DP 6 GUI - What do you think of it?

[bayswater]

Anyone else get these eye strain headaches?

Not here. I'm puzzled by the complaint about the GUI. To me, the overall clarity, brightness and contrast seems typical of general Mac applications. Maybe time for reading glasses?

[James Steele]

Well... there's always iPerformer's Dark Mod too.

[kats_corner]

I understand that things change, and that "changes aren't permanent, but change is", and I'll adapt to whatever I have to, to get my work done. Please don't get the idea that I'm really reaming out MOTU for the change, but opinions were requested, so here's mine.

That said, I personally think the new look (particularly the pan knobs) appears cheap. I liked the knurled-knob appearance from 4 and 5. The most annoying things though, for me, include:

* the larger expanse of things like the mixer, due to which I know have to drop 1 send or 2 inserts from my previous templates in order to fit the whole mixer on the screen without running into a vertical scroll bar.

* the change on the audio performance window to place the text ABOVE the meter rather than to the LEFT of it - again taking more vertical real estate than before.

* the little oval text zones in the sequence editor for selection, parameter values, etc. are too short left-to-right, and apparently won't/can't be resized to include more data. In most cases when I'm dragging an automation point I can see the TIME reference of the automation point, but only some or possibly NONE of the DATA VALUE I really need to see. Makes automation editing a multi-step process - drag it, drop it, look; not quite right; repeat.... Sometimes I can't even see the data portion in order to click on it and enter the numerical value from the keypad. I liked the older format, where these appeared as needed in the window sub-frame - they had the entire width of the window in which to display and be seen.

* the lack of channel separation lines in about half of the mixer window height. At a glance, it's sometimes mildly uncertain which channel I'm actually looking at - never had that problem before.

* not really fond of having to go to 3 or 4 different window corners to get to various menus and features. I liked them all together at the top left - easy, quick, and infallible to get to the menu desired - they were all in one place.

As for the smaller text, I actually LIKE that; and regarding "...who uses 8pt text anyway..."; I do actually (you should see the size I use in my Terminal app). I truly believe that the smaller text is the ONLY way I can fit as much as I can on the screen right now; which is still LESS than I could fit in DP 4 and 5.

I guess that's about it. And after all that, even if the display stays as is, I'll still continue to use DP6 nearly exclusively. The new features and plug-ins make my average day a LOT nicer. So, thanks to MOTU for that!

[Tritonemusic]

...

[Bill O'C]

Anyone else get these eye strain headaches?

Not here. I'm puzzled by the complaint about the GUI. To me, the overall clarity, brightness and contrast seems typical of general Mac applications. Maybe time for reading glasses?

I have trifocals, and I have *never* had an app affect me this way--it sent me to the eye doctor. If they are going to put critical fields in 6 point type, I have no use for them.

Are you young? Perhaps that is why you are puzzled.

Regards,
Bill

[bayswater]

Anyone else get these eye strain headaches?

Not here. I'm puzzled by the complaint about the GUI. To me, the overall clarity, brightness and contrast seems typical of general Mac applications. Maybe time for reading glasses?

I have trifocals, and I have *never* had an app affect me this way--it sent me to the eye doctor. If they are going to put critical fields in 6 point type, I have no use for them.

Are you young? Perhaps that is why you are puzzled.

Regards,
Bill

No. Probably older than you. I need reading glasses to do most things, and on my keyboard is a pair with huge lenses that cover my entire field of vision. I probably look really stupid with them on, but I can sit in front of two 1280X1028 19 inch monitors running DP all day (and all of the night) without discomfort. My suggestion about glasses was not meant as a joke.

I do agree that the tiny font can be a Royal PITA and largely unnecessary notwithstanding the comment from the Cat's Corner. There are times when I can't get close enough or far enough away to figure out what is says. I'd like to get a 1920x1200 24 or 27 inch monitor but can't imagine how tiny the font would be at that miniscule dot pitch.

[Bill O'C]

No. Probably older than you. I need reading glasses to do most things, and on my keyboard is a pair with huge lenses that cover my entire field of vision. I probably look really stupid with them on, but I can sit in front of two 1280X1028 19 inch monitors running DP all day (and all of the night) without discomfort. My suggestion about glasses was not meant as a joke.

I do agree that the tiny font can be a Royal PITA and largely unnecessary notwithstanding the comment from the Cat's Corner. There are times when I can't get close enough or far enough away to figure out what is says. I'd like to get a 1920x1200 24 or 27 inch monitor but can't imagine how tiny the font would be at that miniscule dot pitch.

Sorry I bristled at you, bayswater. I guess I'm becoming an over-sensitive curmudgeon.

And I *do* have use for MOTU. Plenty of use.

Regards,
Bill

[monkey man]

That said, I personally think the new look (particularly the pan knobs) appears cheap. I liked the knurled-knob appearance from 4 and 5.

Agreed.

* the larger expanse of things like the mixer, due to which I know have to drop 1 send or 2 inserts from my previous templates in order to fit the whole mixer on the screen without running into a vertical scroll bar.

Dang. Guess I can look forward to this too.

* the change on the audio performance window to place the text ABOVE the meter rather than to the LEFT of it - again taking more vertical real estate than before.

Ridiculous. Still on an old CRT here, so this is something to look forward to also. Guess I'll have to reconstruct my screensets.

* the little oval text zones in the sequence editor for selection, parameter values, etc. are too short left-to-right, and apparently won't/can't be resized to include more data. In most cases when I'm dragging an automation point I can see the TIME reference of the automation point, but only some or possibly NONE of the DATA VALUE I really need to see. Makes automation editing a multi-step process - drag it, drop it, look; not quite right; repeat.... Sometimes I can't even see the data portion in order to click on it and enter the numerical value from the keypad. I liked the older format, where these appeared as needed in the window sub-frame - they had the entire width of the window in which to display and be seen.

I haven't been here yet, but daresay I'd agree, Kat.

* the lack of channel separation lines in about half of the mixer window height. At a glance, it's sometimes mildly uncertain which channel I'm actually looking at - never had that problem before.

Ha! I used to have this trouble on certain hardware mixers back in the day, and couldn't agree more that subtle lines of separation at the very least are in order.

* not really fond of having to go to 3 or 4 different window corners to get to various menus and features. I liked them all together at the top left - easy, quick, and infallible to get to the menu desired - they were all in one place.

I too preferred them there.

As for the smaller text, I actually LIKE that; and regarding "...who uses 8pt text anyway..."; I do actually (you should see the size I use in my Terminal app). I truly believe that the smaller text is the ONLY way I can fit as much as I can on the screen right now; which is still LESS than I could fit in DP 4 and 5.

The irony is not lost on me, Kat.

I guess that's about it. And after all that, even if the display stays as is, I'll still continue to use DP6 nearly exclusively. The new features and plug-ins make my average day a LOT nicer. So, thanks to MOTU for that!

Yeah, thank you MOTU.

... but opinions were requested, so here's mine.

Thank you for sharing them, Kats; it was a pleasurable read for the Monkster.

[James Steele]

I need reading glasses to do most things, and on my keyboard is a pair with huge lenses that cover my entire field of vision. I probably look really stupid with them on, but I can sit in front of two 1280X1028 19 inch monitors running DP all day (and all of the night) without discomfort. My suggestion about glasses was not meant as a joke.

I had to chuckle at this. I recently had to go to a strong prescription on my contact lenses for distance vision and even though they're "multifocal" (which I think is a dubious technology when it comes to contact lenses for now), it really made working in front of my 30" Dell monitor a hassle. So I tried various powers of reading glasses at Wal-Mart and found some +1.0 power (fairly weak) reading glasses. I tested them out looking at things same distance as I sit from my monitor. Oh... and same as you I got large lenses so that my field of vision was covered enough that I can take in the whole 30" monitor. The frames are so unhip though-- I look liked I stepped out of the 70s. I call them my "David Koresh glasses."

Nonetheless, my sessions with DP are so much more comfortable now.

[bayswater]

I need reading glasses to do most things, and on my keyboard is a pair with huge lenses that cover my entire field of vision. I probably look really stupid with them on, but I can sit in front of two 1280X1028 19 inch monitors running DP all day (and all of the night) without discomfort. My suggestion about glasses was not meant as a joke.

I had to chuckle at this. I recently had to go to a strong prescription on my contact lenses for distance vision and even though they're "multifocal" (which I think is a dubious technology when it comes to contact lenses for now), it really made working in front of my 30" Dell monitor a hassle. So I tried various powers of reading glasses at Wal-Mart and found some +1.0 power (fairly weak) reading glasses. I tested them out looking at things same distance as I sit from my monitor. Oh... and same as you I got large lenses so that my field of vision was covered enough that I can take in the whole 30" monitor. The frames are so unhip though-- I look liked I stepped out of the 70s. I call them my "David Koresh glasses."

Nonetheless, my sessions with DP are so much more comfortable now.

I started at 1.25 and have worked up to 1.50. Costco here has them cheap in packs of 3 to 10. I prefer to think of Austin Powers.

[James Steele]

I started at 1.25 and have worked up to 1.50. Costco here has them cheap in packs of 3 to 10. I prefer to think of Austin Powers.

Yeah, I should have mentioned mine I wire rimmed aviator-ish glasses. They're quite silly looking, but I don't wear them out of the house...

[giddy]

Is there any way to get back the locator bar in the transport? Or a decent alternative?

Now that its gone... I really miss it!

Howabout some customizeable zoom buttons somewhere?

also, i think having the blue meters is weird. I wish I could choose the background and level colors.

[b.g.]

I know the DP font has been brought up before, but I want to know if I'm missing some kind of adjustment or a system font or something. I'm using a Dell 1703FP. Take a look at this screen grab. I tried every screen resolution, and I simply cannot see the numbers in focus.

[James Steele]

I know the DP font has been brought up before, but I want to know if I'm missing some kind of adjustment or a system font or something. I'm using a Dell 1703FP. Take a look at this screen grab. I tried every screen resolution, and I simply cannot see the numbers in focus.

Something wrong with your image link... I tried fixing it and may have changed the URL a bit which didn't help. It could be my browser won't display a TIFF. Anyone else? Otherwise, try JPEG.

[b.g.]

Ok, I added a .jpg version and edited the link. Thanks for checking, James.