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AVID Digidesign Procontrol Protools Control Surface with edit and expansion pack
Estimated price for orientation: 2 100 $
Category: Other Pro Audio
Class:
Description Condition: Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Brand: AVID
Digidesign's Pro Tools system has grown steadily over the years into a seriously powerful audio production tool with a vast array of third-party plug-in effects and signal processors. However, it always seemed to me that its impressive capabilities were restricted by the inherent limitations of a mouse and keyboard interface. After all, here is a machine which has the capability to undertake multitrack recording, editing and processing, and mixdown of the result - an entire studio in a box - but without an ergonomic or truly hands-on means to control it.Never a company to rest on their laurels, Digidesign have been pondering a solution to this one for some time. Mackie took a step in the right direction with their HUI interface (reviewed in SOS December 1998), but the challenge for Digidesign was to come up with a more encompassing dedicated control surface which would be both familiar and intuitive to operate, yet capable of controlling every aspect of Pro Tools. It also had to be able to to keep up with the demands of the Pro Tools system as it continues to evolve.After a considerable effort (which started at around the same time as Mackie developed their HUI) and a lot of beta-testing, Digidesign have finally presented an impressive solution. The ProControl looks just as a state-of-the-art mixing console should look - in fact, it resembles the Euphonix CS3000 console in many ways. However, the ProControl isn't actually a console at all - it is both far more and far less! It's essentially just a remote-control panel for Pro Tools, but it acts as a top-flight recording and mixdown console with a very good edit controller built in. I guarantee that within minutes of sitting down in front of it, most people will be thinking of it as a console.A Pro Tools/ProControl combination and a bunch of TDM plug-ins is effectively a highly specified recording console, a multitrack tape recorder, a fully loaded outboard rack, and an automated mixdown console - pretty much an entire studio setup, all in a fully integrated and versatile package which would fit easily into the back of a small car! And, best of all, it's a system which is easy and intuitive to operate for people who would rather push faders and turn knobs than click and drag mice!HardwareThe ProControl console is 'just' a dedicated remote control panel for a Pro Tools workstation, so there is no other hardware to find a home for - no extra I/O interfaces associated with ProControl or racks of audio processing equipment - although the slim console does usefully incorporate minimalist monitoring and talkback facilities. However, it is important to bear in mind that ProControl is only as powerful as the underlying Pro Tools environment: it is limited to the existing I/O and TDM plug-ins and doesn't add anything other than a more practical, ergonomic and visually impressive means of controlling what you already have.The control surface is of a modular design, allowing up to three additional motorised-fader panels to be bolted on to the core frame. The basic unit contains a central section which provides the configuration, editing, monitoring and talkback sections, plus one 8-fader mixer panel, together with comprehensive metering and a time display. Each extension panel adds another eight faders and assignable channel strips, so that the maximum of three extra extension fader packs will provide a total of 32 channel strips. Even with the basic 8-fader main unit, though, every channel configured in any Pro Tools mix session can still be accessed and controlled through assignability of the available hardware faders.The only connection between the ProControl surface and the Pro Tools computer is a standard 10BaseT ethernet link (via the usual RJ45 'telephone' connector) which would also be daisy-chained between any additional fader expansion packs. These would normally be bolted directly to the left or right of the central section (to suit the desired console layout), but they could just as easily be sited separately from the main panel - perhaps adjacent to a rack of keyboards, for example - yet still work as part of the complete installation.The system is engineered very thoroughly from the ground up - it includes two separate power supplies for the core console unit, for example. One is for the monitoring section and analogue electronics, and a second one powers all the digital controls, switches, LEDs, and fader servos. There is also a comprehensive built-in diagnostic facility. Since any software-based product such as the ProControl will inevitably require updates and bug-fixes from time to time, Digidesign will be making these available on their web site for direct downloading and installation through the host computer.An optional kit of spare parts is available for the console: this kit includes a complete fader assembly, transport-button panel and analogue electronics board - all the parts which are likely to take the most abuse. The controller has even been designed so that if one of these components fails in use it is very quick and easy to swap it. Digidesign's service support guarantees to ship a replacement module for
Description
| Condition: | Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition | Brand: | AVID |
Digidesign's Pro Tools system has grown steadily over the years into a seriously powerful audio production tool with a vast array of third-party plug-in effects and signal processors. However, it always seemed to me that its impressive capabilities were restricted by the inherent limitations of a mouse and keyboard interface. After all, here is a machine which has the capability to undertake multitrack recording, editing and processing, and mixdown of the result - an entire studio in a box - but without an ergonomic or truly hands-on means to control it.Never a company to rest on their laurels, Digidesign have been pondering a solution to this one for some time. Mackie took a step in the right direction with their HUI interface (reviewed in SOS December 1998), but the challenge for Digidesign was to come up with a more encompassing dedicated control surface which would be both familiar and intuitive to operate, yet capable of controlling every aspect of Pro Tools. It also had to be able to to keep up with the demands of the Pro Tools system as it continues to evolve.After a considerable effort (which started at around the same time as Mackie developed their HUI) and a lot of beta-testing, Digidesign have finally presented an impressive solution. The ProControl looks just as a state-of-the-art mixing console should look - in fact, it resembles the Euphonix CS3000 console in many ways. However, the ProControl isn't actually a console at all - it is both far more and far less! It's essentially just a remote-control panel for Pro Tools, but it acts as a top-flight recording and mixdown console with a very good edit controller built in. I guarantee that within minutes of sitting down in front of it, most people will be thinking of it as a console.A Pro Tools/ProControl combination and a bunch of TDM plug-ins is effectively a highly specified recording console, a multitrack tape recorder, a fully loaded outboard rack, and an automated mixdown console - pretty much an entire studio setup, all in a fully integrated and versatile package which would fit easily into the back of a small car! And, best of all, it's a system which is easy and intuitive to operate for people who would rather push faders and turn knobs than click and drag mice!HardwareThe ProControl console is 'just' a dedicated remote control panel for a Pro Tools workstation, so there is no other hardware to find a home for - no extra I/O interfaces associated with ProControl or racks of audio processing equipment - although the slim console does usefully incorporate minimalist monitoring and talkback facilities. However, it is important to bear in mind that ProControl is only as powerful as the underlying Pro Tools environment: it is limited to the existing I/O and TDM plug-ins and doesn't add anything other than a more practical, ergonomic and visually impressive means of controlling what you already have.The control surface is of a modular design, allowing up to three additional motorised-fader panels to be bolted on to the core frame. The basic unit contains a central section which provides the configuration, editing, monitoring and talkback sections, plus one 8-fader mixer panel, together with comprehensive metering and a time display. Each extension panel adds another eight faders and assignable channel strips, so that the maximum of three extra extension fader packs will provide a total of 32 channel strips. Even with the basic 8-fader main unit, though, every channel configured in any Pro Tools mix session can still be accessed and controlled through assignability of the available hardware faders.The only connection between the ProControl surface and the Pro Tools computer is a standard 10BaseT ethernet link (via the usual RJ45 'telephone' connector) which would also be daisy-chained between any additional fader expansion packs. These would normally be bolted directly to the left or right of the central section (to suit the desired console layout), but they could just as easily be sited separately from the main panel - perhaps adjacent to a rack of keyboards, for example - yet still work as part of the complete installation.The system is engineered very thoroughly from the ground up - it includes two separate power supplies for the core console unit, for example. One is for the monitoring section and analogue electronics, and a second one powers all the digital controls, switches, LEDs, and fader servos. There is also a comprehensive built-in diagnostic facility. Since any software-based product such as the ProControl will inevitably require updates and bug-fixes from time to time, Digidesign will be making these available on their web site for direct downloading and installation through the host computer.An optional kit of spare parts is available for the console: this kit includes a complete fader assembly, transport-button panel and analogue electronics board - all the parts which are likely to take the most abuse. The controller has even been designed so that if one of these components fails in use it is very quick and easy to swap it. Digidesign's service support guarantees to ship a replacement module for