors offer AES/EBU, AES3id (BNC), and S/PDIF. The four-channel unit is able to output at both 24-bit and 16-bit rates, allowing for a back-up recording to be run right off the converter. The proprietary phase-locked-loop (PLL) circuitry attenuates jitter (50 dB for frequencies above 50 Hz), reducing the intrinsic clock jitter to less than 9 pico-seconds and eliminating sidebands. The converters can operate with word lengths of 16-, 20-, or 24-bits, with selectable t probability density function (TPDF) or noise-shaped re-dithering available for the lower rates. The sample rate can be set at 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 kHz, along with a varispeed mode. The converters exhibit a Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N) rating of -110 dB (at -1 dB Full-Scale), with a dynamic range (broadband) of 117 dB. Line Noise is given as 143 dB below full scale on all channels.

The AD2404-96 and AD2408-96 are listed at US$ 2,795 and US$ 4,995, respectively. Contact Benchmark Media Systems, Inc., 5925 Court Street Road, Syracuse, New York 13206-1707, USA; telephone (800) 262-4675 or (315) 437-6300; fax (315)437-8119; electronic mail sales@benchmarkmedia.com; World Wide Web www.benchmarkmedia.com.

100p Software Sampler Application for Windows Platforms

Makoto Yoshihara has developed a free, computer-based sampler application for manipulating sounds and recording the results. 100p, for Windows platforms only, requires a minimum of 32 MB of RAM, and sample length is limited only by available memory. Six samples can be loaded into the program, in either AIFF or Sound Designer II formats....

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