The VDMX 6.2 update is now here, with several useful improvements to make connecting to other software and output displays even easier. Let’s take a closer look at some of the new features to try out!

No BlackHole? No SoundFlower? No problem!

Capture audio directly from other apps like Music, Spotify, Safari, and your favorite DAWs. No special drivers or virtual audio devices needed.

The biggest new feature in this release is the ability to directly capture audio from any other applications without using BlackHole, SoundFlower, or any other virtual audio drivers. Simply choose the desired app from the list of audio sources, and you’ve got any sound playing from Music, Spotify, Safari, Chrome, or anywhere else piped into the VDMX workflow for audio analysis, tempo tracking, and sound visualizers. This feature even works with pro-audio apps like Live, Max and other DAWs, even when they aren’t using the default system sound output device!

We’ve also made it easier to start using ISF based audio visualizers – now each audio source provides an audio wave & FFT values without having to first create an Audio Analysis plugin to generate these values.

When using this feature for the first time you will typically be asked by a standard macOS alert panel to give permission to VDMX

ProjectMilkSyphon Bundled

Along with this release of VDMX6 we have also published a major new update to the infamous ProjectMilkSyphon freebie utility. The installer can be found in the Extras folder on the VDMX dmg, or downloaded directly. You can use ProjectMilkSyphon as an audio visualizer alongside any of your favorite VJ apps that support Syphon inputs.

ProjectMilkSyphon is now updated for Metal, with new features including favorites, history, playlists, and direct audio capture from other applications. Use with any Syphon enabled app.

Real-Time Layer Previews in Workspace Inspector

The Layers section of the Workspace Inspectors now includes a real-time display of the video on each layer and group, making it easier than ever to see at a glance how all of your content is being composited together. Streams can be displayed as RGB alone or RGB + Alpha. Use the provided slider to adjust the thumbnail size.

This preview setting can be turned on & off in the VDMX Preferences > General section.

Pop Out Previews

Click the “eye” icon to reveal a temporary preview window in a pop over. In some cases, such as FX chains, the popover will include dual previews for before and after.

View the before and after for any individual FX in a chain.

In some cases these temporary previews can also be quickly turned into dedicated preview windows in your setup by clicking the “Open in a Preview” button. Once created these work like regular Preview window plugins, with options that can be configured from the Workspace Inspector.

Fullscreen Output Options

The Fullscreen Output panel has also gotten a round of upgrades, adding the ability to do basic geometry adjustments on a per screen basis. The output to each display can now be set to flip horizontally or vertically, and can optionally be set to repeat the content of the main canvas for multiple display groups. The advanced panel has also gotten some useful updates as well.