FAQ — Mezkalin Video Gear: Your Ultimate Guide to Analog Glitch Art, Synths & Setup
Why Go Analog?
In a world dominated by digital video, analog glitch art holds a special place:
raw, organic textures
unpredictable visual chaos
tactile, hands-on control
What do I need to start with glitch video?
Honestly, it’s not that complicated, just follow a few simple steps.
You just need:
a video signal source
some Mezkalin glitch gear
a few cinch (RCA) cables
and a CRT TV
That’s your basic glitch video setup to dive into analog art visuals. All Mezkalin pics & demos were made with that super minimal setup!
Can I use my PC or laptop as a video source?
Yes, absolutely! To feed your modern HDMI video signal into an analog glitch processor, you need an HDMI-to-AV converter.
This transforms the digital signal (HDMI) into analog composite (RCA), which your glitch box can then process.
Make sure it’s HDMI to AV — not AV to HDMI — these converters only work in one direction!
What is the best monitor to display glitch video art?
Glitch tools send corrupted signals to the video output.
CRT TVs handle these best, showing deep, rich glitch textures.
Older flatscreens with analog video input will work, but can behave unpredictably (blue screening & signal dropouts). We still recommend giving it a try with LCD monitors — the results will be different, but personally we like that digital look too.
We recommend a flat-faced CRT model. Personally, we love Philips TVs, but many brands will do the job. Just take a look at your local or online marketplace — you often get one for cheap or even for free.
Experiment with different brands and models; it can give slightly different results, especially when it comes to very strong signals like sync corruption.
How do I capture my work?
A popular method among glitch artists is rescanning — that means filming your visuals directly off a CRT screen.
This technique gives you that authentic analog look with rich colors, flicker, and scanlines — something you can’t get from digital captures.
A DSLR camera gives the best quality and crisp details & lo-fi aesthetic in 4K, but honestly, we also use iPhones for quick demos — they work surprisingly well.
A flat-faced CRT model makes it easier to rescan, and mid-sized TVs are better to work with.
Can I connect Mezkalin gear to flat screens, projectors, or capture cards?
Yes, if you don’t want to work with a CRT TV in your setup, you can also go the digital way.
To connect Mezkalin gear with flat-screen TVs, projectors, capture cards, or PCs, you need an additional TBC (Time Base Corrector) — this helps to keep the signal stable.
Standalone TBC units are rare and pricey, but good news: many video mixers have built-in TBC, like the PANASONIC AVE-5, MX12, Videonics MX1, or Sima FX — affordable and reliable.
There are also alternatives from modern gear builders — just reach out if you want to get some info.
How do I capture my glitch work digitally?
To record your analog glitch visuals in high quality, you'll need to convert the signal back into a digital format with an AV-to-HDMI converter.
Capture cards like Elgato Cam Link 4K, Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle / Intensity Pro 4K are often used with software like OBS Studio to record or stream the signal.
How do I edit my recorded footage to turn it into a finished clip or music video?
You don’t need a ton of editing, but a little can go a long way to make your work shine.
Think of it as combining the best of both worlds — analog vibes with a touch of digital polish.
A simple video editing program is often enough, but if you want more control, tools like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve work great too.
Start by cleaning up your image a bit — adjusting saturation, contrast, black levels, and sharpness can instantly make things look better.
Layering clips (stacking them and blending visuals) can add a cool, creative touch. Try cutting short clips together in a way that creates rhythm — that flow really helps keep viewers engaged.
Simple transitions can also help elevate the vibe. And when it comes to full music videos, effects like glitches work best as accents, not the whole aesthetic.
Use them to highlight certain moments — again, layering helps a lot here. The key is to experiment and find a style that fits your music and vision.
Is Mezkalin gear good for live visuals?
Absolutely! Our video synthesizers are used by many VJs all around the globe.
You can connect it directly to your video mixer or CRT setup and push out real-time glitch visuals perfect for concerts, VJ sets, installations, or experimental art shows.
Can I chain multiple analog video effect devices together?
Absolutely! You can expand your signal chain anytime, no matter if you’re using modded or stock machines.
Here’s what you can do:
combine your Rusty Joe with a Title Maker — add text overlays + glitch effects
stack multiple glitch effects devices — create layered visuals and unexpected textures
expand with basic effect tools — include non-modified gear like RGB color processors, video mixers & VHS cameras
combine glitch effects with video feedback — video feedback happens when you point a camera at its own output (like filming a TV screen that’s showing what the camera sees). It creates a looping signal, kind of like when a microphone gets too close to a speaker (audio feedback), but with visuals
internal video feedback is a visual loop created inside a video mixer or glitch device, without using a camera pointed at a screen. Instead of filming a monitor, the signal is fed back into itself electronically — creating wild, layered, often psychedelic visual patterns right inside the circuit
There’s no hard rule — just experiment and see what wild combinations you can come up with.
Does Mezkalin gear support CV control?
It’s not standard, but yes — we can add CV control as an upgrade. Just let us know!
Are Mezkalin devices audio-reactive?
Some are! — if the device has audio reactive feature it’s clearly listed in the specs.
Audio reactive doesn’t mean that it’s only working with music — you can also run in different types of frequencies to create some extra shapes and textures.
Where does Mezkalin’s video hardware come from?
We source vintage 1980s–1990s European video gear, mainly from the secondhand market.
Most pieces are in excellent shape, but minor scratches on the enclosure can happen — that’s part of the vintage charm!
Even though we’re based in the PAL 220V region, many of our circuit-bent glitch boxes also work with NTSC — just remember, for certain devices like the Chroma Crusher (PAL-only), you’ll need an NTSC-to-PAL converter and power step-up transformer. All other units work for a standard 12V power supply.
What makes Mezkalin designs unique?
Every piece is handmade with care:
High-quality paintwork
Detailed craftsmanship
A wide range of customized designs and modifications
While many modern video gear builders base their glitch modules on old schematics from vintage video enhancers like the famous Archer Video Enhancer — aiming for clean, reproducible builds — Mezkalin stays true to the game and sticks with raw, old-school circuit bending techniques to give you that extra vivid glitch effect.
If you’re after something specific, just reach out — we do customized projects!
Shipping, Sales & Shop Info
Mezkalin ships with DHL international, across Europe and worldwide with tracking.
So far we never lost a single package, also the rate of damaged packages is well below average.
International buyers may need to check for local import duties. The prices on the website include taxes. No additional fees will be charged from our side.
The products on our website are our standard models. But that doesn’t mean we’re not cooking up new creations behind the scenes.
Often, these are small batches that sell out before they even hit the shop — just like unique one-offs.
If you’re interested in more fresh stuff, the best way to stay in the loop is to sign up for our newsletter and get the latest Mezkalin updates right when they drop.
Catch you next time!