Tip of the Iceberg: Technical Difficulties

Now that our concept was finally ready, Edmund and I began the slow process of fine-tuning the system and procuring the various components necessary for its implementation.  Almost immediately, we learned that, although the saying goes that "the idea is half the journey", turning an idea into reality was a lot harder than it looked.  While some troubleshooting an occasional technical bug is inevitable, some of the problems that we ended up running into sometimes made us wonder whether we angered the computer gods.

In fact, problems seemed to plague us from the start.

Most of the initial difficulties were inherent issues that had to be resolved due to the novelty of our design. While adding a new component into a system doesn't sound inherently complicated, unlike the modal design of present-day computers (with plug-play USB devices), we were essentially rewriting the structural framework, transforming a duo-level system into a triple-tier infrastructure (comparable to making the jump from 32-bit to 64-bit; and how 64-bit programs are not reverse-compatible).

The first challenge, therefore, was to somehow link the camera's screen--not to a projector, but to a computer screen.  Modern-day computers do not readily support analog, so we were unable to use the DV cameras provided; instead, we had to go back and use the old, reliable 5D Mk II, which had HDMI and USB support.  Edmund and I also found several programs available online that allowed us to see a camera's display in realtime--and also allow audiences to easily adjust camera attributes (such as shutter speed, focus, and color temperature).

The second issue we had to deal with was the audiovisual presentation.  Originally, I wanted to use After Effects to create visual images that were powered by music scores.  I had already done extensive research into how to link audio keyframes to modifiable attributes via expressions; when I calculated that I did not have enough time to create the audiovisual images I initially wanted.  Undeterred, I found a quick solution--use the in-built frequency visualization in Windows Media Player.  While not as glamorous as I had initially envisioned, both Edmund and I felt that it was adequate to do the job, and that "the simplest solution is sometimes the best."  Not only did we find that WMP came with an entire library of visualization styles (audiences can choose midscene what kind of visualization to use), using something that is familiar will only make the feedback distortion all the more interesting.



Another design hurdle we had to cross was to somehow display the audiovisual stream without breaking the feedback loop.  If the audiovisual content is not transparent, it will effectively block the feedback (because one cannot see the recording screen!)  After a long and extensive search, I found a small dusty little program called Vitrite that allowed users to primitively tweak any windowed program's opacity, in increments of 10%, and this adds flexibility to the video installation in terms of user-friendliness (audiences can now choose how strong the audiovisual information is in the feedback stream.)  


These problems encountered in the pre-assembly design of the installation were not particularly distressing; they were annoying, troublesome, and took time to figure/find a way around, but they didn't make us want to pull out our hair.  On the other hand, once we began assembly, we ended up screaming like lunatics in an asylum out of frustration.  Here were some of the hilarious problems we encountered (and the drastic solutions we had to come up with)

1. The cable lines were too short.  As a result, the physical proximity of the camera to the projector screen was too close for any meaningful feedback.  
• Solution: Jury-rig with our own wires.
2. The audiovisuals were not visible in the feedback loop
• Solution: Tilt the camera slightly, so that each "loop" deviates away and fills the entire screen.
3. Halfway through setting up, we were kicked out of the room.
• Solution: Find another room.
4. The computer could not detect the camera.  
• Solution: Give up and Die.  Just kidding.  We searched the internet, deleted computer drivers, and when that didn't work, started messing with/deleting computer registry entries.  Giving up is for pussies.