Best computer accessory to use with DP...

Tripi · Post by **Tripi** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 11:11 pm

Dwetmaster wrote:I couldn't live without Controller Mate. ( http://www.orderedbytes.com/controllermate/ )
It's NOT a piece of hardware but a piece of software instead. A bit like quickeys but more powerful (I think... )

Allows me to assign any button on any controller to any thing I want. The developper is even working on a MIDI version that will do the same things with MIDI devices.

That sounds great if a MIDI version comes out. I used to have a program called Bome's MIDI Translator on my PC which converted MIDI to keystrokes. Too bad it never came out for mac.

hammerman · Post by **hammerman** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:50 am

Contour Shuttle Pro- I use the jog wheel to go forward and back one measure at a time to quickly get around, plus a ton of other shortcuts with all of those programmable buttons.

Wacom Graphire 4X5 tablet- I can't live without this. It's how I get around (no more mice or trackballs for me). During extensive editing sessions, it has saved my right hand and arm (considering I play piano, it's a little important to me!)

New Apple Keyboard- wasn't sure about this but I already have a MacBook and like the keys. What I love- 19 function keys! Thin profile, easy and quiet (clickety clack) and it looks cool. What I don't like- no more Apple logo on the command key!

So my setup is Shuttle Pro on the left, then keyboard in the middle, and then tablet on the right.Just love the setup!

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:51 am

hammerman wrote: Wacom Graphire 4X5 tablet- I can't live without this. ...

Also a pianist, and I find that grabbing the pen is counter intuitive and more constricting than a mouse (hate trackballs too). A bit like moving from piano to guitar and back but even more so since I have to wrap my fingers around a pen and then reach forward to use the tablet. Probably better for your hips, however

I really don't like the new Apple KBD at all. Reminds me of trying to play the piano on a paper keyboard. I need a bit more tactile response from my kbd. But at least I know what it might feel like to make love to an inflatable doll now. TMI...

Tripi · Post by **Tripi** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:23 am

Ha!

I'm a mouse guy also. I think it stems from years of doing graphic design work. It feels more like painting than using a trackball. Although.... I can rock a pretty mean game of Centipede.

bongo_x · Post by **bongo_x** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:57 am

the thumb trackball is quite different than the large trackballs.

bb

midilance · Post by **midilance** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:31 am

The Mackie Big Knob. I just got it. It gives me a way to select different monitors. Headphones. It provided me with talkback. And a big knob. Great idea. I like it.

toodamnhip · Post by **toodamnhip** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:55 am

If one wants DUAL monitors, on a G5 2.5 PPC, besides the monitirs, is there an extra video card needed? If so, does that little extra card eat a little CPU?

gearboy · Post by **gearboy** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:27 am

No extra video card here, running two Samsung 17" flat screens with the original card on my Dual 1.8ghz G5.

Rick Averill · Post by **Rick Averill** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:48 am

1. QuicKeys--couldn't live without it.

2. Wacom Graphics Tablet--so easy on the wrist and arm.

3. Kennsington Trackball for when I need more precision than I can get with the graphics pen. Never use a mouse.

4. As much monitor space (both in size and number of monitors) as your budget and/or work station space will allow. I'd use 3 30" monitors if my budget and space would allow. As it is, I have to be content with a 21" and a 17".

5. Super good audio monitors. I have an UltraLite audio interface, a QSC power amp, and a couple of EV nearfield monitors. I also have a 3rd octave graphic EQ which unfortunately is on the fritz right now. I'd like to add a sub-woofer but I haven't got the dough presently.

simonr · Post by **simonr** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:22 pm

midilance wrote:The Mackie Big Knob.

I want one of these just because of the name.

Dwetmaster · Post by **Dwetmaster** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:28 pm

midilance wrote:The Mackie Big Knob.

I hesitated between this and the central station, and I finally went for the CS.

Central Station

kelldammit · Post by **kelldammit** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:53 pm

i had a logitech trackball, with the ball on the side...i loved it. it was very comfortable, accurate, and easy to work with. alas, it was not wireless (not a big deal at the time, though it would be now), and it started hurting my thumb after extended periods of use. i think microsoft made something similar that was also very nice.
i have a logitech mx518 (a gaming mouse). it's also very comfortable, and lets you switch mouse resolution on the fly. this feature also works on mac, sans drivers. very very cool for quickly zooming around a big screen, then changing gears to do fine editing. wonderful gizmo...unfortunately, it's also wired

so, mostly it's an old apple wireless keyboard and mighty mouse for me.
since i work pretty much exclusively on a laptop, i love the targus chillhub. it blows hot air out the back (not down onto your legs if it's on your lap), is bus powered and has its own 4 port usb2 hub built in. it fits perfectly on top of my traveler

supersonic · Post by **supersonic** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:50 am

Kensington Trackball, AlphaTrack, Tranzport, Remote (Novation), two 24" LCDs (used on a macbook with a DualHead from Matrox), SPL MTC for monitoring, express card FireWire 800 for hooking up my external Glyph drives separately from Traveler.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:19 am

Kensington Turbo Mouse Pro Wireless Trackball (mine has 13 buttons including the scroll wheel button and the two "chord" buttons) I went through two of the new Expert Mouse Wireless trackballs, and I loved the scroll-ring. That was a great feature. But I missed the extra buttons, and both units broke anyway; just inexplicably quit working while I was in the middle of using them. So, I'm back with my old Turbo Mouse Pro Wireless, and I don't ever want to leave it. But they don't make it anymore, so when it dies, I'm toast.

Apple Wireless Keyboard (old kind) It has the keypad on the right side like every other desktop keyboard made since 1620. The new Apple Wireless keyboard does not have the keypad, rendering it impossible for me to use. My next keyboard will of necessity be made by another company. But I have three of these. Maybe I can go back to the others if this one breaks. Why wireless? Because my desk converts from Flat to Kurzweil 2600 "Piano" style with full-length lyre. I have to be able to move the keyboard and trackball around without wires. I designed the desk with wireless and the Kurzweil in mind.

Kurzweil 2600 Keyboard: it's the best keyboard I know of. 88 keys, weighted action, coupled with Ivory or other good VI's, it feels like a real grand piano. It gets a workout every day, and holds up well.

Yamaha WX-5 MIDI Wind Controller This instrument makes it possible to perform absolutely realistic parts for all the wind instruments, and can do mean guitar licks, violin tracks, (all the strings), and so forth. The capabilities of this instrument are astounding. Paired with the Wallander Orchestral Instruments (WiVi), it's unbeatable. No other library/controller combo even comes close. Plus, the WX-5 has incredible settings and controls. You'd have to read the manual to understand why. But compared to the WX-7 from 1987, the WX-5 leaves it in the dust. Makes it look like stone-age MIDI tools. This is truly a 21st century instrument.

Mackie 1402 VLZ Pro Mixer It's for connectivity and levels.

Wacom Graphire Tablet Sometimes a pen and tablet are simply the better way to do things. When editing with the drawing tools, for instance. You can draw curves and really zero in on things with a tablet.

Lotsa hard drives. There's no such thing as "too much disk space."

iPod, Sony Walkman Pro (tape recorder), JVC MiniDisk Player and so on: these just add potential to Digital Performer by allowing for various kinds of dubbing and playback.

And of course... MIDI Time Piece (the best of the MIDI interfaces), various audio interfaces by MOTU, and a rack of MIDI synths. Not to mention good amps, monitors (both visual and audio) Good grief, this is an expensive line of work to get involved in. You could practically retire on what you spend for this stuff. Of course, most of it now is worthless on the market, since it's all getting up there in age.

Shooshie

angelvonfrankim · Post by **angelvonfrankim** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:52 pm

I love dual monitors. I like to be able to spread the board all the way out and see all the faders at once. Almost like a real board. And when editing I like to see as much as I can at once with it large enough to see what I'm doing. I have two 19 inch wide flat panels. It's pretty nice.

I can see the whole board, even if I have over 32 tracks, and still have room for some plugins to always be visible.