4ms Company Meets LZX Industries: Video Synthesis, Open Collaboration, and the Rise of Videomancer

The conversation pivots to the new Videomancer, which LZX presents as a standalone, user-friendly effects processor for live visual manipulation. This is no Eurorack module—it’s a desktop unit, designed to be plug-and-play, requiring none of the specialist gear or deep knowledge that traditional video synthesis often demands. The idea is: video in, effects out, with as little friction as possible.

With HDMI I/O as standard, Videomancer steps up to the realities of modern AV setups—no more hunting for analog inputs on your TV. Ross (of 4ms) describes using it for generative feedback visuals via camera loopback, highlighting the immediacy and fun of the instrument. This is LZX’s answer to the perennial question from musicians who want to dabble in visuals without a laptop or hours of patching: a box you can just switch on, plug in, and explore right out of the box.

Videomancer’s technical core is built around an FPGA, allowing it to process incoming video streams in real time with low latency. A key selling point is its ability to load different effect programs, making it more of a visual chameleon than a fixed-function effects box. At present, there are over 30 programs in the beta firmware, and an open-source SDK is available for users who want to roll their own effects—a nod to LZX’s DIY roots and open ethos.

The interface gives you control over 12 parameters per program, with dedicated modulation engines and both MIDI and CV I/O for integration with other gear. Depending on the loaded program, these parameters morph to suit the effect: from classic color processing to wild generative distortions. HDMI ensures compatibility with contemporary devices, while the desktop format means no rack space or case is required.

The team explains that Videomancer sits somewhere between a video game console, a home computer, and a drum machine—a multi-faceted processor for those who want the hands-on immediacy of hardware, but the flexibility to redefine what the box does with each new patch. For the truly adventurous, it even offers basic vector synthesis capabilities in a charmingly lo-fi, SIGGRAPH-1982 sort of way.

A substantial chunk of the discussion is devoted to the intersection of audio and video in modular workflows. LZX’s systems are designed to accept control voltages from audio modules, opening up deep possibilities for AV integration. The team walks through how classic Eurorack staples—LFOs, envelope generators, sequencers—can all be translated into meaningful video modulation via scaling modules like Bridge, enabling everything from synchronized visuals to wild modulation experiments.

This approach means that the same rhythmic or melodic signals driving your synth can simultaneously animate your video—a true patcher’s playground. The modular ethos comes through clearly: patch what you have, try what shouldn’t work, and let the results surprise you. Videomancer, with its MIDI and CV options, extends this logic into standalone hardware, inviting musicians and visualists alike to cross wires and blur boundaries.

What’s perhaps most striking in this conversation is how LZX’s trajectory is shaped by a philosophy of open sharing and collaboration. The founders reminisce about the early days of internet DIY culture, where long email chains and public forum posts were the main channels for technical learning and support. This communal approach—where knowledge was seen as something to be freely passed around—remains central to LZX’s identity, whether through open-source schematics or encouraging others to build compatible modules.

They’re candid about the realities of balancing open-source ideals with the practicalities of running a business, explaining why they typically release schematics but not full PCB layouts. But the spirit is clear: work, not just ideas, is what matters, and the scene grows stronger through collective experimentation. Aspiring synth makers are encouraged to ignore trends, dig into history, and above all, pursue the weirdest ideas they can muster—because that’s where real innovation happens.