Bye Bye Vuvuzela

Annoyed by the vuvuzelas in the worldcup soccer transmissions on tv?

So here is the solution: Bye Bye Vuvu!

For the impatient:

Here is the patch: byebyevuvu.pd

Now with updated streaming instructions!

What is this?

Bye Bye Vuvu is a realtime vuvuzela filter.
In fact it is a is a patch for a free software called Pure Data, or pd for short. It is
used to do signal processing. Anyway, for now the only important thing is, it can get ridd
of the annoying vuvuzelas in the tv.

How does it work?

Bye Bye Vuvu uses a notch filter tuned to the frequencies of the vuvuzela. Canceling out the Vuvuzela and leaving the remainder.

How to do it at home?

You will need the following:

• A receiver or TV with audio outputs
• A computer / laptop, PC or Mac, even Linux, will do fine
• The Pure Data extended software
• The Jack Audio Connection routing software (optional, see here)
• Some amplifier and speakers or active speakers
• Some cabling to put all this togehter

Step-by-step instructions for regular reception:

If you use your computer for reception things are slightly different

1. Download Pure Data extended Software from puredata.info and install it according to your operating system.
   If there is no decent version for your OS go to autobuild.puredata.info and pick the 0.42.5 version. The 0.42 version
   should also work, but be warned this is beta grade software.

2. Download Bye Bye Vuvu and save it to a place you remember.

3. Connect your receiver or tv to your computer.

4. Connect yout computer to your amp or active speakers.

5. IMPORTANT! Turn the output volume down all the way! I mean it! Turn any volume slider and/or knob down all the way.
   Pure Data has a tendency to act as an extremely powerfull amplifier. Believe me and your speakers/ears will be thankfull!

6. Start Pure Data extended.

7. Open the ByeByeVuvu patch via the menu File → Open command.

8. Go to the Pure Data audio preferences and set the input and output according to your computer.

9. Click the On/Off switch in ByeByeVuvu to start audio processing.

10. Finally wait for the next match to watch vuvuzela-free and adjust the volume slider to a sensible value.

Step-by-step instructions for streaming from the internet or DVB:

A warning: this is a setup for the more advanced users!

1. The first and second step is the same as for regular reception.

2. Download and install Jack Audio for your operating system from http://jackaudio.org/download.
   Mac users can also choose http://www.jackosx.com/.

3. Audio Routing Software

   • Windows
     It’s sad to tell you, but there is no free software to do this in windows. Anyway,
     you could use Virtual Audio Cables from http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html.

   • Mac
     Mac users should use a software called Soundflower to route audio through Pure Data.
     Download it from http://code.google.com/p/soundflower/.
     The homepage is located at http://cycling74.com/products/soundflower/.

   • Linux
     Since I currently do not have Linux installed, I am unable to recommend any other than
     doing some googling for audio routing through jack. I am pretty shure that it can be done…

4. Setup

   The general idea is to get the audio signal, which is normally send directly to your
   soundcard’s audio out jack, routed through Pure Data. Since there are so many different hardware
   setups out there a can only provide you with some general tips:

   • Make shure the audio routing software you are using is installed and running correctly
   • Go to your operating system’s audio preferences and make shure that the routing software is selected as default output
   • In PD’s audio setup you can then choose the routing software’s driver as input and your systems hardware output as output
   • That way you get the bitch called flash to behave correctly, which is, what I’ve heard, the „streaming-client“ of choice ;)
5. Start your streaming client or DVB tuner and Pure Data.
6. Start jack audio.
7. Open the jack audio routing editor and connect the output of your streaming client to the input of pure data.
8. Connect the output of pure data to your system output. Be aware of both stereo channels.

9. IMPORTANT! Turn the output volume down all the way! I mean it! Turn any volume slider and/or knob down all the way.
   Pure Data has a tendency to act as an extremely powerfull amplifier. Believe me and your speakers/ears will be thankfull!

10. Open the ByeByeVuvu patch in pure data via the menu File → Open command.

11. Go to the Pure Data audio preferences and set the input and output to jack audio connector.

12. See top 4 for Pure Data settings.

13. Click the On/Off switch in ByeByeVuvu to start audio processing.

14. Finally wait for the next match to watch vuvuzela-free and adjust the volume slider to a sensible value.

Have Fun!