Beta Program Update
Our beta program is well on its way and we are steadily improving the app as we go. There have been a few minor bugs / mishaps, but for the most part it has been running quite smooth. Beta testers have also have given some really positive feedback about the project and how much they are enjoying it.
Before we jump into all the details, I’d like to take a second to thank all my Patron supporters. You guys are awesome. And if you would like to join the beta (and even get your name on the website for the super support tier) consider signing up on Patreon!
Custom Colors
Alright, now to the good stuff! In the 2.0 version of AVTouchBar you can create custom colors and gradients. I’m quite happy with how this turned out, as the new color creation menu is intuitive and allows the user to create any combination they could want.
Creating a New Color
You can create a new color by going to the menu bar icon, and selecting “New Color”.
This will open the new color popover window where you can customize it to your liking.
Here’s how this menu works.
- Double click a node to access the color picker: use the slider or input a hex code
- Double click anywhere on the gradient preview to add a node
- Right click a node and select delete to delete a node
- Click and drag to move a node to a different spot
- Input a name for your new color and click save
Once saved, AVTouchBar will automatically switch to your newly created color. You will find the new color under the “Custom Colors” menu.
Deleting a Custom Color
To delete a custom color, open the custom color menu and hold “option”. A new menu will pop up to delete the custom colors.
My Favorite Gradient Right Now
Here is a gradient that I’ve been enjoying: I call it Ocean Blue and the hex values are (from left to right) #009FFF (Left Node), #00EBFF (Left Middle Node), #00FFCE (Right Middle Node), #FFFFFF (Right Node).
Efficiency Improvements
AVTouchBar received a few minor efficiency improvements from beta v1.0 to v2.0 in a few different forms.
Standby Mode
In beta version 2.0 we introduced standby mode. Now, when you hide the visuals on the touch bar, all the image processing will come to a halt. AVTouchBar will sit around ~1% while it waits for you to reopen the visuals again. This way, you can leave AVTouchBar open and running and not have to worry about churning through battery life.
Overall Efficiency Improvements
We reduced the amount of CPU usage by reviewing and removing certain processes that were not necessary and cleaning up some areas of the code. This resulted in AVTouchBar using 5-10% less CPU usage while in use! While MacOS Catalina 10.15 is running AVTouchBar very well now, in the 20% range, MacOS 11.0 Big Sur has been not so friendly to AVTouchBar (as well as other apps). However, AVTouchBar compiles natively on Big Sur and sits in the 30% range. Official battery tests coming soon!
Other Improvements
Continuing to improve the system audio integration among specific apps such as Boom3D Audio and Loopback + Audio Hijack. Soon there will be more freedom for the user to choose certain audio settings and have some adjustments to how the visuals are being created, like the FFT value being used.
Conclusion
That about wraps up this update! Hope you guys are all excited as we continue to progress this app. Consider signing up for the beta or signing up for updates on development below.
You can also read other updates here:
- The Backstory of an Audio Visualizer for the Touch Bar
- Big Update #1 (System Audio is Working)
- Finished Colors & Automatic Aggregate Device Creation!
Jake is a professional baseball player that was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016. He played in the minor leagues for the Blue Jays for 5 years until he was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the rule 5 draft in 2020. In his spare time, he enjoys creating technology videos on YouTube and pursuing creative technologies including an audio visualizer for the touch bar on MacBook Pros.