Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VDMX VS Pure Data

Compare VDMX VS Pure Data and see what are their differences

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VDMX logo VDMX

VDMX5 was created from the ground up to meet the demands of realtime video performance.

Pure Data logo Pure Data

Pd (aka Pure Data) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical...
  • VDMX Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-03-07
  • Pure Data Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-18

VDMX features and specs

  • Real-time Video Mixing
    VDMX offers real-time video mixing capabilities, allowing users to perform live video edits and combine multiple video sources seamlessly.
  • Customizability
    The software is highly customizable, enabling users to create tailored interfaces and modify controls according to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Flexible Plugin Support
    VDMX supports a wide range of third-party plugins, enhancing its functionality and allowing users to expand its features through additional tools and effects.
  • MIDI and OSC Compatibility
    The software is compatible with MIDI and OSC protocols, enabling seamless integration with music equipment and control surfaces for a more dynamic and interactive performance.
  • Comprehensive Audio Visual Synchronization
    VDMX provides advanced tools for syncing audio with video, offering precise control over audiovisual performances.

Possible disadvantages of VDMX

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The extensive features and customizability of VDMX may lead to a steep learning curve for newcomers, requiring time and practice to master the software.
  • MacOS Exclusive
    VDMX is available only for MacOS, which limits accessibility for users on other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.
  • Resource Intensive
    The software can be resource-intensive, demanding high-performance hardware to run smoothly, which may not be feasible for users with older or less powerful systems.
  • Complex Interface
    The interface might appear complex and overwhelming to new users, requiring them to invest time in learning how to navigate and utilize its full potential.
  • Paid Software
    VDMX is a paid software, which may be a prohibitive factor for individuals or organizations with limited budgets looking for free video mixing solutions.

Pure Data features and specs

  • Open Source
    Pure Data (Pd) is open source, which means it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This encourages a vast community of users and contributors, fostering innovation and collaborative development.
  • Cross-Platform
    Pd runs on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and even mobile platforms. This makes it highly accessible and versatile for users across different environments.
  • Visual Programming
    The visual programming environment of Pd allows users to build programs graphically, making it easier for those who may not be familiar with text-based coding.
  • Extensible
    Pd supports a variety of externals and libraries, allowing users to extend its functionality. This enables it to be used for a wide range of applications from audio and visual arts to scientific research.
  • Active Community
    Pd has an active and supportive community, which makes it easier for new users to find help, tutorials, and additional resources.
  • Real-Time Processing
    Pure Data is capable of real-time audio and visual processing, making it suitable for live performances and interactive installations.

Possible disadvantages of Pure Data

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Despite its visual nature, Pd can be challenging for beginners to learn, especially those without a background in programming or signal processing.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there are many community-driven resources, the official documentation can sometimes be sparse or outdated, making it difficult for users to find reliable information.
  • Performance Issues
    For very complex projects, Pd may experience performance bottlenecks. This can be a limitation for users looking for high efficiency in audio and visual computations.
  • User Interface
    The user interface of Pd can feel dated and less polished compared to modern software development environments. This may deter some users who are used to more contemporary interfaces.
  • Compatibility
    While Pd is highly extensible, certain externals and libraries may not be compatible with all operating systems or may require manual compilation, complicating the setup process.

Analysis of Pure Data

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Pure Data (Pd) is considered a good tool for those interested in multimedia processing and audio-visual programming. Its strengths lie in its open-source status, active community support, and the ability to handle a wide range of projects from small scale to complex installations.

Why this product is good

  • Pure Data (Pd) is a graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing. It is highly versatile and allows users to create complex sound and media processing algorithms without needing to write traditional code. Its open-source nature encourages customization and community collaboration, making it a favored choice among artists, researchers, and developers who appreciate its modular and flexible design.

Recommended for

  • Musicians and sound artists looking to create interactive audio applications.
  • Multimedia artists wanting to combine audio with video or other graphical elements.
  • Researchers exploring sound synthesis, digital signal processing, or interactive media installations.
  • Developers interested in creating custom audio-visual applications through a visual programming interface.

VDMX videos

Tutorial: Performing Live w/ Visuals Using VDMX + Akai APC 40 MIDI Controller

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Visual Performance Tutorial: Introduction To VDMX - Interface + First Steps
  • Review - VDMX (Tutorial): The Interface Explained & Getting Started

Pure Data videos

Introduction to Pure Data

More videos:

  • Review - Pure Data Guitar Pedal
  • Tutorial - How to Design Sound Art Installations with Pure Data (Part 1)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VDMX and Pure Data)
3D
25 25%
75% 75
Interactive Presentations
Music Generation
0 0%
100% 100
Audio & Music
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VDMX and Pure Data

VDMX Reviews

Top 5 VJ Softwares In 2021
This name might be new to you. VDMX is slightly different from most of the other tools available today because it was designed & developed by a team of coders that believe in the open source framework. This means that the source code is made available for other users to experiment with.

Pure Data Reviews

We have no reviews of Pure Data yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pure Data seems to be a lot more popular than VDMX. While we know about 38 links to Pure Data, we've tracked only 3 mentions of VDMX. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

VDMX mentions (3)

  • HMF this VJ software
    It turns out to be VDMX, a Mac VJ Software. That makes perfect sense since it can be perfectly integrated with Ableton Live, the software that Paula uses to DJ. Source: over 2 years ago
  • HELP NEEDED / Project linking SOUND PERFORMANCE and VISUAL FX
    Https://vidvox.net ,educational discount takes the software down to $199,looks like it will do everything you need ,have a look ,maybe your institution will pay for it ! Source: over 3 years ago
  • ProjectM – The most advanced open-source music visualizer
    Not sure about “state of the art” but if you’re on Mac, VDMX (https://vidvox.net/) is a good place to start looking. Its sort of like a DJ mixer for video sources but lets you do other things like control parameters of your video sources with a MIDI contoller for example. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

Pure Data mentions (38)

  • Python Notebooks for Fundamentals of Music Processing
    My most recommended method for beginners has always been PD (https://puredata.info/) combined with The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music: (https://msp.ucsd.edu/techniques/latest/book.pdf) and this book (https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262014410/designing-sound/). Eli's tutorials on SuperCollider are also very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/@elifieldsteel Of course, my project Glicol can also be helpful for... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • AI can now master your music
    For node based workflows, check out Max or Pure Data. https://cycling74.com/products/max https://puredata.info/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • New To Lighting Design, Looking for guidance
    Tools like Ossia Score, Chataigne and PureData (pd) can also help a ton in building interactive art and triggering other A/V software. Source: about 2 years ago
  • WebPd 1.0.0 alpha released !
    WebPd is a highly modular compiler for audio programming language Pure Data allowing to run .pd patches on web pages. It converts the audio graph and processing objects from a patch into plain human-readable JavaScript or WebAssembly which can then be integrated directly into any web application. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is there any alternative to sonic pi?
    You might also be interested in the very different Pure Data (http://puredata.info/) environment, which is also free and open-source. It uses a visual programming approach, which many people like but if you are already a programmer it might seem inconvenient in comparison. Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing VDMX and Pure Data, you can also consider the following products

MadMapper - The Mapping Software

SuperCollider - A real time audio synthesis engine, and an object-oriented programming language specialised for...

Resolume - Resolume is an application for live video performances.

VCV Rack - A cross-platform modular synthesizer.

QLab - QLab, Live show control for Mac OS X.

VPT - VPT 8 by HC Gilje, released may 2018. Video Projection Tool (VPT) is a free multipurpose realtime projection software tool for Mac and Windows. VPT 7 was downloaded over 100000 times, so in spite o…