So, what is the Circuit Bent Video Enhancer? It's not a complete video synthesizer by itself, but a more fitting comparison would be to think of it like an effect pedal—it doesn't generate video, but rather it processes and affects existing video signals in different ways. In some ways, this is even better than the CBV001 being a complete synth, because that means you can send any imagery into it that you like.

At its core, the CBV001 contains an enhancement circuit and four different glitch effects, all of which are dependent upon the enhancement settings. The enhance section mostly provides macro control over brightness and color saturation, but itself is capable of some glitching at extreme settings. But the dedicated glitch effects are where things get interesting, generating everything from blurring and filtering effects to sync distortion and edge feedback. Each section has wide ranging scope, but all share a similar interface that features a knob to set intensity, and a three-position switch for two variations of the effect or bypassing it entirely. As would be true with circuit bent equipment, all parameters are highly interactive with each other, and different, occasionally non-repeatable results will be had at different settings.

To interface with the outside world, the CBV001 provides two handy ways to get signals in and out of the device. The most universally useful option is the composite video jacks, which can process full RGB video signals with encoded sync. But if you're working within the context of an LZX video modular system, the adjacent 3.5mm jacks will also accept luma signals for monochromatic processing, and in a pinch the CBV001 could be used to encode or decode from one format to the other. There's also another 3.5mm input for voltage control over the Enhance circuit, accepting everything from DC voltages to video-rate signals.

Compared to most other items in the Syntonie catalog, the CBV001 is a bit special in that it is available as both a Eurorack module and in a standalone enclosure. While the former is nice for those already invested in Eurorack, the latter is a great option for anyone because it removes the physical and financial barriers that come along with the initial foray into modular synthesis. There's no need to worry about buying a case with a proper power supply—the standalone version is essentially plug and play!

There's a variety of video sources out there, with the most obvious choice being a good, old-fashioned camera for live input. But for pre-existing footage, our collective of video synthesis nerds here at Perfect Circuit have used everything from VCRs and old DVD players to retro game consoles and antique broadcasting equipment. These days, there's also plenty of video synthesis gear out there, both in standalone and modular formats, which would be great material for the CBV001 to chew on. This could be anything from the Critter & Guitari Video Scope to the Gieskes 3TrinsRGB+1c, or the encoded output from the Erogenous Tones Structure or the upcoming and highly-anticipated LZX Chromagnon.

Beyond hardware, if you rely upon video and editing software like Erin, then piping in footage from a computer video output card opens up worlds of opportunity. You could even just grab stock footage and free videos that can be found online—akin to sampling audio from the internet. Of course, creative video software applications like Touchdesigner, Max/MSP's Jitter family of objects, and a host of other platforms are great for being processed by analog video tools, much in the same way that running tracks from a DAW through outboard gear can liven things up in a meaningful way.