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Generic grading controls (trackball, joystick, keyboard...)
  • Ze_CahueZe_Cahue

    Am I wrong or seems easy to delevop drivers for normal gaming joysticks or trackballs to use for grading, instead of those mega expensive controls? Midi music keyboards also looks fine to control.

    Is out there something like that? Midi mapping is a very nice solution used in music production that could be used for grading as well.

  • 4 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Ze_Cahue

    I have small issue here. As they are not at all such expensive.

    And if you are doing grading professionally (exactly the case where you need this things) you can pay them out for less than one month.

  • Ze_CahueZe_Cahue

    I'm not doing professionally, but I know how faster and better the grading become if you have multiple controls to use. Some are not very expensive, but comparing to cheaper possible alternatives, they become some expensive. If you are very pro, a single good job can pay you a 15k raw camera, so why hack GHs camera? I dont think multiple controls for grading need be used only for grading professionally.

  • MeierhansMeierhans

    I know that at least the Tangent devices connect via UDP, so in theory it should be possible to use some small software that converts multiple HID devices like trackballs and plus a couple of endless midi controllers into their protocol. First you would need to know about the protocol, then code the converter or build something in VVVV or the like. Last but not least you would need to mount all devices in a box. If you think of this as a fun project you enjoy doing in your spare time.. go for it. But don't count the hours...

    Here an Ipad app from tangent, lite version is freely available on itunes: http://www.tangentdevices.co.uk/products_vwave.asp

    Edit: Guess this would be the place to ask for the protocol (Remember: You are building some app to work with their hardware.. not the other way around.. )

    http://www.tangentdevices.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=740

  • Ze_CahueZe_Cahue

    @Meierhans , that app is a nice solution too.

    Researching more, I've found this software that looks very interesting, not only for grading, but for a lot of other things. http://www.orderedbytes.com/controllermate/

    "ControllerMate building blocks are triggered by controls on devices or MIDI messages. Each type of building block performs a small task. Building blocks can be combined to perform complex functions.

    ControllerMate now includes more than 70 types of building blocks!

    Some building blocks respond directly to controls on devices. Others perform logic, math, or timing. Yet other blocks trigger activity on ControllerMate's virtual mouse or keyboard, perform AppleScripts, open files, or launch applications. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

    MIDI messages can now trigger building blocks just as easily as buttons on a joystick, mouse, or keypad. MIDI notes, controller values, or patch changes can be used.

    ControllerMate can also create and send MIDI messages through a virtual MIDI source. This allows generic input devices to be used to control applications that listen to ControllerMate's virtual MIDI source.

    ControllerMate can create virtual mouse, tablet, and joystick devices that are controlled by ControllerMate programming. The virtual devices are seen by most other applications just as though they were actual devices.

    Every move that a virtual device makes is controlled using ControllerMate's building blocks and driver configurations."

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