FreeJ project is an instrument for realtime manipulation of various video layers combined with live effects. Layers are implemented to mix together webcams, TV, movie files, images and text and can be rendered in various ways.

FreeJ can be operated live using hotkeys, also remotely over networks (VJoE), while operations can also be scripted in a object oriented procedural language (Javascript). The core engine is multithreaded and asynchronous so it can accept various controllers at the same time: by now MIDI and joystick controls are implemented.

FreeJ is being developed in the hope to provide the GNU community with a free instrument for video manipulation: to be employed in veejaying, theater performance and digital scenography, while at present is also being used for visualisation in medical analisys.

FreeJ, as a free modularized GNU/Linux framework, makes it easy to write simple effect algorithms and combine them with others, obtaining multiple results and keeping them compatible with as much devices as possible.

FreeJ is written with efficiency in mind, benefits of a realtime object oriented architecture that makes efficient use of multithreading (in which the layers run in parallel), also taking advantage of multiple CPUs and cluster systems.

The language employed in development is C/C++ respecting POSIX compliance and avoiding the computational bloat of some 'advanced' C++ functions.

Its API is fairly understandable, you'll also find a first description in the documentation section.

Here are some key features of "FreeJ":

· live compositing of multiple webcams, TV signals,
· movie files, images, TXT files, particle generators and more..
· can be remotely controlled (VJoE)
· can be scripted in procedural object oriented language
· no frame drop when looping movie clips
· Emacs/Vi style console with hotkeys (S-Lang)
· can accept asynchronous controllers at the same time
· (Midi, joystick and more coming..)
· very efficient video engine with multithreaded layers
· 100% GNU Public License Free Software
· modular C/C++ code and flexible API

Limitations:

· a GNU/Linux or Apple/OSX workstation (see README.OSX)
· Simple Directmedia Layer library
· S-Lang console library

What's New in This Release:

· This release adds a new audio bus with realtime sound parametrization using FFT, more support for plugins (freeframe), new controllers for wiimote, mouse, video jogger, and OSC network messages, an updated Javascript implementation with garbage collection, faster response and handling of layers and controllers, experimental Python bindings and OpenGL viewports, several bugfixes, and documentation updates.