Where are the different graphics in iTunes Classic visualizer?

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Level 2

226 points

Where are the different graphics in iTunes Classic visualizer?

I've been using iTunes 10.x since it came out but noticed that the "Classic" visualizer only has ONE basic graphic that it keeps repeating over & over whereas the older versions of iTunes had several graphic patterns that changed during the music.

Is there any way to get the older version of visualizer back into iTunes 10.x? (I only use "Classic" because I really like the Apple logo showing up and the new version of visualizer lacks that, and it's just yucky 😉 lol)

Aluminum iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.5), 1 GB

Posted on Nov 21, 2010 1:39 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 23, 2010 11:19 PM in response to E. Kennedy

The original port of the visualizer was/is a program called G-Force, which you can get at soundspectrum.com. It's WAAAY updated of course and comes with it's own overlay/nagware to buy the premium version, but it runs prettily enough.

If you press 'H' when the visualizer's running, it will pull up a short list of keyboard commands.. There are three items - delta fields (called 'flowfields' now in G-Force), waveshapes and colors - that are fun to poke and peck at.

'Q'and 'W' changes waveshapes up and down the list.
'A' and 'S' change the delta fields
'Z' and 'X' change the colors

Now that I think on it, I'm going to holmes this out and find for once and all, just EXACTLY where the visualizer engine is.. Will be back to report on the scouting mission.

Deb.

P.S, check out G-Force, it really is fun!

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Answer 2

E. Kennedy Author

Level 2

226 points

Nov 24, 2010 5:43 PM in response to Deborah Terreson

thanks for the info! I'll check that out! and I can't wait to hear your results, Ms. Holmes 🙂

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Answer 3

Nov 25, 2010 4:05 PM in response to E. Kennedy

I can't find it! I even fired up OnyX and set the Finder to display ALL files, and the only thing I can deduce is that it is bundled into the iTunes binary itself. DID find a whole bunch of jpg files in the iTunes app folder though.. Haven't a clue what they're for.

The nifty thing I DO know that you can do with G-Force, if you like the popup Apple overlay, is to get a black and white jpg copy of the Apple logo and stick it in the Sprites folder. (Home/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force) Take one of the existing sprite .jpg images out and put in the apple one giving it the name of the file you removed. If you have the inclination for noodling, you can put together your own display sets with G-force.

It originally started out as a somewhat open collaborative project and the core of the application is a sound analyzer with the visual outputs of the waveforms tarted up along modes of colors and size and geometry.

It's all just little text files of code like this..

Name: HAL SplashyScope
Created by: Howard A. Landman, 15-17 May 2001
Aspc=0
Stps="NUM SAMPLEBINS"
X0="(2*s)-1"
Y0=".65 * mag(s)"
Pen="1"
LWdt="min( 22*abs(mag(s)) + .3, 10 )"
Unconnected looks a little better - when the dots are big enough they overlap anyway
ConB=0
Meta="reactive=4 detail=4 density=4 morphable=4"
Vers=270

..so if you learn how to write them, or at least tweak the preferences - as they're just text files, it's a blast to dabble with!

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