Video Source
Convert a webcam or screen share to real-time XY vector output in OSC-1.
The Video Source converts camera or screen capture into a real-time XY vector signal that drives the oscilloscope display. Available in Creator and Performance modes.
What You See
The Video Source finds visible edges in the selected camera or screen feed, turns them into paths, and sends those paths to the XY display. Use the preview buttons to inspect the original image, edge map, traced paths, and the BeamWalk look before or while you send the result to the scope.
Setting Up Video Source
Switch to Creator Mode (press 2)
In the Sources panel, select Video Source
Choose your source:
- Webcam — your computer's camera
- Screen Share — any browser tab, window, or entire screen
Grant browser permissions when prompted
Adjust Edge Threshold to control how many edges are detected (lower = more edges, higher = only strong edges)
Click DISPLAY to route the traced vectors to the oscilloscope (the button shows DISPLAYING / "LIVE ON SCOPE" while active)
Preview Modes & Controls
The preview area has four view buttons:
- RAW — the unprocessed video feed
- EDGE MAP — the detected outlines
- TRACE — the traced vector paths that drive the XY display
- BEAMWALK — the per-sample audio mode preview (see below)
In TRACE mode, a Detail Level slider (0.3–5.0) trades fidelity for speed — the readout steps through ULTRA → HIGH → MEDIUM → LOW → FAST, with "← MORE DETAIL" and "FASTER →" at the ends. RESET VIDEO resets all settings and stops capture.
RAW, EDGE MAP, and TRACE are inspectors: when Standard output is already displaying, changing the thumbnail view does not stop or replace its trace. In BeamWalk, RAW intentionally uses source brightness while EDGE MAP and TRACE use the detected-edge input.
Edge Detection Modes
Standard
Finds the visible outlines in the frame. It is a reliable starting point for most footage.
Beamwalk
Creates a continuous, organically flickering trace instead of the cleaner path shapes shown by TRACE.
BEAMWALK mode requires Chrome and may have slightly higher CPU usage than Standard mode.
REMOVE BG — Background Removal
REMOVE BG separates a foreground person from the background before outlines are created. The result is a cleaner XY silhouette with less room detail.
Useful for:
- Live performer body tracking
- Interview/vlog-style content → oscilloscope silhouette
- Any scenario where background clutters the XY output
Enable REMOVE BG from the Video Source settings panel.
Crop Mask
Draw a crop rectangle on the video preview to restrict edge detection to a specific region of the frame. All edges outside the crop are ignored.
Use this to:
- Focus on a face/hands instead of full frame
- Exclude a cluttered background region
- Crop to a text region on screen (screen capture → text XY output)
With a mask drawn, the FIT button zooms the scope view so the masked region fills the canvas (it sets the beam transformer Scale and Off X/Y for you). FIT is a toggle — click it again to restore the previous transform, and clearing the mask restores it automatically. The mask border itself is never traced: masking is applied after edge detection.
Tips
High-contrast content works best. A person in front of a plain bright wall produces clean, stable edges. Complex visual backgrounds produce chaotic, noisy XY output.
Reduce Edge Threshold for sparse, clean scenes and increase it for complex, busy scenes. The goal is a manageable number of strong, stable edges.
Screen capture of vector content (vector graphics app, UI, line art) produces the clearest XY output — the edges are already discrete and clean.