Epilepsy and media player visualizations

[afitzwater]

Hello,

I do not have epilepsy, I'm just trying to figure out if something would cause it.

At my work, we are starting on a project that deals with Windows Media Player and its visualizations. For those unfamiliar, patters are generated with the music that is being played, generally in a wave form.

We've been trying to find any documenation on if visualizations in Windows Media Player have or could potentially cause seizures. If anyone has info on this subject it would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Meetz1064]

do not know if there is any documentation right off the top of my head about that. HOWEVER, it would be a highly likely thing, particularly for those E patients that are photosensitive.

You might try Googling a combination of words like seizure threshold and Windows Media Player to see what hits you get. You might also want to check out different scientific journals, (medline, medscape, emedicine are just a few I can think of). If I run across something though, I will post it for you.

I will say this, though.......some of the patterns bug me, and I am NOT photosensitive.

[Rae1889]

I agree with meetz. The coloured swirls would make me dizzy and sometimes the ones that would switch from one pattern to the next, would give me a bad headache from staring at them

But when it was usually on, I'd be paying more attention to the music than to the pattern as I'd be on the net as well.

But to agree further, Yes, i am quite sure that someone who is photosensitive (this does not just mean lights flashing. this could mean flourescnt lights, ceiling fans, patterns on clothing, corn fields, repetative motions that swirl or wave. stirpes, dots. etc. it doesnt even have to move for some people. it just mean you have a seizure that is triggered by something visual. could be as silly as seeing a coffee mug)

[epileric]

At the top of the page you can try clicking the "search" option & typing "photosensitivity" or "photosensitive". You might get some info on what types of things trigger the people here

[Nakamova]

Often it's the monitor, not the pattern that's playing on it, that can be the trigger. Certain wavelengths of (blue) light are probably more suspect than others.

[vapour]

As Ive been reading about reflex epilepsy...since I seem to have some of that going on ... I think it could def trigger..... movement can cause a seizure....i think its rare... but it can happen.

[vapour]

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187259-overview

here is a good link on it.

[Loudmouth]

no no nooooo WMP is awful for me, I've tried to use it twice, both times the patterns have made me seize. I go into complex partial seizures, it's the way the patterns change. the second time I even noticed I was almost 'drawn' to the patterns, like I couldn't STOP looking at them, even though I knew it would likely cause a seizure!! If I want to listen to music now, I tend to pull it up on youtube and just minimise it to the bottom so the music is playing but i don't see the video in case of flashing lights in the vids.

Edit: no offence meant, but I personally can't use it is all.

[epileric]

no no nooooo WMP is awful for me, I've tried to use it twice, both times the patterns have made me seize. I go into complex partial seizures, it's the way the patterns change. the second time I even noticed I was almost 'drawn' to the patterns, like I couldn't STOP looking at them, even though I knew it would likely cause a seizure!! If I want to listen to music now, I tend to pull it up on youtube and just minimise it to the bottom so the music is playing but i don't see the video in case of flashing lights in the vids.

Edit: no offence meant, but I personally can't use it is all.

Try VLC Media player. It's free, very light & has versions for Mac & Windows. It plays back music only showing the indicator that tells you how far through the song it's gone (not sure what to call it).
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/