What OSCAR does

OSCAR is a tool to create responsive graphical interfaces that control interactive installations. These installations usually have video, sound and lighting systems run by software on one main computer or server. Most audiovisual software supports OSC, Open Sound Control, a protocol that connects devices and applications on the same network. OSCAR speaks it.

OSCAR runs on a computer on your network. You design a surface in its editor and open it on any phone, tablet or computer. When someone touches a control, OSCAR sends the message. You can also send from one application to another on the same computer.

Three things every OSC message needs

IP address

A numerical label for each device on a network, such as 192.168.1.20. It says which computer the message is for. For software on the same computer as OSCAR, use localhost.

Port

A number that says which program on that computer should get the message. The receiving application chooses it, and many have a default: Resolume listens on 7000.

Message (the address pattern)

A piece of text starting with / that says what the message is about, such as /composition/layers/1/video/opacity. Your software's documentation lists the addresses it understands.

Tutorial: trigger videos in Resolume Arena

We will control Resolume Arena, VJ software and a media server, and trigger three videos from a tablet showing an interface built with OSCAR.

You will need

Set up Resolume Arena

  1. Open Resolume Arena.
  2. Go to Arena > Preferences > OSC and turn on OSC Input. The default port is 7000.
  3. Put a different video in Column 1, Column 2 and Column 3, and save.
  4. Go to Output > Fullscreen.

Set up OSCAR

  1. Download OSCAR for your operating system. For this tutorial, install it on the computer that runs Resolume.
  2. Open OSCAR. The editor opens in a window.
  3. Open the Blocks tab on the right and drag three Buttons onto the canvas. Style them as you like.
  4. Select the first button and open its Settings (the gear icon). Set:
    • Ip: the IP of the computer you want to reach. Here it is the same computer, so use its own local IP, for example 10.0.0.100.
    • Port: 7000, Resolume's default.
    • Message: /composition/columns/1/connect
    Leave Max as 1 and Toggle Button unticked. Do the same for the other two buttons, with columns 2 and 3. The addresses are in Resolume's documentation.
  5. Press Fullscreen and Preview, and click your buttons. The videos change in Resolume.
  6. To use a tablet on the same network, open a browser on it and go to IP:8080/preview, with the IP of the computer running OSCAR: for example 10.0.0.100:8080/preview.

Coming in OSCAR 2.1

MIDI and DMX beside OSC, publishing a surface to a phone with a QR code, devices that stay in step with each other, widget styles, templates, an XY pad, meters, colour pickers and more. It is built and being tested. The home page shows what is on the way.

More

The full manual is the README on GitHub. Found a problem, or want a feature? Open an issue on GitHub, or write to hello@createwithoscar.com.