Milkdrop Source Code

[DrO]

only the v1 code was made open source. the v2 code has never been released.

-daz

[Nitorami]

You may be interested in this link

http://forums.winamp.com/showpost.php?p=2798101&postcount=5

This guy has written an MD2 clone

[JohanSebastian]

Milkdrop Source?

I looked at that post, didnt see any source code or anything useful.

I have also seen references to other derivations of MD, including ProjectM (dont know if that helps me on Windows).

Also another one called LightMaestro. It looks like he got a fair ways into it. There are several videos on youtube ie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpaTafZnkfc, where somehow he overlaid video on top of MD, however the web site is nonexistent so evidently he gave up on it.

So I am back to wondering a few things:
1) If MD1 was made open source, why not MD2?
2) Who is the "keeper" of MD2 source? The guys here at winamp must have it, right? Can it be made available for download??

I started doing VJ shows at my local nightclub here in Portland, OR about a year ago. I started off by using Winamp/Milkdrop. Winamp is a great media player, no question. A VJ app it is not. I am able to do some pretty good shows with Winamp/Milkdrop, and yet I want to do more, a lot more.

For example, I purchased a Kinect a few months ago, and have put together some really GOOD effects for it. (search on youtube for DesignerVisuals). One of my goals is to have Milkdrop running in the background, with some of my Kinect effects overlaid on top. I might even be able to produce a Winamp Plugin (if I can wrap my brain around the Winamp Plugin API). Even so, the kinect effects wont be overlaid on top of MD though iun that case.

The current implementation of MD2 in Winamp has some good capabilities, such as what it does with static image overlays (that is awesome!) however no capability that I can see to do things like overlay a live video feed.

Hence my desire to get ahold of the Milkdrop 2 source code.

So I am making my appeal here on this forum to the guys that maintain Winamp to see if I can get my hands on the source.

So how about it guys? Can I beg, borrow, or buy it?

[Nitorami]

JohanSebastian

1) No, there is no code in the link. All I wanted to say is that someone has indeed written a working MD2 clone, so it must be possible.

2) LightMaestro's work is a sort of interface between MD and winamp, can intercept and send messages, comfortably apply scripts to MD, overlay videos etc., thus moving MD a big step closer to VJing... I have never seen it but I reckon this would meet your requirements. However, LightMaestro got a lot of flames for his aggressive style of promoting his product and finally seems to have disappeared from the planet. I think the reason he gave up on it was not technical but rather that there was no market.

3) Finally, on the MD2 source code - the reason that it is not available is that AOL bought winamp and holds the rights. It is not available, period.

[DrO]

3) Finally, on the MD2 source code - the reason that it is not available is that AOL bought winamp and holds the rights. It is not available, period.

I don't know the proper reason for MD2 not being open-sourced (though it's probably no one cares / thought of it / cba / not worth it as explained later) but that comment is quite not correct since the MD1 source code was released under AOL / Nullsoft ownership - was done by Tag when he was basically in charge of things at the time if i remember correctly as people kept asking for AVS and Milkdrop to be open sourced.

however nothing useful to Nullsoft / Winamp came of open sourcing those plug-ins and so i wouldn't hold out much hope since it was meant to be a test to see how well doing that would be and what benefit would be gotten back which hasn't been the case (yes it could have probably been handled better but it's probably too late now).

though going back to the point i've quoted, as Aol / Nullsoft own the code, they can do whatever they want to do with it which includes not releasing it. not what i'm expecting is wanting to be heard (and i'd love to be proven wrong) but i just don't see that changing any time soon.

-daz

[JohanSebastian]

Hello.
Thanks for the replies.
Re: Lightmaestro. In his posts I have seen on the web (cant remember where exactly @ the moment) he said he was more of an engineer, versus a Business Man. Why he abandoned the project and pulled it from the web entirely is a mystery to me at this point. I havent been able to find a copy of lightmasetro anywhere that I can download.
So I am beginning to get the idea Geiss developed Milkdrop while being employed at Nullsoft (I thought up until now he developed it on his own, and then made it open source). Is this correct? That might explain why MD1 was made open source, as like an "experiment", and MD2 was not.
I am still desirous of using Milkdrop as a backdrop for other things, like my kinect effects, video clips, flash files etc. When I look at the img.ini file for MD, I dont see any animated types of files which can be setup as an overlay. Unless I am mistaken? The things MD can do with static image overlays is in a word, amazing. Epsecially the way it merges the colors from the overlay into the MD animation. THATS COOL! So now I want to goto the next step and overlay other things on top.
Also attempting to figure out how to make my kinect effects into a plugin to WInamp somehow.
I use XNA for some of my kinect effects. XNA runs on the XBOX. Which also leads me to wonder if MD can be run on XBOX. There's a WHOLE lot of XBOXs out there in the world. Seems to me there's a good market there for some of these effects (like MD). I am going to buy an XBOX, just so I can see what it can do. It already has Kinect support, since the Kinect was originally designed to work with XBOX.

[JohanSebastian]

One other thought I had recently which I will run by the members of this forum.

Is it possible to run Milkdrop, and somehow in a c# program get ahold of the window handle, and be able to overlay graphics on top of it? (From what Nitorami said, lightMaestro did something like that).

As a stop gap measure, just so I can use MD and my other software in series during a VJ show, I attempted to switch between MD and my Kinect effects program with Alt Tab, and that works as long as MD is running in a window. It DOESNT seem to work if MD is running full screen. Its like MD takes over the display, and doesnt want to "share it".

Johan

[JohanSebastian]

Milkdrop/Kinect Effects

Progress!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWlmJUDP9As

I've been working on a VJ software application, which I am loosely calling "VJPro".

Last week I added a new capability to my software, which combines visual effects (using depth data from a Microsoft Kinect) with visuals from Milkdrop.

I tested it alongside a band by the name of Kirk Green last Sat night, and you can see the results in the above posted video on youtube.

A tip of the hat to Nitorami, who has been kind enough to provide several totally AWESOME MD presets (available elsewhere on this forum). Good job man!

Johan

[swingdjted]

Very nice work, not only in development of the program, but also in finding a great way to use it!

[Benski]

We've updated the open-source package. You can view the announcement here -

http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=361484

[swingdjted]

I'd be interested if some people will mess with it enough to rebuild interest in Winamp in general. Personally the number 1 reason I still use Winamp regularly is unsurpassed visualization quality, both from MD2 and AVS. Not much development has been going on as far as I can tell, and yet these two programs seem to still be the best in my opinion. I really hope some people with the right skills get a hold of this and open new doors with it.

Thank you to everyone who was able to make this happen.

I can't speak for anyone but myself here, but there have to be others out there like me but just aren't on the forums: Winamp visualizations are very important de-stressors in my life and have been very valuable to me for a long time. It just amazes me that more people aren't involved in both the creation and consumption of them.

[Sabine Klare]

I don't think, that I would be a very good developer, but I am a very good consumer...
I love Milkdrop 2 very much. When I played "Love Is Beautiful" from The Timewriter in Winamp the first time and I tried the visualization, that night had changed my life forever. Mostly I enjoy very good Deep House directly from the websites via the URL "linein://" in Full HD. And I know, what a dance club with a video-projector and a very large screen needs...
You are right, Ted, we need people now with the right skills, and I also hope, that new doors will be opened some day...
Thank You for Milkdrop 2. Keep up Your good work!!!...

[mfbscs]

Not much development has been going on as far as I can tell, and yet these two programs seem to still be the best in my opinion.

I can't speak for anyone but myself here, but there have to be others out there like me but just aren't on the forums: Winamp visualizations are very important de-stressors in my life and have been very valuable to me for a long time. It just amazes me that more people aren't involved in both the creation and consumption of them.

I concur with you 100%. It amazes me how great MD was so long ago and continues to be one of the best, if not the best. And it's free!

I am a developer, and will eventually get around to looking through the MD2 source. I doubt I can really improve on it, but will at least learn it for the sake of learning.

I've recently discovered vsxu and Plane9 and plan to examine them thoroughly.

[Victhor]

Is funny how technology has gone on a "fashion direction" now instead of on a "evolution" one.. people don´t usually notice it, but the software and technology developed NOW for PCs is still YEARS ahead of whatever mobile OSes can do now..