Modular hardware knobs/sliders/buttons for Adobe programs

ZacD

I saw this video and thought it would be fun to try, and would be nice to see support for 3d applications.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uw7vTGWvWCQ

They are kinda expensive though. https://shop.trycelery.com/page/palettekits

I could see myself maybe spending $20 per module, but $50 is definitely a bit much for a single knob or slider. 

Kwramm

Cover your desk with them, get some blinkenlights, and then use them exclusively to do your art. Get a lab coat too. You'll look like some crazy scientist from a cheap 60's B-movie.

thomasp

time to break out the gear. the 90's want a word with you.

Bek

Reminds me of this thread: http://polycount.com/discussion/134040/3ds-max-using-a-hardware-controller/p1

...it would be kinda fun to bevel with a dial or throttle.

Joopson

Bek said:

...it would be kinda fun to bevel with a dial or throttle.

Cranking the bevel dial up to max, in 3....2....1!

Tobbo

I want this functionality in foot pedals. 

Joopson

Put the pedal to the bevel!

Justin Meisse

That's actually not that bad of a price.  If it's using midi you could probably save money by building it yourself if you're handy with electronics.  An arduino would make it easy, if you need more analog inputs for knobs and sliders you could add some multiplexors.

ZacD

To me it's expensive when you can have an audio mixing board with similar knobs and sliders for $200 with 10 sliders and 50 knobs. Or with this 2 sliders, 3 knobs, 2 buttons for $300. I think it'd make more sense to put more than one knob/button/slider on a module. I wonder if you could some how take the inputs from a USB audio mixing board and use them to control brush size/shape/opacity. 

Justin Meisse

Yes, mass produced electronics with a bigger market end up costing less.  I'm in to analogue synths, I have to pay $200 for a small board with 3 knobs on it.

Michael Knubben

If it was using Midi (and it probably isn't), something like this would be much cheaper: http://www.thomann.de/nl/korg_nanokontrol_2_black.htm
They're cheap and plastic, but it's a good starter option, and there are a lot of spendier alternatives to upgrade to, including ones with motorised faders (so if something changes on the software side, the fader can match it on the hardware side)
For a little bit more than one of those blocks, you can have this, which I'm sure is more than you'll probably need: http://www.thomann.de/nl/akai_midimix.htm
You can get x/y-pads, sliders, knobs (regular or endless), pads...

Adobe (and others) just need to start supporting Midi and OSC. Midi's old and aimed at audio mostly, but it's perfectly usable and almost everything produced since the eighties supports it. OSC is the newer, better protocol and is much more open-ended.

throttlekitty

This guy has a pretty sweet setup that had me thinking for a little while. Seems great for 2d oriented work while on cintiq, less fumbling for combo hotkeys and just straight to a single buton. But I'm not sure I like moving around that much. And have you seen the spacemouse?

@Tobbo yes!

throttlekitty

This guy has a pretty sweet setup that had me thinking for a little while. Seems great for 2d oriented work while on cintiq, less fumbling for combo hotkeys and just straight to a single buton. But I'm not sure I like moving around that much. And have you seen the spacemouse?

@Tobbo yes!