radiance.video

What It Is

Radiance is a free and open-source VJ video art software with a clear focus: it is designed for live performance. It is not a traditional video editing tool, but a performance-oriented application for generating, combining, and outputting visuals in real time. It is well suited to live music, clubs, stage visuals, and projection mapping scenarios.

Core Capabilities

At its core are GPU-based shader effects. Users can chain simple building blocks together to create complex video effects, with all rendering accelerated by the GPU—making it suitable for live environments where real-time performance matters. The software comes with more than 150 built-in effects, written in WGSL and supporting live edit, giving technically capable visual artists plenty of room for customization. On the media side, Radiance integrates MPV and can directly open videos, images, cameras, live streams, and even YouTube videos. For audio, it can connect to a sound system for beat detection and use the beat as a global time reference, allowing effects to stay automatically “on the beat” and follow changes in the music’s tempo.

Pricing, Licensing, and Compatibility

The main text clearly states that it is free and open-source, which makes it highly cost-effective. However, no specific open-source license is disclosed, so anyone considering commercial performances, redistribution, or derivative work should check the GitHub repository for licensing details. In terms of compatibility, the text only mentions MPV integration, multi-screen output, and a built-in projection mapping editor. It does not specify supported operating systems, export formats, or hardware requirements.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths are that it is free, built for real-time performance, includes a relatively rich effects library, supports multiple media sources, and offers essential live-show features such as beat detection and projection mapping. The downside is limited disclosure: there is no clear information about documentation, community support, installation platforms, or licensing details. Live editing in WGSL may also present a learning curve for designers without coding experience, and collaboration features are not described.

Who It’s For and Access from China

Radiance is suitable for VJs, stage visual designers, audio-visual interaction artists, and teams looking for a low-cost open-source tool for multi-screen or projection mapping experiments. The main text does not state how accessible it is from mainland China, so domain availability would need to be tested in practice. YouTube input will also typically be affected by the local network environment in China. If you need a mature commercial ecosystem, alternatives such as Resolume Arena, TouchDesigner, and MadMapper are worth comparing.