Karl Klomp is an audiovisual designer who has desi in gned a number of cool gadgets for live performance visuals. One of these is dubbed the “dirty video mixer”. This simple-to-build device takes in two composite video inputs and mixes them together to create glitchy effects. Unlike a traditional video mixer, a dirty video mixer cannot “sync” two video signals so that they can stably blend. Instead, it blends the two video inputs in a “dirty”, unsynced fashion, resulting in severe glitching, signal scrolling and color distortion. Dirty video mixers are analog and work best when outputting to a CRT TV.
Generally, a dirty mixer consists of a single potentiometer (ie. knob) or slider that mixes the two signals together, along with two switches that each turn a video input on-or-off, and three composite jacks. That’s it! Some dirty mixers have additional features such as built-in buttons that affect the glitching, or audio reactivity.
While there are usually some cheap dirty video mixers to buy on Etsy (and Freedom Enterprise sells the “Honk Klomp”, a hypercheap, keychain-sized dirty video mixer), you can also easily and cheaply build your own dirty video mixer, so long as you are able to do some basic soldering and can source a handful of components. Eva Landry has a great two-part tutorial on YouTube on how to build one. Diva posted another great tutorial.
Example component list of a basic dirty video mixer:
- 1 enclosure box - aluminum, ABS plastic, etc. Some people use hollowed-out VHS tapes.
- 2 toggle switches (DPDT / On-On)
- 1k ohm linear potentiometer (can experiment with different ohm values)
- 3 RCA video sockets with nuts
- 28 AWG flexible silicone electric wire