Best TouchDesigner replacement for macOS as TD becomes more Windows focused

[garym]

I am pretty locked into macOS, so I am looking for a replacement for Touch Designer since TD is overlooking macOS with the new features like the TDI library. I was really excited for that, but it’s not enough to get me to move to Windows.

I’m currently exploring Modul8 and it’s pretty exciting so far, but I want to see what others are using! I’m pretty open minded. Please share any ideas! Thank you!!

[jacqueshoepffner]

Really not the same league!

First, TD come from Windows (macOs version appears around 2017),so it doesnt “becomes” more Windows focused. Second Modul8 its a very old, deprecated software. I would choose on macOs VDMX, madMapper, Isadora or Millumin instead of Modul8.

Third, TD can do so much more things: python programming, glsl programming, 3D, particles, Pops etc.

The problem is not TD, is macOs making a solo ride away of nVidia, Vulkan and many other.

I left macOs for Windows because of TD

[garym]

Thanks for explaining all that! I will have to look into Isadora and Millumin!

I do have a big Windows machine w/ an RTX 4090 at home, but my portable stuff is all macOS so the Windows-first thing is tough.

[Gallo]

Hi,

VDMX is an impressive piece of software. I found it to be a mix between VJ software and a modular no code framework for video. Everything inside is a module/plugin and you can make your very custom layout. I have used it a lot in the past years. Though with power comes some caveat with ergonomics. They are also the developers of the HAP codec and ISF shader format.

You can also see Resolume with their node system called Wire.

As a side note, TiXL is a rising node base editor option for Windows. Roadmap aims Linux as well in the future (and maybe macOS), but you’ll have to wait and bear with them.

But yeah, at the end of the day, nothing compares TD

[snaut]

Hi @garym

just for others who might read about the missing TDILib on OSX in build 2025.31550 - this is a bug we are working to fix.

[2025.31550] TDI library not included in macOS build

Hi all, it appears the TDI library stub files are not actually included with the latest stable build on macOS. When looking into the TD app’s Package Contents, there is no tdi folder anywhere. @Derivative I suppose this was simply forgotten to include? For anyone else encountering this issue, a fix that worked for me is to simply take the tdi folder from the Windows version and manually place it here: /Applications/TouchDesigner.app/Contents/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.11/lib/pyth…

cheers
Markus

[malcolm]

Hey Gary,

I do want to point how that TD is not becoming more Windows focused. We were originally Windows only, and we slowly continue to work on making it more feature complete on macOS. The progression is certainly not fast, but the end result is that it’s becoming less Windows focused, not more. We try to add workflows that are macOS specific to match up with the Windows specific features. At least the ones we can. Nvidia AI for example won’t be on macOS ofcourse.

[vincentDev]

Mac vs PC for a workshop

I love running TD on my Mac. Especially since so much content production happily terminates in ProRes output, having native hardware accelerated playback for ProRes makes it an easy win. Of course this reasoning falls apart if you need any of the fun stuff that nVidia gets you (ie: Maxine, broadcast toolset). I have a client that uses an M1 Ultra Studio for VJ-ing shows and, despite being an older model than your prospective machine, he says it’s his ideal rig.

Here’s a thread where a user recommends mac over pc (admittely for specific use cases involving pro res) for some perspective