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Dirty Video Mixer

by Jeremy Le Grand

Input A
Drop video or click
Mixed Output
Input B
Drop video or click
A MIX B
Sync Stability
100%
Feedback
0%
Color Bleed
0%
Ghosting
0%
Bit Crush
0%
Luma Threshold
0%

What is a Video Mixer?

A video mixer is a device that combines multiple video sources into a single output. Professional video mixers are used in live broadcasting, concerts, and art installations to blend, switch, and apply effects to video signals in real-time. They allow operators to fade between cameras, overlay graphics, and create visual compositions on the fly.

Analog Inspiration

This Dirty Video Mixer is a digital recreation of vintage analog video mixers from the 1980s and 1990s. Hardware units like the Edirol V-4, Panasonic WJ-AVE5, and the Tachyons+ line of video synthesis tools were beloved for their unpredictable, chaotic behavior. Analog circuitry would drift, signals would interfere with each other, and timing errors would create glitches that became an aesthetic in themselves.

These "dirty" effects—rolling sync, color bleeding, ghosting, and feedback loops—were often considered flaws in professional settings, but video artists embraced them as creative tools. This digital recreation simulates those analog imperfections using WebGL shaders, bringing the chaotic beauty of hardware video mixing to your browser.

Controls Guide

Crossfader

The main mixing control. Slide left to show more of Input A, right for Input B. In the center, both sources blend together equally. This mimics the T-bar fader found on professional video mixers.

Sync Stability

Simulates horizontal sync instability. At 100%, the image is stable. As you decrease this value, the image begins to tear horizontally and roll vertically— mimicking what happens when analog video signals lose synchronization.

Feedback

Routes the output back into the input, creating recursive visual loops. This was achieved in analog by connecting a mixer's output to one of its inputs. Higher values create intense trailing and kaleidoscopic effects as the image feeds back into itself.

Color Bleed

Separates and offsets the red, green, and blue color channels. In analog video, this occurred due to timing differences in color subcarrier signals. Creates chromatic aberration and rainbow fringing effects, especially visible on edges.

Ghosting

Blends previous frames with the current frame, creating motion trails. In analog systems, this happened due to phosphor persistence in CRT monitors or signal reflections. Moving objects leave ethereal traces behind them.

Bit Crush

Reduces color depth by quantizing colors to fewer levels. This mimics the limited color palettes of early digital video systems and video game consoles. Creates a posterized, retro aesthetic with visible color banding.

Luma Threshold

Switches between Input A and Input B based on brightness levels. Bright areas show one source while dark areas show the other. This is a form of luminance keying, used in analog mixers for creative compositing effects.

CRT Filter

Adds a scanline overlay and vignette to simulate the appearance of a CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor. CRTs displayed images using horizontal electron beam lines, creating the characteristic scanline look of vintage video.

Extreme Mode

Multiplies all effect intensities and adds random parameter fluctuations. Simulates a malfunctioning mixer with unstable circuits. Unpredictable glitches and chaos ensue—use with caution for maximum dirty aesthetic.

"The glitch is not a mistake—it's a feature." — Video art philosophy

Click to enable video playback

-- FPS