Tool: 8-input X 8-output Video Switcher

While working on Esports, I noticed it may be helpful for multiple in-game camera operators to see what is being selected by all of them and what is being output to the broadcast so they can get unique shots while knowing where the action is. While working with VJ teams, we’d often search for the best way to VJ together with separate feeds and one screen. Typically the default for both is a piece of expensive hardware that one person controls to route us out to the screens and is not easily shared or previewed among the team. With the needs of the broadcast and visual world going from physical hardware to digital software, I decided to provide a little tool for all of you looking for a similar solution: a feature-rich, GPU optimized 8-input 8-output video switcher.

This application is a tool that allows for 8 inputs to be redirected to 8 different outputs digitally with different selectable transitions. The way it is built is as a TouchDesigner TOX file that can be loaded in your project or used in a new project. 

The 8 input sources can be seen on the preview header above labeled 1-8. Below that you can find the output previews that show which input is sending to which output. In each output preview, there is a routing selector for the input you’d like for that output. Output1, top left, is currently selected to Input1, a puff of smoke, while output 5, top right, is selected to Input 8, the mighty banana. 

If you’d like to change the input you must select the number you’d like to transition to. Once you have selected the input you’d like you can hit the play button, the right arrow, to the right of the input selection and it will transition with an effect. The transition effects can be selected to the right of that as well with currently 3 effects(dissolve, circular, burn).

All these parameters on the UI are also found on the component as custom parameters so if you’d like to integrate it into your system you can with ease. This is using the new widget system so the UI and the parameters will update respectively with changes to either. You may notice that there is a 0-8 on the input selector. That is because 0 is a blackout option in case you ever need to blackout an output or fade out gracefully.

This James Bond-esque gadget is light as a stick of gum and fast as a ninja star making it great for quick deployment when you're in a pinch. It’s optimized to work well for large video files or multiple files while also being something you can easily pass to colleagues easily or add to your project. The effects, transitions, and routing are all being processed on the GPU using GLSL for the most optimized use of your graphics card. High-end workflows in the industry today need the ability to leverage the power of the modern graphics cards making this a great option for where things are heading. For the people that like the numbers, it’s a 600kb file that runs at ~1-2ms GPU and ~3-8ms CPU speed.  That means it’s able to run it’s actions in less than 1/100th of a second while also being smaller than your average photograph.

This is a good starting point if you are wanting to create your own broadcast system using a MIDI controller, OSC controller (like an iPad), or lighting desk to mix between inputs and outputs. You can also easily build an application around this that selects inputs from camera feeds or NDI from other computers and applications. You can send each of the discrete outputs to your multiple screens or streams as required. No extra work needed for you!

Some features we’ll be adding in the future are more transition effects, transition time changing, and components that can be added before and after for device routing.

You can pick this and future tools up at our gumroad here along with my other tools and clips. This is one of many amazing feature-rich, robust tools we at Psycho Jelly are excited to make available for others to pave the way for better productions and more time spent on the fun creative side of things. For support on the tool feel free to reach out to info@psychojelly.com. Happy Switching!