Keyboard and mouse are often not an intuitive interface for creative work with video, for example. Many editors therefore like to add special interfaces to their workstations - be it special control panels, such as Micro and Mini Panels from Blackmagic or Loupedeck or simply keyboards with color codes for shortcuts and additional controls.
TourBox
Another interesting alternative control panel is the TourBox, originally started by crowdfunding, which has a whole range of additional controls such as a rotary knob, a steering wheel, a dial, a D-pad and various knobs. Especially steering wheels are very helpful when setting continuous values (for example during grading) or navigating in the timeline.
The 386 gram TourBox is connected to the PC via USB and is not exactly elegant to call, but in his practical test photographer and filmmaker Kien Lam raves about the intuitive operation of various programs via TourBox. In his test the TourBox proves its worth for example for quick viewing and sorting of photos and for scrubbing in Final Cut Pro X. The box can be operated with one hand, each finger then reaches one or two of the controls, which can then call up functions or change setting values, or like a game controller with two hands.
TourBox during grading
The key to working with any control panel is, of course, the assignment of the various new controls to the appropriate context-dependent functions for the programs being used. The TourBox comes with a particularly sophisticated program called TourBox Console (macOS/Windows) for function assignment, which allows to optimally adapt the functionality of the TourBox in different modes to the own workflow in different programs. Remembering the new function assignments in a program and its (sub-)menus can be difficult, so the user can use the HUD (Head Up Display) to show the current context of the active assignment on the monitor.
TourBox Console
Included or downloadable are presets for well-known photo software such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Illustrator as well as video editing/composing and grading programs such as Apple's Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects and Blackmagic's DaVinci Resolve.
TourBox Console HUD
The TourBox is available online at a price of around 170 dollars.
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