Responsive Aesthetics: Remediating Digital-to-Analog Television Converters as Artist Tools

Abstract “Responsive Aesthetics: Remediating Digital-to-Analog Television Converters as Artist Tools” documents the research process undertaken to explore the reanimation of a digital-to-analog television converter box as an artistic tool for intervention with the digital broadcast image through real-time datamoshing. We define datamoshing as an exploitation and interruption of the algorithms that comprise high quality digital streaming video, resulting in the visual distortion and alteration of the image. Our goal was to create a responsive datamoshing system that would not only modulate and distort the incoming broadcast image, but also provide artists with a level of control over these variations. We approached this process as artists, rather than technologists. Inspired by a specific visual or aesthetic result, we would reflect on how this result was achieved technically and then experiment with other methods that might offer further enhancement. The final result was the creation of a responsive datamoshing tool for use in exhibition or performance, both on its own or in combination with other systems (i.e., software, apps, image processing machines).