Decode-Orc is a cross-platform orchestration and processing framework for LaserDisc and tape decoding workflows.

It aims to brings structure and consistency to complex decoding processes, making them easier to run, repeat, and understand.

Decode-Orc is a direct replacement for the existing ld-decode-tools, coordinating each step of the process and keeping track of inputs, outputs, and results.

The project aims to:

• Make advanced LaserDisc and tape workflows (from TBC to end-user video) easier to manage
• Reduce manual steps and error-prone command sequences
• Help users reproduce the same results over time

Both a graphical interface (orc-gui) and command-line interface (orc-cli) are implemented for orchestrating workflows. These commands contain minimal business logic and, instead, rely on the same orc-core following a MVP architecture (Model–View–Presenter) wherever possible.

The user documentation is available via Github Pages

The Decode-Orc project provides ready-to-install packages for Mac OS (DMG).

The release packages can be found in the release section of the Github repository.

For instructions on how to install please see the release installtion instructions.

The project supports Nix for deterministic, reproducible builds:

# Enter development environment
nix develop

# Build the project
nix build

# Run the application
nix run .#orc-gui

Note that, if you want to pass command line options when using "nix run" it is performed using a command like:

nix run git+file:///home/pathtoproject/decode-orc#orc-gui -- --log-level debug --log-file /tmp/orc-gui.log

See docs/NIX-BUILD.md for complete Nix build instructions.

For traditional CMake builds with vcpkg, please refer to the build documentation.

If the application crashes unexpectedly, it will automatically create a diagnostic bundle to help identify and fix the issue. This bundle contains:

• System information (OS, CPU, memory)
• Stack backtrace showing where the crash occurred
• Application logs
• Coredump file (when available)

The crash bundle is saved as a ZIP file in:

• orc-gui: ~/Documents/decode-orc-crashes/ (or your home directory)
• orc-cli: Current working directory

When reporting a crash issue on GitHub Issues, please:

1. Attach the crash bundle ZIP file (or upload to a file sharing service if too large)
2. Describe what you were doing when the crash occurred
3. Include the contents of crash_info.txt from the bundle in your issue description

This information is invaluable for diagnosing and fixing crashes quickly.

Decode-Orc was designed and written by Simon Inns. Decode-Orc's development heavily relied on the original GPLv3 ld-decode-tools which contained many contributions from others.

• Simon Inns (2018-2025) - Extensive work across all tools
• Adam Sampson (2019-2023) - Significant contributions to core libraries, chroma decoder and tools
• Chad Page (2014-2018) - Filter implementations and original NTSC comb filter
• Ryan Holtz (2022) - Metadata handling
• Phillip Blucas (2023) - VideoID decoding
• ...and others (see the original ld-decode-tools source)

It should be noted that the original code for the observers is also based heavily on the ld-decode python code-base (written by Chad Page et al).