Vidvox
Vidvox is a bootstrapped macOS software firm (VIDVOX, LLC, founded 1998) that sells VDMX6, a Metal-based real-time video mixing and performance application for VJs, live-visual artists, projection mappers, and live-event production teams, and open-sources the HAP video codec and ISF shader format standards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersTroy, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Vidvox does
Vidvox (legal entity VIDVOX, LLC) is a privately held, bootstrapped software firm founded in 1998 in Troy, United States, operating with a small team estimated at 1-10 employees led by David Lublin and Cornelius (ProjectileObjects). The company develops VDMX, a real-time, hardware-accelerated video mixing and performance application for macOS, offered as two perpetual-license SKUs — VDMX6 at $199 USD and VDMX6 Plus at $349 USD — with a free functional demo (save disabled) and educational discounts. The product is built on Apple's Metal graphics API and integrates deeply with HAP GPU-accelerated video codecs, the ISF (Interactive Shader Format) standard, Apple CoreML/Vision frameworks, and protocols including MIDI, OSC, DMX/ArtNet, Syphon, and NDI. VDMX6 Plus adds first-class plugin-host support for TouchDesigner (.tox) and Vuo compositions, positioning Vidvox as a node-composition "front-end" for live performance.
Beyond VDMX, Vidvox owns and open-sources two industry standards: the HAP video codec family (HAP, HAP Alpha, HAP Q, HAP Q Alpha, HAP R) and ISF, which is now supported in over 20 third-party creative-coding applications and hosted at isf.video and hap.video. In March 2025 Vidvox open-sourced ISFMSLKit and VVMetalKit, the Metal shader frameworks powering VDMX6, signaling an ecosystem-platform posture.
The business model is direct-to-consumer perpetual licensing through the company's own online store (cart.vidvox.net), with community-led, product-led growth driven by a freemium demo, active Discourse forums, a tutorial-rich blog with artist interviews, social channels, and event presence (Mapping Festival). Vidvox targets four primary segments: VJs and live visual performers (primary), visual artists and installations (primary), content creators and video producers, and live-event/A-V production teams. Customer concentration risk is low: the documented customer base consists of individual creators across VJ, dance, music, and lighting design with one enterprise case (production/lighting designer Sarah Landau).
Vidvox firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vidvox
- Legal name
- VIDVOX, LLC
- Website
- https://vidvox.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Vidvox is a bootstrapped macOS software firm (VIDVOX, LLC, founded 1998) that sells VDMX6, a Metal-based real-time video mixing and performance application for VJs, live-visual artists, projection mappers, and live-event production teams, and open-sources the HAP video codec and ISF shader format standards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vidvox industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real-time Video Performance Software
- NAICS
- Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VFX Production & Supervision (2D/3D, Compositing, FX, CG) (MPADAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM)
Keywords
Where Vidvox is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Troy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Vidvox business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Perpetual one-time license sales for VDMX6 ($199) and VDMX6 Plus ($349). No subscription model; customers own the license indefinitely. Educational and hobbyist discounts available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VDMX6 Standard - $199 USD perpetual license |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VDMX6 Plus - $349 USD perpetual license |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Demo Version - Free |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Vidvox product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vidvox develops and sells VDMX6, a macOS-only real-time video performance application used by VJs, visual artists, and live event producers for layer-based video mixing, hardware-accelerated playback, audio-reactive visuals, and projection mapping. The VDMX6 Plus variant adds support for TouchDesigner and Vuo node-based compositions as interactive generators, effects, and data-source plugins. Vidvox also maintains the open-source HAP video codec family and the ISF (Interactive Shader Format) cross-platform shader standard, which are adopted across 20+ creative applications.
Product overview
Vidvox offers VDMX as a unified real-time video performance platform for macOS. The product line consists of VDMX6 (standard, $199) and VDMX6 Plus ($349). VDMX6 Plus extends the core application by adding support for TouchDesigner and Vuo node-based compositions as interactive generators, effects, and data-source plugins. Both versions share the same Metal-based rendering engine, support for HAP video codecs, ISF/GLSL shader format, and integration with Blackmagic Design hardware, NDI, Syphon, MIDI, OSC, and DMX/ArtNet protocols.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VDMX6: The ultimate real-time video playground for macOS, a layer-based video rendering engine for VJing and live visual performances.
- VDMX6 Plus
- HAP Video
- ISF (Interactive Shader Format)
Products and services
- VDMX6 The primary real-time video performance application for macOS. A layer-based, hardware-accelerated video rendering engine for VJs, live visual performers, installation artists, and live event production teams, supporting movie playback, live camera capture, visual effects, audio analysis, MIDI/OSC/DMX control, and multi-output displays.
- VDMX6 Plus Extended version of VDMX6 that allows use of TouchDesigner and Vuo node-based compositions as interactive generators, effects, and data-source plugins within VDMX. Targets users who already work in node-based visual programming toolkits and want to integrate those compositions into VDMX6's real-time pipeline.
Quantifiable outcome
- Real-time video playback at huge resolutions using HAP codecs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Vidvox
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Vidvox technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability7 records
Feature10 records
Vidvox partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and major.
- The Khronos Group (SPIR-V)supportingISFMSLKit uses SPIR-V (Standard Portable Intermediate Representation) for converting GLSL shaders to MSL (Metal Shading Language). GLSLangValidatorLib converts GLSL to SPIR-V, SPIRVCrossLib converts SPIR-V to MSL.
- Blackmagic DesigncoreDeep integration with Blackmagic Design hardware for video capture and output. VDMX supports simultaneous input/output (full duplex mode) on supported devices, audio streaming to Blackmagic outputs, lower latency audio capture, and alpha channel support with key streams on compatible devices.
- Derivative (TouchDesigner)coreVDMX6 Plus supports TouchDesigner compositions (.tox files) as interactive generators, effects, and control data plugins. Requires valid paid TouchDesigner license (Education, Commercial, or Pro) on the same computer.
- VuocoreVDMX6 Plus supports Vuo compositions as building blocks without requiring a Vuo license (except for Vuo Pro features). Example compositions bundled with VDMX.
- NewTek (NDI)majorVDMX supports NDI (Network Device Interface) protocol for sending and receiving video streams over networks. NDI R and other NDI variants supported.
- SyphonmajorVDMX supports Syphon for sending video output to other applications and receiving video from Syphon-enabled applications. ProjectMilkSyphon utility (bundled) allows classic MilkDrop visualizer to output via Syphon.
- ApplecoreVDMX6 is built on Apple's Metal graphics API, with support for Apple CoreML and Vision frameworks for features like face/body/hand tracking, background removal, and OCR. Also uses AVFoundation for video playback and audio capture.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vidvox competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Resolume: Resolume Arena and Avenue are the leading cross-platform VJ and live video mixing tools used in concerts, clubs, and festivals. They directly overlap VDMX's core VJ and live performance use case with similar layer-based mixing, effects, and output workflows.
- TroikaTronix (Isadora): Isadora is real-time media control software for live theater, dance, and interactive performances. It is a direct peer in the live-performance and interactive-installation segments where VDMX is also used, particularly among artists and stage designers.
- GarageCube (MadMapper): MadMapper is a leading projection-mapping and LED-mapping tool for live events, installations, and VJing. It directly overlaps VDMX in multi-display/projection mapping workflows and serves the same live-AV professional customer base.
- Notch: Notch is a real-time generative video engine used for live events, concerts, installations, and broadcast. It directly competes with VDMX in the pro live-visual performance space, particularly where GPU-accelerated generative rendering and effects are required.
- Derivative (TouchDesigner): TouchDesigner is a node-based real-time multimedia authoring platform widely used for interactive installations, projection mapping, and live visuals. It is a direct peer because VDMX6 Plus specifically integrates with TouchDesigner (.tox) compositions, and the two are commonly used side by side.
- Vuo: Vuo is a node-based visual programming environment for interactive media, integrated into VDMX6 Plus. It overlaps VDMX in real-time generative visuals and live performance and serves a closely related creative-coder and live-AV audience.
- Arkaos (ArKaos): ArKaos MediaMaster and GrandVJ are VJ and media-server software products used in concerts, clubs, and live events. They are direct peers serving the same VJ and live-event production segment with similar real-time video mixing capabilities.
- Cycling '74 (Max/MSP/Jitter): Max with Jitter is a long-established node-based environment for interactive audio, video, and live performance. It is a direct peer in the live-visuals and creative-coding ecosystem where VDMX is also used, particularly for MIDI/OSC-controlled real-time video.
Broad incumbents
- disguise (d3 Technologies): disguise is a large-scale media server platform powering major touring concerts, broadcast, and immersive experiences. It is a broader incumbent operating in the same live-visual / video-playback space with overlapping Blackmagic/NDI integration but at much larger enterprise scale.
Emerging players
- QLab (Figure 53): QLab is widely used live-event playback and show-control software for theater and concerts. It overlaps VDMX in live-event AV workflows (especially MIDI/OSC/DMX control and multi-output playback) but is more focused on cue-based playback than generative real-time video.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vidvox social profiles
Digital presenceVidvox financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vidvox leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vidvox funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vidvox M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vidvox
What does Vidvox do?
Vidvox develops and sells VDMX6, a macOS-only real-time video performance application used by VJs, visual artists, and live event producers for layer-based video mixing, hardware-accelerated playback, audio-reactive visuals, and projection mapping. The VDMX6 Plus variant adds support for TouchDesigner and Vuo node-based compositions as interactive generators, effects, and data-source plugins. Vidvox also maintains the open-source HAP video codec family and the ISF (Interactive Shader Format) cross-platform shader standard, which are adopted across 20+ creative applications.
Is Vidvox a public or private company?
Vidvox is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vidvox founded?
Vidvox was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vidvox based?
Vidvox is headquartered in Troy, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vidvox make money?
One revenue line is on record: software Licenses.
Who are Vidvox's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Resolume, TroikaTronix (Isadora), GarageCube (MadMapper), Notch, Derivative (TouchDesigner), Vuo, Arkaos (ArKaos) and Cycling '74 (Max/MSP/Jitter). disguise (d3 Technologies) is listed as a broad incumbent. QLab (Figure 53) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Vidvox have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vidvox.
What industry is Vidvox in?
Vidvox's product category is Real-time Video Performance Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAHAA, VFX Production & Supervision (2D/3D, Compositing, FX, CG), with a secondary code of MPAFAKAM, Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO). Its NAICS code is 51219 and its SIC code is 7812.