How-to use Winamp as stand-alone visualizer

[urfausto]

-download and install winamp
https://www.winamp.com

-optionally download localizations and other visualization perks
https://winampheritage.com

-enable recording mix device
1) control panel -> sound

2) click recording tab

3) right-click anywhere and enable showing all devices
4) optionally disable other devices if not needed. it will automatically set stereo mix as default without other messing.
4) or right click on stereo mix and enable both options to set as default device
5) optionally maximize slider in properties -> levels

-enable input in winamp
1) file -> play url
2) input 'linein://'
3) click open
4) file -> play bookmark -> add current as bookmark
5) click the freshly created bookmark
on opening it will play that location by default

[Freddy Barker]

Not all presets are as reactive to the beat of the music, but worth checking these settings!

Winamp Menu
• Preferences
• Plug-ins
• Visualization
• Milkdrop c2.25c
• Configure [button]
• Transition [tab]
• Make sure 'Loudness threshold' is set to max   [EDITED]
• Un-check 'Disable hard cuts' checkbox               [ADDED] - (thanks to urfausto)

     ALSO..

Windows 10 Control Panel
• Hardware and Sound
• Sound: Manage audio devices
• Recordings [tab]
• Stereo Mix
• Properties [button]
• Levels [tab]
• Stereo Mix to 100


Regards: Freddy

[urfausto]

Not all presets are as reactive to the beat of the music, but worth checking these settings!

Winamp Menu
• Preferences
• Plug-ins
• Visualization
• Milkdrop c2.25c
• Configure [button]
• Transition [tab]
• Increase towards max.

     ALSO..

Windows 10 Control Panel
• Hardware and Sound
• Sound: Manage audio devices
• Recordings [tab]
• Stereo Mix
• Properties [button]
• Levels [tab]
• Stereo Mix to 100


Regards: Freddy

thanks, the second one i did too, will check the first.

what do you mean with the latest command? i have as a slider 'loudness threshold' in 'hard cuts' tab and under these 'disable hard cuts' which is checked.

[Freddy Barker]

thanks, the second one i did too, will check the first.

what do you mean with the latest command? i have as a slider 'loudness threshold' in 'hard cuts' tab and under these 'disable hard cuts' which is checked.

Just make sure that the loudness threshold is on max, I'm not sure if the "hard cuts" checkbox still does anything, but yes probably best to un-check it..i'll amend my check list too..

Freddy

[urfausto]

http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=56775

[Freddy Barker]

http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=56775

That's a pretty good find, especially with a post from  "geiss" the actual Nullsoft Visualization Developer, but I've read through it a  couple of times now and still not sure if 'hard cuts' should be checked or not    
I'll play some Dub-Step tracks tomorrow and try with both and see what happens!

Freddy

[urfausto]

http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=56775

That's a pretty good find, especially with a post from  "geiss" the actual Nullsoft Visualization Developer, but I've read through it a  couple of times now and still not sure if 'hard cuts' should be checked or not   
I'll play some Dub-Step tracks tomorrow and try with both and see what happens!

Freddy

for what i have understood works like this: an hard cut will enable with a given time of low sound and a subsequent sudden sound increase upper threshold, i guess they should be enable for a smoother visualization. i will wait on your tests however

[Freddy Barker]

for what i have understood works like this: an hard cut will enable with a given time of low sound and a subsequent sudden sound increase upper threshold, i guess they should be enable for a smoother visualization. i will wait on your tests however

Hey urfausto, thanks for your input

I'm  not so sure about this now, so will be conducting some experiments later..
Here is what the official WINAMP HELP says about those preference setting options:-

WINAMP HELP for LOUDNESS THRESHOLD
Use this slider to adjust the sensitivity of the beat detection algorithm, used to detect the beats that cause hard cuts.
A value close to 'min' will cause the algorithm to be very sensitive (so even a small beat will trigger it)
A value close to 'max' will cause only the largest beats to trigger it.

WINAMP HELP for HARD CUTS
Check this to disable hard cuts; a loud beat will never cause the preset to change.

Kind regards: Freddy 

[Freddy Barker]

for what i have understood works like this: an hard cut will enable with a given time of low sound and a subsequent sudden sound increase upper threshold, i guess they should be enable for a smoother visualization. i will wait on your tests however

TEST RESULTS ARE IN

SETTINGS
Winamp > Options > Preferences > Plug-ins Visualization > Milkdrop > Configure [BUTTON] > common Settings [TAB] > Start in > Fullscreen

PLAY
Winamp > Play > Play Bookmark > Line Input > Visualization (wish I could that to start on launch)

TRACKS
Always - Atlantic Star
Equinoxe Part IV - Jean Michel-Jarre
Long Way Down - Bass Mekanik
Mediocrity Wins - Leprous

VERDICT
Some presets seem to have no reaction to the sound whatsoever, so I picked a few that looked good and kept going back to them (using Backspace key).
Those presets that reacted with the most visual impetus seemed to be when the Loudness threshold was set to about halfway and Hardcuts disabled (checked).

Not sure there is a lot of difference with any combination of settings to be honest..
Freddy

[Freddy Barker]

ADD TIME RESTORE for WINAMP PLUGIN
https://winampplugins.co.uk/timerestore.html

Winamp > Options > Preferences > Autoplay Options > Autoplay Options [TAB]
✔ Automatically start Winamp playing on startup
✔ Delay autoplay until all plug-ins are loaded

START VIZUALISER ON WINAMP LAUNCH
Winamp > Options > Preferences > Plug-ins >
✔ Auto execute vizualisation plug-in on playback

START IN FULLSCREEN
Winamp > Options > Preferences > Plug-ins Visualisation > Milkdrop > Configure [BUTTON] > Common Settings [TAB] > Start in >
✔ Fullscreen

Regards: Freddy

[urfausto]

http://wiki.winamp.com/wiki/MilkDrop_Unleashed_Guide

ok so hard cuts are actually sudden changes from one preset to the other driven by a major sensitivity trigger as opposed to soft cuts which change on regular time base.

loudness threshold is the level of sensitivity.

i have enabled hard cuts for the sake of the hype and set the threshold to 15 (max=20) but also increased the avg time between them (120)


edit: well, after a few more tests i've decided to cut in half the delay time between hard cuts and double the soft cuts instead, and i think i will double it a second time. it is getting prettier.

edit2: if you keep on playing with all these values the result will be amazingly trippy

[Freddy Barker]

http://wiki.winamp.com/wiki/MilkDrop_Unleashed_Guide
ok so hard cuts are actually sudden changes from one preset to the other driven by a major sensitivity trigger as opposed to soft cuts which change on regular time base.

loudness threshold is the level of sensitivity.
i have enabled hard cuts for the sake of the hype and set the threshold to 15 (max=20) but also increased the avg time between them (120)

edit: well, after a few more tests i've decided to cut in half the delay time between hard cuts and double the soft cuts instead, and i think i will double it a second time. it is getting prettier.

edit2: if you keep on playing with all these values the result will be amazingly trippy

Trippy sounds a bit bohemian and Summer of Love 👀

Please keep us (me) in the loop with your fascinating findings, and between, us we will probably end up with same default setting as it was during the initial installation 🎧

[urfausto]

so i've gone through like 2 hours of listening and i've noticed some things:
-the activity of the preset depends also on the total volume output of the music and i suspect it is the same for the hard cuts too but, despite all you, need anyway to keep a low sensitivity generally and i have no idea why.
-if you click the question mark in the upper right of the tab and then click on stuff, it will show you an help tip for every thing you clicked on.

[urfausto]

ok there seems to be some internal weird dynamics by default: http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=56775
that thread helps a lot with hard cuts though.

[urfausto]

3 hours later i think i finally got my definitive settings: https://imgur.com/a/CmeysdO
it is absolute killer to me like that. let me know of possible accurate and tested improvements over that one if there can be any.