Tekdetek is a free, in-browser video and live-visual tool. You build a node graph: sources (such as camera or file input), processing nodes (ASCII, halftone, colour and glitch-style treatments), optional ML-based helpers where enabled, and output — including recording when you use that feature. Everything runs in your browser; there is no installer for the public version.
This page is the official written guide for how the app is meant to be used, what to expect from your hardware, and how to stay out of trouble with large projects. For legal and data details, see the privacy policy.
Use an up-to-date Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on desktop for the least friction. Safari can work for many flows but WebGL and media pipelines differ per version. You should allow JavaScript. The first time you enable the full video engine, the app may download bundled libraries (for example processing and ML helpers) so later sessions can start faster or work offline once cached.
A GPU helps: real-time effects use WebGL where available. If performance is poor, reduce preview size, simplify the graph, or avoid stacking many heavy nodes.
Open /tekdetek/. You may see onboarding or welcome copy explaining the project — read it once; it also points to social contact if you want to share presets. When the interface loads, you typically see a top bar, a node graph region, and an area for preview or parameters depending on layout and screen size.
If the experience asks for camera or microphone permission, that is only used for live input you opt into; deny if you only want to process files or offline material, depending on what the pipeline needs.
Nodes are boxes; edges carry video or control from outputs to inputs. Start from a source node (camera, file, or generator depending on build), then connect through effect nodes toward the preview or sink nodes. Click or tap to select a node; use the inspector or side panel (on wider screens) to change parameters such as character density, contrast, feedback amount, or colour treatment.
Delete or bypass nodes you do not need. Long chains are fun for experimentation but cost GPU time — for live performance, prefer a shorter path and dial quality in the nodes that matter most.
Names vary by version, but expect families similar to: ASCII and text-grid looks, halftone and dither-style patterns, feedback and delay buffers, and colour transforms. Each node has controls tuned to that family. Combine them deliberately: for example, a halftone stage into a light feedback node often reads “analog” on camera feed; heavy ASCII on top of already noisy input may need brightness compensation upstream.
When enabled, optional models (such as body or object detection) run in the browser. They add CPU/GPU load and download weight data on first use. If a model fails to load, check network, try again, or remove that node from the graph. These features are experimental in the sense that real venues have different lighting — always rehearse before a live show.
If the build offers preset save/load, use it to snapshot parameter sets you like. Storage may use browser localStorage or IndexedDB; clearing site data removes those presets. Export options (for example packaged clips or data) depend on the version you run — use the in-app controls when you need a file for Instagram or archiving.
Recording encodes what the pipeline outputs at the time; quality and frame rate depend on your machine and graph complexity. Close other heavy tabs. For long captures, favour stable power on laptops and watch thermal throttling.
Tekdetek is built by Viktors Mileika (VJ Vik Mil). Commercial or installation enquiries: [email protected]. If you adapt ideas from this guide in your own writing, a link back to this page is appreciated but not required for personal use.